Fantasy Basketball Exit Interview: Nuggets' early exit turned a contender into a pretender

The Nuggets suffered a stunning first-round exit as favorites, falling 4-2 to a Timberwolves squad missing Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards for multiple games. Denver was also without Aaron Gordon, but with Jokić and Murray healthy, most expected them to advance. That didn’t happen, raising questions about what went wrong for a team built to contend.

Now, the focus shifts to 2026 and how the Wolves, after this upset, will build from here. Here’s a recap of the Nuggets’ season and what it means for fantasy basketball. Availability matters The Nuggets earned the 3-seed in a brutal Western Conference despite their roster rarely being intact, which speaks to just how good Jokić and Murray are.

Aaron Gordon played just 36 games, finishing with 16. 2 points, 5. 8 rebounds, and 2.

7 assists per game while shooting nearly 50% from the field. When he's on the floor, Denver is a different team. Peyton Watson was well on his way to a genuine breakout before a hamstring injury in February shut him down, pretty much wiping out the final stretch of the season entirely.