The Broncos have been struggling this year, but there’s plenty of hype over at the Pepsi Center. The Avs have opened their season with a 7-1-1 record and the Nuggets will begin their campaign on Wednesday with dreams of a championship. That is, if they can get past the brutal West.
This Nuggets squad is young and talented, and looks to climb to heights not seen in franchise history. Here’s a look at Denver players who could rise up the team’s all-time lists this season:
Nikola Jokic
“Big Honey,” as Will Barton named him, broke out in a big way last season, earning a spot on the All-NBA first team.
- Career points: Jokic enters the season with 5,006 points in his four seasons in Denver. If he stays healthy and averages 22.2 points this season (he put up 20.1 last year), he could threaten Kiki Vandeweghe’s (6,829) spot No. 10.
- Career assists: Denver’s point center has 1,586 assists and averaged 7.3 last year. If he gets 580, like he did in the 2018-19 season, he could climb into sixth past former Denver stars Nick Van Exel (2,047), Dan Issel (2,005) and Ralph Simpson (1,950).
- Career rebounds: With 2,946 career rebounds, he needs 620 to tie Carmelo Anthony (3,566) for 10th place. Jokic had 865 last year. A similar performance could move him past No. 9 Fat Lever (3,621) and No. 8 Kenneth Faried (3,634).
Gary Harris
The longest tenured Nuggets player on the squad, Harris is the active leader in career games played in a Denver uniform with 312 games.
- 3-pointers made: Harris is No. 6 on the team’s all-time 3-pointers-made list with 471. His biggest season was 2017-18 when he drained 156 in 67 games for Denver. If he can stay healthy — he’s played 57, 67 and 57 games in the past three seasons, respectively — he could be in position to pass No. 3 Wilson Chandler (540) and possibly Michael Adams (630). J.R. Smith is the all-time leader with 768.
Jamal Murray
The Nuggets’ $170 million man enters the 2019-20 campaign with a huge contract extension and equally large expectations. Murray averaged 18.2 points and 4.8 assists during the regular season last year, and then upped his points to 21.3 in the playoffs.
- 3-pointers made: No. 2 among active Nuggets behind Harris, Murray has accumulated 432 3-pointers in his three seasons in the league, placing him at No. 9 in franchise history. Like Harris, if he stays healthy, he could pass Chandler and possibly Adams this year.
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What’s on Tap?
- Nuggets: At Portland Trail Blazers, 8 p.m. Wednesday, ESPN, ALT |
- Avalanche: At Vegas Golden Knights, 4 p.m. Friday, ALT |
- Nuggets: Phoenix Suns, 7 p.m. Friday, ALT, KTVD-20 |
- CU Buffs football: USC, 7 p.m. Friday, ESPN2 |
TV/RADIO: Here’s what sports are airing today
Scoreboard
NHL: Blues 3, Avalanche 1
Full story |
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Must-Read
Broncos Mailbag: Should pass protection ineptness delay Drew Lock’s debut?
Lock, who sustained a thumb injury two months ago against San Francisco, is expected to start practicing this week. That will be followed by a return to the active roster and only then will Lock Watch 2019 begin, Ryan O’Halloran writes. Read more…
Rockies’ offseason questions: Trevor Story’s raise, big-money contracts for bad relievers
Moneyball has begun in earnest for the Rockies.
Following one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, owner Dick Monfort said fans should not expect any “huge splashes” in free agency, adding, “We’ve pretty much spent what we have through 2020,” Patrick Saunders reports. Read more…
The Nuggets have designs on a championship run. Here are the 5 keys that can get them there.
If the Nuggets are going to exceed last year’s run to the Western Conference semifinals, the team’s deepest playoff run in a decade, here are the things that can make it happen, Mike Singer writes. Read more…
Quick Hits
+ Deadline passes on extensions for Nuggets’ Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez.
+ Security camera footage shows Nuggets’ Malik Beasley, former Bronco Su’a Cravens fighting in Denver apartment lobby.
+ Best of the West Top 25: Can CU Buffs take advantage of Pac-12’s Friday weirdness vs. USC?
+ CHSAANow prep football rankings, Week 9: A new No. 1 in Class 5A.
+ Avalanche reeling back rookie Cale Makar on the power play.
+ Boulder-born Shalane Flanagan, 4x Olympian and NYC Marathon champion, retires.
+ after encouraging bye week.
+ World Series preview: .
+ Indianapolis Colts’ improving defense gets boost from Darius Leonard’s return.
+ Nebraska Cornhuskers’ Maurice Washington not with team for now, Scott Frost says.
Ask The Experts
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
+ Nuggets Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
+ Avs Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
+ Rockies Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
By The Numbers
Dec. 25
When Pelicans forward Zion Williamson is expected to be available from his knee injury when New Orleans visits the Nuggets as part of the NBA’s annual Christmas Day quintuple-header. Read more…
Parting Shot
Kiszla vs. O’Halloran: When should Broncos start Drew Lock at quarterback?
We need to see Drew Lock, not only to evaluate how his skills translate to the NFL level but also to generate fan interest, so the no-show count for home games doesn’t climb to 10,000. How soon should the Broncos make the switch at quarterback? Mark Kiszla and Ryan O’Halloran debate…
Get in Touch
If you see something thatap cause for question or have a comment, thought or suggestion, email me at dboniface@denverpost.com or tweet me .
