DENVER — So many ifs.

If Jamal Murray returns as that Jamal Murray …

If Michael Porter Jr. returns as that Michael Porter Jr. …

If Nikola Jokic doesn’t go full-time horse trainer …

The Nuggets can win the West.

“We have a chance to win it when we get fully healthy,” Michael Malone said Tuesday.

If.

There are no guarantees after a knee surgery like Murray’s, and no guarantees after a (third) back surgery like Porter’s. Who knows if the real Blue Arrow and MPJ return this season or next?

But the trout streams are thawing out, and Colorado is stubbornly removing its worthless and harmful protocols that did nothing to stop COVID-19. What better time to splash a little sunshine on the ol’ Nuggets?

First, the bad news: the Nuggets were absolutely terrible in a 119-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Ball Arena. Busted up a six-game win streak. Starters missed 24 of 25 bricks from 3. You’ll spot better effort and offense next week at the CHSAA state tournament.

“Hopefully this is just a little hiccup,” guard Bryn Forbes said after.

Nuggets notebook: Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray taking small steps forward; Right time for DeMarcus Cousins reunion

Whatever. What matters in the long run is the potential return of Murray and Porter, who are “ramping up,” Malone hinted, and eventually would bring 40 points per game and extensive postseason know-how. Big picture, friends.

What altered my perspective on this Nuggets squad was the arrival of DeMarcus Cousins and his neon sneakers. “Boogie” injected life into a bench unit that simply couldn’t hang before he got here. The Nuggets are 10-1 when “Boogie” plays, and only a man who goes 6-foot-10, 270 pounds, can pull off a pair of neon sneakers — one green, one pink. You guys can tell a man that big his shoes don’t match, but I’ll let him know he looks like a million bucks.

“I think players in the league are scared of him,” Malone said the other day on Altitude 92.5.

And that’s the thing about this crazy hot take the Nuggets can win the Western Conference. There’s not a team out West that scares the neon shoes off you — not right now, anyway. The teams the Nuggets can’t beat are A) in the Eastern Conference B) the Phoenix Suns with Chris Paul, and the Phoenix Suns don’t have Chris Paul. He’s hurt. Outside a healthy Suns team, this West doesn’t feature a Spurs juggernaut, Lakers powerhouse or Warriors train. Is it really that much of a hot take?

Not if… Murray and Porter return in time and in form.

Will Barton III on brink of breaking Denver Nuggets’ franchise record

Don’t expect the 25-year-old Murray immediately will be the shooting star who thrives in the playoffs with over 24 points per game and 40-percent shooting from 3. But come on. This is Jamal Murray we’re talking about. The Nuggets won’t risk their $170 million guard if he’s not healthy, and Murray, as a Nuggets rookie, played all 82 games with two sports hernias. He’s wired different.

“I told (Murray) the other day: zero pressure from me. When you tell me you’re ready to play you’re going to play,” Malone said.

Porter likely would return first. The 23-year-old forward soon will report to the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Gold, the G League affiliate, according to a report from Harrison Wind of DNVR.

Back-up bigs help Denver Nuggets bury Portland Trail Blazers

Good sign. When Porter underwent back surgery on Dec. 1, there wasn’t a Nuggets employee in Ball Arena who expected Porter would play again this season. That wasn’t even a pipe dream.

And that’s a lot of ifs, which is right in line with the Nuggets’ iffy history. If Antonio McDyess had stayed healthy … if Carmelo Anthony hadn’t fallen into their lap in the draft … if they drew anyone other than Kobe Bryant’s Lakers in 2009. Ifs are a Nuggets’ way of life. They’re not the ol’ Nuggets without a bunch of ifs.

As the Nuggets dropped a clunker against the lowly Thunder, there wasn’t a whole lot of inspiration to be seen or heard inside Ball Arena — until a young man in a trucker cap emerged.

When Murray strolled to the bench to sit on the bench in the third quarter, a fan in his No. 27 jersey yelled: “We love you, Jamal!” Murray put his hand over his heart and said, “I got you.”

If only.