Saturday Slam: What will Damian Lillard bring to the Milwaukee Bucks?

                                             (Credit: Mark J. Terrill/AP) 

The biggest off-season trade in the NBA was definitely the three-way deal between the Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers, and Phoenix Suns that sent Damian Lillard to Milwaukee. After spending 11 seasons with the Trail Blazers, it's a new chapter for Lillard's career. The Bucks won the NBA championship in 2021 and are hoping by adding Lillard into the fold they'll be able to get back on top. Lillard in turn is looking for his first NBA championship ring after years of coming up short in Rip City. 

As far as what he'll bring to the Bucks, Lillard will bring a reliable scoring punch that takes some pressure off of star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis averaged 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game last season while Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. By having a second 30+ points per game guy, that will help Giannis not feel like he has to do as much and also allow him to focus on being a real force inside with Lillard being more of a perimeter threat. 

Lillard will not just take pressure off Giannis on the day-to-day scoring, but he'll also be a guy who they can go to in crunch time. While Giannis is great in the clutch, Lillard is one of the most clutch players the NBA has ever seen. Especially from 3-point range. If the Bucks are down by two with 24 seconds left and the ball, Lillard will become a great option to either take the game-winning shot or run some pick and roll action with Giannis. His presence on the floor should open things up a lot in that regard. 

The real key for the Bucks will be to make sure they keep Lillard healthy. He hasn't played 70+ games in a season since 2018-19 and actually, the same is true for Antetokounmpo. He too hasn't played 70+ games since 2018-19. If they are able to stay healthy and be in prime shape come the playoffs, they're going to be really difficult to stop. They should be the odds on favorite to come out of the East and possibly dethrone the Denver Nuggets, who I have as the favorites to come out of the West. 

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Saturday Slam: Can the Portland Trail Blazers withstand Damian Lillard's absence?

 

                                             (Credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) 

Earlier this week, Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard underwent abdominal surgery. The team announced that he will be re-evaluated in six weeks, though he could be out as long as eight weeks or even longer. After averaging 30.0 points per game in the 2019-20 season and 28.8 points per game in the 2020-21 season, Lillard has regressed a bit this year in his production, averaging 24.0 points per game. The last season he averaged fewer than 25 points per game was his third season in the NBA (21.0 points per game), so for his standards this is quite a drop off. 

If you are the Blazers, you have to hope that by undergoing this surgery, that'll help Lillard get back to his old self where he was averaging 28+ points a night. Lillard hasn't felt healthy all season long. It's clear that his production has suffered. 

While this surgery is good for Lillard and the Blazers long-term, this does hurt them in the short-term. They are 10th place in the Western Conference standings right now at 17-25, just .5 game up on Sacramento. With Lillard out, it does look unlikely that they'll hang onto the 10 seed, which means that when he comes back (assuming he does come back this season), they're likely going to be on the outside looking in of the Western Conference play-in tournament. 

If the Trail Blazers are to have any hope of making the play-in tournament and making a run in the playoffs, they're going to need shooting guard C.J. McCollum (20.6 points) and swingman Norman Powell (18.6 points) to really step up. If those guys can get going and pick up the slack, it's possible the Trail Blazers hang around and don't fall too far in the standings. 

Speaking of McCollum, he is expected to be back Monday against the Magic per Shams Charania of The Athletic after being out with a collapsed lung that he suffered on December 4th against the Celtics. So that's one piece of good news for the Trail Blazers. 

Ultimately, it'll be interesting to see how the Trail Blazers look without Lillard and whether or not they'll be able to stay afloat. He's by far their most important piece and when he's not on the floor, they're nowhere near the type of team that they know they are capable of being. Going on without him will be an uphill battle, but it's the cards they've been dealt. They have no choice but to solider on as best they can. 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Can the Portland Trail Blazers reach the NBA Finals?

 

 

                                         (Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports) 

 

Earlier today, the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 134-131 behind 61 points from Damian Lillard, tying a career-high (Click here to watch the highlights). With the victory, the Trail Blazers are now 34-39, moving up to 8th place in the Western Conference standings. Should they win out, they will guarantee themselves a spot in the play in series to determine the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs. The still-undefeated-in-the-bubble Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies are both .5 games back at 33-39. 

