2011-12 Denver Nuggets Outlook
The Denver Nuggets announced good bye to Carmelo Anthony last year as he was dealt to the New York Knicks with Chauncey Billups in exchange for a bunch of role players. The deal essentially worked out well for the Nuggets and now their largest task is to build on their success from last year and not take a step back.
The Nuggets went from being a borderline playoff team prior to the deal to turning into a very tough out in the Western Conference last season. They ended up with a 50-32 mark and the No. 5 seed in the playoffs, they’d get beat by Oklahoma City in the opening round, but almost every contest went right down to the end.
The team ended up with a home record of 33-8 in Denver, adequate for third in the whole NBA. The Nuggets were just 17-24 outside of Colorado though, and for this squad to make a jump, they must find how to win games as a visitor. Denver rated 1st in offense with 107.5 points per contest but they rated just 21st in scoring defense allowing 102.7 points a night.
George Karl did an admirable job training this team last season. He was able to incorporate all the new players in his system after the Anthony trade last season. Once more, this team is full of new faces coming in from this offseason and will give Karl a large amount of things to work for yet again.
The largest move the Nuggets made this offseason was by resigning Nene to a five year deal. They also added DeMarre Carroll and Michael Ruffin through free agency. They also added rookies Kenneth Faried, Jordan Hamilton and Chukwudiebere Laudanum from the draft.
Big players they added through trade were Andre Miller from Portland and Corey Brewer and Rudy Fernandez from Dallas. These players should help the Nuggets once again to lead the NBA in offense with their capabilities in the offensive side.
They lost Raymond Felton through trade, let Gary Forbes and Melvin Ely go in free agency and lost key players JR Smith, Kenyon Martin and Wilson Chandler in China. The 3 aforementioned players decided to play in China during the lockout and they do not have an out until after their deals are up in March. It’s undetermined whether or not they can get out of their contracts sooner than that.
Denver’s starting lineup will incorporate PG Ty Lawson who put up 11.7 points and 4.7 dimes last season. Lawson really elevated his game last season after the trade cut off point when he was inserted in the beginning lineup after the Billups deal. SG Arron Afflalo will also be in the backcourt after he confirmed a five year deal to stay in Denver in the offseason. The move sets them up at the guard position for several years to come as Afflalo is one of the best shooters in the league and he’s only getting better.
The interior will incorporate C Nene who put up 14.5 points, 7.6 boards and 1 block last season. He is bound to become a rather more focal point of the offense this year after proving that he will be able to more that hold his own in the post. SF Danilo Gallinari and PF Al Harrington will cause tough matchups for other squads with their power to extend the floor.
Similar to what they had last year, Denver will once more feature one of the finest benches in the NBA. That may particularly be the case if/when Chandler, Smith and Martin get back. At the moment they have Miller, Fernandez, Faried, Brewer, Carroll, Hamilton and Chris Anderson all coming off the bench.
Western Conference Pick: 3rd Northwest Division – Their depth will definitely come in handy late in the season when tired legs will cause other teams to stagger thanks to the condensed schedule. It was a good call when they resigned their 2 top players in Nene and Afflalo. However it’ll be hard to replicate their win total from last season when they don’t have the talent generally to challenge in the west as the fifth seed.
With my NBA predictions I have Denver to end up third in the Northwest and they may get to the postseason as one of the lower seeded squads. Karl will have a harder time getting as much out of his team as he did a year ago. The team played with a chip on their shoulders last season because every player felt like no other franchise in the NBA wanted them. They won’t have that same chip and they won’t be in a position to sneak in on other Western foes in 2012.
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