Denver Nuggets - The Next Level [Game 3 + 4]

[Murat]

This incredible dynasty must have a nice end!

[Kevin]

I think Kenny just woke the whole subforum for posting that

[Kenny]

(Y)

Excellent news!!

Good shit man. Looking forward to it!

I miss this thread

Glad to hear it.

Awesome news man! Can't wait!

Thanks guys. I wasn't entirely sure how much interest there would be (admittedly I've been pretty absent from this section for a few months), so I'm glad to see there's still interest.

It's funny because I had to look over the thread to remind myself of what my roster looked like (Kevin Durant on IR ).

This incredible dynasty must have a nice end!

I shall try my best to give it the ending it deserves.

I think Kenny just woke the whole subforum for posting that

I try my best. I'm thinking of starting a 2k15 Association (I'm still on PS3 ), but I thought I'd give this one an ending first.

[Kenny]

NBA Finals 2026
Denver Nuggets Vs Boston Celtics

Two of the most storied franchises in NBA history prepare to battle in the NBA Finals. It's the most successful of all-time versus the most successful of the last twenty years.

From 2011, the Denver Nuggets have transformed from a perennial playoff contender to an NBA juggernaut. They have won 9 championships in 15 seasons. To win their 10th title, the Nuggets have to go through one of the only two teams that have won more championships; the Boston Celtics. Despite winning the most championships out of any team in the NBA, the Celtics go into this match up with the ultimate underdog story.

The Celtics scraped into the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference with a record below .500 (40-42). Due to monumental collapses by higher ranked teams, they became the only 7th seed in NBA history to get home-court advantage in the Conference Finals, as they faced the 8th seed Cleveland Cavaliers. Seven once again proved to be a lucky number for the Celtics, as they took the Eastern Conference title 4-3.

If the Celtics want to complete the ultimate Cinderella run, Cornelius Flanagan (17.3ppg 7.7rpg) and Caleb Jackman (16.8ppg 7.9apg) need to continue to lead the way. They will also have to stop a rampant Taylor MacKenzie and limit the triple-double king's influence on the series.

The Nuggets have breezed through the Western Conference and they are favourites to win number 10. But can you really count out a team with the history of the Boston Celtics?

Denver Nuggets

The Starters
| Stan Griffiths | Borislav Perko | Julian Chandler | Taylor MacKenzie | James Palmer |

The Bench
| Mario Carlos | Vince MacMahon | Dwight Howard | Dennis Anderson | John Rice | Axel Donnelly | Ollie Rose |

IR
| Kevin Durant | Lawrence Griffiths | Jim Simon |

Boston Celtics

The Starters
| Allen Vine | Cornelius Flanagan | Casey Whelan | Jessie Woods | Caleb Jackman |

The Bench
| Whitman McGrath | Benedict Ellison | Bartholomew Meyer | Hugh Curry | Nigel McLoughlin | Brent Tanner |

IR
| Elmo Robinsen | Rusty Wilkins |

[Murat]

Lol Kevin Durant an IR.

Hey, he is an IR in real-life too now!

[Phil89]

A ring for each finger sounds about right. Good luck getting #10 against the Celtics.

Btw, get James Palmer a razor. He is the bald head + headband combo-breaker

I try my best. I'm thinking of starting a 2k15 Association (I'm still on PS3 ), but I thought I'd give this one an ending first.

I just ordered 2k15 on PS3 as well. Do you have a team in mind for the new Association yet?

[Lamrock]

Prediction: Nuggz in 4

I would stick with Denver if you do a 2K15 association. They're your team, and you know as well as anybody that they could use a new direction.

[Andrew]

Man, that's a crazy Eastern Conference playoff. I'll also go with the Nuggets in four.

[Martti.]

Also predicting a sweep, a sub .500 team shouldn't be a big problem for you.

[Kenny]

Lol Kevin Durant an IR.

Hey, he is an IR in real-life too now!

Crazy how things work, right?

A ring for each finger sounds about right. Good luck getting #10 against the Celtics.

Btw, get James Palmer a razor. He is the bald head + headband combo-breaker

I try my best. I'm thinking of starting a 2k15 Association (I'm still on PS3 ), but I thought I'd give this one an ending first.

I just ordered 2k15 on PS3 as well. Do you have a team in mind for the new Association yet?

It actually kind of irks me that he has hair. I was almost tempted to start Ollie Rose at point guard so I could get a starting five of chrome domes.

