Denver Nuggets are the real deal and deserve to win the championship

Jun 05, 2023

Every team that has hoisted the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy has earned it. First, a team must slog through an 82-game schedule, then win 16 more games in the NBA Playoffs while playing the league's best teams, stocked with the best players.

From 2000-2022, the overall number 1 seeds have only won seven championships. Proof that winning a title extracts blood, sweat, tears, and toil from the victor.

Prior to the playoffs, many basketball observers believed the Phoenix Suns would advance to the NBA Finals.

In 47 regular season games, Kevin Durant averaged 29.1 ppg, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists by shooting 56.0 % from the field, 40.4% on threes’, and 91.9 % on free throws. In the playoffs, Devin Booker scorched the Nuggets, averaging 30.8 ppg, 7.8 assists, and shooting a torrid 56.9 % from the field and 54.8% on threes. Nevertheless, the Nuggets won in six games, clinching the series in Phoenix, 125-100.

The valiant efforts of Anthony Davis and LeBron James couldn't prevent the Nuggets from sweeping the Lakers. Denver decoded every scheme the Lakers attempted. Nikola Jokic played bully ball against Davis and the undersized Rui Hachimara. He and Jamal Murray unveiled the NBA's most lethal two-man game. Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributed timely shooting, basketball smarts, and defensive intensity, which makes the Nuggets the most complete team in basketball.

Nuggets haters, get real.

Marc D. Greenwood, Opelika, Alabama

It has been suggested Prop HH is an effort to keep money from being refunded to taxpayers by way of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) under the guise of reducing the impact of the increases we have seen in 2023 property valuations across the state. I would recommend the method recently announced by the Colorado Mountain College be considered.

The Aspen Times reported recently that because of "considerable increases in 2023 property valuations, the Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees plans to reduce its mill levy to keep revenue growth near inflation."

Question: Why can not all taxing jurisdictions do this?

Bill Ferguson, Buena Vista

As a lifelong Democrat, I admittedly have never been especially fond of Republican Chris Christie, who recently announced his presidential candidacy. However, I have gained respect for Christie.

As soon as he made his announcement, Donald Trump made fun of his weight. Christie could not have made a more appropriate response by saying that when babies act like spoiled brats, you send them to their rooms, not to the White House.

I think this exchange between Trump and Christie demonstrates the negative impact the former president has had on the Republican Party, from the "Let's Go Brandon" slogan to countless other acts of meanness by so many other extreme right-wing members. Hopefully, decency can be restored to the Republican party as the future of our nation depends on it.

David Ryan, Montrose

Thank You, Fort Morgan. My family enjoyed your unique efforts to welcome residents and visitors back to your downtown by embracing the makeover trend as a city. The murals are wonderful, adding warmth and color to brick buildings. It must be working because we saw Teamsters enjoying a big picnic, a variety of affordable merchandise in stores, friendly merchants, active disc golfers, great ice cream and sorbets, and Gov. Jared Polis exchanging greetings. The Platte is high and the swimming pool is open.

Tamara Rowe, Denver

Editor's note: Fort Morgan is the featured city in HGTV's season two of "Home Town Takeover."

Sign up for Sound Off to get a weekly roundup of our columns, editorials and more.

To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.

Sign up for Newsletters and Alerts