Bill Simmons thinks the Nuggets just got scarier without Nikola Jokic: "They would be my gun-to-the-head pick"

When Nikola Jokic went down with an injury about four weeks ago, many expected the Denver Nuggets to struggle, as they would be missing the services of their leader in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.

Before going down with an injury back in late December, Jokic was once again putting up MVP-like numbers, averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11 assists a night. At that point, he was powering the Nuggets to a 22-10 record.

But while the expectation was that the Nuggets would go through some hard times in Jokic’s absence, they’ve actually remained solid, thanks to the All-Star-caliber play of Jamal Murray and the emergence of guys like Peyton Watson.

Since Jokic’s injury, the Nuggets have gone 9-6, and they’ve remained a top team in the very tough Western Conference. They’re currently sitting at 31-16, good for third in the West, behind only Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

Seeing what the Nuggets can do without their best player, sports personality and podcast host Bill Simmons believes this team can become a legitimate title contender once Jokic returns.

Jokic’s absence was important for the young players

“I used to have OKC as the sole favorite, I have now moved Denver into that group together,” Simmons said on an episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast.” “Partly because this no Joker run was so important for their young guys. I mean, Watson in January is averaging 23 and six a game,”

“Whatever happens when Joker comes back, the fact that they know that they have what they got Watson and [Jalen] Pickett, even a little [Zeke] Nnaji, I just think you can’t put a price on that. Like this is the most important thing that could have happened to them, them surviving without the best guy in the league,” he added.

As Simmons mentioned, Watson has been huge for the Nuggets since January. Over the last 15 games, Watson has averaged 21.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, emerging as a solid scoring option.

Speaking of scoring options, Murray is having himself an incredible season, putting up a career-high 26 points to go along with 7.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. A possible first-time All-Star this season, Murray’s production in January has increased, with per-game averages of 27.8 points and 8.5 assists. Simply put, “The Blue Arrow” has stepped up in Jokic’s absence.

Simmons even went so far as to pick them as the title favorites over defending champions Oklahoma City, granted, of course, that the Nuggets are at full health.

“They would be my gun-to-the-head pick, right now. I can’t imagine Jokic is only gonna win one title. I keep coming back to that. This is the best supporting cast he’s ever had, this is the best Murray’s ever looked. If they can get everybody back in April, this team’s a monster,” he continued.

Legler says the Thunder have shown vulnerability

While Simmons says he’s high on the Nuggets now, NBA veteran Tim Legler isn’t ready to put them over OKC yet, but says that the Thunder have shown some cracks.

“I’m not ready to act like [OKC] at their best isn’t something that I’d look at as the standard, but they’ve now opened the door to the conversation. That’s what they’ve done, even with the struggles with San Antonio, three times in ten days? That’s not a fluke. There’s something there,” said Legler.

While the Nuggets have stayed steady through Jokic’s absence, the Thunder are looking a little more beatable than they did at the start of the season. After a historic 24-1 stretch, the Thunder are 14-9 and now 38-10. At the start of the season, there were talks of the team possibly beating the Bulls’ 72-10 record or the Warriors’ 73-9 record. All of that is over now.

Legler also discussed how a potential Denver-Oklahoma City rematch in the postseason would look.

“Denver, at full strength, you’re going ‘My goodness!’ With Jokic getting another shot at that team again with a better supporting cast around him, yeah, you might want to bet on Jokic,” Legler continued.

The only issue with Denver, however, is that they’ve struggled to keep everyone healthy enough to be at full strength.

“Here’s the thing, we haven’t seen Denver like that yet, because everybody’s been out,” Legler continued. “Right now, I’m still hanging with [OKC], but the fact that we’re having the conversation that there’s doubt has made everything more interesting in the NBA.”

Last season, the Nuggets and the Thunder faced off in the Western Conference Semifinals, with the series going a full seven games. With Denver looking like a better team now, it would definitely be must-see basketball.

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Bill Simmons thinks the Nuggets just got scarier without Nikola Jokic: “They would be my gun-to-the-head pick”

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