Who will win this rather weak division?DenverMinnesotaPortlandSeattleUtahI think that the Jazz will win the division. Deron Williams will have a rapidly improving season, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur are both great and add to offense and defense. They have a well rounded starting lineup with a healthy Matt Harpring and rookie Ronnie Brewer. If Deron Williams does slump, then Derek Fisher can fill in. Expect big things out of Utah.1. Jazz2. Nuggets-Still need a shooter, but have lots of height and a great pass first point guard, to go with Melo.3. TWolves-KG's team has a decent supporting cast, but they won't turn any heads this year.4. Sonics-Resigning Wilcox was huge, and they have a solid starting 4 now. (Ridnour, Allen, Rashard, Wilcox5. Blazers-They are filled with tons of young talent, but they lack a great point guard right now. They can still try to trade Darius Miles, but they have a lot of selfish players, and this teams playoff hopes will have to wait. Nate McMillan can change the selfishness though.
I think the Nuggets have a team that can win this division. The only teams in the running are the Jazz and the Nuggets. Blazers and Sonics just don't have what it takes to be that team right now. The Wolves have KG but, don't seem to be doing that well with him. And, Melo is a great player for the Nuggs that can come through in the clutch. As for the Jazz I know they have some ok players. But, I don't think they can win the division just yet over the Nuggets.
I think the Jazz as welll Brewer will help them in Feb. Mehemet Okur is top 10 Centers in the league. Boozer has to stay healthy. They should be in the playoffs
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SunnyD @ Aug 25 2006, 11:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Who will win this rather weak division?DenverMinnesotaPortlandSeattleUtahI think that the Jazz will win the division. Deron Williams will have a rapidly improving season, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur are both great and add to offense and defense. They have a well rounded starting lineup with a healthy Matt Harpring and rookie Ronnie Brewer. If Deron Williams does slump, then Derek Fisher can fill in. Expect big things out of Utah.1. Jazz2. Nuggets-Still need a shooter, but have lots of height and a great pass first point guard, to go with Melo.3. TWolves-KG's team has a decent supporting cast, but they won't turn any heads this year.4. Sonics-Resigning Wilcox was huge, and they have a solid starting 4 now. (Ridnour, Allen, Rashard, Wilcox5. Blazers-They are filled with tons of young talent, but they lack a great point guard right now. They can still try to trade Darius Miles, but they have a lot of selfish players, and this teams playoff hopes will have to wait. Nate McMillan can change the selfishness though.</div>SunnyD has turned into a Utah Jazz fan.
I think the Wolves have a decent chance, because I am a homer, and because I hope that Denver either can't move K-Mart and he becomes a lockerroom cancer, or they move him here and he plays well, especially against Denver. I predict that the Jazz will be hit by injuries and not be in the running. The Sonics will be similar to last year and Portland is a team for the future, not the present.
I will be rooting for Utah to win the division, but I don't know if they will be able to handle Denver.1. Denver NuggetsI think they will take it again. Melo is getting better by the day, Nene will be rejuvinated, Camby won't play all year long (neither will Boozer) but he's a very good player, who knows what K-Mart's future is but he's still a servicable player, JR Smith will help them at the 2-guard, Andre Miller is a top 10 PG in the NBA IMO, and Boykins is a solid 6th man. This team has a lot of talent, and they run the break as well as almost any team in the NBA. I think they will take it again.2. Utah JazzI love the Jazz, and I hope they take it, I just don't see it happening. AK47 does everything and he is one of the most underrated players in the league, Okur is a good big man that has impressed the hell out of me with his improvements in every aspect of the game, Boozer is a sure double-double, Brewer is athletic and a good defender and I think he will have a fast start in Utah, and Deron is 1 year maturer (if that is even a word lol) and I think he's in for a very good season. Not to mention Harp off the bench for that reliable shooting to go along with Fisher's leadership. Plus Paul Milsap is going to impress, and I believe that if Dee Brown gets some minutes he will show flashes. I mean this team has a lot of weapons too man, it's really up in the air between Denver-Utah, but I see Denver taking it. Just a gut feeling.3. Minnesota TimberwolvesI think they will be solid, but not enough, and I don't think they will make the playoffs (once again). I think the Mike James signing was ok, but it doesn't fit well with Randy Foye and Ricky Davis. Plus McCants is going to be out for a while, that will hurt their bench scoring. Mark Blount is an average center. Eddie Griffin is solid but he's quite the character (lol I can't get his jack-off incodent out my head. Too funny). I mean on paper the trio of KG/Ricky/James looks nice, especially with Foye off the bench, but the rest of the roster is very questionable. I don't like what they are doing in Minnesota, in fact I don't know what they are doing. My opinion: KG will be gone at the end of this season (that's if he hasn't had enough by the deadline), but as long as KG is there I don't think they will fall lower than 3rd in the Northwest.4. Seattle SonicsAwesome job in re-signing Wilcox. But, this team is identicle to last year's team and I don't see a vast improvement. I think Robert Swift is going to have a nice year and Ridnour is only maturing. I didn't like what they did in the draft at all. Even if Sene does come over, where will he find minutes behind Wilcox, Collison, Swift, Petro, and even Fortson? I think that was a waste of a lottery pick. They should have taken someone like Ronnie Brewer to help solidify their bench and defense. Sene brings shot blocking but he won't make an impact for a while, if he ever even pans out. Ray Ray will be Ray Ray, and Rashard will be Rashard, but I don't see much of an improvement from last year. But.. if KG leaves at the trade deadline I could see Seattle slipping into 3rd place in the division.5. Portland Trail BlazersI love this team's future, I really do. But they are just a young and undeveloped team right now. I think Brandon Roy is going to win the ROY award though, and I am really looking forward to seeing Jack run the show. I like this team's outlook, and in a few years they will be a very solid team, but as of right now it's basically just time to enjoy the youth/development.
if Boozer and AK both play 70+ games than the Jazz will win the division easily. Yes Melo is becomming a great player for Denver, but just like with KG in Minnesota he doesn't get the supporting help he needs. Miller and Camby are solid solid players but they tend to do the wrong things at the wrong time. also Utah has a much deeper bench than Denver. the Nuggets have Boykins, Watson and Smith comming off the bench, while the Jazz have Fisher, Harpring, Giricek, and Collins off the bench, all four are guys who have logged starting minutes on playoff teams.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (redneck @ Aug 25 2006, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>if Boozer and AK both play 70+ games than the Jazz will win the division easily. Yes Melo is becomming a great player for Denver, but just like with KG in Minnesota he doesn't get the supporting help he needs. Miller and Camby are solid solid players but they tend to do the wrong things at the wrong time. also Utah has a much deeper bench than Denver. the Nuggets have Boykins, Watson and Smith comming off the bench, while the Jazz have Fisher, Harpring, Giricek, and Collins off the bench, all four are guys who have logged starting minutes on playoff teams.</div>1. Miller/Camby don't do "the wrong things at the wrong time." The only thing is that Camby is always injured.2. Melo has a much better supporting cast than KG. I'll take Camby, Miller, K-Mart, Nene, Boykins over Ricky D, Mike James, Randy Foye, and Mark Blount any day of the week.3. Earl Watson was traded to Seattle last year at trade deadline.4. Smith has a good chance at starting at SG. Denver lost Buckner in free agency (Dallas).
I am the first person of our decade to jump on the Utah Jazz bandwagon. It's empty, but it can only grow.
