The Denver Nuggets' playoff journey came to a halt this season as they were eliminated in the second round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite a promising start, Denver couldn't sustain their momentum against a determined Timberwolves squad, losing the series in a dramatic Game 7 where they let a 20-point lead slip away in the second half. Jamal Murray, in particular, was a beacon of hope for the Nuggets, logging 35 points in the seventh game, but it wasn't enough to propel his team to victory.
The road to that fateful encounter against Minnesota was fraught with its own set of challenges. The Nuggets faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, overcoming significant obstacles to advance. They won the series 4-1, and remarkably, they managed to climb out of double-digit deficits in three of those victories. Murray played through injuries to his calf and elbow, but his shooting percentages suffered as a result, hitting only 40.2% from the field and 31.5% from beyond the arc.
During the regular season, Denver demonstrated their prowess, particularly against top-tier teams. They swept their season series against the Boston Celtics, tarnishing Boston’s then-impeccable home record with an impressive victory on January 19 at TD Garden. In a second meeting on March 7, Nikola Jokic was the star of the show with a 32-point triple-double, leading the Nuggets to another triumph over the Celtics. However, Jaylen Brown of the Celtics put on a clinic with a 41-point performance, showing that Boston would not make it easy for any contender.
The Celtics, ending the season with a formidable 64-18 record and a plus-11.7 point differential, were a powerhouse in their own right. They went 16-3 in the playoffs, showing a level of dominance few could match. Jayson Tatum, recalling the journey, said, "People always ask me, when did you guys know you were going to win a championship? When Minnesota beat Denver, I felt like Denver was the only team that they matched up best with us. I thought that we were going to play Denver in the Finals and it was going to be a good one."
As the Celtics advanced to the Finals, they faced the Dallas Mavericks, winning up to Game 3 before suffering a significant setback in Game 4—a 30-point loss. Tatum remembered the feeling vividly: "Oh my God. Nobody has ever come back from 0-3, so I remember getting back to the locker room and I remember saying, 'I don't know what game it's going to be, but we're going to win the championship.' That was a weird feeling."
The pressure was immense as Game 4 loomed. Tatum's anxiety was palpable, "I wasn't able to sleep that night and I remember the morning of Game 4 we had shootaround, and I had never been in the position that if we win tonight, we're champions." Despite their efforts at shootaround, the Celtics' nerves got the better of them, leading to the lopsided loss. "We wanted to win so bad. We were so anxious and so tight. But I knew when we were coming back home for Game 5, we were going to win," Tatum added.
Tatum's conviction proved instrumental as the team regrouped, setting their sights on clinching the championship in front of their home crowd. The initial setback only fueled their determination to finish what they had started, encapsulating their season-long resilience and fighting spirit.
The journey for Denver and Boston encapsulates the highs and lows of NBA playoff contention—a narrative woven with incredible performances, unexpected defeats, and the relentless pursuit of greatness. As the Nuggets reflect on their season and the Celtics celebrate their triumph, the lessons learned this year will undoubtedly shape the future paths of both franchises.