Now all that’s left are questions: Why did the defending NBA champions come up short? And where do these Nuggets go from here?
A team that won 57 regular-season games, a team with Nikola Jokić, the best player in basketball, and a team that entered the postseason with a real chance to repeat didn’t make it to the conference finals. As head coach Michael Malone said, the Nuggets will be back as a favorite next season. But the NBA, today’s NBA, is one where you have to strike while that proverbial iron is hot. Opportunities missed are opportunities that don’t easily present themselves again.
The Nuggets will be back next season. They are too talented. Their starting core is still at the top of the league, and next year they go back to being a team searching for the championship trophy instead of defending it. But that doesn’t mean this team won’t have to reflect on where it failed
“I think we have the pieces needed that we can win it again next year,” Denver general manager Calvin Booth told The Athletic. “If we don’t give ourselves the opportunity to win, the summer of 2025 will be difficult. This summer is going to be tough, but I feel like we will have a chance to be in a similar position next year.”
NBA title windows used to be short. Now, in today’s game, under today’s salary cap rules, they are more fleeting than ever. It’s why Denver deserved significant credit last year for taking advantage of its chance and winning it all.
It’s also why the Denver locker room on Sunday night was like a morgue. It’s why during interviews, Murray spoke in a low and barely audible voice. It’s why Malone’s frustration boiled over when he met with the media.
