Nuggets In Serious Trouble? Brand New MVP Already Crowned? - NBA Overreactions and Takeaways
OVERREACTION: The Nuggets Are in Serious Trouble
Nikola Jokic in his 41-point loss to the Clippers
The Nuggets season began with what was supposed to be a heavyweight fight between two Western Conference powerhouses in a matchup versus last year's One-Seed Oklahoma City Thunder. Instead, NBA fans were treated to a one-sided affair where Denver shot 18.4% from three and was only able to mount 87 points in the home loss.
Their second game came against a much weaker Clippers team that had the departures of Paul George and Russell Westbrook in the offseason and continues to play without the always injured Kawhi Leonard. The game’s final score was much closer by the final buzzer thanks to a third-quarter rally back from the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic’s 41 points, but Denver fell short at home once again.
Even Denver’s last two games, which each ended in a win, were belabored overtime victories that took long-winded comebacks to beat a bad Raptors team and a rebuilding Nets roster.
Things may look meek after these first three games, but the idea that the Nuggets are in serious trouble is an overreaction. The reality is that their core has remained almost identical to their 2023 championship campaign. Yes, the loss of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been seriously felt, and the money that it took to keep Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr. was less than ideal, but the talent of this team is undoubtedly still there. Expect the Nuggets to eventually find their footing and cruise through the dog days of the NBA season as Western Conference favorites once again.
NOT AN OVERREACTION: A New MVP Will Be Crowned
Anthony Edwards (left) in a game versus Jayson Tatum (right)
As of October 30th, 2024, 3x MVP Nikola Jokic is averaging 31.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game. While these numbers are absolutely worthy of securing him a fourth MVP, there are a few things to remember. First, voter fatigue is very real. Like it or not, Jokic’s three MVPs in four years have cemented himself in the Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Lebron James club, where after your first few, the rest get a whole lot harder to win.
Second: Consciously or unconsciously, the NBA wants a brand new face of the league. Ideally, (dare I say) an American. No disrespect by any means to Luka Doncic or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as they have a great chance of winning the award themselves, but it has been hard to ignore the way the NBA has pushed forward young American stars like Anthony Edwards or Jason Tatum.
Third and finally: There may be no narrative ball to play with Jokic and his Nuggets this year. Despite the aforementioned rough start they’ve had, most assume they will right the ship and secure a somewhat high seed in the west. But who cares anymore? The larger NBA spectacle has fallen in love with the Timberwolves and Thunder while simultaneously respecting the looming greatness of a team like the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately, Jokic’s Nuggets and Giannis’ Bucks just fall into some weird middleground, where they’re not young enough to be fun yet not good enough to be dominant.
OVERREACTION: Wemby may NOT win DPOY
Wembanyama (left) blocks Jalen Green (right)
Victor Wembanyama emerged as the late second-place finisher for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award in his rookie campaign last year and has entered this year as the clear favorite. Still, Chet Holmgren’s 12 blocks in four games, Anthony Davis’ seemingly good health, and nobody wanting to count out the likes of Bam Adebayo or 4x DPOY Rudy Gobert have people wondering if the award could be destined elsewhere.
Let's refresh ourselves with Victor Wembanyama: The 7'4 Frenchman with an 8’ wingspan isn’t impressive just because it's the longest in the NBA, but he knows how to use it. The pure presence he brings to San Antonio’s paint protection makes anyone rational think twice before attempting a routine layup or floater. Wembanyama will easily top the block charts and go home with what will be the first of many DPOY awards.
NOT AN OVERREACTION: The Dwayne Wade Statue is Bad
Wade Admires his New Statue outside of the Miami Heat Arena
Not much to write here in all honesty; Dwayne Wade’s Miami statue is a little rough around the face and bears little to no real resemblance. It didn't seem to bother Wade though, who was in high spirits throughout the ceremony and even gave the green light to the design months before. It seems like statue-making for sporting legends has had a rough go at it in recent years, including David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and plenty more. Hopefully Wade’s inevitable statue at Marquette is better than his current one in south beach.
OVERREACTION: The Warriors Depth Can Carry Them Into the Playoff Picture
Buddy Hield Shares a Laugh with Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins
The 4-1 Warriors sit at second in the west despite missing Stephen Curry due to ankle issues and multiple core players being lost in the offseason (Klay Thompson and Chris Paul). Their new pickup, Buddy Hield, has looked wonderful in these first five games and has been even more than the spark plug they wished for, as he is averaging over 21 ppg during his hot start to the season. On top of this, visual growth and comfortability from Brandin Podziemski, Trace Jackson-Davis, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody have wildly improved the Warrior’s non-Curry minutes this year. The new additions of Lindy Waters and Kyle Anderson have also been impactful in the Warriors depth thus far, with Waters even getting the starting nod in Wednesday’s game versus the Pelicans.
The Warriors depth is nothing to sneeze at. But as much as I would love to stand on the idea that the Warriors can hold this top space in the West for the entirety of the year, I can’t project that the young guys continue to grow at this exponential rate, and the competition only gets better from here. The west is almost unfathomably competitive, and I fear Wardell Stephen Curry may be the only one that Golden State can lean on once the going gets inevitably tough.
