season preview

Jim Eichenhofer

Here are some of the key statistics to monitor throughout the 2017-18 regular season for the 10 Pelicans players who are primarily considered forwards or centers:

Three-point shooting percentage. Like numerous bigs across the league such as Memphis center Marc Gasol, Cunningham rarely attempted threes during the early portion of his career, but has suddenly become a legitimate threat. He had a grand total of two made treys over his initial six years in the NBA, but went 146/355 the past two campaigns. Cunningham and Solomon Hill were dubbed the “Corner Boys” in ’16-17, specializing in hitting shots from the shortest distance beyond the arc. The Villanova product shot an excellent 39.2 percent on three-pointers overall last season, while taking far fewer long twos compared to early in his pro career. Via Basketball Reference, only 10 percent of his field-goal attempts last season came from 16-23 feet, compared to a 58.2 percent chunk in ’13-14 with Minnesota.

Rebounding average. Davis set a career high by averaging 11.8 rebounds per game, an area that is greatly needed by a New Orleans team that finished second-worst as a team in rebounding percentage (47.5 percent of available caroms, better than only Dallas at 46.4). Combined with the addition of DeMarcus Cousins for a full season and a plan to emphasize offensive rebounding to a greater extent this season, New Orleans hopes to be much more competitive on the backboards. Davis’ average of 9.5 defensive rebounds in ’16-17 was also a career high, by a wide margin (his previous best was 8.1).

Team wins. As Cousins mentioned often in the offseason, he’s now near the top of the list of NBA players with the most career games without making a postseason appearance. While gaudy individual stats are nice and look great on paper, nothing comes close to the importance of Cousins helping turn the Pelicans into a postseason qualifier, after two straight non-playoff years. New Orleans’ 34-48 final record was actually the best 82-game finish for a Cousins team since he entered the league in 2010. The Pelicans probably need at least 10 more wins than that to be playoff-worthy in the West.

Three-pointers made and attempted. During his first stint with the Pelicans from 2012-14, Miller was a very passive offensive player, rarely getting to the foul line and often reluctant to shoot. That will need to change this time, with New Orleans likely needing him to provide perimeter scoring in spot-up situations. Preseason stats don’t mean much, but Miller took 11 treys in 77 minutes, or one every seven minutes. Over 1,460 regular season minutes in the NBA, he’s taken just 134 threes, which equates to one every 10.9 minutes.

Games played. Diallo remains one of the NBA’s least experienced players against top-notch competition, having been used sparingly during his one college season at Kansas, then logging just 17 games and 199 regular season minutes with the Pelicans in ’16-17. New Orleans doesn’t have extensive depth behind Davis and Cousins, partly due to injuries to Solomon Hill and Omer Asik, along with Cunningham being forced to take over at small forward for Hill. If Diallo receives extended and consistent playing time, it will be a first for him as a pro, excluding his numerous trips to the G League last winter.

Minutes per game. Allen has recently discussed the Pelicans’ plan to keep his workload reasonable, which would allow him to remain fresh physically as the year progresses. What’s interesting is that the 35-year-old actually played more minutes last season with the Grizzlies (1,914) than he had since four years earlier, when he racked up a career-best 2,109 minutes and started 79 games for Memphis in ’12-13. The hard-nosed, energetic wing defender has gotten banged up a bit since then, averaging 63.3 games played in the last four seasons.

Games played. Ajinca has averaged almost exactly the same number of minutes per game for three consecutive seasons with New Orleans (14.1, 14.6 and 15.0), but his total game appearances dropped to just 39 last season, after 68 and 59 the previous two seasons, respectively. The NBA’s style of play and extensive small-lineup usage is moving away from giant centers who are most comfortable closer to the basket – Ajinca is 7-foot-2, 248 pounds – but to his credit, he’s been able to sporadically step in at a moment’s notice and produce. Unfortunately for the native of France, in today’s game, it’s becoming more and more difficult to predict when that might be.

Two-point shooting percentage. It’s easy to focus on how Hill’s three-point shooting will impact the Pelicans on offense when he returns from a hamstring injury, but it’s actually his rate from inside the arc that showed a drastic change in ’16-17. After shooting 51.5 percent on twos in his final season with Indiana, that figure took a precipitous drop to 42.8 percent in Hill’s first Pelicans campaign. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly why that occurred, but it’s possible fewer cutting opportunities for easy hoops were available in New Orleans compared to his Indiana tenure. Hill eventually seemed to adjust and find his footing in the offensive system, with three of his top six scoring games occurring after March 10.