 

Last week on Inside the NBA, Charles Barkley boldly predicted that if the Trail Blazers make the playoffs, they'll upset the Lakers and reach the NBA Finals. While a lot of Sir Charles' predictions get made fun of, he could be right about the Trail Blazers. Given the lack of home court advantage in the Orlando bubble, the odds of upsets in the playoffs go up by a lot. A major reason for why we don't see more upsets in the NBA playoffs is home court advantage. Winning on the road in the NBA is not easy and in the playoffs, being at home is a huge help to a team's chances of winning. They get more calls, the crowd gets them going, etc. It's the nature of the NBA. 

With home court advantage not being in effect this year, we should see an NBA playoffs format that much more closely mirrors the NCAA Tournament. In the NCAA Tournament, we see a lot of teams win with their guard play. A guard gets hot and explodes for a lot of points. We've seen this with Jimmer Fredette, Stephen Curry, and many other guards. In the NBA, Damian Lillard is capable of doing just that. And not only do the Trail Blazers have Lillard. They also have a very talented shooting guard alongside Lillard in CJ McCollum. While Lillard is averaging 29.3 points per game, McCollum isn't far off, averaging 22.4 points per game. That is a really nice scoring punch in the backcourt! 

In addition to an explosive backcourt, the Trail Blazers also have a terrific frontcourt anchored by Hassan Whiteside (15.6 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks) and Jusuf Nurkic (18.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks). As an added bonus, the Trail Blazers also have Carmelo Anthony popping in 15.4 points per game. When you look at this Trail Blazers team, it is clear that they have a lot going for them. They got terrific guards, a terrific set of big men, and a seasoned veteran who can give them an extra scoring punch. 

 

Now, as for whether or not they can come out of the West, the odds are still not in their favor. They still need to take care of business in the rest of their regular season and hang on to win the play in tournament. But if they can do that and get to a first round match up with the Lakers, I don't see why they can't go the distance. They're getting hot at the right time and seem to really believe they can shock the world. It will be fun to see if they are able to prove Barkley right. 

 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: The Trail Blazers are securing their future

                                         (Credit: John Leyba/The AP) 

Earlier today, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that the Portland Trail Blazers have inked their star shooting guard C.J. McCollum to a three-year, $100M extension, giving him a five-year, $157M contract that keeps him in Portland through the 2023-24 season. This extension comes after Damian Lillard's five-year, $196M max extension, which keeps him in Portland through the 2024-25 season. By inking both of their star guards to long-term contract extensions, the Trail Blazers are securing their future.

This past season, the Trail Blazers made an impressive run to the Western Conference Finals before getting swept by the Golden State Warriors. Had Jusuf Nurkic been available, that series may have been pretty competitive. I'm not saying the Trail Blazers would have won, but instead of it being a sweep, it could have been a series that went six or seven games.

With the Warriors' dynasty appearing to be on the brink of extinction due to the departure of Kevin Durant and the torn ACL of Klay Thompson, the Western Conference is wide open, giving a team like the Trail Blazers a unique opportunity to make a run to the NBA Finals. These windows don't last long and the Trail Blazers know it, thus their efforts to secure McCollum and Lillard.

I'm still undecided of as to who I think comes out of the Western Conference next season. The Clippers are the easy choice after landing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, but first year experiments don't always work out. I think it's possible the Clippers don't do as well as everyone expects. If they fall short of expectations, then it really is anyone's game. Including the Trail Blazers.

The bottom line is the Trail Blazers are giving themselves a shot to win a championship by securing one of the most electrifying backcourts the NBA has ever seen. Together, C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard can take this Trail Blazers team to the promised land. Especially as their front office continues to put quality pieces around them.

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Saturday Slam: Can the Denver Nuggets recover from Friday?

                                         (Credit: AP-Craig Mitchelldyer) 

On Friday, the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Denver Nuggets 140-137 in an epic quadruple-overtime thriller to go up 2-1. It was the second quadruple-overtime game in NBA playoff history and the first since 1953. While it was an absolutely surreal win for the Trail Blazers, it was an equally stinging loss for the Nuggets, who despite battling valiantly found themselves on the short end of the stick.

History tells us that the Trail Blazers will build on this emotional win and carry that into Sunday, likely resulting in a 3-1 series lead. It's very tough for teams in the Nuggets' position to shift things back in their favor. When you lose a game like they did on Friday, it's very hard to put it behind you and focus on the next game.

That all said, I'm not here to write about why the Nuggets are toast or why this series is over. It's not. I'm actually here to write about the exact opposite. Why the Nuggets can still win this series.

First off, I felt like there were good odds of this series going seven games when it began. Both teams are pretty evenly matched and while the Trail Blazers have more playoff experience than the Nuggets, it's not like they've been making deep runs over the years. They've typically been a team that maybe wins a series before getting eliminated in the second round, so for both teams, a trip to the Western Conference Finals would be entering uncharted territory.

