These Stats Prove That The Nuggets Will Be A Handful Once The Playoffs Begin

Despite their lack of big names, Denver is a squad that opponents hope to avoid

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Keith Allison, Flickr
  • The Denver Nuggets are currently ranked third in the Western Conference at 43-22. They're 1.5 games behind the Los Angeles Clippers and 1.5 games ahead of the Utah Jazz.

  • Denver ranks 2nd in offensive rebounding rate and 29th in pace of play.

  • Nikola Jokic leads the Nuggets with 20.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.

  • Denver is +1200 to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals and are +2500 to win it all, per DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Components That Typically Thrive In Postseason Play

The Denver Nuggets are kind of a throwback team. They don’t have a big three, or even a big two, for that matter. They have one “superstar" in first team All-NBA center Nikola Jokic, including a bunch of good, solid role players. Unlike many teams in today’s NBA, they don’t push the pace and they don’t chuck threes, ranking 26th in three-point attempts with 30.8 per game. Yet, here they are with the third-best record in the Western Conference at 43-22 and in contention for an NBA title. They're very much built to win in the playoffs. Let’s look at why.

The Nuggets do some things well that have historically translated into playoff success. One, they slow it down and settle into a more half court game. While the regular-season is all about space and pace, the playoffs are more physical, as teams ratchet up the defensive intensity. For offenses, this puts a premium on execution, particularly in the half court set. This should be right in Denver's wheelhouse, as they rank almost dead last -- 29th to be exact -- in pace of play, averaging 101.3 possession per game. Only the Charlotte Hornets have fewer possessions per game.

If you look at the top teams during the regular-season at possessions per game, there's the Milwaukee Bucks ranking 2nd with 108.3 possessions per game. Okay, the Bucks are obviously having a great year, but if you look at the rest of the top-eight, you have the New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies, and Brooklyn Nets. There aren't many great teams on that list.

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Rebounding And Overall Defensive Prowess

The Nuggets tend to make the most of their possessions through their strong offensive rebounding. Denver ranks second in offensive rebounding efficiency at 24.7 percent, meaning that they get a second-chance one out of nearly four times. In terms of overall offensive rebounds, they rank fifth with 10.8 per game. This translates to more second-chance points, as Denver is sixth in the NBA with 14.1 second-chance points per contest. Jokic leads the team with 2.4 offensive rebounds per game, while Paul Millsap is second with 2.0 per game.

Finally, the Nuggets play solid defense, ranking eighth in scoring defense, allowing just 107.4 points per contest. They are also eighth in defending the three, as teams shoot 34.6 percent from beyond the arc against them.

The Nuggets are still a reliable wing scorer away from seriously competing for a title -- and maybe they’ll have that when Michael Porter Jr. develops -- but even still, they are a fundamental, well-balanced, deep team that gained valuable playoff experience last year in a seven-game, second round loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. They will not be an easy out for anyone inside the Orlando bubble.

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