It’s a big season for the Denver Nuggets as Nikola Jokic is in the final year of his contract. Though he’s given the team assurances that he will re-sign, nothing is done until it’s done.

Since winning the championship in 2023, Denver has had three straight disappointing playoff runs. They lost in the second round to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2024, blowing a huge Game 7 lead. They were competitive in a seven game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025, but still lost.

2026 was their most disappointing showing as they lost in six games to the Timberwolves in the first round despite Minnesota losing Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards late in the series.

After limited changes in the offseason, what will it take for Denver to get back to the Finals?

There are a lot of factors as to why the Nuggets have faltered in the playoffs in recent seasons, but Aaron Gordon not being healthy has been at the top of the list.

Gordon connects everything on both ends of the floor for the Nuggets, and they severely missed him against Minnesota, and he was limited against Oklahoma City. If Gordon is healthy, this is a different team.

He’s not only one of their better individual defenders, but he’s also their connector as a team defender. On offense, he opens everything up for Jamal Murray and Jokic with his cutting and ability to create space.

Murray has to find the same form he had in the 2023 playoffs for Denver to have a real shot. Jokic was disappointing in the 2026 playoffs, but there were enough positives to not make him the full scapegoat for the failure.

After making his first All-Star team and putting up career numbers in the regular season, Murray disappeared in the playoffs, averaging 23.7 points on 35% from the field and 26% from three.

In the regular season, he averaged 25.4 points on 48% from the field and 43% from three. In the 2023 playoffs, he averaged 26.1 points on 47% from the field and 39% from three.

He’s the best shot creator, and sometimes the only shot creator, on the team. Jokic will typically get his numbers, but he’s not creating the kind of shots for himself that Murray can create. He is creating shots for Murray, who needs to make defenses pay by hitting them.

When he’s shooting lights out, or close to it, the Nuggets are a completely different team.