Secondly, as good as the Trail Blazers played on Friday, the Nuggets were right there with them. Nikola Jokic, Paul Millsap, and Jamal Murray have all shown that they're ready to shine on the big stage. They're not afraid to take big shots and have done an admirable job of leading their team. They seem like a pretty resilient bunch that is more than capable of bouncing back from a tough loss.

Third, all the Nuggets need is one win in Portland to reclaim home court. With how this series has gone, it's hard to see the Trail Blazers winning all three games at home to close this series out in six games. The law of averages seems to be on the Nuggets' side that if you give them three games in Portland, they're bound to get at least one win. If the Nuggets are able to reclaim home court advantage and force a game seven in Denver, I think odds are good they'll win.

As much as momentum is in favor of the Trail Blazers right now, it would be foolish to rule out this Nuggets team. They're too talented to discount and it wouldn't be surprising at all for them to win on Sunday to tie things up 2-2 or even win a game six in Portland to force a game seven. This series still projects to have more twists and turns, giving the Nuggets ample opportunity to reach the Western Conference Finals.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Damian Lillard is one bad man

                                          (Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports)

When talking about the best players in the NBA, I feel like Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard doesn't get enough respect and tonight's ridiculous game winner to send the Oklahoma City Thunder packing is a prime example.




What makes Lillard so special isn't just his scoring ability (50 points tonight!) or his ability to rebound and facilitate (7 rebounds and 6 assists). It's his willingness to take big shots and own the moment. Few players have that "it factor" or whatever you want to call "it." Whatever "it" is, he's got it.

He's a gamer. He's an assassin. He's a cold-blooded killer. He's a dream crusher. He's a 2-star recruit out of high school turned NBA All-Star. He's an Oakland native that got over-looked by his hometown school (Cal) and ended up playing at Weber State in Ogden, Utah. As I say in the title of this piece, he is one bad man. There is so much to like about this guy, which is why it's so easy to root for him.

It's impossible to overhype just how amazing Lillard's performance was tonight: 50 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists is just nuts. He did it all and closed the game in storybook fashion. Regardless of how far the Trail Blazers go, this moment will live on for a very long time.

As for what the Trail Blazers can do in the next round, I have to like their chances to reach the Western Conference Finals. Regardless of whether it's the Nuggets or the Spurs that they face, they should feel confident knowing they have one of the most clutch players in the game on their side.

#TrailBlazers 118 #Thunder 115: Final. Trail Blazers PG Damian Lillard finished with 50 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Trail Blazers win series 4-1. #NBA #NBAPlayoffs

— NBA Lord (@nba_lord) April 24, 2019

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Tomahawk Tuesday: The Portland Trail Blazers are hanging tough

Every time people give up on the Portland Trail Blazers, it feels like they find a way to prove their doubters wrong. The Trail Blazers are currently 5th place in the Western Conference and have won three straight games over the Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder. What makes their success even more impressive is the fact that they've been doing this without a healthy Damian Lillard, who has played in just two of their last nine games due to a calf strain. During this time, CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic have done a really nice job of carrying the load and keeping the ship afloat.

McCollum continues to show why he's one of the best shooting guards in the NBA, averaging 21.3 points per game on 44.2% shooting from the field, 41.9% shooting from 3-point range, and 86.7% shooting from the foul line. Nurkic likewise continues to show why he's one of the top big men in the NBA, averaging 14.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

With a healthy Damian Lillard, the Trail Blazers have a very nice trio that gives them a very balanced scoring attack. Lillard provides them with an elite slashing guard that can facilitate and set the table for others, McCollum provides them with a lights out shooter, and Nurkic gives them a sound presence down on the block. Such a combination is very tricky to stop in today's NBA.

The only knock on this team is that they don't have a ton of depth. Once you get outside of those three guys, there's not much else to get really excited about. If they want to get to the next level and make a serious push for the Western Conference Finals, they need to add at least one more piece and give themselves a little bit better depth across the board. As good as they are, there is a limit to what they can presently accomplish.

