Pickaxe and Roll

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 126-121 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in the much anticipated battle of Nikola Jokic vs Joel Embiid. Jokic had a strong performance with 25 points and 19 rebounds, but Embiid ultimately got the better of the matchup while earning the win. Ryan discusses what happened, how the Sixers broke Denver's defense, where Jamal Murray and the Nuggets bench much i...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 117-109 win over the Indiana Pacers as Nikola Jokic shot 12-of-13 from the field and had himself a Sombor Double. Jamal Murray set the table well for himself and his teammates, including Michael Porter Jr., who had perhaps his best all-around game of the season. Ryan goes over the win, Bruce Brown returning to Denver for the ring ceremony, and Denver's u...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to Denver Nuggets win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night as Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. all contribute great games to get the job done. It's been a while since all three played great at the same time. Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson each offered impressive contributions of their own helping limit Zion Williamson's efficiency in the middle of t...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 124-111 loss to the Utah Jazz. The Nuggets didn't play with a ton of effort on the defensive end, and the Jazz capitalized almost every single time. Nikola Jokic shot the ball well but struggled defensively, while everybody else on the roster struggled to do either. What should fans make of this defensive performance? Is it a blip on the radar or somethi...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the 37-point outburst from Jamal Murray in the Denver Nuggets 131-114 win over the Detroit Pistons. Murray bounced back from a touch game against the Orlando Magic and cooked every Pistons player in front of him. Nikola Jokic had just four points, but he had 16 assists, including some to Peyton Watson, who continues to impress. Ryan discusses Murray, Jokic, Watson, and mor...

In the latest Pickaxe and Roll Podcast, Ryan and Swipa break down the Denver Nuggets 122-120 loss to the Orlando Magic. How concerning was the loss? Did Jamal Murray go too far with his shot selection? Ryan and Swipa share their thoughts on postgame comments made by Michael Porter Jr., as well as some numbers on Denver's offense in clutch situations. Then, they look ahead to next week's opponents...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 130-127 win over the Golden State Warriors as Nikola Jokic hits an epic buzzer beater just past halfcourt. The Nuggets were down by as many as 18 points heading into the fourth quarter, but Jokic and the Nuggets willed themselves back into this game, and Jokic made an incredible shot. Ryan discusses the win, Jokic, and everything in between. Hosted by Si...

Ryan Blackburn discusses Denver Nuggets practice today and does a quick preview of the Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors on Thursday night. Then, he goes over Denver's goals as the NBA Trade Deadline inches closer. Will the Nuggets make a trade? Will they explore the buyout market? Ryan goes over some names that might interest Nuggets fans. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz....

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 111-93 win over the Charlotte Hornets that saw a similar game flow to the matchup in Charlotte just over a week ago. The Nuggets used a 30-6 run to begin the third quarter to put the game away, with Nikola Jokic coming to life as a scorer and Denver locking in on both ends. Ryan discusses Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. scoring well, the return of Aa...

In the latest episode of Pickaxe and Roll, Weekends with Swipa edition, Ryan Blackburn and Swipa rank the best moments of the 2023 Calendar for the Denver Nuggets and Nuggets fans. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ryan Blackburn breaks down the Denver Nuggets 142-105 blowout win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Nikola Jokic put together a dominant performance with 26 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists, shooting a perfect percentage from the field and the free throw line. Jamal Murray dominating in his minutes as well, showing mastery of the two-man game. Peyton Watson started for Aaron Gordon and had a career h...

Ryan Blackburn discusses the injuries Aaron Gordon sustained from a dog bite injury over Christmas. Gordon will be out for at least a week, possibly longer. Ryan discusses Gordon's impact, how the Nuggets will handle his absence, and shares some stats on different lineup combos. Then, Ryan previews the Thursday/Friday back-to-back against Ja Morant's Memphis Grizzlies and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's...

Ryan Blackburn and Swipa break down the Denver Nuggets perfect 3-0 road trip, focusing on Denver's most recent win over the Charlotte Hornets and the Jamal Murray performance vs the Brooklyn Nets. They go over their Christmas Wish Lists for the Nuggets heading into a matchup against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day. Finally, they preview the other four Christmas games,...

