After winning the Finals this year, the nuggets are pretty much bringing back the same team without Bruce brown but other teams like the bucks, Celtics and suns have improved. Imo I think the next 2-3 championships will be won by either the Bucks or Celtics and I think the Nuggets will make the finals again this year but the only way they might win again in the future is to either make a trade for a 3rd star or get much better depth.
4th. After winning in 2020, they lost in the first round in 2021, missed the playoffs in 2022, and were swept in 2023.
Losing in the 2nd round after a majority of people considered them the overwhelming favorites in the West is a miserable failure.
The Celtics series in 2022 was winnable even without Khris. And in 2023, they blew double digit 4th quarter leads in back-to-back playoff games with Giannis playing.
Injuries are one of the external factors I’m referring to.