With the NBA trade deadline now in the past and the Nuggets currently sitting 4.5 games out of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference, I can finally say I hope the Nuggets miss the playoffs. If you’re a hoop-head like me, this is a fairly obvious statement, but the casual fan or season ticket holder might wonder why.
Making the postseason in year number one would start the “clock” and this young team, coach included, is not ready for that kind of pressure. That is in no way a knock on the team or head coach Michael Malone, because I am a big fan of Malone and the potential of this team. I want to compare it to the Avalanche making the playoffs in Roy’s first year as head coach. Since then, the team has been somewhat of a disappointment. That his first year and the epic end of that season set an expectation the team was not ready to live up to.
Patrick Roy is in no way in trouble of losing his job, but he started his clock after year one and I do not want to see that happen with the Nuggets. The core is there, the head coach is there, now we just have to wait. If we are patient with the team, they will reward us with a playoff berth sooner than later.
If Malone, his staff and the players are the cooks, that makes Tim Connelly the man who buys the groceries. Right now Connelly has some of the meat, but he could use another slab of beef and then a couple of nice sides. Fortunately, he is on the right track.
The rebuild is almost through year one and as far as I am concerned the franchise is ahead of schedule. We knew Emmanuel Mudiay would show flashes of what’s ahead at times, as well as show us he is a rookie, but what Nikola Jokic has shown and they way Danilo Gallinari has been playing can only lead Nuggets fans to believe that their future is bright! Add a full season (crosses fingers) of Wilson Chandler and Jusuf Nurkic and this team can make a playoff push… next season.
That push should not be looked at as anything serious but rather just a taste of what is to come. Connelly and the Nuggets did make a big move at the deadline but sometimes not doing much is the best thing that can be done.
Just like this season, not doing much is what is best for the future of the franchise. Besides, if we are being honest and I am always honest with you; there is now way and I mean no way Denver could beat either the Golden State Warriors or the San Antonio Spurs who will be one and two in the west.
