The 2024-2025 Denver Nuggets maintained a solid season despite not acquiring notable replacements from the role players they lost over the past 2 years.
The Good
Strong Regular Season Performance
The Nuggets finished with a 50-32 record, securing the 4th seed in the Western Conference, tied with the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers. This marked their third consecutive 50-win season, showcasing consistency despite challenges.
Nikola Jokić delivered a historic performance, becoming the first NBA player to record a 30–20–20 game (30 points, 20 rebounds, 20 assists) against the Phoenix Suns on March 7, 2025. He averaged a triple-double (29.6 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 10.3 APG), creating 56 points per game, the highest in the NBA.
Jokić finished second in MVP voting, reinforcing his status as one of the league’s elite players.
Playoff Resilience
The Nuggets clinched their seventh straight playoff berth with a win over the Houston Rockets on April 13, 2025. They defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in a hard-fought seven-game series in the first round, highlighted by Aaron Gordon’s game-winning dunk in Game 4.
Players like Jamal Murray (career-high moments in clutch games) and Michael Porter Jr. (18.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 50.4% FG) showed growth, with Porter playing 77 games, a sign of improved durability.
Emerging Talent
Christian Braun emerged as a breakout star, starting 77 of 79 games and averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals on 58% shooting after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s departure. His defensive growth, particularly in screen navigation, was notable.
Russell Westbrook, a key offseason addition, played through injuries (two breaks) to average 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in 75 games, adding veteran leadership.
Offensive Firepower
The Nuggets boasted the fourth-best offense in the NBA, driven by Jokić’s playmaking and the pick-and-roll chemistry with Murray, often called the league’s best duo.
Role players like Peyton Watson (8.1 PPG, 1.4 BPG in 68 games) and rookie DaRon Holmes II (still injured) added depth.
The Bad
Playoff Disappointment
The Nuggets lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game Western Conference Semifinals series (3-4), falling short of expectations after their 2023 championship. They struggled to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s depth, especially in non-Jokić minutes (-26.4 net rating in the playoffs).
Michael Porter Jr.’s postseason performance was inconsistent, hampered by a shoulder injury. He scored 10 points or fewer in four of the final five games against OKC, including a six-point Game 7.
Organizational Upheaval
On April 8, 2025, the Nuggets fired head coach Michael Malone and did not renew general manager Calvin Booth’s contract, signaling significant dysfunction. This move, late in the season, raised questions about team direction.
Interim coach David Adelman took over, but his lack of prior experience against OKC (0-4 in regular-season matchups under Malone) contributed to strategic challenges in the playoffs.
Injuries And Depth Issues
Aaron Gordon missed 31 games due to leg injuries, impacting the team’s defensive versatility and rebounding.
The bench was statistically one of the league’s worst, with inconsistent production from players like Dario Šarić (limited to two post-All-Star appearances) and Zeke Nnaji. The loss of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown, Reggie Jackson, and Justin Holiday in recent years further weakened depth.
Defensive Weaknesses
The Nuggets ranked poorly in defending points in the paint (26th in 2023-2024, a trend that persisted), and their adjusted defensive rating was mediocre. This was evident against OKC’s pick-and-roll attack, with players like Julian Strawther struggling defensively (87 shooting fouls in limited minutes).
Non-Jokić minutes remained a glaring issue, with a -10.4 net rating in the regular season, worsening in the playoffs.
