The Denver Nuggets are a team full of players that weren’t given many chances to showcase their talents and landed in a situation that allowed them to thrive in their roles.
With players like Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown having a chance to shine, this team has become a strong force in the league. Moreover, they have veterans who spent a lot of time wandering around the NBA before finding their place in the world.
Ish Smith is the perfect example of that, as he’s about to become an NBA champion after playing for 13 different teams in 13 seasons.
He came into the league in 2010 as an undrafted player from Wake Forest. The guard shared touches with Kyle Lowry as a rookie on the Houston Rockets. After that, he had stops with the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets.
Now, he’s playing for the Nuggets, looking to add his first NBA championship with a team that has done nothing but help him.
“It’s been fun. I can’t even lie to you. You usually don’t say that when you’re not playing and you’re in a leadership role,” Smith said about his time with the Nuggets, via AP. “It’s truly been fun.”
His best season scoring-wise came in 2015-16 when he dropped a career-best 14.7 points with the Philadelphia 76ers. In 43 games with the Nuggets this season, Smith posted 2.5 points, 2.3 assists and 1.3 rebounds.
Of course, he’s just a role player, but his impact on the team is visible and the Nuggets are very thankful for that. They have some veterans that didn’t have the best journey, including Jeff Green, who has played for 10 games since he made it to the league.
Denver Nuggets Are Ready To Win The NBA Championship
Despite dominating the Miami Heat in four games of the 2023 NBA Finals, the Nuggets know they need to be careful about the Heat, as they can shock the world. Jimmy Butler made it clear they can still get the job done.
Erik Spoelstra warned the Nuggets ahead of Game 5, and Kevin Love reminded people that he’s been a part of a team that returned from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals.
Nikola Jokic has urged everybody to remain focused and not get ahead of themselves. The Nuggets will have the chance to win the title on Monday and Smith and co. will be ready to celebrate after so many years of trying.
