This NBA season has revealed contenders, just like any other. But the field might be more open than any year in recent memory. Since the beginning of December, we’ve already seen four different teams hold the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for at least six days — the Suns, Pelicans, Grizzlies and now
Denver Nuggets
The post-up isn’t dying, it’s evolving. And these five players have been the best practitioners of the art in the NBA this season. NBA offenses use the post-up far less frequently than they did a decade or two ago but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still a valuable tool when used strategically. Teams have gotten
Dec 18, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman (33) dribbles the ball while sitting before warm up before a game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports Tired of puny fake NBA trades that only include a handful of teams at a time? Boy,
With just three games on the docket in the NBA on Thursday night, the focus turns to the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat in the early games, and the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers later in the night. Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard’s statuses for tonight’s game are in question, which could make
In 2022, the MVP race became about so much more than just whether you thought Nikola Jokic, or Joel Embiid was the better player. The MVP race between Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid came to define the last half of the 2021-22 regular season. In the end, Jokic won his second consecutive MVP, averaging 27.1
The NBA announced that Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo is undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. On Saturday, the NBA world was hit with devastating news regarding Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo. NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the league announced Mutombo, known for his days in Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Philadelphia, and other destinations,
Nikola Jokic alone makes the Denver Nuggets a fringe contender. But a healthy and productive Michael Porter Jr. could make them much more. Two years ago, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić won league MVP after averaging 26 points, 11 rebounds and 8+ assists on a 57/39/87 slash line. Last year he won the award again,
The back-cut is among the simplest but most spectacular plays in basketball. Gary Payton II and Bruce Brown are two of the best practitioners of this art form. There is something aesthetically captivating about the back-cut and the way it unfolds. Time slows for a second. From the bleachers or our couches, we can see
The 76ers and Nuggets have each shaken up their guard rotations on the trade market. Will De’Anthony Melton and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope unlock better versions of their new teams? NBA Draft night featured almost no player movement on the trade market, but the 76ers’ acquisition of De’Anthony Melton was the kind of marginal addition that could
Utah Jazz big man Juan Hernangómez makes his acting debut in Adam Sandler’s “Hustle”, a Netflix film about an NBA scout who finds a gem in Spain’s Bo Cruz. NBA players have tried, and often failed, to transition to prominent acting roles. But the movies that center basketball and heart — whether it’s Space Jam
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. This morning, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke news that Nikola Jokic had been selected as the NBA MVP, with an official announcement to come later this week. It was Jokic’s
The magic of an improbable underdog win can make a fan out of anyone — like a slew of unlikely Denver Nuggets fans, converted in 1994. Fandom, like religion, is usually inherited. My dad grew up a Nuyorican in Spanish Harlem in the 1960s. Cross the wrong block into the wrong neighborhood and things could
With everything on the line, the 1-3 Denver Nuggets have one last chance at advancing as they face the Golden State Warriors in Game 5. Although the Phoenix Suns were the most dominant NBA team all season with a franchise-best record of 64-18, they quickly went 2-2 against New Orleans without Devin Booker. Booker is
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 27: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after he thought he was fouled by the Denver Nuggetsin the second half during Game Five of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Chase Center on April 27, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Last week on The Whiteboard, I began the annual exercise of examining the offensive style of each team using the same NBA offensive style charts I’ve been building for
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 18: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a picture with Grateful Dead musician Bob Weir following Game Two of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at Chase Center on April 18, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly
Apr 16, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) dribbles the ball in warmups before game one of the first round for the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports 76ers steamroll Raptors for 2-0 series lead: Best memes and
The Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets feature three of the smartest and most creative stars in the NBA. How will their first-round matchup play out? The NBA playoffs have a way of selecting for the most disciplined, intelligent and adaptable teams, but it’s still rare for the first round to deliver the kind of