Isaiah Thomas Predicts Nuggets Will Make NBA Playoffs This Season

Denver Nuggets point guard Isaiah Thomas predicted Friday the team will end its five-year playoff drought during the 2018-19 NBA season.

"It's a long season of 82 games—plus the playoffs, which we will be making this year," Thomas said, according to the Nuggets' official Twitter.

The 29-year-old guard signed a one-year contract with the Nuggets in July.

He'll serve as the chief backcourt reserve behind Jamal Murray and Gary Harris as he looks to rebuild his value after a hip injury limited him to 32 appearances with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers last season.

"First off, show the world I'm healthy," he told Nuggets.com after signing. "That's probably the biggest thing. What I've done in this league is self-explanatory. I don't have to prove to anybody who I am anymore. I don't have to prove to anybody what I bring to the table. I think they know. I'm a winner."

A bounce-back year from Thomas would provide a nice boost for Denver, which missed the playoffs by one game last season with a 46-36 record. He ranked seventh in the NBA in Player Efficiency Rating during the 2016-17 campaign before the hip injury, per ESPN.com.

The Western Conference remains immensely strong compared to the East, so it will likely once again take a record well over .500 to qualify for the postseason.

If the Nuggets reach Thomas' expectations, they'll attempt to secure the organization's first playoff series triumph since 2009, when they reached the Western Conference Finals.

With a core that also features Nikola Jokic, Will Barton and Paul Millsap, Denver has the talent to sneak into the postseason and give one of the top seeds a battle.