Nuggets Finally Roll Out a Healthy Starting Five, Terrifying the Rest of the West

The Denver Nuggets are finally rolling out a starting five that looks like a fully operational basketball team instead of a triage unit. According to Underdog NBA, Denver will start Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Johnson, Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic on Thursday.

For anyone who has spent the last two weeks trying to handicap Denver's rotation, this is the equivalent of waking up to a cleared bank error. Prop bettors and fantasy managers can finally project normal minutes without guessing which two-way forward is about to randomly log a 35-minute cardio session.

"Underdog NBA reported the lineup alert on X."

Getting this specific group on the floor together is a minor miracle given the recent state of the roster. Gordon has been battling a right hamstring strain, while Braun has been nursing a left ankle sprain that turned the wing rotation into a nightly mystery.

When the main guys actually play, the results are terrifying for the rest of the Western Conference. Denver just casually dismantled the Los Angeles Lakers 121-106, and Murray is currently cooking defenders to the tune of 25.4 points and 7.1 assists per night.

You do not need an advanced analytics degree to know that giving Jokic his actual starting wings and a healthy Murray is a wrap for most opponents. It is like giving a master chef premium wagyu beef after forcing him to cook with gas station hot dogs for a week.

With a massive matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder looming, getting the band back together is perfect timing. If this starting five can actually stay off the medical report for more than 48 hours, the Nuggets are primed to remind everyone exactly who runs the West.