Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla answered questions about all things Colorado sports during a live chat on Monday. Here are the highlights:
If the Broncos go 9-7, but still are out of the playoffs, do you think that’s a successful season? Or is anything but the playoffs unacceptable?
Kiszla: Well, the Broncos haven’t played, much less won, a playoff game since Super Bowl 50. But you already knew that. My point? If the Broncos make the playoffs, no matter their record, it’s a step forward. And if they fall short of the playoffs, even if with a 9-7 record, it’s more spinning of the wheels, something that won’t please John Elway or anybody else in apountry that demands excellence. The Broncos are in that always large group of NFL teams that could finish 10-6 if everything goes right and 6-10 if bad breaks plague them.
Did the Nuggets actually find an answer for Kawhi Leonard in Game 2? How much of a chance do you give them of knocking off the Clippers? Could we actually see Denver in the NBA finals?
Kiszla: First, let’s offer kudos to the Nuggets. After a tired performance in the Game 1 loss to the Clippers, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and friends came out in fire in Game 2. The defense on Kawhi Leonard was great. So more kudos: To Jerami Grant and Gary Harris. But found an answer for the Claw? Easy there. At winning time, there’s nobody currently in the NBA who’s better than Leonard. While the Nuggets dee’d him up well, Leonard had a bad game. I wouldn’t expect to see him have another bad game.
Prior to the series, I picked Denver to take the Clippers to six games before bowing out. My opinion hasn’t changed.
Was the Nuggets win a fluke or do we really have a chance to beat the Clippers?
Kiszla: Winning Game 2 wasn’t a fluke. In the first half, the Nuggets played the most beautiful basketball they possibly can, and Nikola Jokic looked like first team All-NBA Joker. The tough defense that Michael Malone preaches worked to the hilt.
But the Clippers are the more talented and tougher teeam.
Does Denver have a shot? Sure.
But it’s a long shot.
Jamal Murray is really special. Could it be that you’d rather have him than Donovan Mitchell for the next decade? Or are you still stuck on that failed trade?
Kiszla: Glad you asked. Can you handle the truth? Because I’m going to crow now. Prior to the 2016 NBA draft, nobody in this dusty old cowtown lobbied louder and harder for the Nuggets to take Jamal Murray with the seventh pick than little, old moi. (You could look it up, as they say.)
After Murray was handed the point guard job at a very young age, some basketball analystis in this dusty old cowtown insisted Murray’s skill set was ill-suited to running the offense. And many raised eyebrows when the Nuggets gave Murray a max-contract deal a year ago. I have consistently and persistently claimed for years that there is a never-surrender orneriness to Murray that makes him valuable beyond his scoring ability. Now, everybody else got a chance to see what I saw. When the Nuggets were down 3-1 in the opening-round series against Utah, I’m convinced some in the Denver traveling party were ready to get the heck out of the NBA bubble and go home. Not Murray.
But Donovan Mitchell? He’s good. The Nuggets would’ve been far wiser to take Mitchell with the 13th pick in the 2017 draft rather than trading the pick away. That’s not even a point of debate.
Nathan MacKinnon was a total no-show in Game 7. It seems like he just doesn’t respond to big-game pressure like a superstar should. Is he the next Alexander Ovechkin?
Kiszla: Whoa. And folks think I’m a harsh critic. Nathan MacKinnon goes all Gretzky on us, scoring 25 points in his first 14 games at the NHL bubble and you want to trash him because he didn’t also come up big in the Game 7 loss. Yes, I know: “Your best players have to be your best players, eh” is an old hockey playoff truth. And MacK could’ve been better in Game 7. But without MacK’s heroic effort, an injury-depleted Avs team might’ve lost this series to the Dallas Stars in five games.
OK, the Rockies have finally won a series at Chavez Ravine. Are you ready to jump back on the bandwagon?
Kiszla: You sorely underestimate Mr. Sunshine (moi). It’s well-documented. Prior to the season, I predicted this Rockies team would make the expanded National League playoffs. I don’t believe my esteemed baseball colleagues at The Post were quite so optimistic.
At 20-20, the Rockies are currently in the playoff field.
Want to see Colorado qualify for the postseason?
Here’s my new prediction: third baseman Nolan Arenado and new closer Daniel Bard have to be great (not good, great) in September for the Rockies to grab a playoff berth.
Next year I’m seeing Jokic, Grant, MPJ, Harris and Murray as the starters. Maybe a top 4 team but no higher. Agree?
Kiszla: Next year? You’re already moving on to next year, before the Nuggets play Game 3 in this series against the Clippers. Nothing wrong with that. Admire your long-term planning skills, especially because I’m a guy that has trouble focusing beyond my next meal. (Had a tasty steak sammy for lunch at the outset of this chat, BTW.)
I have 3 immediate thoughts on next year’s starting lineup:
No. 1: Jerami Grant can be a free agent, and he’s going to get paid. By the Nuggets. Or somebody else. So projecting the starting lineup probably needs ot wait until that key piece of business is resolved.
No. 2: Michael Porter Jr has to start. But from opening night, I said MPJ had to start all this past season. So what do I know?
No. 3: I think Gary Harris, not Torrey Craig, fills the role of defensive specialist off the bench/spot starter on a team with legit championship aspirations.
Who do you think gets more carries against the Titans in Week 1? Melvin Gordon or Phillip Lindsay?
Kiszla: I think the Broncos will want to give the rock more to Melvin Gordon. In Week 1 and all season long. Why? Money talks. But I also believe that maybe the Broncos braintrust has started to realize it over-estimated the worth of Gordon and underestimated the fighting spirit in Lindsay. Who gets more carries in Week 1? I honestly don’t know. So I can’t help you with your fantasy team lineup in that regard (sorry). But I have believed, and stubbornly cling to the crazy idea that it will be Lindsay, not Gordon, who leads the team in rushing this season.
If the Rockies don’t make the expanded playoffs, does the Good Doctor trade Nolan Arenado this offseason? Might that actually be the best thing for him to do?
Kiszla: Whether the Rockies make the playoff or not, the decision to trade Nolan Arenado or keep him will be the toughest item on Jeff Bridich’s agenda all winter long.
If you’re Joe Sakic, and a team with a star goaltender offers a trade but wants Bo Byram in return, are you listening?
Kiszla: Yes. Absolutely. I’m listening. Then, if I’m Sakic, I try to do a trade that doesn’t include Bo Byram. But I get the process started. And keep my mind open to anything.
I know my attitude invites a lot of “Don’t mortgage the future, dummy” responses. But for this Avalanche team, the future is now. Nathan MacKinnon is the lone untouchable. Everybody else on this roster is potential trade bait, if there’s a possiblity to trade for a top-tier goalie this team desperate needs.
If the Nuggets lose to the Clippers, is there any way you consider trading Michael Porter Jr. for a star player?
Kiszla: What star player?
I think next step for the Nuggets will be the toughest. Despite the coming-out part for Jamal Murray in these playoffs and the undeniable scoring potential of Michael Porter Jr. I think Denver is one very significant piece away from winning a championship.
I don’t think there’s an untouchable player on Denver’s roster. Not one. (And y’all know I love the Joker and Jamal.)
So don’t get it twisted. I’m not advocating the Nuggets trade Jokic or Murray or MPJ.
But I’d listen to anything.
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