"LeBron James finally became LeBron James. The previous season is complete. It's now 2012-13 in the NBA, so let's get at it. In the Western Conference, the front-runners from Oklahoma City have the three-time league scoring champ and a dude who scored the most points in an NBA Finals game since 2006. There also are the Clippers, who have arguably the league's best point guard and a fellow all-star who's a 20-10 guy. Yeah, the Lakers, Grizzlies and Spurs are hanging around, but I'd argue that the teams with the stellar young duos are going to be atop the conference for years to come. So now we look at Denver, which finished sixth in the West last season while overcoming multiple injuries. The Nuggets have two guys that could become all-stars (Ty Lawson and Danilo Gallinari). And, yes, matchups are key in the playoffs, meaning what I'm about to say is not an exact science. But the Nuggets lost to the Lakers in seven games. The Lakers lost to the Thunder in five. Then the Thunder lost to the Heat in five. So heading into the coming seasons, you can look at the Nuggets two ways: 1. They're just treading water annually, making the playoffs but seldom making a playoff run. 2. They are growing numerous young players into formidable players — maybe not all-stars but, still, with their depth, the Nuggets should give a lot of teams trouble in the coming years. I lean toward No. 2, with this caveat: It's possible the current Denver roster might never make the NBA Finals, but there are so many assets on the roster that the Nuggets' front office is in a position to make a big trade for a star (who could possibly take them there)." Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/hochman/ci_20925939/benjamin-hochman-denver-nuggets-could-make-big-deal
