In the 2018-2019 NBA season, there has been about as much drama as an episode of “the Real Housewives of Atlanta” — or New York or, in the Los Angeles Lakers’ case, Hollywood. The February trade frenzy is quickly followed by the last-minute playoff push to gain standings by many teams before playoffs start in late April.

Expect typical headliners like the Celtics, Raptors and the Milwaukee Bucks in the east, and in the west, Golden State, Oklahoma City and– the Denver Nuggets? The team that finished with a 9th place record last year? The team who hasn’t had an all-star game starter since Carmelo Anthony? Yes, the Denver Nuggets. Currently, the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado is home to the NBA team that has the second-best record in the Western conference and recently tied Golden State for first place. Head coach Mike Malone has been named the Western All-Star coach and will be able to coach a Nugget, Nikola Jokic, for the first time in nearly eight years. Steve Kerr must be thrilled that for once, he will not be coaching the All-Star Game, after having the responsibility for the past four years.

Denver has run an impressive campaign during the season so far, despite not making the playoffs last year, and has been able to compete in the overzealous, competitive Western Conference. They finished with the league’s most effective second-half offense in January, a key component to winning games. Led by leading scorers Jamal Murray (18.5 PPG) and Nikola Jokic (20.2 PPG), the team chemistry is strong, and Denver will surely be a familiar face going into the playoffs. Are they ‘finals’ material? Maybe not (Golden State will still hold their throne in June for hoisting up the trophy).  The main weakness this team faces is inexperience. But a competitive first or second round series with the Nuggets would be plain fun to watch, if nothing else.

As the legendary singer John Denver once wrote, “He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again.” The Denver Nuggets are a born-again team worth watching on ESPN. The baby-faced playoff contenders appear stronger than ever before and will be entering a new era of basketball, where the only thing between them and hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy will be a couple of mountain peaks.