Can the Nuggets go from gags to riches?
They were equipped to type an exclamation point to one of the oddest playoff series in franchise history and instead put a question mark at the end of the sentence.
The Nuggets did not inspire confidence on Thursday. Now, the entire season comes down to a Game 7 on Sunday.
This team has met the moment for a calendar year. Knockout games demand stars play well. And the Nuggets are not winning without 30 points from Nikola Jokic and at least 20 from Jamal Murray. But the duo needs help. It’s time for Michael Porter Jr. to return from the margins. He has averaged six points over the past three games and 11.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in the series. The juxtaposition remains jarring. Porter Jr. dropped 22.8 points and 8.4 rebounds vs. the Lakers. The current matchup makes those numbers difficult to duplicate.
But if the Nuggets want to extend their season, Porter must be better defensively, and turn into MP3 from the corner at least three times.
The Rockies returned from the abyss with their recent seven-game winning streak. Third baseman Ryan McMahon continues to anchor the offense as he is on pace to hit 23 home runs with 83 RBIs. He struck out in 32% of his plate appearances last season, and has shaved that number to 27% this season. …
The person is more important than the player. But it is possible to have compassion for Valeri Nichushkin and hold him accountable. I don’t see a scenario where he plays for the Avs again when his six-month suspension ends in November. Whether it means eating a huge chunk of his salary or attaching a first-round draft pick in a trade, the Avs need to move on to be fair to the other players in the locker room. …
Bo Nix could very well be the Fix for the Broncos. He looks the part and clearly fits in coach Sean Payton’s offense. But I have a gnawing concern about his development: Where are the offensive weapons? The possibility exists that Courtland Sutton could get traded, even if it’s unlikely, leaving Nix with a receiver group featuring Marvin Mims Jr., Josh Reynolds and Lil’ Jordan Humphrey. And don’t get me started about the lack of production from the tight ends. Greg Dulcich & Gabbana needs to stay healthy to make the roster. My X-factor for the group is Lucas Krull Island. …
Former Pomona High state wrestling champion and Wyoming stalwart Archie Colgan walked into his job a few years and quit. He was getting married and starting a family, but the gravitational pull of MMA was impossible to ignore. His faith has been rewarded. Colgan, who still trains in Denver, soundly defeated Tibault Golti on Friday in Paris, improving to 10-0. A lightweight title shot is starting to crystallize. “I just need to continue to take care of business and it could happen in a few more fights,” Colgan said.
Mail Time
It is not just the NBA, it is all pro sports with late start times. We moved from Denver to the East Coast last year. But I have family and friends who have lived here for many years. None of us are able to stay up to watch any sporting event that starts after 8 p.m. EST.
— Steve Pollak, via email
I was pleasantly surprised by the response to my column about the insulting 8:41 p.m. Mountain tipoff for Game 5 of Nuggets vs. Timberwolves. Money drives these decisions as TV networks who pay billions want the most eyeballs on the product. But it doesn’t mean we should stop complaining. As more subscriptions are needed to watch sports leagues, it would be nice if convenience and respect came with the package.
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