Initially I began playing with the Orlando Magic. While they were fun at the beginning, the amount of times they made me swear at my TV outweighed any enjoyment I had controlling them. So now it's back to the Nuggets, where I can hopefully relive my glories

Prediction: Nuggz in 4

I would stick with Denver if you do a 2K15 association. They're your team, and you know as well as anybody that they could use a new direction.

You know, this post inspired me to start my new association with them. I was worried about how bad I would be with them, but since they're pretty terrible in real life, I can't do a whole lot worse.

So thanks man

Man, that's a crazy Eastern Conference playoff. I'll also go with the Nuggets in four.

That was the kind of stuff NBA Live 10 threw at me quite frequently. I miss that game sometimes.

Also predicting a sweep, a sub .500 team shouldn't be a big problem for you.

Probably what the Bulls and the Nets said before their first round match ups

[Kenny]

NBA Finals: Game 1 and 2

Nuggets Run Away With Game One

Taylor MacKenzie had his second consecutive 40+ game in the Nuggets 100-79 win against the Celtics. Following on from his 40 point effort against Portland, T-Mac proved to be unstoppable once again with 48. While MacKenzie dominated, Mario Carlos had a meaningful contribution as well. He registered a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Vince MacMahon also provided a spark in the second unit, as he scored 10 points.

Casey Whelan was the top scorer for the Celtics, with 19. Boston also had good contributions from Caleb Jackman (8 assists) and Jessie Woods, who both scored 17 each, but they were unable to contain the explosive offense of Taylor MacKenzie.

BOS@DEN

DEN: 100
(MacKenzie 48, Carlos 14, MacMahon 10)
BOS: 79
(Whelan 19, Jackman 17, Woods 17)

Sprite Performer of the Game: Taylor MacKenzie 48 points 5 rebounds 1 assist 2 blocks

Rebounds

DEN: Perko 12
BOS: Vine 14

Assists

DEN: Perko 9
BOS: Jackman 8

Nuggets Surge Their Way to 2-0

The Nuggets went up 2-0 in the NBA Finals with a 106-83 victory against the Boston Celtics. Taylor MacKenzie was once again the catalyst for the Mile High City, scoring 29 points on the night. However, unlike game one, the offensive production was more evenly distributed. Mario Carlos chipped in with 15 off the bench, while Vince MacMahon and James Palmer both added 13 each. Stan Griffiths also played a more active role in the game, as he completed a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Caleb Jackman was able to match MacKenzie's offensive production in this game, scoring 29 points of his own. Jessie Woods added 18 points, while Casey Whelan (12) and Cornelius Flanagan (11) both had minor contributions.

BOS@DEN

DEN: 106
(MacKenzie 29, Carlos 15, Palmer 13)
BOS: 83
(Jackman 29, Woods 18, Whelan 12)

Sprite Performer of the Game: Taylor MacKenzie 29 points 7 rebounds 1 assist

Rebounds

DEN: S Griffiths 12
BOS: Flanagan 11

Assists

DEN: Perko 7
BOS: Whelan 7

[Phil89]

If T-Mac hadn't been so selfless with that one assist he could have reached the 50 point mark.

Great start to the series for you. Now sweep them!

[Andrew]

Surely a sweep coming.

[Kenny]

Game 3: Celtics Improve, But Still Can't Stop Nuggets

Taylor MacKenzie was the unstoppable player for the Nuggets once again, as he scored 31 points. Mario Carlos kept up his consistent contributions for the series by adding 15 points, while Dennis Anderson also sparked the Nuggets offense off the bench with 12 points. Even though he was outplayed for most of the game, Stan Griffiths still managed 10 points and 6 rebounds.

Caleb Jackman had another big night for the Celtics. He top scored with 27 points. Cornelius Flanagan dominated the battle in the paint, with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Jessie Woods added 12 points.

DEN@BOS

DEN: 92
(MacKenzie 31, M Carlos 15, Anderson 12)
BOS: 82
(Jackman 27, Flanagan 23, Woods 12)

Sprite Performer of the Game: Taylor MacKenzie 31 points 3 rebounds 6 steals

Rebounds

DEN: S Griffiths, Perko 6
BOS: Flanagan 10

Assists

DEN: Perko 7
BOS: Whelan 7

Game 4: Nuggets Win Tenth Championship

The 2026 Denver Nuggets completed the franchise's third threepeat after winning game 4 in Boston by 91-85. It was easily the toughest game of the series for the Nuggets, as the Celtics were eager to keep their storied run going.

