Nuggets Ink Nuggets Ink

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene after the Boston Celtics took down the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Among the topics discussed:

+ How good are the 2023-24 Boston Celtics after capping off a dominant title run? Did the voters get it right giving the Finals MVP to Jaylen Brown over Jayson Tatum?

+ As the Nuggets continue to bring in draft prospects for visits, are there any names emerging for Denver's first-round pick? There's a lot of smoke with Dayton big man DaRon Holmes II. Could it be that the Nuggets made him a promise? Or might they be looking for a backup PG?

+ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's decision on opting out of the final year of his contract is coming up. Will the Nuggets guard wait until the last minute to make his decision?

+ Matt, Bennett and AAron draft the past 15 NBA champions to determine which teams rise to the top.

Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: "The Last Dragons" by Schama Noel

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene a day before the NBA Finals with plenty to talk about. Among the topics discussed:

+ The NBA Finals are here, with the Dallas Mavericks set to face the Boston Celtics. Is Luka Doncic the truth? Could he take the World's Best Basketball Player title from Nikola Jokic if he beats the Celtics in the Finals?

+ The fellas hold a quick and informal draft of the top players in the NBA Finals. How many of the top eight players are Celtics? And who ultimately wins the series?

+ Looking ahead to free agency: Who is likely and who is completely unlikely to join the Nuggets this summer? Does Denver have any chance of bringing an impact player into the fold without trading one of its marquee starters?

+ Is Jayson Tatum a top-five player? Is Joel Embiid still in the conversation?

Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: "The Last Dragons" by Schama Noel

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert are joined by esteemed author and former Nuggets beat writer Mike Singer. Among the topics discussed:

+ Mike weighs in on what went wrong for the Nuggets after they were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-3 in the Western Conference semifinals. Did Denver not have the depth needed to defend its title? Was this team compromised from the very start?

+ Bennett talks about head coach Michael Malone’s reluctance to rely on youth when the team needed an answer for the unrelenting T-Wolves.  Did the head coach run his players into the ground, as he suggested during an end-of-season news conference? Or did he not have a choice?

+ Mike talks about the work that went into producing his debut book: "Why So Serious? The Untold Story of Nikola Jokic." He shares never-before-heard anecdotes ahead of the book’s upcoming release.

+ After the passing of NBA legend Bill Walton, Mike and Bennett share personal stories of their interactions with the Basketball Hall of Famer.

+ Who wins the finals assuming the Dallas Mavericks eliminate the Timberwolves? The Boston Celtics await the outcome.

Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: "The Last Dragons" by Schama Noel

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene after the Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated Denver in a stunning Game 7 comeback. Among the topics discussed:

+ Where did things go wrong for the Nuggets in the second half of Game 7? What could coach Michael Malone have done differently to stem the tide as Minnesota rallied from 20 points down to advance?

+ How much of the blame for what happened Sunday should be heaped upon the shoulders of superstars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray? What about the supporting players around them, in particular a cold-shooting Michael Porter Jr.?

+ What part of this result can be pinned on management? Did general manager Calvin Booth not give his head coach enough parts to successfully defend the title? What must be done to avoid this next season?

+ Lastly, Bennett talks about the chain of events that led to Michael Malone blowing up at him in the postgame press conference.

Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: "The Last Dragons" by Schama Noel

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene after the Minnesota Timberwolves blew away Denver to take a 2-0 series lead. Among the topics discussed:

+ Jamal Murray threw in the towel and the heat pack. How does this affect the team, the struggling star and the Nuggets’ chances to dig out of a deep hole against a surging Minnesota team?

+ What answer is there for Anthony Edwards? With Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hobbled and struggling, Bennett contends Christian Braun might be the best bet.

+ Nikola Jokic is on the verge of his third MVP but took just 13 shots in the Game 2 loss. Does he need to do more?

+ The Minnesota defense ranked No. 1 this season and is proving its worth during an unbeaten playoff run -- even with Rudy Gobert missing Game 2. Are there avenues the Nuggets can explore to overcome the suffocating attack?

Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: "The Last Dragons" by Schama Noel

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene after Jamal Murray hit yet another game-winner to eliminate the Los Angeles Lakers. Among the topics discussed:

+ Jamal Murray's postseason credentials continue to grow after the Nuggets guard hit his second game-winner in eight days. How concerned should the Nuggets be about his health? Or that his shot came and went throughout a hotly contested five-game series against the Lakers.

+ Michael Porter Jr. was arguably the most consistent offensive threat the Nuggets had all series. Can he maintain his hot streak as the Nuggets advance to take on Minnesota?

+ What are the key matchups against the Timberwolves? And how will lingering injuries affect Denver against a surging young team? Should Nikola Jokic be happy to finally rid himself of Anthony Davis?

+ Should the Nuggets feel concerned about the bench matchups against Minnesota?

+ Matt talks up his favorite NBA books then gets back on topic.