That said, this team has been very impressive this season. They're a competitive presence in the Western Conference and have the pieces to perhaps win a playoff series. If they can make a surprise move before the trade deadline, perhaps they can exceed their current limits.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Don't sleep on the Portland Trail Blazers

Last season, the Portland Trail Blazers traded Mason Plumlee to the Denver Nuggets for Jusuf Nurkic and unfortunately were not able to reap the immediate benefits of the move due to Nurkic suffering a non-displaced right leg fibular fracture at the end of the season. During the 20 games that he played in a Trail Blazers uniform, Nurkic averaged 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game, making an immediate impact and helping the team lock up the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

With a healthy Nurkic, the Blazers finally have a quality low post player to pair with their dynamic backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. The real question is how good will this Blazers team be if they are able to keep their core trio healthy? While it's somewhat a tricky question to answer given all the moves made during the offseason, I think it's safe to say that this Blazers team has all the pieces to get back to the playoffs and possibly win a series pending on who they draw in the first round.

The real think to keep an eye on is what the Blazers do with the excess of power forwards that they have to pair with Nurkic. Ed Davis, Jake Layman, Meyers Leonard, Caleb Swanigan, and Zach Collins can all play the power forward position and it is unclear which of those guys will get the bulk of the minutes alongside Nurkic. There are good odds that the Blazers will trade one of those guys for a quality backup point guard to give their roster a bit more balance. Which one gets shipped is what remains to be seen.

Probably the other main thing to look for with this Blazers team is how ready they are mentally to take that next step. They've been hanging around for the past couple of seasons but have not yet found a way to really give a contender a scare. Lillard and McCollum are at a point of their careers where they should start to make some serious noise in the playoffs. While the addition of Nurkic is huge, it is still up to those two guys to carry the load for this team and take them to that next level where they can actually threaten to reach the conference finals.

Overall, the pieces for success appear to be in place in Portland. They have a fantastic back court and a big man to give them scoring and interior defense down low. They just have to find a way to balance out their roster a bit and build on the success that they had towards the end of last season. While I'm not yet ready to make a prediction on how deep this team goes, I am ready to say that this is a team that deserves our respect and attention as we head in to the 2017-18 season.

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Saturday Slam: Will anyone ever pass Michael Jordan as the greatest ever?

                                       

Earlier this week, Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard weighed in on the debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, stating that even if someone is greater than Jordan, nobody will be able to admit it.

I don't think ppl will ever be able to admit someone is better than Jordan even if they are lol... https://t.co/DiLT7BLHd5

— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) August 30, 2017

Lillard is tapping into something very profound here. Not only is Jordan the undisputed greatest player of all time, it's also pretty much undisputed that nobody will ever be better than him. Think of that. Nobody will ever be better than Jordan? Can we really say that with certainty?

Let me first say that I do believe Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all-time. He's 6-0 in the NBA Finals, #1 all-time in points per game (30.3), #4 all-time in steals per game (2.3), and was an All-Star in each and every season that he played in the NBA with the exception of the 1994-95 season in which he came back after the All-Star break.

With that as a disclaimer, let's get back to the question at hand: Is it really fair to automatically disqualify a player from the conversation of greatest of all-time before he finishes his career? Can't we at least wait until LeBron or anyone else's career is over before we compare them to Jordan or anyone else?

This certainly seems like a reasonable position to have. I mean, it's certainly not impossible for someone to be better than Jordan by virtue of the fact that we haven't yet seen it. Before Jordan came along, Magic Johnson was viewed as the greatest of all-time and before him there was Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, etc. Every legend has been surpassed by someone and to say that can't happen to Jordan, on its face, is ludicrous.

I think that while Jordan is the greatest of all-time, it needs to be understood that LeBron on paper is the better player. He's bigger, stronger, more athletic, and can do more things on the floor. LeBron is a 6'8", 250 pound point guard, something that Jordan wasn't.

Now of course, you can flip this the other way and say that Jordan had a better scoring instinct, was more clutch, and was the guy who you'd rather have on your team with the game on the line. This is all true. But, if we are just talking about who has a better combination of size, speed, athleticism, and skill, LeBron takes the cake.

So, if LeBron is better in these seemingly crucial categories, why should we rule him out from the conversation for greatest ever? The answer is we shouldn't. LeBron still has more years left in him and if he wins a couple of more titles, he could make things interesting.

The problem is that Jordan's career was just so picture perfect. While it's not hard to fathom someone having more physical gifts and skills than him, it's hard to imagine someone replicating Jordan's 6-0 NBA Finals record and impact on the sports world.

In other words, I'm not sure there will ever be another person "Like Mike" and therein lies the hidden truth that Lillard is getting at. Michael Jordan is an athlete that comes around once. We need to stop looking for "the next Michael Jordan" because there's only one Michael Jordan. Nobody else will ever be him. Others may accomplish great things, but the odds of someone retiring with the same level of gravitas and respect as his Royal Airness are next to none.

