The Playoffs are almost here, and the West is still undecided! Nobody is secure, and the Nuggets, who were so far relaxing 3rd in the seed, are suddenly forced to think and re-think as any slip can push them all the way down to 8th. After their massive trades this year, the Lakers and Warriors continue to dominate headlines, and rightfully so. And it elevated more recently. The 5x NBA champion Magic Johnson boldly predicted that if the Lakers and Warriors end up in opposite brackets, we could witness a thrilling Western Conference Finals showdown between the two. Johnson isn’t alone in making these jaw-dropping predictions. Shaquille O’Neal has also shared his candid opinion on the top teams, including the Denver Nuggets.

The situation with the Nuggets is well known by now. And “I’m scared for the Nuggets,” Shaquille O’Neal said on Tuesday’s segment of the TNT show. The team is currently ranked 20th in defensive rating while sitting 4th in the Western Conference standings at 47-32. The team is only half a game ahead of the teams tied for fifth. During the Tuesday show, O’Neal was quick to make a prediction. “I think I hate to say this, but I think the nuggets are going to slide. I really do,” O’Neal said.

He didn’t address the question when the host, Adam Lefkoe, asked whether his decision was based on the current situation of the team, as they had fired their head coach, Michael Malone. Moreover, he also highlighted the Nuggets’ four-game losing streak. During the same segment, he spoke about the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. 

“I think for the first time in a long time, you’re going to see teams that cannot take the last couple of games off. When we did have some type of home court advantage, the last two games, I’m taking off,” Shaquille O’Neal said.

He further added, “I want to be super fresh and super ready going into the first round. But you have to dig into that playoff bag now because you don’t want to slip into a playoff situation. So the last week is going to be fun. I think the Lakers want some type of home-court advantage and Golden State wants some type of home-court advantage. I’m scared for the Nuggets.”

The Warriors are currently in fifth place at 47-32, while the Lakers sit in third place in the West with a 48-31 record. Both the Warriors and Lakers made blockbuster trades. The Purple and Gold received Luka Doncic, who has been phenomenal teaming up with LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Another power duo is seen in the Warriors with Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry. Besides Shaquille O’Neal’s excitement, if Johnson’s prediction were to come true, it would surely be a high-stakes game.

And regarding the Nuggets, the team has enough tension after the head coach’s departure.

Besides Shaquille O’Neal, now Michael Porter Jr.’s past comment raises tension

Michael Malone was one of the most crucial pieces in the Denver Nuggets‘ first championship win. He is the only coach that Nikola Jokic has had throughout his career. Leaning into the recent trend, the team’s decision to fire its head coach came as a shock to many NBA experts as well as fans. After all, Malone had been with the team for 10 years. 

Soon after the news broke, rumors surrounding Jokic also began to surface. What does Jokic have to say about this? Will he leave the team following the coach’s departure? There are many questions. That takes us back to a comment by Michael Porter Jr. Back in November, the Nuggets star expressed concern about the roster if they fell short of the 2025 championship title.

“If we don’t win it this year, we all know they might have to break it up,” Porter Jr. said. His words now echo louder than ever as the team stumbles through uncertainty. The recent developments have only intensified the speculation, with fans and analysts alike wondering if Denver’s core, once considered unshakable, may soon be dismantled. Porter Jr.’s comment, once brushed off as a candid moment of vulnerability, is now being reexamined as a prophetic warning. The pressure to deliver a title is immense, and failure to do so could result in a full-scale rebuild. Things aren’t looking good for the team right now. Perhaps the only way to save the roster would be for the team to reclaim its position.

Do you side with Shaq, or do you have a different take on it? Share your thoughts with us!