The defending champion Nuggets hope to repeat, but teams such as the Timberwolves are built to beat them. In the Western Conference Semifinals these combatants battle in an epic 7-game series. The pressure is intense for the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray and the Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell to sustain their reputations as elite playoff performers. Expectations are high in Boston where unproven second-year coach Joe Mazzulla is determined to show he’s worthy of leading this storied franchise.