Every NBA fan knows Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most difficult players to impress. He’s always harsh on players and teams, but there’s one team that Shaq has a lot of respect for: the Denver Nuggets.

Shaq discussed the third-seeded Denver Nuggets on Inside the NBA, and he lavished praise on the current champions.

“When you’re trying to be a champion, you learn not to panic,” he remarked. “When you become a champion, you learn not to be afraid… I’m not concerned about them. I enjoy how they’re making progress right now. You want to have some form of home-court advantage when this thing starts in April-May; they’re now ranked third. Joker is doing well, and the Denver Nuggets are in excellent form right now.”

Only Charles Barkley seemed to give the Denver Nuggets their due years ago. The entire Nuggets roster is now earning worldwide acclaim, not just Nikola Jokic. The club appears to be champs, Jokic appears to be the finest player in the NBA, and no one is doubting them any longer. The Nuggets will always find a way to win games, as evidenced by their historic comeback against the Golden State Warriors.

Everyone should anticipate the Denver Nuggets to return to the Conference Finals as long as they stay healthy.