Paul Pierce makes bold prediction about Denver Nuggets' playoff chances: "They gon' get popped in the first round"

The Denver Nuggets have held the best record in the Western Conference for over three months now. They own a 46-22 win-loss slate, which is still five games ahead of the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies for the top seed in their conference.

The Nuggets also have Nikola Jokic, the back-to-back MVP, who could win his third straight best player in the league award. Despite their record and their roster, Paul Pierce gives a damning verdict on Denver's playoff chances:

"I think Denver is the most likely out of the top 3 seeds to get popped in the first round… If the Denver Nuggets see the Lakers, if they see Golden State, they gon' get popped in the first round."

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The LA Lakers, after tonight’s loss to the New York Knicks, dropped to 10th in the west with a 33-35 record. They are 8-4 after Rob Pelinka’s flurry of trade deadline moves that turned the lineup into a more balanced, deeper, and more competitive unit.

LA, however, doesn’t have LeBron James yet and just lost to the Knicks which also didn’t have Jalen Brunson. The Lakers may not even get into the postseason. If they do, and then meet the Denver Nuggets in the postseason, Paul Pierce has high hopes they can pull off a titanic upset.

The Golden State Warriors, on the other hand, have been a Dr. Jekyll and Hyde team this season. They are nearly unbeatable when playing in front of their home fans but turn to pumpkins outside of Chase Center.

Golden State’s 28-7 home record is second only to the Denver Nuggets, who have a 30-6 mark on their home floor. The Warriors, however, own the third-worst away record in the entire NBA at 7-26.

The defending NBA champs last won on the road on Jan. 30 against the OKC Thunder. If home-court advantage holds true in the playoffs against the Nuggets, Steph Curry and crew will not get past Nikola Jokic’s squad.

The Denver Nuggets will have to be a better defensive team in the playoffs

The Denver Nuggets are second in the NBA in offensive rating with 117.4 ORTG but just 16th on defense with 113.5 DRTG. While the games can sometimes become a defensive struggle in the postseason, Denver has to prove that it can win on that end of the floor.

Mike Malone has a healthier and better lineup this season than the one that lost to the Warriors in the first round last year. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. have given the head coach more options on offense who can ably back up Jokic due to their size and skills.

The Denver Nuggets playoff chances have been boosted by their clutch performance throughout the season. They’ve been able to beat opponents with a superb play on both ends of the floor. The Nuggets, at least in the regular season, have shown that they have the defensive tenacity when necessary to beat teams.

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If it’s an identity that they can take to the playoffs, then they should be as good as their record suggests.

The LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors have battle-tested champions on their roster who know what it takes to win. Denver’s lineup is as good as any in the league but doesn’t have the franchise leader in the mold of LeBron James or Steph Curry.

Nikola Jokic will have to step up big time to prove he has the same championship DNA as the two aforementioned superstars.