The Denver Nuggets are in the NBA Finals and trying to win it all. Things didn’t go their way on Sunday night, but even in a loss you saw how they could rally to win their first championship.

I like watching history be made. It’s fun to take this ride with this Nuggets while also getting plenty of Denver Broncos news from OTAs during the week.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep Wrangler TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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All Tied Up

The Nuggets had not lost a home game during the playoffs until Sunday night. The Miami Heat were able to come out on top by a score of 111-108 in Game 2. The Nuggets will not sweep the Heat like they did the Los Angeles Lakers, but I don’t think anyone should have been predicting that. Winning a title is tough, and even though the Nuggets are supremely talented, this series will be no different.

We saw the Nuggets start slow in the first quarter. The easy buckets off second-chance shots were not there like they were in Game 1. The Heat did a great job of securing the basketball after a miss, and defense was their winning formula. The Nuggets then collapsed in the fourth quarter, and they didn’t get much help for superstar Nikola Jokic. Many things went wrong for the team, yet they still had a chance to tie things up late in the game.

That’s a sign of how good the Nuggets are. They can struggle but still almost pull off a victory.

Jokic only had four assists, and that’s something that must change to win. The other players, like Michael Porter Jr., need to hit the shots when Jokic gets them the rock. MPJ was ice cold on Sunday night, and the Heat will be fiesty to keep things close just like they have this entire playoff run. I still believe the Nuggets will come out on top, and I predicted Nuggets in five. That’s still a possibility, but the Heat aren’t just going to roll over. The Nuggets need to be sharp, and they need somebody else to do something as Jokic can only carry them so far.

How the #NuggetsvsHeat game made me feel. #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/IMMp0g99DD

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) June 5, 2023

Now, the team travels to Miami for Game 3 of the NBA Finals. We’ll see if they can get back on the winning track and win the championship at home in five games.

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Hello Friend

Last Thursday, it seemed like Broncos head coach Sean Payton had warmed up to the media just a bit compared to what he was like the first week of OTAs. On his first media availability at OTAs, Payton was in a hurry and his answers seemed rushed. I know talking to us in the media probably ranks pretty low for the veteran coach, but it was refreshing to see this last week that Payton was more informative with his answers.

In fact, at times I thought coach might have told us a bit too much. He certainly has leaks on lock down – from within the building whether it’s from players, coaches or staff members. That’s a good thing as loose lips sink ships, but in an open media session it was nice to gain more insight into this team from Payton.

Listening to Payton talk about football can give you an education if you’re paying attention. His vast level of experience comes through when he gives thorough answers, and I’m here for it. Payton can tell you a lot about the game because he knows a lot about the game. As a football junkie, it’s fun to hear him talk about this game and his history in coaching. Talent can come from anywhere, and Payton is quick to point that out when recollecting players from his past like former New Orleans Saints WR Marques Colston or former Saints RB Pierre Thomas.

It also helps when he gets to talk about learning about the city and how to get around. Payton does warm up when he talks about the Nuggets, as well. You can see him at playoff games, taking in the action intently. He must feel the love and support of the city. The Broncos have been downtrodden for far too long. Payton is here to correct that and turn his team into a winner that can contend for championships like the Nuggets.

Broncos coach Sean Payton, sitting 4 seats down from me, comes to say hello to 18 🤝 pic.twitter.com/wDRYmQejvv

— Zach Bye (@byesline) June 2, 2023

Payton will learn that we in the Denver media are a bunch of puppy dogs (except for DMac, LOL). We’re not out to get the Broncos. Just look at the coverage of the Nuggets – this town loves their sports franchises, and Denver will always be a Broncos town. If/when he wins, Payton will know the media is mostly on his side – and perhaps he’ll lighten up just a little bit.

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Pump the Brakes

Identifying the physical gifts of Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich is easy to do. It’s not any sort of “hot take” to proclaim that Dulcich could be a playmaker for the Broncos – especially in Payton’s offense. It’s all on Dulcich to turn heads and earn his role on offense, and he made strides in doing that on Thursday as the team worked on third-down situations.

Once news hit that Dulcich could play the “joker” position for Payton, the Twitterverse went nuts with declarations that the Broncos second-year tight end was going to be a sleeper for fantasy football GMs in 2023. First, he’s not a sleeper. Second, fantasy football is not a game of “Marco Polo” but instead about identifying talent and situation then drafting based on value of the positions and situation.

The Broncos are going to be a run-heavy team. This is not a great indicator for the pass-catchers in the offense – especially when they’re down the pecking order like Dulcich. Let’s say WR Jerry Jeudy is the top target, with Courtland Sutton being second. Add in a running back catching passes and Dulcich splitting reps at tight end – he’s fourth in the passing game when it comes to progressions – and that’s a best-case scenario. The “joker” position can be a running back or tight end in Payton’s offense – and Dulcich may not be the only player tasked with that role.

Simply put, the Broncos passing game is not the place to find a ton of fantasy value. Unless this team is in a shootout, they’ll be winning games by running the ball and playing great defense. That’s not a recipe for fantasy success – and it’s not the fertile ground for fantasy sleepers (unless we’re talking about their backfield) either.

Standout player of the day. Greg Dulcich. Had his “best practice so far”. Looked really REALLY good. pic.twitter.com/IvOZZAQUNH

— Darren McKee (@DMacRadio) June 1, 2023

Let’s see the pads come on before we start putting Dulcich in the Pro Bowl. Again, for the 1,000th time, he’s physically gifted and the upside is there for him to be an impact player. However, Dulcich still has a lot to prove.

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Across the Spiderverse

I believe Spider-man is one of the superheroes that made me fall in love with comic books. My first comic book was Captain America and The Falcon no.221, but it wasn’t long after that when I was introduced to Peter Parker and his story. I remember the day when we comic book fans used to dream of a Spider-man movie, and now we have multiple iterations of the superhero – and this weekend I may have seen the best movie yet.

They’ve expanded the Spiderverse more than anyone thought was possible with different versions of Spidey across the multiverse. Two of my favorites; Miles Morales and Spider-Gwen, are the driving characters behind arguably the greatest Spider-man movie ever made. Hitting theaters this weekend was “Across the Spiderverse” and I loved it. Add in Miguel O’Hara – aka Spider-man 2099 – and this makes three of my favorites in one movie.

I’m not going to spoil the movie, but if you love Spider-man then you need to see this ASAP. The animation has varying styles, and all fit the characters they are portraying. The pace is fast, and the story keeps you engaged as the movie progresses. I was pleased the entire way through, and I was surprised when things wrapped up. Go see this movie and you will have fun.

It’s “simply spectacular.” See what the hype is about and get your tickets to Spider-Man: Across the #SpiderVerse now playing exclusively in movie theaters. https://t.co/JN8ktusVUB pic.twitter.com/IQbvUQgG61

— Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (@SpiderVerse) June 4, 2023

Did you see “Across the Spiderverse”? Hit me up on social media and let me know!

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Follow @CecilLammey