3 Biggest threats to Denver Nuggets’ back-to-back title hopes

1. Phoenix Suns

There was no doubt about this one. The Phoenix Suns went all in this summer, gutting most of their roster in order to land Bradley Beal via trade.

Beal will join Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and DeAndre Ayton in The Valley, as Phoenix pushes to win its first NBA championship since the 1970s. Unfortunately for them, Jokic and the Nuggets stand in their way.

That statement can work both ways as Denver hopes to repeat. The new-look Suns pose the biggest threat to the Nuggets of any team in the league. They’re certainly the most star-studded team in the Western Conference, plus they have a little bit of a chip on their shoulders after falling to the Nuggs in six games last spring.

Another reason why they’re the biggest threat to Denver is because it’s likely that the two sides will square off at some point in the playoffs, meaning someone is getting sent home — also partly why Boston wasn’t in the top spot.

Durant and Booker are two of the NBA’s best scorers. Throw in Beal and you’ve got yourself a monster offense — one perhaps good enough to compete with Denver’s franchise-best from last season.

Depth may catch up to the Suns. Again, they gutted their roster in order to land the former Washington Wizards star. But, you’d have to imagine they’ll give the Nuggets at least a little bit of trouble.