A year after the Denver Nuggets reached the conference finals, the team took a step back, losing to the Phoenix Suns in the second round at home Sunday. However, that should not be seen as a disappointment. In fact, when it comes to the postseason, Denver could be seen as an overachiever, because the Nuggets managed to win a first-round series against a full strength Portland Trail Blazers team despite losing Jamal Murray to a season-ending ACL tear.
While MVP Nikola Jokic and his depleted supporting cast were able to win against Portland, doing so against the Chris Paul-led Suns was too much to ask. Now, with their season over, the Nuggets shift into offseason mode, turning their attention to potential contract extensions for Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon.