Pickaxe and Roll

Ryan Blackburn discusses the potential foes of the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs this season, from the top of the conference like the Phoenix Suns, to a team in Denver's tier like the Utah Jazz, to a team below Denver like the Los Angeles Clippers. Ryan discusses their strengths, weaknesses, how the Nuggets match up, and Denver's ideal path of least resistance through the playoff bracket this year.

Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 119-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who dominated Denver's starting unit despite not having Lu Dort, Josh Giddey, or Derrick Favors. The starters shot a combined 1-of-25 from three-point range, and though the bench made up some of the ground, it just wasn't enough. Ryan discusses a poor performance by the starters and why there are reasons to be concerned for the long term playoff aspirations.

Ryan Blackburn goes over the details of practice and the news that Michael Porter Jr. will be likely be going down to the G League for practice and scrimmage opportunities with the Grand Rapids Gold. Ryan also discusses Jamal Murray and other aspects of practice before transitioning into awards season. He shares his thoughts on the primary individual awards like MVP and DPOY before sharing his All-NBA teams as things stand today.

Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 124-92 win over the injured Portland Trail Blazers as Nikola Jokić controls the game while only scoring eight points. The Nuggets bench was the biggest key to the blowout, with DeMarcus Cousins, JaMychal Green, and Bryn Forbes all having excellent nights. Ryan discusses the win, along with the Woj report that a Michael Porter Jr. return could be on the horizon in March.

Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 115-110 win over the Sacramento Kings as Monte Morris hits a big three-pointer with less than a minute left to put the Nuggets up for good. Aaron Gordon and Will Barton had good nights, while Nikola Jokić had a ho-hum 18-10-11 triple-double. The bench was also big, and Ryan highlights the impressive play of DeMarcus Cousins on a bench unit suddenly finding its groove.

Ryan Blackburn recaps the Denver Nuggets 128-110 victory over the Sacramento Kings as Will Barton scores a season-high 31 points. Thrill looked athletic and engaged, as did a number of other veterans after the All-Star break. Nikola Jokić took care of business, the bench held up in the fourth quarter, and Michael Malone earned his 300th regular season win as head coach of the Denver Nuggets.

Ryan Blackburn recaps the events of Denver Nuggets practice, from no progress on Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. to discussions on DeMarcus Cousins' role and Nikola Jokić's leadership. Then, Ryan does his final mid-season grades on the bigs, including Jokić, Cousins, JaMychal Green, and Zeke Nnaji. Finally, Ryan answers mailbag questions about the long term fit of Bones Hyland, whether this season will be a success or failure, and more.

Ryan Blackburn brings on Jeff Morton, the King of Thornton himself and podcast director at Mile High Sports, to discuss the 2021-22 season for head coach Michael Malone so far. Where has he flourished? Where has he struggled? Then, they discuss the prospective returns of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., how close they are to returning, and what it means for the Nuggets if/when they do come back.

Ryan Blackburn hands out mid-season grades for the healthy Denver Nuggets wings and forwards, including some very positive grades in some unlikely places. Did Will Barton, Aaron Gordon, and others set a good standard this season? Ryan shares his thoughts before answering some mailbag questions on hypothetical pairings with All-Star teammates, the MPJ disabled player exception, bench lineups, and more.

Ryan Blackburn recaps the All-Star game as Team LeBron wins over Team Durant with Stephen Curry winning MVP. Nikola Jokić goes for a near triple-double in his 21 minutes, certainly a quadruple-double if you include inbound passes. Then, Ryan discusses the mid-season performances of Denver's guard rotation, discussing what the rest of their season will look like and giving each guard a grade along the way.