If you want to really have a debate, it's whether or not Michael Jordan is the greatest athlete of all-time. He's the greatest basketball player of all-time and for the reasons listed above, it's hard to think of anyone duplicating his level of success on the hardwood. But, when it comes to comparing him to athletes across other sports, that's where it gets interesting. Is he as great as Joe Montana who went 4-0 in the Super Bowl while throwing 11 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions? Is he as great as Roger Federer who is still winning grand slams into his late 30s? Is he as great as Tiger Woods, who dominated golf as much as he dominated basketball?

There's other athletes that you could mention as well, but those are three examples that spring to mind. You could have a fun debate about who the greatest athlete of all-time is and argue a compelling case for any of the guys I just mentioned.

But as far as basketball is concerned, I just don't see anyone surpassing Michael Jordan for the greatest ever. That isn't to say we should rule out everyone that comes after him by default, but right now, I have a hard time believing anyone will retire with a resume of the same weight.

Now, Lillard is making a slightly different point, which is that even if someone is better than Jordan, nobody will want to admit it. While this is certainly true right now, that may not be true in the future. We know greatness when we see it and could tell that Jordan was the greatest when he was on the floor. If someone comes along who accomplishes more than him and dominates the game to the same degree, I don't think people will be afraid to say someone has passed Jordan.

The reality is that as of right now, Jordan is the greatest player of all-time and no player up until this point has passed him. Not Kobe, not Shaq, and not even LeBron. In a way, Lillard makes a point that can't be proven right now. If we haven't seen a player greater than Jordan can we really say we won't call a player greater than Jordan if he is in fact greater?

While I do think that it's highly unlikely anyone duplicates Michael Jordan's level of success, I do think that if someone were to do so, we would give that person his credit. If someone goes 7-0 in the NBA Finals, finishes #1 all-time in points per game,  and wows us to the same degree as Jordan, that person will supplant him as the greatest of all-time. It's just that as of right now, that person doesn't exist and we don't know if that person will ever exist.

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Western Conference Playoffs Preview: Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers

In the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, the #1 seeded Golden State Warriors (67-15) will take on the #8 seeded Portland Trail Blazers (41-41). The Warriors won the regular season series 4-0. Game 1 will be played on Sunday at 3:30 PM EST  on ABC in Golden State.

It's nearly impossible to argue a case for how the Portland Trail Blazers can win this series. They are sitting right on the .500 mark and barely made the playoffs, edging the 40-42 Denver Nuggets by one game. The Warriors on the other hand have the top record in the NBA and are one a mission to win another NBA championship. They are determined to prove that the addition of Kevin Durant was worth it, wanting to move on from this series as quickly as possible.

What the Trail Blazers do have going for them is they have Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum in the backcourt. Lillard is averaging 27.0 points and 5.9 assists per game on 44.4% shooting from the field, 37.0% shooting from three-point range, and 89.5% shooting from the foul line. As for McCollum, he's averaging 23.0 points per game on 48.0% shooting from the field, 42.0% shooting from three-point range, and 91.2% shooting from the foul line. Both guys are elite scorers and shoot the ball very well from all ranges on the floor. If those guys get hot, they have the chance to beat anybody on any given night.

The problem is that it's hard to win four games that way. The Trail Blazers will need others to step up in order to give the Warriors any sort of a scare. If there's one guy who could actually do this, it's Jusuf Nurkic, who may or not be available to play due to a right leg fibular fracture that he is recovering from. If Nurkic is able to go and be productive, that will be huge since he gives the Trail Blazers a third scoring option (15.2 points) and a big body down low (10.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks). In addition to Nurkic, the Trail Blazers need guys like Allen Crabbe, Maurice Harkless, and others to step up and produce to take some pressure off of Lillard and McCollum. If the Trail Blazers turn into the Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum show, this series will be over quick.

The Trail Blazers can't rely on Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to carry them because the Warriors are simply too loaded. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson combine for nearly 73 points per game and are all capable of getting hot from beyond the arc. In addition to their offensive potency, the Warriors are playing elite level defense thanks to Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, and Kevin Durant, who is averaging a career high and team high 1.6 blocks per game. The Warriors are simply the more talented team in this series and they should be able to put the clamps on both Lillard and McCollum on the perimeter.

