2019 Northwest Division Season Basketball Preview
Looking for Northwest Division 2019 predictions? This division saw one of its perennial contenders hit rock bottom over the summer, one of its most slept-on teams make the Western Conference Finals last season and has two other squads actually projected to fill the top two spots by the end of 2019-20.
2019 Northwest Division Season Preview
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At this point, the Northwest Division isn’t quite as competitive top to bottom as it was two seasons ago, but it still houses three legitimate contenders who will compete for a Western Conference title. Expect good things from this conference this season.
Northwest Division 2019 Odds: Utah Jazz (+115)
Donovan Mitchell still looks like a star in the making, but like every sophomore every year, he lost his luster a bit in 2018-19. That latter should change this season, and the former should re-enter the minds of anyone who forgot.
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Mitchell has a real shot to solidify himself as a perennial All-Star beginning this season, and as he rises, so will the Jazz. But it’s not just the star guard. Rudy Gobert is one of the top centers in the game and arguably the best on the defensive side of the court. Mike Conley is one of the offseason’s best if not quietest offseason pickups. Bojan Bogdanovic was even quieter but also one of the more shrewd acquisitions of the summer.
This is a team that still needs to prove it can be consistent enough on the offensive end to compete for a title, but it’s close if it can just recapture some of the low-volume, high-efficiency approach it had two years ago. Once it can get there, the defense is already set to lead the way.
Northwest Division 2019 Odds: Denver Nuggets (+150)
Nikola Jokic isn’t your typical face-of-the-franchise-looking superstar, but he otherwise plays every part the role. He’s arguably the best center in the game today despite underwhelming rim protection, he’s easily the best passer at his position and he just might be a legitimate MVP candidate if the Nuggets compete for a Western Conference championship.
That last part is crucial. And quite frankly, it’s doable.
Denver has a budding young star at point guard who took a monumental leap late last season in Jamal Murray. Combining him with Gary Harris and other talented perimeter players is a recipe for a potent offense night in and night out.
This group still has to shoot better and at a higher volume from deep, but it does just about everything else well.
Northwest Division 2019 Odds: Portland Trail Blazers (+350)
The Portland Trail Blazers pride themselves on being underdogs. Simply put: They’re probably happy they’re not the favorites despite advancing furthest a season ago.
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The truth is, while we can’t count out any team led by Damian Lillard, there are a lot of questions this team needs to answer. Many of them live within the center position, as Jusuf Nurkic’s recovery from a broken leg and Hassan Whiteside’s attempt to flip the script on his own narrative loom over the season at large.
If Portland does, in fact, overachieve yet again, it will be under the guidance of Lillard and CJ McCollum. That backcourt really doesn’t have much competition entering the year as far as best starting guard tandems are concerned with Klay Thompson out.
The Blazers always stand a chance with Lillard and McCollum leading the way, but that chance drastically improves if the role players are playing at a high level.
Northwest Division 2019 Odds: Minnesota Timberwolves (+8000)
The Minnesota Timberwolves don’t have too many high-upside players behind Karl-Anthony Towns. Andrew Wiggins may or may not have another level to reach and the jury will still be out on Jarrett Culver for quite some time considering he hasn’t yet played his first NBA game. So it’s a good thing Towns is about as good as it comes at the 5.
Towns needs to improve defensively, but he’s already one of the best centers in the league, matching a common theme with the top two teams in the division.
Northwest Division 2019 Odds: Oklahoma City Thunder (+15000)
Paul George: gone. Russell Westbrook: good-bye.
Enter: Chris Paul?
The Oklahoma City Thunder did a brilliant job rebuilding on the fly this summer despite the shocking departure of George and Russ trade to follow. Neither was ideal, but the haul geared toward the future was the best anyone in OKC could’ve asked for.
The curious part in all of this is bringing on Chris Paul without having a second destination in mind for him to eventually land. He doesn’t do this team’s tank any good, which is why they’re actually a threat to surpass an underachieving ‘Wolves team if Paul is around and healthy—despite being a terrible longshot for the playoffs.
2019 Northwest Division Betting Futures Odds
- Utah Jazz (+115)
- Denver Nuggets (+150)
- Portland Trail Blazers (+350)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (+8000)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (+150000)
Northwest Division: 2019 Prediction
Denver Nuggets +150
2019 Northwest Division Prediction
There’s a real chance the Nuggets underachieve from their legitimate run at a No. 1 seed, but it’s also tough to trust Gobert will play enough games for Utah to lock in a division title, and there are too many questions around Portland’s new-look roster to assume they jump into the top spot.
Denver needs to keep pace with itself from a year ago, but it can do it with Jokic leading the way.
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