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Nuggets On Their Way To Being A Good, Not Great, Team Again

DENVER (CBS4) - With young players like forward/center Nikola Jokic and guard Jamal Murray on the roster, the future seems bright for the Denver Nuggets.

Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets celebrates with the 2017 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge MVP trophy after the World Team defeated the US Team 150-141 in the 2017 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge at Smoothie King Center on February 17, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The question is, how should fans regard the current season?

The team is currently in the eighth position in the NBA's Western Conference. But with their 25-31 record they might have been somewhere around the 11th position in other years.

The Nuggets haven't made it to the playoffs in four seasons.

"The All-Star portion of the season I think has been somewhat of a roller-coaster, but I go back to the date I use is Dec. 15. Since that date we're 16-15, which is above .500 ball for one of the youngest teams in the NBA and for a team that has had a ton of injuries. I'm very, very happy with that but by no means satisfied," Coach Michael Malone said.

Murray is averaging 8.9 points per game for the Nuggets this season.

"Whether we're in the playoffs or not, we're just going to try to keep playing and not settle for just the eighth spot, try to make our way as far as we can," Murray said.

Jokic is averaging 16.3 points per game and is developing strongly for the Nuggets this year.

"I think it's going to be fun if we made it," Jokic said. "We have a long road to do that, but if we made it I think it's going to be really fun."

Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic
Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets pose for a photo during the 2017 All-Star Media Circuit at the Ritz Carlton in New Orleans, Louisiana. (credit: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

It will also be a valuable experience for a young team to be playing meaningful games in March.

"It's huge. A lot of us haven't been in this situation just because we're so young, but then again we do have some vets who have been here before, been deep in the playoffs, so I think it's going to be good for us and we're definitely going to be ready for it," said guard Gary Harris, who is averaging 13.4 points per game.

Veteran guard Jameer Nelson has never won a championship, but he guided the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in the 2008-09 season.

"A lot of these guys haven't been in the playoffs and a lot of the guys who have been in the playoffs have only been in the first round. There's only a couple of us -- I think myself and Mike Miller -- who actually made it through a couple rounds (or) to the finals," Nelson told CBS4. "It's important. Every time we step on the floor it's going to be a learning process for us at this point because a lot of guys haven't been through this."

Golden State Warriors v Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets shoots the ball against the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 13, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. (credit: Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Nuggets fans shouldn't forget that four years ago, it was determined 10 straight seasons of just making the playoffs was no longer good enough. So simply getting back to the postseason isn't the end goal.

"It's certainly not playoffs or bust. I think as long as we're getting better it's a good year. But I think in that locker room and that front office, our expectation is to continue to be a good team, to continue to be a team that keeps other teams at bay and hopefully the season ends with a playoff appearance," Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly said.

But while the Nuggets are making their way towards being a good team again, most everyone would agree that they are still a ways away from being a great team.

"We're not at that level right now. It's great to beat a team like Golden State," Malone said, referring to the Nuggets 132-110 win over the Warriors a week ago. "But we're not a championship level team at the moment."

Golden State Warriors v Denver Nuggets
Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets shoots the ball against the Golden State Warriors on February 13, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver. (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Championship caliber? Denver Post Nuggets reporter Chris Dempsey says the team "is a few years off from that."

"That's just the fact of the matter. But I think what they can take encouragement from right now is they finally seem to be on the path that gets them to where they want to go," he said.

And if that path happens to include the postseason this year, reporters like Dempsey say this season will be a good one for the future of the franchise.

"I think for the organization as a whole -- which has been desperately wanting to get back into the playoffs -- and then for a young core of players who they want to be the guys to lead them not just to the playoffs but deep into the playoffs in the future, this is a big time year so far," Dempsey said.

Malone said "there's no rush here."

"We're being patient. We love the young guys that we have and we know that we're heading in the right direction, which is the most important thing," he said.

Denver Nuggets versus the Minnesota Timberwolves
DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 15: Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reaches in on Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic (15) during the third quarter February 15, 2017 at Pepsi Center. (Photo By John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

The teams at the top of the NBA all generally have two or three superstars. For the Nuggets, Jokic or Murray look like they may wind up being great. If they keep improving, and the Nuggets draw a big-time free agent, the Nuggets might be able to start talking about a free agent.

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