Mike Rice

Didn't execute like they needed to.

That was pretty much the theme from Nate McKinnon, the rest of the guys in the room after the game, and certainly from Jared Bednar as well.

I personally think

Coach Bednar wants them to play faster, wants them to be more crisp in all of their execution, and they just weren't that.

And when you're not that in the Western Conference Finals, there's a very good chance you'll get beat no matter where they play, and that's what happened to the Avs in Game 1.

Yeah, there's no doubt.

The way they loaded up at the trade deadline, the way you're smack dab in the middle of the McKinnon era slash window.

Even he had said during the year it is cup or bust.

So from their standpoint, they will be disappointed by anything except hoisting Lord Stanley.

I think there will be changes mainly because of the economic picture.

If they want to keep Peyton Watson, you're probably looking at a floor or a range of, say, $90 million to $110 million perhaps for four years.

I know Bobby Marks came out with sort of the four-year $90 million estimate.

And if the Nuggets want to keep him, they have shown zero appetite to pay any kind of luxury tax, go into the second apron.

And I'm just going by that history, Saran.

For that reason alone, I think there'll be changes coming.

It wouldn't shock me at all if one of the core starters.

not named Nikola Jokic, were traded this offseason, or certainly if they tried to make some sort of deal like that.

No, I mean, I think it's a tough matchup, I think, for both teams, really, to start the year, divisional game.

Obviously, the questions around Patrick on your end and here, a lot of questions.

I think generally here, the...