Denver Nuggets: How important is the youth factor in NBA playoffs

The Denver Nuggets are battling for the top spot out West. But as young as they are, can they really compete come playoff time?

The Denver Nuggets have surprised just about everyone this season. Coming into the year, even the most optimistic Mile High basketball fans would have had a hard time believing they would be neck and neck with the Warriors down the stretch.

Making the playoffs has been the goal all year. A goal most put as the bottom line for a team that missed the postseason by just a game both of the past two seasons.

They checked that off the list March 18 with a win in Boston.

That’s an accomplishment for any team. It’s especially impressive for a team that was the second-youngest coming into the season.

The Nuggets best player — Nikola Jokic — just turned 24 earlier this year. Denver also gets key contributions from Gary Harris (24), Jamal Murray (22), Monte Morris (23) and Malik Beasley (22).

But with that youth comes inexperience. And while it has been a strength for Denver for most of the season, a few — namely the talking heads at ESPN — are concerned how it will impact them come playoff time.

Granted, the playoffs are a different monster. And the Nuggets are light on postseason experience.

Paul Millsap leads Denver in playoff experience. Throughout his time in Utah and Atlanta, Millsap played in 87 games — averaging 13.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

But, his most impressive postseason by far was his last. In 2017 with the Hawks, Millsap averaged 24.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and four assists — though Atlanta did fall in the first round.

And he does have a couple deep playoff runs under his belt.

The Jazz went to the Western Conference finals his rookie year — though he did only play 15.5 minutes per game during that run. Then, the Hawks made the Western Conference finals in 2015 before getting swept by LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

Beyond Millsap, Isaiah Thomas has 25 games worth of experience — however much you value that. Same with the two games Trey Lyles appeared in with the Jazz.

Mason Plumlee appeared in 27 games with the Nets and Blazers and Will Barton averaged 11 minutes per game in seven games with the Blazers. That’s it.

But how much will it matter?

The Nuggets are 13-10 against current Western Conference playoff teams — though they had lost four straight before Friday’s win over the Thunder, last beating the — you guessed it — the Thunder, on Feb. 26.

They will have plenty of chances to right that streak, though. Of the Nuggets final seven games, five will come against Western Conference playoff teams.

The first may be the biggest, coming against the top-seeded Warriors April 2.