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Kristaps Porzingis hit this flush dunk after a nice assist from Willie Cauley-Stein continue his rapid development as one of the league's purest scorers, particularly at the power forward position, they could finish even higher.

Should the newly-minted Michael Porter Jr. Murray aside, this is comfortably a playoff team in the West who should finish in the top six with Jokic orchestrating things the way only he can as the slick-passing man-mountain at the center of their offense.

If Murray picks up where he left off, an electric 20 points per night guard who forms an unstoppable two-man game with Jokic, then the Nuggets will once again be a problem in the playoffs. NBA MVP: Top contenders for the 2021-22 crown.That devastating injury effectively ended the Nuggets' championship aspirations then and there, but even without a career-year Murray, Denver still finished the regular season as the third seed in the West and reached the Conference Semi-finals. The Denver Nuggets boast the reigning MVP in Nikola Jokic and one of the best starting fives in the league once Jamal Murray returns from the torn ACL he sustained in April. Nikola Jokic has captured the NBA's 2020-21 MVP award after putting up a career-high 26.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game for the Denver Nuggets Their roster is loaded with veteran experience and in Wayne Ellington, Kendrick Nunn and Malik Monk, they've added much-needed shooters for James and Westbrook to service. This season, in case you weren't already aware, they have Russell Westbrook as insurance against any injuries either James or Davis might sustain.

For Russell Westbrook it was the Lakers or nothing.Without a healthy Anthony Davis beyond the first three games, the Lakers were no match for the Suns and their title defense was over before it really began. Simply put, the playoffs are a strange place if James isn't there duking it out until the bitter end. Last season was both the first to date in which LeBron did not have home court advantage in the opening round and also the first time he has ever been eliminated at that stage during the post-season. He is the all-time leader in playoff minutes by almost 2,000, a gap that is only going to increase with Kevin Durant as the only other active player in the top 40 at number 26 and almost 5,000 minutes behind James. LeBron James has made the post-season 15 times in his 18-year career to date.

LeBron James had 22 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers secured their place in the NBA Playoffs Bridges, on the other hand, has earned himself a new contract extension after cementing his status as one of the league's premier 3-and-D players (a blistering 42.5 per cent from deep last season). Monty Williams proved himself as one of the best head coaches in the NBA last season and will no doubt find a way to get his starting center firing on all cylinders, whatever grudges with the front office might exist. Just how motivated will he be after seeing four others from his draft class (Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Michael Porter Jr.) locked up on new max deals? In particular, question marks are looming over the future Ayton after the Suns made no effort to sign him to a max contract extension worth $173m over five years a deal which the player has made clear he feels he deserves. Phoenix Suns' Chris Paul drops 41 points in a close-out win over the LA Clippers for a trip to the NBA Finalsĭespite this, Phoenix's campaign will largely depend on the health and availability of Chris Paul (now 36 and in his 17th season), Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.