Western Conference Finals Preview: Nuggets vs. Lakers

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 10: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers tries to drive past Torrey Craig #3 of the Denver Nuggets during the second half at The Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 10: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers tries to drive past Torrey Craig #3 of the Denver Nuggets during the second half at The Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 10: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers tries to drive past Torrey Craig #3 of the Denver Nuggets during the second half at The Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 10: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers tries to drive past Torrey Craig #3 of the Denver Nuggets during the second half at The Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)

The Denver Nuggets have advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2009 after beating the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 7.

Well, that’s a sentence I never pictured myself ever writing. The Denver Nuggets have finally proved to the world that they are capable of becoming a legitimate finals contender.

Denver has now come back from a 3-1 game deficit twice in a postseason – an achievement that no other team in NBA history can relate to. Beating Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert is impressive, but eliminating Kawhi Leonard halfway through the playoffs was mind-blowing.

ESPN had 19 writers place their predictions before the Clippers’ series against the Nuggets series began. Of these 19 writers, none predicted Denver to force a Game 7, let alone win the series. Nuggets stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have proven the world wrong, cementing themselves as one of the NBA’s most deadly duos.

However, there is still plenty of basketball still to play. The Nuggets face the Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Friday.

The quest does not stop here.