I remember watching the Denver Nuggets' championship run last season and thinking - this team feels different. There's something special brewing in the Mile High City that goes beyond just having the best player in the world. As someone who's followed the NBA for over two decades, I've seen dominant teams come and go, but what the Nuggets are building feels more sustainable than most championship squads. They've got this beautiful continuity that's become increasingly rare in today's player movement era.

You know what really stood out to me during their playoff run? It wasn't just Nikola Jokić's otherworldly passing or Jamal Murray's clutch performances. It was how every player understood their role perfectly. Aaron Gordon embracing the dirty work, Michael Porter Jr.'s gravity as a shooter, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's perimeter defense - they all fit together like pieces of a perfectly constructed puzzle. That chemistry doesn't just disappear over one summer. In fact, it typically grows stronger in the season following a championship.

I was watching some international basketball recently and came across this quote from Philippine coach Yeng Guiao talking about Jayson Tatum that really stuck with me: "Model namin si Jayson. Sinasabi ko, 'Tignan niyo maglaro 'yun. Marami kayong matututunan diyan," which translates to "Jayson is our model. I tell them, 'Watch how he plays. You'll learn a lot from him.'" That concept of having players to study and emulate applies perfectly to what the Nuggets have built. Young teams across the league should be studying Denver's ball movement, their defensive rotations, their offensive sets. There's so much to learn from watching this team operate at their peak.

Let's talk numbers for a second because they're absolutely staggering. The Nuggets retained their entire starting lineup from last season - all five players who averaged between 16.3 and 24.5 points per game during their championship run. In today's NBA, that kind of continuity is practically unheard of. While other contenders like Phoenix are integrating multiple new stars and Boston made significant roster changes, Denver gets to hit the ground running with a group that already knows how to win together. Last season, their starting lineup outscored opponents by nearly 12 points per 100 possessions - one of the best marks in the league.

What really separates Denver from other recent champions in my view is their offensive system. It's not built around isolation basketball or hunting mismatches. It's this beautiful, flowing style where the ball zips around the court and players constantly move without it. I've lost count of how many times I've seen Jokić make a pass that I didn't even see was available. He's averaging something like 9.8 assists per game while being their primary scorer and rebounder - numbers we haven't seen from a center since Wilt Chamberlain.

The Western Conference landscape actually sets up nicely for them too. Golden State is another year older, Memphis has Ja Morant suspended for the first 25 games, Phoenix has to integrate Bradley Beal into their system, and the Lakers... well, they're the Lakers - they'll always be dangerous but they haven't made the significant upgrades needed to truly challenge Denver. The Nuggets went 16-4 in last year's playoffs and frankly, they made it look easier than I expected. They swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals and handled Miami in five games despite Jimmy Butler's heroic efforts.

Here's what worries me though - the depth. They lost Bruce Brown and Jeff Green from their bench unit, two players who provided crucial minutes during their playoff run. Christian Braun will need to take a significant step forward, and they'll need more from Peyton Watson and Zeke Nnaji than they got last season. Championship teams typically need 7-8 reliable players come playoff time, and right now I'm only confident in about 6 for Denver. But if there's any coach who can develop young talent and integrate new pieces, it's Michael Malone.

I've been watching basketball long enough to know that repeating as champions is incredibly difficult. The last team to do it was those Kevin Durant Warriors teams, and before that you have to go back to the Kobe-Pau Lakers in 2009-10. The regular season grind, the target on your back every night, the increased scrutiny - it wears on teams. But something about this Denver group makes me think they're built to handle it better than most. They've got that quiet confidence without being arrogant, and their best player might be the most grounded superstar I've ever seen.

My prediction? I think they'll win around 58 games in the regular season, secure the top seed in the West, and have about a 65% chance of making it back to the Finals. The East looks tougher with Milwaukee's coaching upgrade and Boston's continued excellence, but in the West, I just don't see anyone who can beat them in a seven-game series if they're healthy. The Lakers took them to the brink a couple times last postseason, but LeBron isn't getting any younger. The Suns have the firepower but questionable depth and defense. The Warriors' core is another year older. The window is wide open for Denver to establish a mini-dynasty.

At the end of the day, basketball comes down to talent, chemistry, and health. Denver checks the first two boxes emphatically, and if they can stay relatively healthy - particularly Jokić and Murray - I believe they're not just positioned to compete, but to dominate. They've got that championship DNA now, and more importantly, they play a brand of basketball that's both beautiful and effective. The rest of the league should be very, very worried.

LIGHTING, LIGHTING, AND MORE LIGHTING
People are typically drawn to bars solely based on their atmosphere. The best way to knock your next commercial bar design out of the park is using the perfect amount and type of lighting. Use standout light fixtures as their very own statement piece, track lighting for adjustable ambiance, hanging pendant lights over tables, and ambient backlighting to display the alcohol. Bartenders need to serve and customers need to order, so make sure it’s just functional as it is attractive. 

CHOOSING YOUR BARTOP
What may seem so obvious, is often so overlooked in commercial bar design- the material of your actual bartop itself. While we realize stone and marble are as classy and elegant-looking as can be, the reality is that they just aren’t your best option for a durable and long lasting bartop. They crack, have no grip, and break way too many glasses. Opt for a high-quality wood bar instead. Oaks, maples, mahoganies, and ashes are sturdy and provide your customers with a firm grip for their glasses. 

THEME 
In a sea of millions upon millions of bars, how can you make your commercial bar design stand apart from the rest? The answer is to pick a unique, centralized theme and run with it. Whether it’s your next sit-down restaurant bar design, or remodeling the small, locally-favorite gem, you have to find out what your clientele wants. Survey the neighborhood of your establishment and find out what the demographics are there. Maybe a gritty, western bar would be a hit. Or maybe a more modern, sleek design is what’s missing in the area. Whatever theme you decide upon, hit it out of the park with the perfect lighting, wall art, music, and furniture. It’s all in the details. 

THE GUIDE TO YOUR NEXT RESTOBAR 
You’ve got the food, you’ve got the restaurant, you’ve got the customers, now all you need is a beautifully designed bar to top it all off.  Small bar designs for restaurants have a tendency to be a little thrown together and incohesive with the rest of the establishment. Stay on brand- create consistency with tying in the same color scheme, furniture, art, and overall ambiance of the pre-existing restaurant. Make sure the placement of your bar makes sense as well, have it in a place where it’s visible and easy to navigate but not in the way of servers and other guests. If the bar is going to serve food, be sure to consider the location of the kitchen to not obstruct traffic flow. Consider all of these small tips as you work through your next restaurant bar design. 

SPACE CONSTRAINT 
It’s no secret that bars have the reputation of being a little cramped, and in some cases- way too cramped. Consider all of the space constraints while designing your next commercial bar design and we can change that bad rap that bars have been holding for far too long. First and foremost, be sure to measure your bar, barstool, cabinet, and equipment height. Generally, a bar is 42” in height while a stool is 30” in height. Also be sure to allow at least 3’ of space between the bar and the alcohol for the bartender’s functionality and efficiency. Consider multiple register and drink-making stations for bartenders as well. Allowing 2’ between patrons is going to give them enough space to eat and drink, and most importantly, simply be comfortable. All of these considerations are especially helpful if it is a restaurant bar design, where the space is even more valuable.