But as it was the case for the entire NBA Finals, the Celtics were unable to contain Taylor MacKenzie. T-Mac poured in 43 points. With this performance, no one in the arena was surprised when Adam Silver announced him as the 2026 NBA Finals MVP. Even though MacKenzie carried the Nuggets through game four, the team from the Mile High City also got solid offensive contributions from Dennis Anderson (14) and Mario Carlos (10), while Borislav Perko (9 assists) played the role of distributor to great effect.

Boston threw everything at Denver, as Casey Whelan (22) and Caleb Jackman (20) both kept them in it until the end. Jessie Woods (13) also had a hand in the Celtics resurgence, while Cornelius Flanagan had the only double-double of the night, as he tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds.

DEN@BOS

DEN: 91 (MacKenzie 43, Anderson 14, Carlos 10)
BOS: 85 (Whelan 22, Jackman 20, Woods 13)

Sprite Performer of the Game: Taylor MacKenzie 43 points 1 rebound 1 steal

Rebounds

DEN: Perko 7
BOS: Vine 15

Assists

DEN: Perko 9
BOS: Jackman 5

Finals MVP

Taylor MacKenzie
23.5ppg 0.9spg

The 2026 Championship Team
Denver Nuggets

The Starters

| Stan Griffiths | Borislav Perko | Julian Chandler | Taylor MacKenzie | James Palmer |

The Bench

| Mario Carlos | Vince MacMahon | Dwight Howard | Dennis Anderson | John Rice | Axel Donnelly | Ollie Rose |

IR

| Kevin Durant | Lawrence Griffiths | Jim Simon |

[Andrew]

Only an appropriate way to cap things off.

[Phil89]

Only an appropriate way to cap things off.

Seconded.

Nice job finishing off this dynasty in style. This thread was one of the inspirations for me to start my Thunder dynasty games and keep them going so long.

Congrats on the 10 titles

[kibaxx7]

As Phil just said... 10 titles. Wow. Time really flew here. Congrats on one of the best dynasties ever.

[Andrew]

Will there be any wrap-up posts or further content to go out on? If so, I'll leave this here, but at some point, this must take its rightful place in the Hall of Fame.

[J@3]

Holy shit you started this in '09? Awesome effort. Stuff like this is why this subforum has been my favourite on the site for years.

[Lamrock]

bumping a six year old thread to say this is HOF worthy imo

[Andrew]

I'd say it's about time! I'll move it in there now.

[Andrew]

Inducted (at long last!) on April 15th, 2021.

[Andrew]

Just posting in this classic story topic to note that the real 2023 Nuggets fared better than the virtual 2023 Nuggets here! Of course, this raises an interesting debate: Nikola Jokic, or Borislav Perko?

2022-2023: The Dynasty's New Low

If you think the exit from the Western Conference Finals against Houston was disasterous, it was simply the prequel to what was an abysmal 2022-2023 season. The Nuggets went to the All-Star break with a poor record of 17-31, yet from there, the season managed to get even worse. Post All-Star Weekend, they won just 8 more games in the season, resulting in being the second worst team in the league, with Milwaukee (10-72) the only team worse than them.

So how does a team who was the best in the West previous go to being the worst? Skip Bayless weighed in on this with his own thoughts:

"I've been asking myself the same question; how does a team who won 66 games last season and has 5 guys who are at least top 10 players in their positions go to being the worst team in their conference? THEY WERE TANKING! You heard it here first! They knew they weren't going to win a championship, so hey, why not try to get a good pick? They were tanking Stephen A!"

Some of the evidence may support Skip's argument, but it was a season where the Nuggets' best player was their biggest distraction. During the season, Borislav Perko's high profile marriage to reality TV star Kim Courtney ended after just three months... and Borislav was playing like a distracted man. He easily had his worst season in the league, averaging 5 points and 7 rebounds after being the league's MVP twice. The situation got so bad that the Nuggets decided to shut him down for the last 10 games of the season.

When Perko is playing badly, his partner in crime, Taylor MacKenzie isn't as effective either. He averaged almost half (12.8) the points per game of the previous season, where he won the scoring title. Cody Campbell (17.8ppg) and Steven Hunt (17ppg 6.1apg) did their best to try and make the Nuggets competitive, but the team was absolutely terrible.

Where did LeBron and Carmelo end up?

-Many might find it ironic that the team LeBron choked against was also the one that signed him this season. Houston made the playoffs, but were a first round casualty to the Dallas Mavericks... the LeBron curse continues!
-Carmelo Anthony made his final stop at the Los Angeles Clippers. After they failed to make the playoffs, he decided to call it a career.