Games played. Like in Ajinca’s case, it’s difficult to use Asik extensively against a number of opponents such as Golden State, which often features a lineup of five players who are untenable defensive matchups for a 7-foot, 255-pounder. Asik has an even bigger obstacle for now in getting back in the lineup, with a major digestive ailment causing him to not have appeared in an NBA game since February. Short term, the native of Turkey is trying to put weight back on and recently returned to the practice court.

Three-point shooting percentage. The two-way G League contract signee often played power forward in college at Texas A&M, but in the pros, his 6-foot-7, 220-pound frame means he’ll need to be a small forward/wing. Jones believes showing that he can consistently knock down perimeter shots is one of the biggest steps he must make to carve out a long-term role in the NBA.

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2017-18 Pelicans season preview: Frontcourt stats to watch

Want to know how the New Orleans Pelicans are faring this season? Here are some of the key statistics to monitor throughout the 2017-18 regular season among the team’s guards:

Team assists. Unfortunately for the veteran point guard, the official start to his 12th NBA season will be delayed by injury, but in one-plus preseason games, Rondo quickly demonstrated how his vision and pass-first approach can benefit an offense. When he was sidelined – including Friday’s preseason finale, in which the Pelicans mustered just 14 assists on 38 baskets – the team’s ball movement decreased. Among active NBA players, Rondo ranks fifth with 6,075 career assists; New Orleans must hope his mindset and passing emphasis bleeds into the rest of the roster. Alvin Gentry often says that the Pelicans’ goal from night to night is to register 30 assists, which they reached five times last season, scoring 123-plus points in three of those games.

Assist-to-turnover ratio. For a second straight season, Holiday will be shifting between starting at point guard (while Rondo is sidelined) and shooting guard (when Rondo returns). This stat was a fairly accurate barometer of Holiday’s play last season, regardless of which backcourt spot he filled. For example, during New Orleans’ 8-3 stretch in March, Holiday dished out 79 assists and only had 13 turnovers (6.1 ratio). He struggled initially at point guard following the DeMarcus Cousins acquisition, with 49 assists and 35 turnovers (1.4 ratio) over an eight-game span. With Rondo out of action early in the regular season, Holiday and the team’s other guards will need to incorporate Cousins and Anthony Davis as much as possible, while minimizing mistakes with the ball.

Three-point percentage. By nearly every statistical measure, the Purdue product is New Orleans’ most proven threat from beyond the arc, shooting 36.9 percent during his six-year NBA career. Last season, he started slow out of the gate but wound up at 37.0 percent. Perimeter shooting is commonly listed as the Pelicans’ biggest weakness by impartial observers, but if Moore can deliver a stellar season on long-range shots, it could go a long way toward opening up space for the All-Star tandem of Davis and Cousins. Moore likely will begin the season as a starter in place of Rondo.

Minutes. Clark’s role was expected to be larger than what he filled in Golden State last season (14.8 minutes per game) regardless, but with Rondo unavailable early in the season, that will likely expand further. The fifth-year pro noted this summer that he’s eager to potentially show more of what he can do outside the comfort zone of Golden State and being surrounded by a handful of All-Star players. He figures to immediately have that chance, as the team’s most critical early-season backcourt reserve, backing up Holiday and Moore.

Shooting percentage. A career 41.1 percent shooter from the field over five NBA seasons, Crawford made a big jump during his 19 games with the Pelicans last season, at 48.2. He’s shot 31.4 percent overall on three-pointers in the NBA, but connected on 38.9 percent in ’16-17. Can Crawford sustain that excellent efficiency over a much longer stretch of the schedule? If so, he’ll continue to be extremely valuable as an instant-offense sub. The Xavier (Ohio) product scored 15-plus points in fewer than 30 minutes of action seven times last season.

Games played. As the No. 31 pick of the draft, the Duke product is essentially a Pelicans first-round pick. Unfortunately for the teenager – he won’t turn 20 until the middle of the NBA playoffs next spring – his pro debut won’t occur until winter at the earliest due to right foot surgery. Jackson’s timeline to return is 3-4 months following the September surgery, meaning he’ll watch a big chunk of the regular season from the sideline. It’s unclear what his role might be once he’s cleared for basketball activity.

Three-point percentage. The 6-foot-5 wing was a potential draftee in June, but slipped through the two-round event and signed a two-way contract with the Pelicans. Cooke piqued interest from New Orleans partly based on his steady improvement as a shooter throughout his college career, at just 29.8 percent on treys as a sophomore, but 39.9 and 39.8 percent, respectively, during his final two years at Dayton.

