NBA Preview April 5-11: Joker's Wild

The Nuggets are looking great, thanks to the acquisition of Aaron Gordon and an MVP season from Nikola Jokic. Plus this week's TV schedule.

In an NBA Western Conference race that feels more competitive than it has in years, the Denver Nuggets made a number of aggressive moves at the trade deadline, the biggest of which was acquiring Aaron Gordon from the Orlando Magic. It’s obviously still too soon to determine their overall success, but at the very least, Gordon looks very comfortable in Denver’s pick-and-roll-heavy offense, propelling the team to a 4-0 record since putting on their jersey.

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Their recent success has fans hoping the Nuggets could go advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in team history. They put up 44 points in the first quarter of a win over a quality 76ers team on Tuesday, then controlled the game against a sizzling Clippers squad on Thursday. Last night against a Magic team hungry for revenge, Denver was in a 18-point hole at halftime, only to surge to a 10-point win. While the Nuggets have an arsenal of weapons on offense, the secret thus far has been their stifling effort on the defensive side of the floor.

Ironically, the addition of Gordon has caused Nikola Jokic’s numbers to dip, but after collecting his second Western Conference Player of the Month award in March, the Joker is still the favorite to win the MVP. Last night’s 17-point, 16-assist night could be a preview of his statline moving forward, with Jokic's scoring numbers dropping as he tallies more assists. Even if this trend holds up, Jokic deserves the hardware, as his court vision and ability to facilitate Denver's high-scoring offense is virtually unprecedented for a center in the modern NBA.

You can catch the Nuggets on NBA TV this coming Sunday, April 11, when they take on the Boston Celtics. Check out this week's full NBA national TV schedule below. To get the most NBA basketball on Sling, subscribe to Orange + Blue with Sports Extras using the link at the bottom of this page.

NBA Basketball

National TV games April 5-April 11

*All games subject to blackout

Find a full schedule of NBA games HERE >

For more on watching NBA Basketball, including with NBA LEAGUE PASS and NBA TEAM PASS, find information HERE >

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