2008 Denver Nuggets NBA Predictions & Preview
Last year Denver was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the fifth straight season, but they are going to have to overachieve this year if they hope to get to post-season play. Last year’s team looked great on paper, but didn’t play any defense nor did they gel together very well. BetUS has the over/under win total on the Nuggets this season at 40.5.
If the team hopes to move past the first round they are going to have to play a little defense, which will be tough without their best defender in Marcus Camby, who was traded to the LA Clippers in the off-season. Another high energy guy in Eduardo Najera left to sign with the New Jersey Nets. The Nuggets are listed at 50-to-1 to win the NBA title.
On the bright side the team does have an emerging star in forward Linas Kleiza. He went for 11.1 points and 4.2 rebounds last season and should only continue to improve his numbers this year. Denver is at 5-to-1 to win the Northwest Division.
Carmelo Anthony is the Nuggets franchise player and is one of the best offensive players in the league. However, his defense is inconsistent and the effort isn’t always there on that end of the floor. Joining Anthony in the front court is Kenyon Martin. Martin can be a beast when healthy, but injuries have slowed him down some. It’s doubtful that his body will allow him to see 30-35 minutes per game over the course of a full season, but when he’s out there, he can be very effective. Nene is the team’s center, and will not be nearly as good defending opposing big men as Camby was a year ago. The Nuggets are at 30-to-1 to win the West.
Allen Iverson leads the backcourt. Like Anthony, Iverson is a great offensive player who doesn’t get the job done near as well on the other end of the court. Part of that is due to his small stature, but it’s also his lack of consistent effort. It will be interesting to see how he does this year as he is in the final year of his contract and will probably be thinking about what’s next. Anthony Carter will run the point. He is a solid veteran point guard who can run the team, but he isn’t great on offense. His outside shot is below-average and he isn’t fast enough to get to the hole.
The Nugget bench isn’t too bad talent wise. Chucky Atkins is another option at point, but he missed training camp recovering from a knee injury. JR Smith is a sharp-shooter who isn’t a threat on defense. Their defensive sub will be Renaldo Balkman, who comes over in a trade with the Knicks. He is an athletic wing who can shut down opposing players. Kleiza will also see plenty of time on the floor, especially if he improves his defense and rebounding.
Final Analysis
With our NBA predictions it’s tough for us to see this team competing in the difficult West. With Anthony and Iverson you have two talented offensive players, but their liabilities on the defensive end prevent Denver from getting too far.
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