Pickaxe and Roll

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 119-115 loss to the Phoenix Suns in which none of the Nuggets starters played. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Chris Paul each played heavy minutes to get the Suns past the Nuggets bench, led by a career high of 31 points from Bruce Brown. Christian Braun and Reggie Jackson also had strong performances, keeping the game close with their two-way contribut...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 124-103 loss to the Houston Rockets that saw Nikola Jokić return to the floor and Jamal Murray exit with a nagging thumb injury. Jokić played mostly poorly with several bad turnovers, and the Nuggets struggled to get stops against one of the worst teams in the NBA. Ryan also focuses in on the issues plaguing the Nuggets post All-Star break, notably their...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 112-110 victory over the Golden State Warriors as Jamal Murray collects a game-saving block of Klay Thompson to survive a late Warriors run. Murray and Michael Porter Jr. were each fantastic, and there were some other interesting contributions. The big story was Peyton Watson though, who blocked Steph Curry three times and changed the game with his athle...

Ryan and Swipa break down the past week of Denver Nuggets basketball, from Joel Embiid ducking Nikola Jokić to Jokić's own injury issues and how the Nuggets have handled those. They then preview Sunday night's game against the Golden State Warriors before looking forward to the rest of the week. What will Denver's record be in the final five games of the regular season? Will they clinch the top se...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 100-93 loss to the Phoenix Suns as Kevin Durant proved practically unstoppable. The Nuggets fought hard to get back into this game after trailing by as many as 27 points, but the lack of firepower without four starters proved insurmountable. Ryan breaks down the Nuggets' game plan without Nikola Jokić, bright spots from Christian Braun and Peyton Watson,...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 107-88 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Nuggets couldn't shoot a lick without Nikola Jokić on the floor. and the Pelicans scored whenever they needed to on the Nuggets starters. Ryan discusses the real concerns, the fake concerns, and shares some positive takeaways. Then, he breaks down the Nuggets offense without Jokić on the floor from a playoff p...

In an exclusive sit-down interview with Mile High Sports, Braun opens up about his life in the NBA. From his draft night experience, to Nuggets training camp in San Diego, to becoming a member of the Nuggets rotation, Braun shares various insights from his first year in the league. The Nuggets rookie also offers his first perspectives of Nikola Jokić and why the Nuggets have a chance to win a cham...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 116-111 win over the Philadelphia 76ers as Nikola Jokić outscores Joel Embiid by 25 points, out-rebounds him by 17, and out-assists him by 12. Embiid missed tonight's game with a sore calf, and the Nuggets took advantage by jumping out to an insurmountable lead in the second half. Jamal Murray also played well, scoring and facilitating with both the star...

Ryan and Swipa react to an epic Denver Nuggets win over the Milwaukee Bucks that saw Nikola Jokić outperform Giannis Antetokounmpo in the important moments. They share their takes on Denver rising to the challenge before discussing parity across the NBA. How many teams can win a championship this year? Finally, they preview Nuggets-Sixers and Jokić vs Joel Embiid on Monday night before sharing the...

Ryan Blackburn shares his thoughts on the MVP race between Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid as the regular season winds down. Then, Ryan previews the upcoming Denver Nuggets matchups against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday and Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, emphasizing Denver's need for a statement win or two. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for inf...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 118-104 win over the Washington Wizards. The Nuggets wrapped up their 5-game road trip with a 3-2 record and began to look like themselves again after a 4-game losing streak. Nikola Jokić was dominant. Jamal Murray was aggressive. Michael Porter Jr. was a literal laser beam. The Nuggets found their groove on Wednesday, and Ryan discussed it all, along wi...

Ryan Blackburn and Dan Favale of Bleacher Report and the Hardwood Knocks podcast discuss a variety of Denver Nuggets topics. They begin with the MVP race between Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Then, they delve into Denver's defense, focusing on their playoff viability. Finally, Ryan shares his championship tiers in the Western Conference and Dan responds. Hosted by Simplecas...

