Who has been Denver Nuggets' best player in NBA playoffs 2023?
The Denver Nuggets are one win away from the NBA Finals. They are led by two electric stars in Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Throughout most of the playoffs, they have looked incredible at both ends of the floor. They have a 119.2 offensive rating and a 110.0 defensive rating.
In this year's NBA playoffs, who has been the best player for the Denver Nuggets? Jamal Murray's elite shotmaking is something to be considered as he has put out some quality performances in the Nuggets' postseason.
However, Nikola Jokic remains the best player on the team. His ability to score with ease, his precise decision-making, and his dominant rebounding numbers are not to be slept on.
Starting in the first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jokic averaged 26.2 points (48.5% shooting, including 50.0% from 3-point range), 12.4 rebounds and nine assists. Even with the twin-tower defense of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Denver Nuggets' big man still got whatever he wanted from points to rebounds.
During the second-round series against the Phoenix Suns, Jokic averaged 34.5 ppg (59.4% shooting, including 44.4% from 3-point range), 13.2 rpg and 10.3 apg. With Suns' Deandre Ayton having the defensive assignment on Nikola Jokic, the two-time MVP handled his business with ease.
It didn't matter what defensive coverage Phoenix threw at the Denver Nuggets' star, he was going to score in a number of ways and even did it efficiently.
In the third-round series against the LA Lakers, Jokic is averaging 27.0 ppg (52.6% shooting, including 45.5% from 3-point range), 14.7 rpg and 11.3 apg. Even with the Lakers' decision to put Hachimura on Jokic with Davis as the help defender, the Nuggets' big man was not to be denied.
He started off slow in the 119-108 win in Game 3, but ended up finishing the ball game with 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Denver Nuggets' Michael Malone on the team's mindset up 3-0
Following the huge Game 3 road victory, Nuggets' coach Michael Malone spoke about the team's mindset with just one win away from the NBA Finals.
“This group is capable of doing great things, and they believe," Malone said. "They believe right now, and belief is a very powerful thing.”
With both Jokic and Murray playing high-level basketball, along with the role players contributing, the Denver Nuggets are a team to be reckoned with.