Nuggets-Blazers is Pure Basketball Joy, Free From Distractions

Partially obscured by later start times and smaller media markets, the fantastic Nuggets-Blazers series has somewhat quietly reached its climax – a Game 7 on Sunday, the culmination of two weeks of intense playoff action.

I’ve found myself absolutely fascinated by this series despite it being arguably the least glamorous of the four conference semifinals affairs. There is neither the immense star power nor often petty drama of the Warriors-Rockets matchup here, and it’s for the better. Denver and Portland aren’t here to draw headlines by slamming referees or talking trash.

They’re just here to play basketball. Glorify them or underestimate them, it really doesn’t matter. Their confidence comes from knowing their abilities, not from what anyone else says. It’s refreshing.

This mindset starts with the stars. For the Trail Blazers, that’s Damian Lillard, a criminally underrated guard in an era full of great backcourts. Lillard doesn’t feel pressure, understanding that basketball is just a game in the bigger picture of life. He’s calm and collected. After knocking out the Thunder in five games and capping a historic 50-point closeout performance with a game-winner from 37 feet out, Lillard quoted Sun Tzu.

On the other hand, the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic is a seven-foot goofball whose biggest rival might be the microphones at post-game press conferences. Jokic is an unsuspecting triple-double machine having a breakout campaign in his fourth season, which should end in a top-five finish in MVP voting. Still, Jokic is a simple guy. After a quadruple overtime loss in Game 3 (easily the game of the playoffs, by the way), his preparation for Game 4 was hilariously relatable.

Despite their unassuming nature, these teams finished second and third in the NBA’s notoriously difficult Western Conference, ahead of bigger names like the Rockets, Thunder, and Spurs, the latter two of which fell to the Blazers and Nuggets respectively in the first round. These two teams are at different points in time with their cores but have similarly flown under the radar.

The Blazers have been doing this for years. Following Lillard’s Rookie of the Year campaign in the 2012-13 season, Portland has made the playoffs six years in a row, and have earned the #3 seed in back-to-back years. Perhaps it’s because they haven’t yet advanced past the second round that we seem surprised by their continual success. Now, they’re only one game away from that Conference Finals appearance.

Denver, on the other hand, is making their first trip to the playoffs in six years. The youngest team in the playoffs and the eighth-youngest playoff team in NBA history, the Nuggets’ ceiling is unclear, but they’re looking to make a statement in the first year of what could be a long period of success.

Some may have slept on this matchup due to a belief that whoever wins will ultimately just fall to the Warriors anyways. That’s not necessarily the case, though. Each team has proven itself to be a formidable opponent and has a real chance at making things difficult for the defending champs, who haven’t had the easiest run through the postseason so far.

For proof that things might not come easy for Golden State, look no further than the series itself. We’ve seen each team take a game on the road and show relentless spirit. Both fought tooth and nail in that 140-138 Blazers Game 3 victory in quadruple overtime. CJ McCollum, who has been amazing in this series, dropped 41 in that game, while Jokic played 65 minutes.

But you also need bench production to win a title, and in the deciding overtime period, Rodney Hood took over. Hood, after averaging just three points per game in the first round, has averaged over 16 points so far against the Nuggets.

This series has also seen the emergence of Jamal Murray as a future star in Denver’s backcourt with the ability to make huge shots in the clutch. Needing a win in Game 4 in the worst way to avoid going down 3-1, Murray responded with 34 points and his best game of the playoffs.

The momentum has swung back and forth over the course of six games. Denver took Game 1, but then Portland responding with Games 2 and 3. The Nuggets seized control again, but couldn’t close in Game 6. It’s been punch, counterpunch, and Game 7 has the makings of a classic.

If you want a pick, I’ll take the home team Nuggets, but either way, a deserving team will make a huge leap and get to play for a spot in the NBA Finals. This is what the playoffs are about. This is what basketball is about. Two teams not worrying about what anyone says, just trying to take care of business on the court.