My prediction for this series is the Warriors win in five games. The Portland Trail Blazers will win a game in Portland. They have a good home crowd and have the pieces to defend their home floor for one night. Once it shifts back to the Bay Area for a Game 5, the Warriors will win in a blowout and close out the series. The Warriors will simply prove to be too much for the Trail Blazers to handle. It's that simple.





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Skyhook Sunday: The Portland Trail Blazers are locking down the 8 spot out West

For much of the season, the race for the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs has consisted of a bunch of mediocre teams stumbling in the dark and tripping over each other with no one being competent enough to separate themselves from the rest of the competition. Finally, after five months of this stumbling and tripping, we have ourselves a team that is finally pulling away from everyone else. That team is the Portland Trail Blazers, who have won 9 of their last 10 games (6 straight) and are finally at the .500 mark at 38-38. With six games left and two full games up on the 36-40 Denver Nuggets, it looks like the Trail Blazers are going to secure the 8th seed and give themselves a chance to take on the top-seeded Golden State Warriors.

A big part of the Trail Blazers' late season surge has been the magnificent play of Damian Lillard, who has put up 30+ points in 6 of his last 10 games. Lillard dropped 36 points at San Antonio and 49 at Miami, both of which were crucial road wins. Lillard is playing like a guy who feels he should have played in the All-Star Game and is really doing all he can to lead his team into the playoffs.

Of course, the major question in all of this is does this all really matter? I mean, the Warriors are going to breeze through the first round of the playoffs regardless of who they face, right? Without giving away my impending Warriors-Trail Blazers playoff preview, what I will say is that anytime you have a guy like Damian Lillard on your team, you got a shot to do some damage. The NBA is a star driven league and teams with guys like Damian Lillard always have a shot to make some noise in the playoffs.

What helps Damian Lillard is that he has a fantastic backcourt mate in C.J. McCollum, who is averaging 23.3 points per game. Together, these two guys are capable of making life hell for any team. Especially when they are playing up in Portland.

At this point, all I can say about the Portland Trail Blazers is that they have certainly earned the 8th seed in the Western Conference. While they are yet to officially clinch it, all signs point to them doing so. They're on quite a roll and Damian Lillard is playing like a man on a mission. It will certainly be interesting to see what will happen in Game 1 of a Warriors-Trail Blazers series should things continue to go as expected.

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Western Conference Playoffs Preview: Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers

     At 3:30 PM EST on ABC, the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers will begin the other second round series in the Western Conference. The Warriors come into this series having disposed of the Houston Rockets in five games while the Trail Blazers took care of the Los Angeles Clippers in six. It was expected that the Warriors make quick work of the Rockets, but it was not expected that the Trail Blazers would get past the Clippers. The Trail Blazers heavily benefited from Chris Paul and Blake Griffin both going down for the series and to their credit, they capitalized.

     In this series, the Trail Blazers may have caught another break in not having to deal with Stephen Curry right away. Curry went down in the Warriors' series against the Rockets with a sprained right knee and it is unclear when he'll be able to return. If the Portland Trail Blazers want any chance at upsetting the defending champions, they have to take advantage of Stephen Curry's absence early on in this series. The best way for them to do that will be through their potent back court composed of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. If both of those guys can go off for 25+ points each in this series, the Trail Blazers will have a chance to pull off the upset.

     However, even without Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors are still the better team. With Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, and Andrew Bogut healthy, the Warriors have enough weapons to put away the Trail Blazers in five games. Stephen Curry really should not be needed until the Western Conference Finals. Make no mistake, the absence of Stephen Curry gives the Trail Blazers some daylight, but not enough daylight to make them the favorites in this series.

     If there is anything that the Portland Trail Blazers should do to give themselves a chance at winning this series, it is to get big production from C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard while also getting some help from their role players. If guys like Allen Crabbe can score in double figures and get going a bit, that will really help improve the Trail Blazers' chances of winning this series.

     As far as the Warriors are concerned, they need to overwhelm the Trail Blazers with all of their weapons and continue to play defense at a high level. The Warriors should still be able to play elite defense without Stephen Curry on the floor, which should in turn force a lot of turnovers and help them get out in transition, which is where they thrive. If the Warriors are able to use their defense as a catalyst to getting multiple guys going like Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, this series will be over quick.

     Ultimately, I have the Warriors winning this series in five games even with Stephen Curry out for an indefinite period of time. I respect the Portland Trail Blazers a lot for coming as far as they have on the heels of losing LaMarcus Aldridge to the Spurs. Terry Stotts deserved serious consideration for winning Coach of the Year for the way he has gotten his team to play in the face of everyone thinking they'd miss the playoffs. But, at the end of the day, I cannot pick against the defending champs in this series. They have too many weapons even without Stephen Curry and should this series get tight, odds are good Stephen Curry will find a way to play.

