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