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2017-18 Pelicans season preview: Backcourt stats to watch

In the final edition of our three-part series previewing the upcoming NBA season, we examine breakthrough-player predictions and rivalries in the ultra-competitive West:

In your opinion, who is most likely to be the conference’s 2017-18 “breakthrough” player from another team?

Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans.com: I like Denver guard Jamal Murray, who’s in a perfect position to move into a larger role in his second year. He looked like a different player in March and April, including a 30-point eruption vs. New Orleans in which he showed his array of skills (three-point shooting, four dunks, got to the foul line).

Chris Dempsey, Nuggets.com:  I’m going with Utah’s Rodney Hood. He’s flashed good play and has already had some big games in his young career. Now, without the departed Gordon Hayward, I expect him to step up and become a big-time scorer for a team that needs it.

Kyle Ratke, Timberwolves.com: I think we’ll see some great things from Brandon Ingram. We’re all focusing on Lonzo Ball in LA and rightfully so, but I think Ingram will make a huge leap for the Lakers and remind us why he was the No. 2 pick last season.

Casey Holdahl, TrailBlazers.com: You could probably argue he’s already “broken through” to a certain extent, but Devin Booker is going to be a real problem for the next decade. The Suns could very well be the worst team in the West this season, so that probably stunts his Q rating, but the guy is only 20 years old and already a certified bucket-getter.

Tim Roye, Warriors.com: I struggled with this one as the conference added a lot of veterans this offseason. I will go with Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns. He has proven that he can score in the league and has a great toolbox with which to work. This year could be one where he takes the next step and uses that ability to make everyone around him better and bring his team more victories.

From the perspective of fans of the team you cover, which opponents do they consider to be your team’s biggest West rivals?

Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans.com: Some of the rivalries with the Texas teams have cooled in recent years, but the Mavericks and Spurs are still among the most disliked opponents in the Crescent City. At various times, the fan base has also not been very loving toward the Clippers or, more recently, the Warriors.

Chris Dempsey, Nuggets.com: Nuggets fans love to hate the Lakers, so I’ll start there. They also aren’t fond of San Antonio, but I wouldn’t necessarily consider them a huge rival. I’d say those two teams are at the top of the list.

Kyle Ratke, Timberwolves.com: Rivalries are tough to come by in the West if you’re not making the playoffs, but I’d look at the Nuggets. The two teams have had some fun battles over the years and probably more to come, especially between Towns and Jokic.

Casey Holdahl, TrailBlazers.com: Ever since the Sonics… left for Oklahoma City, the Trail Blazers haven’t had a natural rival. You could make a case for the Rockets due to their somewhat frequent meetings in the playoffs or the Lakers due to legacy and the dim view many Oregonians take of Californians in general, but neither comes close to the old I-5 rivalry.

Tim Roye, Warriors.com: In the West, I think Dub Nation feels that the Spurs and the Rockets would be right at the top of the list with a nod to Oklahoma City because of the KD connection. There is always a rivalry between Nor Cal and So Cal teams so the Lakers would be a default rival despite the fact the two teams have not been good at the same time for a couple of decades.

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Western Conference 2017-18 roundtable preview, part 3

In Thursday’s part 1 of our Western Conference roundtable preview, we examined the biggest stories for each team entering this NBA season, as well as the most significant reasons for optimism and concern. Here is the second edition of the three-part preview:

What’s one thing about your team that may have been underreported nationally this summer?

Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans.com: There is a wide gulf between what many national analysts are predicting for this team compared to local excitement and expectations. New Orleans’ annual preseason open practice drew 6,500 fans to the Smoothie King Center, by far the team’s biggest attendance for that event. Pelicans fans have suffered through a rough past two years, but they’re energized by the February arrival of DeMarcus Cousins, as well as the free-agent addition of Rajon Rondo, both well-known names to every basketball fan in the region. While some media predictions have New Orleans finishing as low as 10th in the West, many along the Gulf Coast believe this club can make a major jump in the conference pecking order.

Chris Dempsey, Nuggets.com: I’d say Gary Harris’s improvement year-over-year has been underreported for a while. Last year, his contributions to a Nuggets team that nearly made the playoffs were underappreciated nationally, but had some within the organization pushing for him to be included among the NBA’s most-improved players. Harris shot 50.2 percent from the field, ranked in the top 10 in the league in 3-point percentage at a career-high 42 percent – and averaged career highs in assists and rebounds as well. Added onto his offensive improvements has always been Harris’s ability to be a difference-maker on defense. He continues to be one of the most underrated players in the league.

Kyle Ratke, Timberwolves.com: Obviously everyone and their neighbor Steve has covered all the new signings for the Wolves. But don’t sleep on how much better those signings will make Towns and Wiggins. Butler and Gibson will hold those two responsible defensively on the court, something that will be huge. Both players have the tools to be great defenders. With Thibs at the helm and two great defensive players on the court with them, there are no excuses.

Casey Holdahl, TrailBlazers.com: While nothing major comes to mind – there seems to be more “national media” covering the NBA than locals at this point – I’m not sure people realize just how good CJ McCollum really is. After winning the Most Improved Player award in 2016, the 6-4 guard out of Lehigh was even better last season, and all indications are that he’s poised to take another step forward in the first year of a new four-year, near-max contract. The impact that a healthy Ed Davis, who tried, with little success, to play through a shoulder injury last season, also ranks as a low-key storyline going into this season.

Tim Roye, Warriors.com: I believe it would be the sacrifice that Kevin Durant made with his contract in order to keep the Warriors team intact. I don’t believe that we have seen a player of that magnitude, in the prime of his career, make such a gesture in order to keep teammates close after only playing with them for one season. It’s a testament to the culture that surrounds this team right now.

Not including your team, which Western Conference clubs are you most looking forward to watching play this season (one from your division, one from a different division)?

Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans.com: The Southwest Division is always loaded, considering that Memphis is a perennial playoff team and the Texas franchises have all been title contenders at some point this decade. The Southwest squad I want to see most is Houston, with its new All-Star backcourt duo of Chris Paul and James Harden. I’m also very intrigued by Minnesota, a team many believed would improve greatly last season but was probably still too young. The Wolves had a great offseason. Also on my League Pass favorites list will be Oklahoma City, Denver and both L.A. teams.

Chris Dempsey, Nuggets.com: I’m just going to eliminate Golden State from this because I think they’re an easy target. We all want to see the most entertaining team in the league. So, to give this question a degree of difficulty, aside from them I’ll go with the new-look Oklahoma City Thunder with the Paul George and Carmelo Anthony additions, and Minnesota, which added Jimmy Butler, Jamal Crawford and Jeff Teague. Let’s just be honest, I’m looking forward to seeing pretty much every team in the conference. I think there is a reason to watch them all. It’s a cop out, I know, but I’m a basketball junkie.

Kyle Ratke, Timberwolves.com: From the division, I’m excited to see the Nuggets. They nearly made the playoffs last season and with Paul Millsap joining Nikola Jokic in the frontcourt, these guys will be fun. The only problem is the rest of the West also got better. Outside of the division, I’m really interested to see the dynamic between Chris Paul and James Harden in Houston. It’ll be interesting to see how those two play together.

Casey Holdahl, TrailBlazers.com: The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the more intriguing teams in the NBA after the acquisition of Jimmy Butler. It seems like people have been expecting the Timberwolves to make “the jump” for at least the past two seasons, though such assumptions have proven premature. But in Tom Thibodeau second season, this might actually be the year they return to the playoff race. It’ll also be interesting to see how the combination of James Harden and Chris Paul works in Houston. If everything works out just right, they might have what it takes to force Golden State… into a six-game series.

Tim Roye, Warriors.com: I am curious to see how Chris Paul fits in with the D’Antoni system and with James Harden, so the Rockets are at the top of my list. That backcourt is one that presents a tough matchup with two of the most dominant players in this era. In the Pacific, the Sacramento Kings made some noise with the drafting of De’Aaron Fox, who I think could be really good and combined with their veteran signees make them a story to keep an eye on.

Also not including your team, which Western Conference rookies are you most looking forward to watching play this season (one from your division, one from a different division)?

Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans.com: The crop of Southwest rookies has often been unattractive in recent years, because a few of the teams always pick in the mid- to late-20s, while New Orleans has dealt several of its first-rounders. This season is an exception, however, with No. 9 pick Dennis Smith of Dallas generating legitimate buzz, due to his talent and athletic explosiveness as a point guard. That position was already extremely deep across the league; I’m interested to see how other West lottery picks Lonzo Ball and De’Aaron Fox fare. Ball’s passing and Fox’s quickness should be fun to watch.

Chris Dempsey, Nuggets.com: Easy question for me. I’m most looking forward to seeing L.A. Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball. I watch a ton of college basketball as well, and I live in Pac-12 territory so I was able to see Ball a lot during his one season at UCLA. To me, his game is tailor-made for the NBA. He’ll make his Lakers teammates better, and they’ll quickly get to the up-tempo style of basketball they’ve wanted to play under coach Luke Walton. I am also very interested to see how De’Aaron Fox plays in Sacramento, Dennis Smith in Dallas, and Jayson Tatum with the Celtics.

Kyle Ratke, Timberwolves.com: From the division, Donovan Mitchell intrigues me in Utah. He was an absolute stud and there’s a good chance we look back and wonder why he fell to 13. Outside of the division, I really like Dennis Smith Jr. from Dallas. I think he’ll end up wining Rookie of the Year and could be the next wave of talent in Life After Dirk.

Casey Holdahl, TrailBlazers.com: Utah guard Donovan Mitchell has been considered by many to be one of the most NBA-ready prospects out of the 2017 draft. With Dante Exum potentially sidelined with a shoulder injury, Mitchell should have an opportunity to make a push for playing time early. Dennis Smith Jr. and Kyle Kuzma also qualify as intriguing prospects. I’m curious if Smith can live up to the hype and whether there’s a reason Kuzma didn’t go at least 10 spots higher.

Tim Roye, Warriors.com: I want to see how Dennis Smith makes the transition to the NBA while playing for Coach Carlisle in Dallas, as I was impressed by him in summer league. He showed poise, which is great for a point guard. Josh Jackson of Phoenix is a dynamic talent and he seems to fill a need for the young Suns. Josh went to high school in Napa so I am familiar with him and will monitor his progress this season.

western-conference-2017-18-roundtable-preview-part-2

Western Conference 2017-18 roundtable preview, part 2

With tip-off of the NBA regular season rapidly approaching, Pelicans.com gathered a handful of writers from some of the Western Conference’s most intriguing teams to preview the 2017-18 campaign.

Here is Part 1 of a three-part series with writers from Denver, Minnesota, Portland and Golden State joining New Orleans for a look ahead at what’s to come in the ultra-competitive West:

In terms of the team you cover, what is the biggest story to watch this season?

Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans.com: After two straight non-playoff years, few NBA teams are entering 2017-18 with as much urgency to win now as New Orleans. Dating back to the summer, that’s been a common theme of discussion for Pelicans players, with Anthony Davis saying, “We’re tired of losing. The entire organization – players, front office, coaches – we think the time is now. So we’re treating this like this is the season.” The top of the roster is extremely talented, with Davis joining three other recent All-Stars in the starting lineup (though Rajon Rondo will miss the initial stages of the regular season). Now it’s time to deliver tangible results on the court.

Chris Dempsey, Nuggets.com: The biggest story for the Nuggets is a two-fold issue: How much better does the team’s prized free agent acquisition, Paul Millsap, make the Nuggets? And how well – and quickly – will he mesh with burgeoning star Nikola Jokic? The Nuggets were in need of veteran star power, and a player that can help positively impact the defensive end of the court, and Millsap is expected to be both. The former Atlanta Hawks forward ingratiated himself quickly to the team by holding an August minicamp at his gym in Atlanta and then playing well right out of the gate in the preseason.

Kyle Ratke, Timberwolves.com: Whether or not the Wolves can make the postseason for the first time since 2003-04. This roster is extremely talented. Had the Wolves done nothing this offseason, they might have made a run into the postseason. But with the additions of Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Jeff Teague and Jamal Crawford to join Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, 2017-18 looks like it’ll be the year the Wolves finally get back. Of course, on paper, that’s easy to say. But early in preseason, this group already looked pretty comfortable together.

Casey Holdahl, TrailBlazers.com: How the team looks with Jusuf Nurkić for a full season. Portland went 14-6 after acquiring the 7-0 Bosnian center, along with a first-round pick, prior to the 2017 trade deadline, which helped the team secure their fourth-straight playoff berth before a non-displaced tibial fracture in his right leg ended his season prematurely. The question heading into the 2017-18 season is whether the start to his career in Portland was a harbinger of things to come or a post-trade anomaly. His play in the preseason would seem to indicate the former, though.

Tim Roye, Warriors.com: How the Warriors respond to the challenges of the improved teams of the West while at the same time handling the physical and emotional fatigue of three straight years in the Finals. It’s a great problem to have but only a handful of teams have played in the Finals four straight years for a reason. The amount of pressure to repeat will be formidable and that could be a factor as well.

What are the biggest reasons to be optimistic about your team’s chances this season?

Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans.com: You can argue – and many have this offseason – that New Orleans boasts the NBA’s most talented players at both the power forward and center positions, in the duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. With a combined seven All-Star appearances over the past four years, the pair of 6-foot-11 bigs have the ability to overwhelm opposing frontcourts when they’re clicking. They only got to play 17 games together last season after Cousins was traded to New Orleans, but gradually improved as a combination and carried over that progress into this preseason.

Chris Dempsey, Nuggets.com: The Nuggets enter this season as a team on the rise. Coach Michael Malone’s team improved its win total by seven games last season, going from 33 to 40 and finishing just one game out of the Western Conference playoffs. The Nuggets have a star in the making in center Nikola Jokic, they have a proven productive veteran in Paul Millsap, and they have some of the better young players in the league in guards Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Juancho Hernangomez and a rejuvenated Emmanuel Mudiay. There also continues to be quality depth on the roster at multiple positions.

Kyle Ratke, Timberwolves.com: Depth and defense. Most are going to just look at Butler, Towns and Wiggins. That’s fine, but the Wolves bolstered their bench this offseason. When you have Crawford, Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng all coming off the bench, that’s pretty dangerous. And defensively, adding Butler and Gibson to the starting lineup should help immensely. It would be a huge surprise if the Wolves defense didn’t take a huge step forward. You can bet that’s what Tom Thibodeau is expecting.

Casey Holdahl, TrailBlazers.com: Again, it’s Jusuf Nurkić. After the All-Star break last season, the Trail Blazers rattled off the second-best record, were fifth in offensive efficiency and 10th in defensive efficiency, with much of that improvement attributable to the fourth-year center. Other causes for optimism include Evan Turner being more comfortable in Portland in his second season and the play of rookie forward Caleb Swanigan.

Tim Roye, Warriors.com: Obviously, the fact that you have four All-Stars as your core coupled with a coach, in Steve Kerr, who has the unique ability of setting the perfect tone for this team lends one to be optimistic. Golden State has 207 wins over the last three seasons and I believe they are one of the best teams of all time. Every season is about staying healthy and responding to the adversity that arrives over 82 games. If the Warriors are healthy, they can play with anyone.

What is the biggest concern for your team entering the season?

Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans.com: If everything falls into place, New Orleans will have decent depth, but may need several reserves to step into bigger roles than they’ve ever had before. Guard Ian Clark, second-year forward Cheick Diallo and returning-to-the-NBA forward Darius Miller are examples of players who may need to come through for a second unit that doesn’t have much veteran experience beyond E’Twaun Moore and Tony Allen. In addition, small forward bears watching, with starter Solomon Hill sidelined until perhaps February due to a hamstring injury. Dante Cunningham is one option to fill in for Hill; he’s done a serviceable job in that role, despite being more of a natural power forward.  

Chris Dempsey, Nuggets.com: There are two concerns for the Nuggets heading into this season. First, is improving on the defensive end. They allowed 111.2 points per game last season, which was fourth-most in the NBA; and opponents shot 47.7 percent against them, which was second-highest in the NBA. So, there is work to be done. Also, the Nuggets will look to reduced turnovers per game and the points they allow off of those turnovers. Improvements in those areas – with everything else staying the same from last year – will give the Nuggets a real chance to vault themselves among the best in the conference.

Kyle Ratke, Timberwolves.com: I think the start of the season will be a huge test for these guys. With only three preseason games, there’s a concern on how they’ll mesh early. This team has three new players in their lineup. That’s extremely rare. But the plus is that two of them have played for Thibs before. Some of the guys told me that sacrificing isn’t something they’ve talked about. It’s just come natural. We’ll see if that’s the case in the first few weeks of the season.

Casey Holdahl, TrailBlazers.com: In a word: defense. The Trail Blazers have boasted one of the most efficient offenses in the NBA during Terry Stotts’ tenure in Portland, and have shown flashes at times of being at least an average defensive team. But those flashes have been just that, resulting in Portland ranking near the bottom of the league in defensive efficiency for much of last season. To qualify for the playoffs again this year, they’ll need to be improved on that side of the ball from the jump.

Tim Roye, Warriors.com: The biggest concern is always health and the new schedule will eliminate the need to rest multiple players on a single night, so that will help. As I mentioned in the question about biggest story, I believe fatigue on and off the floor is something that the Warriors are concerned with and will monitor during the season. There is also the stress of being the team that everyone is gunning for.

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Western Conference 2017-18 roundtable preview, part 1

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