Ryan Blackburn breaks down the Final 10 Games of the Denver Nuggets regular season schedule, sharing insights on scheduling and rest. He predicts how the Nuggets will wrap up the season, as well as their playoff seeding in the Western Conference. Finally, Ryan shares his expectations for individual players and how Denver can prepare for the playoffs in that way. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz co...

Ryan and Swipa share their thoughts on the Denver Nuggets up-and-down week, including wins versus Detroit/Brooklyn and losses versus Toronto/New York. Then, they discuss the rise of Michael Porter Jr. and what his season of growth means for the Nuggets in the playoffs. Finally, they preview next week's matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo before sharing their Takes From The F...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 119-100 win over the Detroit Pistons, snapping a four-game losing streak. Nikola Jokić went off with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. Jamal Murray had a solid bounce back game. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shot the ball well. It was a great recovery performance for a Nuggets team that needed it desperately. Ryan discusses it all on the latest episode....

Ryan Blackburn discusses the playoff picture and how both conferences are shaping up to have interesting playoff runs. Then, he shares his thoughts on the bench unit, including different ideas to solve it before the playoffs begin. Finally, Ryan previews the remainder of the Nuggets road trip, beginning with Thursday's game against the Detroit Pistons. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets fourth loss in a row, a disheartening 125-110 performance against the Toronto Raptors. Jamal Murray played poorly in his homecoming, the Nuggets defense didn't show up until the second quarter, and the Nuggets couldn't make up the difference at the end. Ryan discusses the most important factors in Denver's losing streak while trying to bring some positiv...

Ryan and Swipa discuss the last week of Denver Nuggets basketball, including a three-game losing streak that has Nuggets fans worried. They then focus in on the Western Conference playoff picture and discuss which teams are most likely to upset the Nuggets. Finally, Ryan and Swipa preview the upcoming road trip before sharing their "Takes from the Future." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWiz...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the ugly 128-120 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, highlighting the defensive issues, bench struggles, and another apathetic performance against a bad team. Then, Ryan laments the turns the MVP race has taken in putting a target the size of a house on Nikola Jokić's back. Finally, Ryan looks at the last 15 regular season games on the Nuggets schedule, focusing on how safe the...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 117-96 loss to the Chicago Bulls. The Nuggets dropped to 30-5 at home, playing with an uncustomary lack of urgency. Nikola Jokić's defense was bad. Jamal Murray couldn't find his three-point shot on the verge of the franchise record, and the Nuggets bench continues to struggle mightily. Is any of this cause for actual concern? Or was it just "one of...

Ryan Blackburn and podcast producer Michael Ferrero discuss the facts and narratives surrounding Nikola Jokić's defense. Can Jokić be the anchor of a championship caliber defense in the playoffs? They share their thoughts before opening up the mailbag to Pickaxe and Roll listeners, answering questions about rotations, injuries, playoffs, and much more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 118-113 win over the Toronto Raptors as Nikola Jokić records a near triple-double and Jamal Murray clutches up late with some big shots. Referee Scott Foster ejected Raptors forward Scottie Barnes during the closing seconds, and the Nuggets survived a strong Raptors performance to improve to 30-4 at home. Ryan discusses the starters, the bench, and Reggi...

Ryan and Swipa discuss the last week of Denver Nuggets basketball, including two amazing wins over the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies. They then focus in on the MVP race between Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid. Finally, Ryan and Swipa preview the upcoming week of Nuggets basketball and share their "Takes from the Future." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz...

Ryan Blackburn reacts to the Denver Nuggets 113-97 win over the Memphis Grizzlies that basically clinched the top seed in the Western Conference for Denver. Nikola Jokić had another triple-double in the victory. Jamal Murray started slow but got going after some back-and-forth trash talk with Dillon Brooks. Michael Porter Jr. had a big scoring night. Jeff Green (?!) had a big defensive night. It w...

Ryan Blackburn and Nuggets/Betting analyst Jena Garcia share their thoughts on Denver Nuggets practice from Thursday afternoon. They then preview Friday's matchup between the Nuggets and the Memphis Grizzlies, sharing insight on matchups and betting lines in the process. Finally, they go over NBA storylines around the league for the remainder of the regular season. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz...