Matt Moore here, the host of the daily Locked On Nuggets podcast, with your daily Locked On Nuggets newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Nuggets and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Adam Mares On Nuggets Present, Past And Future
Oct 29, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) dribbles the ball toward the basket against the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Adam Mares from DNVR and All-Cities All-NBA returned on Thursday for a special Locked On Nuggets: World’s Finest reunion with Matt Moore. Here are some of the best things said on the show.
See if you can guess who said what!
“We always wondered like what would it look like if you turn the scoring dial all the way up (on Joker). And I think that’s part of it. He’s turned the scoring dial up a lot. He’s more aggressive than ever.”
“If he gets the scoring title, I know it’s early to talk about legacies, but if you win a scoring title, you’re automatically in that conversation. I’m not saying he’s the greatest scorer, but automatically, you have to say, look, this guy was capable of being the best scorer in the league in any given season.”
“This is the best NBA season individually in history so far. And I know that’s going to be controversial. I don’t know how you argue against it because you can say usually it’s like, well, yeah, OK, he filled the box score because his usage was high, but he wasn’t efficient, and the team didn’t win. Nope. The impact’s there. The efficiency is there. And the team is still hanging around at the top of the Western Conference standings.”
“The Nuggets cannot win a championship unless Jamal Murray looks like what he did in the 2023 run. I don’t think there is any combination of things that could happen that’s like, yeah, Murray wasn’t good, but they still won a championship.”
“I think this year is almost proving that the Nuggets or the Jokic team could win multiple different ways because they’ve been so impactful with Russ.”
“Denver’s not going to get lucky for four rounds of avoiding like, hey, we just never needed Peyton. There’s going to be matchups where he is needed. And he’s not ready right now. He’s not ready. I think he’s a thousand minutes away from being ready.”
Jan 4, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) reacts after making a three point basket against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at Intuit Dome. | Kiyoshi Mio/Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Kawhi Leonard left the Clippers behind in Denver on Wednesday, he travelled solo back to Los Angeles to meet his family as they evacuated their home in the Pacific Palisades. As of Thursday, the Palisades Fire — the biggest of the five separate fires burning in L.A. — has scorched through close to 20,000 acres of land, homes, buildings and infrastructure. Leonard’s family and their home are safe, and because natural disasters thankfully still trump the audience demand for athlete participation, Leonard’s also able to be away from the team and focus on what’s most important.
Not to draw too flimsy a point between disaster and basketball, but Leonard’s return to the Clippers had been top of mind for me prior to the fires, and his necessary absence now offers another lens to view his prolonged absence this season.
After he was pulled from Team USA’s Olympic play this summer, Leonard underwent a surgical procedure on his right knee. It’s same knee he had surgically repaired after an ACL tear in 2021 and a meniscus tear in April 2023, as well as the quad injury that eventually led to him parting ways with the Spurs over concerns of recovery mismanagement.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Must Read Steve Kerr and JJ Redick share the impact of the Los Angeles fires on their families’ lives. (ESPN)
Biz Aging NBA stars like Jimmy Butler may be in for a rude awakening. (Forbes)
Rumor The Denver Nuggets are reportedly interested in acquiring Toronto Raptors big man Chris Boucher. This potential move could add significant depth to their frontcourt. (Sports Illustrated)
Ranking With the NBA trade deadline approaching, the latest power rankings place the Denver Nuggets among the top teams. Their consistent performance is recognized and celebrated. See where they stand in the latest rankings. (Bleacher Report)
Preview The Nuggets host the Brooklyn Nets tonight at 9:00 PM ET. Read the preview.(NBA)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Friday’s NBA Fantasy Basketball Slate: Injury Updates and Streaming Options
Jan 8, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) drives against Washington Wizards forward Richaun Holmes (22) during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher/Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The NBA action continues with seven games on tap for Friday, and there’s no shortage of intriguing storylines to follow. Let’s dive into the key matchups and player situations that fantasy managers need to keep an eye on.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The Pelicans-Sixers matchup is plagued by absences on both sides. For New Orleans, Herb Jones (shoulder), Brandon Ingram, and Trey Murphy (ankle) are all sidelined. However, Zion Williamson is set to return after sitting out the previous game. The Sixers will continue to be without Joel Embiid, Andre Drummond, and KJ Martin.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Orlando Magic
The Magic are on a back-to-back, while the Bucks are in a favorable schedule spot. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Khris Middleton are all listed as probable for Milwaukee. Orlando will be without Gary Harris, and Jalen Suggs is expected to remain sidelined. Paolo Banchero is reportedly set to return for this game.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Nuggets podcasts.
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The Nuggets Defense Remains An Enigma | Is This Jokic’s Fault? | Can They Win A Ring? Swipa discusses Denver’s defensive issues, Nikola Jokic’s responsibility for those struggles with an expansive offensive role, and whether Denver can still win a championship.