Ryan Blackburn discusses the Denver Nuggets 113-104 win over the Toronto Raptors as Nikola Jokic goes off for 31 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists. Jokic and Jamal Murray dominated down the stretch, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made game-winning plays of his own. Ryan discusses the starters, the bench led by the quick developing Peyton Watson, and the top five contenders in the NBA right now....

Ryan Blackburn discusses the Denver Nuggets 130-104 win over Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Nikola Jokic didn't score a ton of points, but the rest of the Nuggets did, including Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Reggie Jackson. Ryan discusses the game, why the Nuggets are (hopefully) getting ready for a big run with a favorable schedule, and where the current playoff tiers stand in the Wester...

On the latest episode of Weekends with Swipa, Ryan and Swipa discuss the Denver Nuggets loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander buzzer beater and whether it matters that the Nuggets lost another game at home. They go over statistical trends for the Nuggets season, ask when Denver will reach their next level, and go over the next week of games with some predictions. Hosted by S...

Ryan Blackburn discusses the Denver Nuggets 124-101 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night, from Nikola Jokic visiting the free throw line regularly to Peyton Watson providing the extra gear on the second unit. Ryan discusses the starters competing hard defensively, the bench playing well (including a Christian Braun poster dunk) and why the Nuggets are in a great position league wide, espec...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Nikola Jokic ejection vs the Chicago Bulls in the Denver Nuggets 114-106 win. Ryan discusses the game, the ejection, and whether the Denver Nuggets have a referee problem they need to address. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ryan Blackburn breaks down the Denver Nuggets 129-122 win over the Atlanta Hawks as Julian Strawther breaks out with a strong 22 points and five steals on the road. Jamal Murray had 29 points and played great defense, while Nikola Jokic was back to his ever efficient self. Ryan discusses the win, the Trae Young ejection, Bogdan Bogdanovic's 40 points, and then previews Denver's game tonight agains...

On the newest episode of Weekends with Swipa, Ryan Blackburn and Swipa discuss the Denver Nuggets three-game losing streak, including the shooting slump of Nikola Jokic. They discuss Jamal Murray's return and why the Nuggets need his best now more than ever. Then, they discuss the In-Season Tournament championship winning Los Angeles Lakers before previewing the upcoming week and what's in store o...

Ryan Blackburn discusses the Denver Nuggets comeback attempt on Friday night, though ultimately losing to the Houston Rockets. Nikola Jokic struggled with his shooting, and Jamal Murray was ejected late in the game. The Nuggets are now on a three-game losing streak. What's gotten into the Nuggets? Should fans be concerned? Or is this just Denver's pathway to success this time around? Hosted by Sim...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 111-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. Nikola Jokic had a triple-double but shot just 9-of-32 from the field, missing more shots in a game than he ever has in his NBA career. Ryan discusses what happened with Jokic, how concerned everyone should be, and what Denver's next steps should be as a team after their first loss in LA in a w...

Ryan Blackburn discusses the first quarter of the Denver Nuggets season and hands out grades for all of the rotation players, Michael Malone, and Calvin Booth. Who outperformed expectations so far? Who's still getting into the flow of the season? Ryan grades Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and other Nuggets. Then, Ryan discusses Murray's impending return to the rotation and the In-Season...

In this episode, Ryan and Swipa go over the win vs the Phoenix Suns, the loss vs the Sacramento Kings, and why the Denver Nuggets are doing just fine at this stage of the season. They credit Peyton Watson and Michael Porter Jr., discuss Jamal Murray's injury status, and Ryan goes on a Nikola Jokic monologue to appeal to the people. Finally, they discuss whether the Nuggets can go on a big win stre...

Ryan discusses the Denver Nuggets impressive 134-124 win over the Houston Rockets. Jamal Murray returned from his hamstring injury that sidelined him for 12 games only to roll his ankle two minutes into the game. Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. had strong games, and even though the Nuggets couldn't defend a chair, the offense was simply too dominant. Ryan discusses the game, Murray's return, a...