Editor's Note: As the NBA season approaches and with NBA training camps opening up at the end of the month, Timberwolves.com wanted to give fans a little refresher on what has been a busy offseason. For the next two weeks, we'll be releasing season outlooks for teams throughout the NBA.
Overview: The Nuggets had an up-and-down season in 2013-14 under rookie head coach Brian Shaw. That was somewhat expected, though. The Nuggets didn’t have an overly-talented roster and the extended injuries to Danilo Gallinari and JaVale McGee didn’t help. It sounds like Gallinari (after a botched surgery last season) is ready to go this season, as is big man McGee. Winning 36 games without two of your starters is still pretty impressive, especially in a loaded Western Conference.
Point guard Ty Lawson gave confirmation that he is indeed the team’s best player. The former Tar Heel averaged career-highs of 17.6 points, 8.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game in 2013-14.
One area the Nuggets will need to improve is on the defensive end. Denver had no problem scoring the ball (its 104.4 points per game ranked 10th in the league). It was the defense that hindered the Nuggets. Allowing 106.5 points per game (third-worst in NBA), isn’t a great recipe for winning in the NBA.
Record Last Season: 36-46
Key Additions: G Arron Afflalo, G Gary Harris
Key Losses: G Evan Fournier
How They Did Against The Wolves:
The Nuggets split the four-game series against the Wolves last season. Denver won the first two games (one at home, one on the road), before Minnesota rallied to take the last two.
Of the current members of the Nuggets, Lawson led the way. In three games, the speedy point guard averaged 22.7 points and 8.3 assists per game. Kenneth “The Manimal” Faried played in all four games and averaged 14 points and 6.5 rebounds. Former Wolves guard Randy Foye also played in all four games and put up 11 points per contest. Nate Robinson played in two games and averaged 10.5 points per game.
Timberwolves guard Kevin Martin played very well against the Nuggets, averaging 26 points (most vs. any team) in three games. Nikola Pekovic played in three games and averaged 17 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Ricky Rubio’s assist numbers were great against the Nuggets, as he had 40 in four games - including this pretty Rubio-like pass to old teammate Kevin Love:
Rubio also averaged 8.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Corey Brewer played in three games against Denver and averaged 15.8 points per game against his former club.
Projection: Playoffs are and should be on the minds of Nuggets fans. Getting a healthy Gallinari and McGee should help bolster up an offense that was already pretty good. While there is no sure-fire superstar on this team, this is an extremely deep team. Having Robinson, Foye, Wilson Chandler , J.J. Hickson and Timofey Mozgov coming off the bench is something most coaches would love
The trade for Afflalo will give the Nuggets help from the 3-point line and gives them an above-average perimeter defender. Don’t sleep on Michigan State product Gary Harris either. Harris was drafted by the Bulls 19th overall before being traded to the Nuggets. Harris is a “3-and-D” prototype, which is extremely beneficial in today’s game. Don’t expect him to be buried on the bench for too long.
As we know, the Western Conference is a tough one, but this Nuggets team will finish the season fighting to be one of the final teams in the playoffs.