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Roundtable: 2017-2018 Season Predictions

By Mallorie Salazar

DENVER, CO - MARCH 10: Denver Nuggets forward Paul Millsap (4) and center Nikola Jokic (15) during a break in the action against the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 10, 2017 in Denver, Colorado at Pepsi Center. (Photo by John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 10: Denver Nuggets forward Paul Millsap (4) and center Nikola Jokic (15) during a break in the action against the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 10, 2017 in Denver, Colorado at Pepsi Center. (Photo by John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images) /
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With the 2017-2018 Season opening tonight for our Denver Nuggets, we thought it would be nice for co-experts Mallorie Salazar and Mathew Huff, as well as contributor Mike Wilson, to give you their own predictions for this upcoming season.

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Matt’s Predictions:

I expect the Denver Nuggets to be a solid and improved team. However, I am not going to let my expectations become unrealistic by saying they will be in the same ranks as Golden State, Houston, San Antonio or even Oklahoma City. I could see the Nuggets taking the sixth seed into the playoffs and battling it out with the Thunder in the first round in an intriguing match up which would pit Carmelo Anthony against his former team. As for as what to expect from the players? Jokic and/or Millsap will make the All Star team this year while Harris will be in the running for Most Improved Player of the Year. Harris will also make an All Defensive team and Murray will have some growing pains starting out at the point, but eventually come into his own as the season progresses. The second unit will become a top 10 bench in the league and become a firecracker waiting to happen particularly if the starters have a hard time solidifying a lead at the beginning of a game. The end result I believe will be a first round exit at the hands of the Thunder simply due to lack of playoff experience from Denver’s young core, but will go down fighting in a tough fought six game series. Overall, this year should be exciting for Nuggets Nation.

Mike’s Predictions:

I am certain about 5 things this upcoming Nuggets season.

  1. That Mudiay will finally arrive and create conflict on who will be our starting 1.
  2. The fans return to Pepsi Center.  The national attention around Jokic/Millsap will start to create some token fans back to the stadium.
  3. Malone will again have issues creating a pecking order, this will disgruntle the team.
  4. Rocky will hit  +.500 in no look half court shots.
  5. The Nuggets will make the playoffs.

Mallorie’s Predictions:

Consistency is something that the Nuggets have struggled with over the past few seasons and that is something that I would like to see them practice (and perfect) throughout this season.

With the 2016-2017 season leaving us with a bad taste in our mouths (and I’m sure everybody elses), it is only fitting that the Nuggets work through the highs and lows to find their rhythm to work through the season to find a consistency that will lead them into the post season.

Dynamic Duo

As the season kicks off and this team continues to get comfortable with one another, I’m expecting great things to come from Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap as a dynamic duo.

Through Nikola Jokic’s two full seasons as a Nugget, he has continued to grow as the face of the the team. Jokic ended the 16-17 season with a +/- of 297. I, without a doubt, foresee Jokic continuing to climb as the star of the team with a fantastic record.

One of the newest Nuggets, Paul Millsap, has also had an impressive career since his debut in 2006. Millsap, who most recently made a name for himself with the Hawks, ended the 2016-2017 season with a +/- of 136.

Jokic and Millsap have already seemed to be a great duo and I foresee them doing great things for this team. I think one, if not both, will be making the All-Star team this year.

Battle of the Guards

Last season, the Nuggets went through a cycle of having Emmanuel Mudiay, Jameer Nelson, and Jamal Murray as the starting point guard. If the Nuggets want to find their aforementioned consistency, they will have to have a consistent starting PG that will play selfless and be a leader for the team on (and off) the court. With the news of the Nuggets waiving Jameer Nelson, that gives Denver a chance to find their consistency with their guard rotation.

Post Season

At the end of the day, I am predicting that the Nuggets will find their groove and, at the least, make their way into the first round of the post season.

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