The Nuggets weren't Brian Windhorst's favorite to win it all. He thought a high ceiling, but three series max, for Denver. Vincent Goodwill said he was concerned, and he thought three playoff series wins would be difficult for them as well. And then came Stephen A. Smith to remind the two naysayers just who they're talking about. He rebuked them loudly, and he was in rare form defending Jokic and the Nuggets.
The roundtable was discussing the worries surrounding the Nuggets on "ESPN's First Take," when Smith backed up the Nuggets like he was a front-row fan for 25-years.
It started nice and innocent, still finished that way, but Windy and Goodwill were just voicing the same concerns most have had for Denver. Can't win a close game, can't play defense, and will they get healthy and stay healthy for the playoffs? Simple enough. But thanks, Stephen A., for your take.
Smith launched into his fiery defense of the Nuggets by shaming the roundtable. "You should be ashamed. You should be ashamed. You understand? You really, really should," Smith started, before turning it up a notch, bringing back memories of his days with Skip Bayless.
Smith reminds the roundtable of who the Nuggets have
"This is Nikola Jokic! The matter with ya'll?!," Smith proclaimed loudly, passionately. Smith reminded Windy and Goodwill of the same thing Jamal Murray told the critics: the Nuggets have a historically clutch All-Star duo.
"When you look at Denver right now, I'm looking at a guy like Murray who closes. I'm looking at a Jokic who closes. I'm looking at an Aaron Gordon who never lets you down when it really, really counts. As long as he's healthy. Come on, y'all. We can't be reacting in March. March!," Smith loudly exclaimed before ending, "It ain't May, and what are y'all doing? Don't fall for that."
Exactly. The Nuggets still have 18 more games to figure it out. Smith also admitted some people were making judgments on Gordon after only one game, and he backed him up. too.
"He been out two months! Shows up for a game the other night, shoots one for seven from the field. Is that the Aaron Gordon you know?!" Smith continued jovially, but still sternly, to prove his point.
Smith did say he thinks the Thunder are superior
Smith took the homer badge off at one point and admitted that he thinks the Thunder are a superior team to the Nuggets. And that he thinks Victor Wembanyama is going to be a force to be reckoned with.
He just wanted to remind everyone that the Nuggets have the Joker. He's pretty good at basketball, and he was once a dominant force in the clutch. As long as we've got him and Murray playing like playoff bubble Murray, the Nuggets are still as good as anyone.