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News » Northwest preview: Blazers, Nuggets to battle again


Northwest preview: Blazers, Nuggets to battle again


Northwest preview: Blazers, Nuggets to battle again
The Northwest is a neatly balanced division. Two teams won't be satisfied unless they reach the conference finals. One mid-level team is trying to recapture the rapture of seasons past. And two ball clubs are desperately fighting to gain a modicum of respectability.

Denver Nuggets

Strengths: Chauncey Billups' maturity, leadership and reliability in the clutch.

Carmelo Anthony has the tools to score in every possible attack mode — fast breaks, early offense and half-court offensive sets. Anthony also demonstrated incredible defensive fire in the playoff series versus the Lakers.

Carlos Boozer remains an outstanding post-up scorer and rebounder.

Kyle Korver's long-distance dialing.

The athleticism and intensity of both Ronnie Price and Ronnie Brewer.

Mehmet Okur's ability to stretch defenses.

The long-limbed, gangling defense of Andrei Kirilenko.

The high standards insisted upon by Jerry Sloan.

Weaknesses: Despite AK and the Ronnies, the team defense is inferior.

In addition to his poor defense, Boozer's very presence creates a damaging distraction.

Williams is the only creator.

The Jazz will miss Matt Harpring's fullback plunges to the hoop.

Sloan is a great coach, but he never has trusted rookies — so Utah will get minimal benefit from its first-year players.

Prognosis: There's enough discipline to make the playoffs, but Utah is unlikely to survive into the second round.

Next on tap: Atlantic Division


Author: Fox Sports
Author's Website: http://www.foxsports.com
Added: October 1, 2009

 

 
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