Northwest Division NBA Picks
The 2014-15 NBA betting season is approaching with as much hype as any season in recent history. LeBron James’ return to the Cleveland Cavaliers is the major reason why, but from the perspective of the Northwest Division, the bigger news is the departure of Kevin Love. Cappers Picks provides free NBA HOOPS handicapping tips all season long.
Love is gone, also to the Cavs, meaning one of the biggest stars in the league has left the Northwest Division. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the clear favorites when it comes to NBA odds to repeat as divisional champions in 2014-15, but teams such as the Portland Trail Blazers and even Denver Nuggets won’t make it easy.
Oklahoma City Thunder
2013-14 Record: 59-23
The only major loss the Oklahoma City Thunder have endured this offseason is the departure of Thabo Sefolosha. He’s been the starting 2-guard in OKC since the midway point of the 2008-09 season, and while his defensive prowess on the perimeter will be sorely missed, this team’s success comes with the two stars running the show:
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. So long as the two can continue to co-exist without complaints about shot attempts, this team will be the favorites in the division.
Portland Trail Blazers
2013-14 Record: 54-28
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The Portland Trail Blazers surprised everybody last season. Not only did they improve to 54 wins from 33 the year before, but they defeated the Houston Rockets in Round 1 of the postseason to make the second round for the first time since 2000. The question here is whether their improvement was a trend or an anomaly.
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At this point, it’s safe to assume it was something in between (although leaning toward a trend). Can the Blazers get better in 2014-15? That depends on the growth of Damian Lillard and the maturity of the bench. LaMarcus Aldridge is an established All-Star, but in his prime, he’s not getting better.
Portland needs its role players to step up, and if they do, this group will push OKC for a spot atop the division.
Minnesota Timberwolves
2013-14 Record: 40-42
The Minnesota Timberwolves improved to 40-42 last season, and while the jump was notable, it wasn’t enough in a tough Western Conference. The bigger problem for Minnesota is that Love is gone.
That said, the Wolves got about the best deal they possibly could, receiving Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and Thaddeus Young in the trade.
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Will Minnesota be better in 2014-15? Not a chance. This group is officially rebuilding, but with Wiggins as the cornerstone, it’ll be fun to watch how the team improves over the next few years.
Denver Nuggets
2013-14 Record: 36-46
The Denver Nuggets had two major problems last season. First and foremost, they were ravaged by injuries.
Luckily for this group, depth has never been a problem, but continuity is a concern when you can’t keep players on the court. The other problem, which remains a concern even when injuries are out of sight and out of mind, is that the team has yet to establish a true star in the rotation.
Having depth is great, but spreading the wealth becomes an issue when you don’t have one player to take over a game. Chances are, we won’t see a true star emerge on this roster this season, but if the team can stay healthy, you’re looking at an excellent choice for a playoff sleeper.
Utah Jazz
2013-14 Record 25-57
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The Utah Jazz made a couple of significant moves this summer. The most notable was the massive contract it gave Gordon Hayward. The young guard/forward accepted a max offer on the open market, but as a restricted free agent, he finds himself back in Utah for the foreseeable future.
The biggest acquisition, however, can be found in the form of rookie Dante Exum. He won’t help this team win big right away, but he has star potential, especially if he becomes a true point guard.
Prediction
While the Blazers should continue to impress this season, the nod has to go to OKC as the leader of the NW Division at the end of the regular season.
In fact, with Durant and Westbrook leading the way (not to mention a defensive monster in Serge Ibaka), the Thunder will be right up there when it comes to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
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