Pickaxe and Roll

Ryan Blackburn and Gage Bridgford, lead writer at Denver Stiffs, break down the Denver Nuggets 2021-22 season through the lens of end-of-season takeaways. What were the most definitive moments of Denver's season? What did the Nuggets learn in an injury-riddled season? Ryan and Gage discuss several season and roster takeaways and how they will help the Nuggets improve in the years to come.

Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 102-98 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 as the Nuggets were eliminated from the playoffs. Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets put in a great effort and were locked in, but they just didn't have enough at the end to outpace the Warriors. Ryan discusses the game, learning from the playoff series, and takeaways from the season as a whole. Was it a success or failure? Does it have to be one or the other?

Ryan Blackburn shares his thoughts on the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors, including the adjustments both teams are set to make as the series moves back to San Francisco. Then, Ryan discusses the mentality shift Nuggets fans (and NBA fans) had as soon as Denver won Game 4 to avoid the sweep. Finally, he talks about the teams that are actually down bad right now after an eventful last few days in the NBA, from the Brooklyn Nets to the Utah Jazz.

Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 126-121 Game 4 win over the Golden State Warriors as the Nuggets avoid the sweep on their home court. Nikola Jokić was fantastic today. Monte Morris hit five three-pointers in a quarter. Austin Rivers had five steals. Bones hit some shots from the Hylands, and Will Barton hit the biggest shot of the game. Ryan discusses the game, "foxhole" guys, and mentally preparing for a Game 5 on the road with everything on the line.

Ryan Blackburn shares his thoughts on the Denver Nuggets as they are down 3-0 in their playoff series against the Golden State Warriors. Will they play with pride and intensity in Game 4 amid a likely exit? Was this season always about playing with pride? Then, Ryan shares his thoughts on the playoff landscape and which teams can win a title this year, as well as what the Nuggets are missing to become a title contender again.

Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 118-113 Game 3 loss to the Golden State Warriors as the Nuggets battle incredibly hard for 45 minutes only to watch the lead slip away in the final three. Nikola Jokić was unbelievable, and Aaron Gordon showed up in a big way. Unfortunately, the Nuggets couldn't get enough stops to earn the victory and go down 3-0 in the series. Ryan discusses the big takeaways, the poor execution at the end of the game, and the difficulty of taking a moral victory down 3-0 in a playoff series.

Ryan Blackburn shares his thoughts on the Denver Nuggets and their approach to Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors. Will they change up the starting lineup? Can they match up with the Warriors' small ball lineup in a better way? Which players are in line for more playing time? Then, Ryan discusses the angst among the team and the parallels between Game 2 this year and Game 3 against the Utah Jazz in the bubble. Can Denver regain their composure?

Ryan Blackburn takes the Denver Nuggets off day to discuss the narratives surrounding Michael Malone, Tim Connelly, and Denver Nuggets management. They don't deserve to shoulder as much of the blame as Nuggets fans seem to believe they do. Ryan discusses why, as well as the concept of competitive advantage and how the Nuggets ownership has to be better about supporting the team on the margins going forward.

Ryan Blackburn recaps Game 2 as the Denver Nuggets lose 126-106 to the Golden State Warriors, dropping to 0-2 in the series. Nikola Jokić lost his battle with Draymond Green once again and was ejected in the fourth quarter after multiple frustration technicals. No other Nugget scored more than 12 points, and the Nuggets simply didn't have the firepower to keep up. Ryan discusses the game, the rotations, Denver's ongoing chances, and why the Nuggets may be forced to bow out quickly.

Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 123-107 loss to the Golden State Warriors to fall to 0-1 in the first round series. Nikola Jokić wasn't at his best on either end of the floor, and the Nuggets perimeter defense left him out to dry on just as many occasions. DeMarcus Cousins was ejected in the fourth quarter as well. Ryan discusses what went wrong offensively and defensively, what the Nuggets can (and can't) do to respond, and whether the series is futile or not.