Query: Who’s the toughest foe the Nuggets could face in playoffs’ opening around?

Kiz: The Nuggets don’t assess the Western Conference standings every day, because they consider it to be a distraction. But I do, because it’s enjoyable and intriguing. With 10 games remaining in their regular-season program, the Nuggets seem assured of a top-three seed, along with Golden State and Houston. But the bottom half of the tourney bracket is a jumbled mess. So I wonder: Who would be the toughest out for Denver in the first round?

Singer: I’ve claimed that the Nuggets want no part of the Utah Jazz in the first round. The Oklahoma City Thunder have plummeted in the standings and are now a realistic first-round opponent, but I don’t believe the Nuggets are worried about them nearly as much as they are the Jazz. Not only does Utah present several defensive issues for Nikola Jokic, they’ve already demonstrated they can spring a postseason upset. They shot down the Thunder in six games last season.

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Kiz: Well, I really do know what team I want to see in the opening round. Give me the Thunder, please. Everybody in the Pepsi Center, especially Rocky the mascot, loves to hate Russell Westbrook. What’s more, the Nuggets have beaten Oklahoma City five straight times, dating back to last year, with Nikola Jokic averaging 25.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.8 assists. Wouldn’t it be especially sweet for the gritty, little Nuggets to remove superstars Paul George and Westbrook?

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Singer: It would be a delicious matchup and one which would give the Nuggets some vulnerability in a high-profile series. Their latest record against OKC should also give them confidence, something which may ’t be said for a possible Nuggets-Spurs or Nuggets-Jazz series. A matchup against the Thunder would underscore several truths: A) The Nuggets are significantly deeper than many teams, such as the Thunder. B) The Nuggets have a much more democratic way of winning than the Westbrook-George led Thunder. C) I have a sense that Westbrook’s antics would draw the most out of Jamal Murray, who, after Jokic, is Denver’s second most important player.

Kiz: And the last place this group wants to see in the opening round is Salt Lake City. Good town. But tough team. The Jazz would be a grind. And a pain. Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors and Utah’s defense would teach a Denver roster which has little postseason experience how fast things can escalate in the NBA playoffs.

Singer: It would be a brutal series (Mason Plumlee-Derrick Favors 2.0?) , but rather than expect to prevent it, think of what could happen if they capture the Jazz. Say Utah steals a game in Denver, that automatically forces the Nuggets to win on the road. Those are the moments which make teams. Is anyone under the illusion that a group that hasn’t made the playoffs in six years (or won a postseason series in a decade) is going to have a cakewalk? The playoffs are supposed to be difficult.

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