How would a second consecutive NBA title shape the Denver Nuggets’ legacy?

The Denver Nuggets entered the 2024 NBA playoffs as the defending champions, and are poised to bring a second straight title home to their fans. We’ll take a look at how their perception would change if they’re able to accomplish the feat. All statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference.

Throughout the course of NBA history, teams have won championships in a minimum of back-to-back years 12 times. The most recent instance occurred in 2017 and 2018, when the Golden State Warriors accomplished the feat.

In every case, teams that have gone back-to-back have had a player that is considered to be one of the NBA’s greatest. Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Isaiah Thomas, Magic Johnson and Bill Russell are just some of the illustrious names who have accomplished the feat.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

Still in his late 20s, it can be hard to reconcile how Jokic can possibly fit in with the pantheon of previously named players. There’s still time for him to add to his already stellar resume, but winning a second championship would put him in rarified air. The Ringer analyzed his place in history after Denver won it all a year ago.

For starters, a second championship would pull Jokic even in that department with the likes of David Robinson, Bill Walton, Wilt Chamberlain and Olajuwon. It would be difficult to catch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has six rings, but a second ring would put him on the road to catching Shaquille O’Neal, who has four titles.

Despite real conversations about how Jokic stacks up against these legends of the game, the Nuggets center remains uninterested in soaking up attention for himself. He said once told The Daily Mail Online that he wanted nobody to know him in December 2023, which was after he won his first title.

Former San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan had a similar approach to fame. Fox Sports wondered if he was the most underrated athlete in sports history. Jokic could be encroaching on to that territory if he wins a few more titles, and continues to duck and dodge the spotlight.

The Jokic conversation is a fascinating one, but another title would also prompt a discussion about Jamal Murray. The point guard has been the perfect complement to Jokic, as the two masterfully run pick and roll plays together. From 2019 through June 2023, The Ringer wrote that the two were involved in 1,048 pick-and-rolls and in the playoffs, by far the most in the NBA.

Despite Murray’s efficient play and reliable production in the backcourt, he’s usually not mentioned as one of the best players at his position. Before this season, HoopsHype pegged Murray as the tenth-best point guard in the NBA. Names like Damian Lillard, James Harden, Tyrese Haliburton and Trae Young continue to come up ahead of Murray’s.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

However, if Murray is able to be the co-star for another Nuggets title run, he would have to be realistically mentioned as an elite option at his position. A second championship would put him in rarified air, especially considering the fact that he has yet to make an All-Star team.

CBS News believes that Mike Malone is well on his way to being the best coach in Denver Nuggets history. He might already be there, considering that Malone oversaw the only title in the franchise’s history.

During Denver’s raucous championship parade in 2023, Malone promised the fans that the Nuggets would win it all again in 2024. With his young core intact, there’s no reason not to believe that the team will be in the hunt for years to come.

If Malone is able to capture a second championship, he would become the 15^th coach in league history to accomplish the feat. Other coaches who have won two titles include but are not limited to Rudy Tomjanovich, Erik Spoelstra, Chuck Daly, Red Holzman and Tom Heinsohn.

CBS News and others chronicled the risky nature of Michael Porter Jr.’s draft selection back in 2020, but the forward has been instrumental to Denver’s success in the last few years. He’s bought into the team concept embraced by Jokic and Malone, while also being able to create his own shot if things break down.

Additionally, Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be talked about throughout NBA history as players who served as excellent complements for Denver. Caldwell-Pope’s ability to space the floor and play perimeter defense, and Gordon’s penchant for moving without the ball, have unlocked the Nuggets’ potential.

The Denver Nuggets had homecourt throughout the playoffs last season, which forced opponents to deal with the altitude in crucial points of the season. There are a couple of matchups during the NBA playoffs that Denver would not have that advantage in, which may make their road to winning a second straight title a little more arduous.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!