Western Conference Playoffs Preview: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers

             

     

                       (4) Los Angeles Clippers (53-29) vs. (5) Portland Trail Blazers (44-38) 

     The Los Angeles Clippers come into this series having won 10 of their last 12 games. The Clippers are certainly getting hot at the right time and giving some people like Charles Barkley hope that there may be more than just two contenders in the Western Conference. As for the Portland Trail Blazers, nobody expected them to make the playoffs when the season began, so just by being here they should be feeling good about themselves. 

     When looking at these two teams, the biggest thing that stands out is how much deeper the Clippers are. The Trail Blazers rely on Damian Lillard (25.1 PPG) and C.J. McCollum (20.8 PPG) to do all of the heavy lifting and everybody else to chip in where they can. As for the Clippers, they have Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, J.J. Redick, and Jamal Crawford to share the load. Plus, they also have added Jeff Green into the fold, which makes them even deeper. Unless Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum both have a monster series the Clippers should win this series with ease. 

     For the Trail Blazers, the key to this series is to get other guys going so as to take the pressure off of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. The problem is that nobody else on their team can be relied upon to step up in the way that they need them to. Allen Crabbe is good for 9-10 points per game, but you can't expect him to give you 15 points per game in a series. The same goes for Al-Farouq Aminu. After those two guys, it starts to get really thin for the Trail Blazers. They just don't have enough firepower.  

      If the Clippers want this to be a quick series, they'll need to use their depth and versatility to the best of their advantage.  They have so many more weapons than the Trail Blazers and the Trail Blazers know it. If Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan are holding their own down low and if J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford are stroking it from the perimeter with Chris Paul dishing dimes, this series is over. The only hope the Trail Blazers have of winning this series is for Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to have huge games and for everyone on the Clippers to be play below average. The odds of that happening are low, which is why I don't have the Trail Blazers winning this series. 

     In the end, I have the Clippers winning this series rather decisively in five games. The Trail Blazers have had a great season just by getting to this point, whereas the Clippers are supposed to be here. I have tremendous respect for Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, but they simply don't have enough pieces around them to upset a Clippers team that is vastly superior. I hope I'm wrong because most of these first round series' appear to be pretty one-sided. If this series is also a blowout in favor of the higher seed, this could go down as one of the most boring first rounds ever.  

Daily Dunks: 7/20-7/26

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

     Here is my Daily Dunks page for July 20, 2015 through July 26, 2015. Throughout the week this page will be updated with news from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Celtics have signed second round pick forward Jordan Mickey (Click here for details).

#2. The Ty Lawson trade to the Rockets became official (Click here for details).

#3. The Nuggets waived guard  Pablo Prigioni, whom they acquired from the Rockets in the Ty Lawson deal (Click here for details).

#4. The Pistons signed second round pick guard  Darrun Hilliard (Click here for details).

#5. The Spurs officially re-signed guard Manu Ginobili (Click here for details).

#6. The Pistons officially signed Reggie Jackson to his extension (Click here for details).

#7. The Pistons officially re-signed center Joel Anthony (Click here for details).

#8. The Pelicans officially re-signed forward Luke Babbitt (Click here for details).

#9. The Nets made a bunch of promotions in their basketball operations department (Click here for details).

#10. Shaquille O'Neal and Scottie Pippen got into a fight on Instagram (Click here for details).

#11.  Forward John Jenkins signed a three-year deal with the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#12. Forward Quincy Acy re-signed with the Kings on a two-year deal that includes a player option (Click here for details).

#13. Ty Lawson's contract with the Rockets has been restructured such that the final year of his contract is unguaranteed (Click here for details).

#14. Monta Ellis has finally signed with the Pacers (Click here for details).

#15. 76ers center Joel Embiid re-broke the navicular bone in his right foot (Click here for details).

#16. Undrafted rookie forward Duje Dukan from Wisconsin has agreed to a deal with the Kings (Click here for details).

#17. Free agent center Jarrid Famous has agreed to a one-year partially guaranteed deal with the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#18. Guard Keith Appling has agreed to a two-year partially guaranteed deal with the Magic (Click here for details).

#19. Undrafted Louisiana Tech forward Michael Kyser signed a one-year, partially guaranteed deal with the Raptors (Click here for details).

