Nuggets NBA Picks
The Denver Nuggets were ravaged by injuries during the 2013-14 NBA season. As long as health is out of sight and out of mind this upcoming season, the Nuggets’ NBA odds will improve, and the team will be ready to compete for a spot in the 2014-15 postseason—even if they make it as a surprise squad, considering how tough the Western Conference is at this juncture.
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2014-15 Denver Nuggets
Western Conference
2013-14 Record: 36-46 (22-19 @ Home) .439
Odds to win Title: 100/1
Odds to win Conference: 40/1
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Key Losses
Believe it or not, the Denver Nuggets are one of the few teams across the Association that don’t have a key loss entering the 2014-15 season. Instead, we forget about what the team could have lost and focus on what this team didn’t get—a superstar when it drastically needs one.
In the 2014 offseason, this group entered free agency with optimistic hopes of winning the Chris Bosh sweepstakes. The team was never in the running for players such as LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, but Bosh, Kevin Love or even Mike Miller would have been considered a solid prize.
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Unfortunately, they’re all now prizes that have already been claimed—all by team other than the Nuggets.
Top Newcomers
Arron Afflalo – The Nuggets have been known for their fast-paced, high-octane offense for a while now. In fact, when Arron Afflalo was a part of this organization a few years back, he helped establish that reputation. Now, he’s back in the Mile High City, and he’s coming off a career year with the Orlando Magic that proved he can be a second-tier points-per-game player on a nightly basis.
Top Players
Ty Lawson – Ty Lawson has improved since joining the NBA. He’s still not considered an elite point guard (a group that belongs to the Derrick Roses, Chris Pauls and Russell Westbrooks of the league), but he’s a player who an make a difference both in transition and in half-court sets, especially when he’s hitting from deep range, which he usually is.
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Kenneth Faried – Kenneth Faried is a machine on the boards. Although he doesn’t have the size of a true power forward he has the athleticism—and just as importantly, the work ethic—the make a difference. He’s even improving on the defensive end, which is important for someone who doesn’t command shots to make a difference.
Danilo Gallinari – This is a perfect example of what the Nuggets are actually gaining entering the 2014-15 season. They were without Gallinari much of the way, and if he can stay healthy, he’s going to add depth to a roster that is already deep as is
Strengths
Speaking of depth, this is Denver’s strength, without question. The Nuggets are as deep as it comes, as it pertains to talent from the beginning of the starting lineup to the end of the bench, and this is what keeps them in the running even when health is a problem.
The other thing this group has going for it is an offensive mentality. Defense is consistently a problem, but when you’re compared to a track team and you’re willing to run up and down the floor at such an impressive pace, simply outscoring your opponents becomes the goal, and it’s a goal that isn’t too unattainable with so many offensive weapons.
Weaknesses
As impressive as the depth is for this group, it is missing one key element to big-time success: a true superstar. Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried and Danilo Gallinari are all stellar players, and even Wilson Chandler, Nate Robinson and JaVale McGee are complementary stars; but in a superstar-driven league, it’s tough to win big without someone who can take over games night in and night out.
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It would have behooved this team to trade some of its depth for a player such as Bosh or Love during the offseason, but when it comes down to it, there are worse things than having too much depth in a league where parity isn’t often a major focus late in the year.
Prediction
Unfortunately for the Nuggets, the rest of the Western Conference has improved entering the 2014-15 season. Expect Denver to float around the eighth seed all year, but when it comes down to it, don’t be shocked if it’s just on the outside looking in when the postseason begins.
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