http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=sk-n...=yhoo&type=lgnsWell, I hope Kerr is right about Minnesota. But ranking Utah above Denver, might be a bit too much. Thoughts, opinions?
If Utah can stay healthy it's very possible that they can win it. Not sure about the TWolves. The 3 teams should all be close but I'm expecting the Nuggets to win the division.
The Jazz should easily be over the Sonics, even if the Jazz are only semily injured. last year Utah was better than them, and the Jazz have improved a lot more than Seattle.I honestly dont think Minny will win the division, I hate saying it but I think the Nuggets will win it, especially if Carmelo plays like he did in the WBCs.
Utah has one of the best frontcourts in the NBA when they're all healthy. Granted defensively Boozer and Okur aren't the most intimidating duo, but overall I gotta say that Kirlinko, Boozer, and Okur are a heck of a trio. Utah over Seattle makes sense to me. I really think the Nuggets are being underrated, but Kerr would know more about the impact of chemistry than I would, and they DEFINITELY have injury issues.
These rankings are stupid. I will say it one more time. We won the Northwest last season with injuries to most of our key players.The Nuggets lost there best big man off the bench in Nene for the whole season, Kenyon Martin hasn't been healthy, Marcus Camby missed a bunch of games.Nene missed the ENTIRE season.Kenyon Martin missed 26 games.Marcus Camby missed 26 games.DerMarr Johnson missed 24 games.Earl Boykins missed 22 games.Eduardo Najera missed 18 games.Francisco Elson missed 10 games.Yet we still won 44 games.. We now have a healthy roster, We finally added a shooting guard, And Carmelo has one more year of expierence under his belt.
Balla, I agree that if the Nuggets are healthy, they will win the division with ease.But what I want to know is: who is the true leader on that team? Who will carry the team, speak up in the locker room if needed?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BALLAHOLLIC @ Oct 22 2006, 11:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>These rankings are stupid. I will say it one more time. We won the Northwest last season with injuries to most of our key players.The Nuggets lost there best big man off the bench in Nene for the whole season, Kenyon Martin hasn't been healthy, Marcus Camby missed a bunch of games.Nene missed the ENTIRE season.Kenyon Martin missed 26 games.Marcus Camby missed 26 games.DerMarr Johnson missed 24 games.Earl Boykins missed 22 games.Eduardo Najera missed 18 games.Francisco Elson missed 10 games.Yet we still won 44 games.. We now have a healthy roster, We finally added a shooting guard, And Carmelo has one more year of expierence under his belt.</div> Yeah, you added a very unproven/young SG who might be splitting time with Yakhouba Diawara...Yes Denver won the division with all those injuries but your forgetting that the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves will be much stronger this season...and you only won 44 games last season, thats not many to win a division and you know damn right your going to have injury problems again because most of your players are injury prone...maybe you don't luck out again...it's going to be close.
Barring any major injuries:1. Denver2. Utah3. MinnesotaI definitely agree that Utah has a shot at winning the division. They are a very underrated team and they have a great coach. I love that team actually. Okur is a top 10 center in the NBA, Boozer is a double double every night, AK47 is one of the most well-rounded players in the NBA, Deron Williams is an up-and-commer, Derek Fisher is there for some experience/leadership, Matt Harpring is tough and very solid, Ronnie Brewer is going to be a pretty good player, and I really like Paul Millsap.The question mark with ranking this division is injuries. In Denver you have Camby, Nene, and K-Mart to watch out for injury wise, and in Utah you have to watch out for Boozer, Kirilenko, and possibly even Fisher a little.And I do believe that Minny has an outside shot at this, but I just don't see it happening if Denver and Utah stay relatively healthy.
IF rashard lewis stepped his dribble game up and ridnour doesn't bi*ch up. The sonics can easily beat any of those northwest teams. EXCEPT the Nuggets.. That team is just nuts now but if their healty as said earlier. The nuggets backcourt isnt the greatest and The Nuggets SG position is questionable unless from what I saw in article earlier that Melo might be playing the SG role.
But still: who is the leader of the Nuggets?don't get me wrong, Melo is a great player, but not a great leader yet.
