The Denver Nuggets have advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2020 after defeating the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals. The turning point of their season came in December when they realized Jamal Murray was back to his pre-injury form and the team jelled together. They spent over 100 days at the top of the Western Conference standings and played so well that they were able to comfortably jog their way to the regular-season finish line. The Nuggets have a swagger that belies almost any Nuggets team in franchise history and they believe they can win a title.
PHOENIX — The turning point to Denver’s season, the night head coach Michael Malone knew he had something special on his hands, came a few weeks before Christmas.
It was Dec. 8, to be exact. The Nuggets escaped a road game against the Portland Trail Blazers that night, point guard Jamal Murray hitting the game winner and running off the court in celebratory fashion. That was the night Malone realized Jamal Murray was back. Not just back on the court and healed from the ACL tear that cost him almost two seasons. But back to the Jamal Murray he had been before the injury. And that was the night the Denver Nuggets jelled as a whole.
They would quickly ascend to the top of the Western Conference standings after that night in Portland, spending over 100 days at the top of a conference that went through upheaval below them. That was the night the Nuggets started playing basketball at such a high level that they were basically able to comfortably jog their way to the regular-season finish line by the time March rolled around.
“That was the night that we were reminded of Jamal’s greatness,” Malone said. “It was also a jumpstart for us as a team. We started playing really well after that night.”
If anything, that’s a reminder of why the regular season still matters, of why a random December game can be important to a team on a macro level. The Denver Nuggets obliterated the Phoenix Suns 125-100 on Thursday night, taking Game 6 of a Western Conference semifinal, and advancing to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2020.
They scored 17 consecutive points to bridge the first and second quarters. They scored 81 points in the first half. They led by 30 at halftime. They played so well, the sellout crowd at Footprint Center booed the home team into the locker room at the end of the second quarter.
EVERYONE GETS A DPOG pic.twitter.com/oI0nlYJQZ4
These Nuggets walk, run, talk and play with a swagger that belies almost any Nuggets team in franchise history. Ask them if they can win a title. The look they give you will tell you what they think of the question. It’s not arrogance. It’s a team that knows how well it’s played all season and is now just seeing many in the outside world catching up.
“We’ve believed that we can be this good since 2019,” Murray said. “We just needed to be healthy.”
What the Nuggets have accomplished this postseason could be a harbinger of things to come. They’ve won six straight games, three of them on the road. They’ve done it against a Suns team that was one of the best in the league all season. They’ve done it without Nikola Jokic having to be superhuman every night.
The Nuggets have the best record in the postseason at 8-1, and they’re doing it with a supporting cast that has been nothing short of excellent. Will Barton, who missed most of the regular season, has been a revelation. He scored 20 points in Game 6. Monte Morris has been a steady hand off the bench. Michael Porter Jr. has been a matchup nightmare for opponents, especially when he gets hot like he did in Game 6, scoring 30 points on 11-for-19 shooting.
The Nuggets are playing with a freedom and a joy that’s infectious. They’re playing with a belief that’s palpable. They’re playing with an understanding that they’re good enough to win it all.
“We’re just playing basketball,” Jokic said. “We’re just having fun. We’re not thinking about anything else. We’re just playing basketball and enjoying ourselves.”
The Nuggets will face the winner of the Los Angeles Lakers-Golden State Warriors series in the Western Conference finals. The Lakers lead that series 3-2, with Game 6 on Friday night in Los Angeles.
But the Nuggets are playing with a confidence that suggests it doesn’t matter who they play. They’re playing with a confidence that suggests they believe they can beat anyone.
“We’re just going to keep playing,” Murray said. “We’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing all season. We’re not going to change anything now.”
And why would they? The Nuggets have been playing some of the best basketball in the league for months now. They’ve been doing it with a team that’s deep, talented and confident. They’ve been doing it with a coach who’s pushed all the right buttons.
They’ve been doing it since that night in Portland, when Jamal Murray hit a game-winning shot and reminded everyone just how good he can be.