The Nuggets return to the NBA playoffs for the first time in six years starting Saturday night when they host the San Antonio Spurs. The Nuggets last won an NBA playoff series back in 2009, when they rolled all the way to the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
How will the Nuggets do against the Spurs? Denver Post staff members weigh in.
Mark Kiszla, columnist
Nuggets in 6. Those championship rings of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will shine forever. Nuggets counterpart Michael Malone, however, has far superior players. Will be a tense moment or two, but Denver can only lose this series by epic fail.
Mike Singer, Nuggets beat reporter
Nuggets in 7. While I think the Nuggets will win this series, I think they’re going to need to win on the road to do it. I expect the Nuggets to drop at least one game at home and then need to survive a tense atmosphere in San Antonio to steal the home court back.
Sean Keeler, reporter
Nuggets in 7. Watch Pop play mind games with the refs. Watch Pop play mind games with the scribes. Watch Pop throw the kitchen sink at Jamal Murray — the Nuggets are 4-4 when he’s held to single-digit scoring. Watch Pop throw two sinks at Nikola Jokic and dare someone else in the post to beat him.
Matt Schubert, digital strategist
Nuggets in 6. It might take a game or two for the Nuggets to find their playoff legs, but they’ve got younger, better and more talented legs than the Spurs. While it’s tempting to take the crafty coach and established franchise stocked with battle-tested vets, one must remember one of those players is the playoff-allergic DeMar DeRozan.