All-Star Weekend

Rookie Challenge

SOPHOMORES: 89 (Walsh 23, Williamson 15, Kohler 14)
ROOKIES: 53 (O'Neal 15, Stearn 13, Gibson 8)

MVP: Wyatt Walsh [POR] 23 points 6 rebounds 3 assists 1 block

Notes

-Ollie Stearn was Denver's only representative at the entire All-Star Weekend. He had 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals for the Rookies.

All-Star Game

EAST: 97 (Conners 36, L Campbell 23, Banks 10)
WEST: 86 (P McNamara 18, Ferrer 16, J Williams 16)

MVP: Sam Conners [WAS]

Notes

-While the Nuggets had no players in this game, three former Nuggets played for the Eastern Conference. Todd Griffin (Miami Heat) was a starter, while Sam Conners (Washington Wizards) and Alejandro Carlos (Washington Wizards) came off the bench.

Nuggets Statistical Leaders

Points: Cody Campbell (17.8), Steven Hunt (17), Taylor MacKenzie (12.8)
Rebounds: Dwight Howard (8), Borislav Perko (7.5), Liam Leopold (6)
Assists: Steven Hunt (6.1), Bartholomew Myer (3.8), Taylor MacKenzie (2.5)
Blocks: Dwight Howard (1.5), Cody Campbell (1.1), Borislav Perko (1)
Steals: Steven Hunt (1.5), Cody Campbell (1.2), Taylor MacKenzie (1.1)

League Leaders

Points: [NOH] Hobbes MacDonald 24.8
Rebounds: [LAL] Archibald Sheehan 10.8
Assists: [IND] Murray Koch 8.8
Steals: [GSW] Duncan Werner 1.7
Blocks: [LAL] Archibald Sheehan 2.6

Awards

MVP: [NOH] Hobbes MacDonald (24.8ppg 7.6rpg 4.9apg)
MIP: [LAL] Bert O'Neal (13ppg 6.9apg 1.5spg)
DPOTY: [MEM] Darrell Flanagan (1.6bpg 1.4spg 5.4drpg)
ROTY: [POR] Fred Gibson (4.9ppg 4.5rpg 0.7bpg)
6th: [WAS] Duncan O'Farrell (11.7ppg 1.8rpg 0.9spg)
Coach: [OKC] Scott Brooks (57-25)

Teams

All-NBA First

[NYK] Grant Bernard
[HOU] Armando Ferrer
[NOH] Hobbes MacDonald
[DAL] Pat McNamara
[BOS] August Freeman

All-NBA Second

[LAC] Zach Pearson
[MEM] Darrell Flanagan
[ORL] Quint Myers
[MIA] Todd Griffin
[DAL] Brady O'Leary

All Defensive First

[LAC] Zach Pearson
[MEM] Darrell Flanagan
[NOH] Caleb Vick
[PHI] Chuck O'Farrell
[CLE] Lance Simpson

All Defensive Second

[GSW] Crawford Wilson
[HOU] Armando Ferrer
[SAN] Jamie Mathieu
[NYK] Ollie Rose
[MEM] Borislav Perko

All Rookie First

[POR] Fred Gibson
[UTA] Andres Carlos
[OKC] Willie O'Neal
[LAL] Rupert Davis
[MIL] Luke Vaughn

All Rookie Second

[HOU] Luka Cabral
[MIN] Timothy Worthy
[SAN] Pablo Carlos
[PHX] Bob Tate
[TOR] Jongilanga Saruchera

Best Records

WEST: Oklahoma City 57-25
EAST: Chicago Bulls 55-27

Worst Records

WEST: Denver Nuggets 25-57
EAST: Milwaukee Bucks 10-72

NBA Finals 2023

New Orleans: 4
Charlotte: 2

Finals MVP: Hobbes MacDonald 20.9ppg 7.7rpg 5.4apg

Notes

-J.R. Smith added to his ring collection with this one. He also announced his retirement after the success.
-Greg Oden now also has a championship ring. His future is still undecided though.

-----------------------------------

So after the farce that was that season, I've decided against completely simming season 15... however, I'm likely to do a play-5-sim-5 format. I didn't mind the idea of the Nuggets being a non-playoffs team, but to be last in the West with the talent I had is just absolutely ridiculous.

So season 15 is coming up. The off-season acquisitions and draft picks will be up soon.