Monday's NBA Summer League scores: 

Spurs 93 Suns 90. Spurs win the Las Vegas Summer League title with former WNBA player Becky Hammon as their coach (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Danilo Gallinari and the Nuggets agreed on a two-year, $34M extension (Click here for details).

#2. Richard Jefferson is signing with the Cavaliers (Click here for details).

#3. The Pacers officially re-signed Rodney Stuckey (Click here for details).

#4. The Pelicans have agreed to a one-year deal with Kendrick Perkins for the veteran's minimum (Click here for details).

#5. Rockets shooting guard James Harden won the MVP at the Player's Awards (Click here for details).

#6. After 17 years in the NBA, Nazr Mohammad is thinking about retirement (Click here for details).

#7. Clippers forward Blake Griffin has come to DeAndre Jordan's defense (Click here for details).

#8. The Pacers are going to wear Hickory High uniforms to commemorate the movie Hoosiers (Click here for details).

#9. Adrian Wojarowski has signed a four-year deal to stay with Yahoo! (Click here for details).

#10. The Magic and Raptors will face each other in London in 2016 on January 14 (Click here for details).

Tuesday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mystics 76 Shock 69. Stars 80 Fever 62.Sky 97 Dream 92. Liberty 81 Storm 77. Sparks 70 Mercury 65.

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. After being waived by the Nuggets, point guard Pablo Prigioni signed a one-year deal with the Clippers (Click here for details).

#2. The Kings signed Seth Curry to a two-year deal (Click here for details).

#3. The Pistons have signed Stanley Johnson to his rookie contract (Click here for details).

#4. Stephen Jackson (Yes, that Stephen Jackson) has retired (Click here for details).

#5. LeBron James' company has signed with Warner Bros. Space Jam 2 is a possibility (Click here for details).

#6. Adam Silver is thinking about not giving division winning teams a guaranteed playoff spot (Click here for details).

#7. Wizards forward Jared Dudley is out 3-4 months after undergoing back surgery (Click here for details).

#8. Bill Simmons is joining HBO (Click here for details).

#9. Former Alabama swingman Levi Randolph will join the Celtics for training camp (Click here for details).

#10. The Spurs signed point guard Jimmer Fredette and shooting guard Jonathon Simmons to training camp deals (Click here for details).

Wednesday's WNBA Final scores: 

Sun 78 Lynx 77. Liberty 59 Sparks 53. Liberty forward Tina Charles had 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Kings officially signed Caron Butler (Click here for details).

#2. The Mavericks signed forward Maurice Ndour to a training camp deal (Click here for details).

#3.The Pistons signed forward Adonis Thomas (Click here for details).

#4. The Cavaliers traded forward Rakeem Christmas to the Pacers (Click here for details).

#5. Rakeem Christmas' deal with the Pacers is a 4 year, $4.5M deal with the first two years guaranteed (Click here for details).

#6. James Jones re-signed with the Cavaliers on a one-year deal worth the veteran's minimum (Click here for details).

#7. Chris Copeland signed a one-year contract with the Bucks (Click here for details).

#8. The Hawks signed Lamar Patterson and Terran Petteway to training camp deals (Click here for details).

#9. The Warriors pulled center Ognjen Kuzmic's qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent (Click here for details).

#10. The Jazz plan to make changes to their logo (Click here for details).

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. A lawsuit trying to prevent the Sacramento Kings' arena from being built has been rejected (Click here for details).

#2. The Trail Blazers signed guard Phil Pressey and forward Cliff Alexander (Click here for details).

#3. Carmelo Anthony reportedly may join the Team USA mini-camp in August (Click here for details).

#4. The Wizards are unlikely to trade Nene before the season starts (Click here for details).

#5. Harrison Barnes says he hopes to stay with the Warriors long-term (Click here for details).

#6. Bucks forward Chris Copeland says he is ok after his stabbing (Click here for details).

#7. Phil Jackson has some criticisms for NBA players from Duke (Click here for details).

#8. Nick Young expects to not be traded from the Lakers. At least for a while (Click here for details).

#9. Wesley Saunders, an undrafted guard out of Harvard, has agreed to a partially guaranteed deal with the Knicks (Click here for details).

#10. The mayor of Atlanta is willing to contribute public money for the new Hawks arena (Click here for details).

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Kings have offered Peja Stojakovic a full-time front office position (Click here for details).

#2. Samuel Dalembert has a signed a one-year deal with the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#3. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving's health is improving (Click here for details).

#4. 76ers rookie center Jahlil Okafor sees himself as a cornerstone of the franchise and is ready to dominate (Click here for details).

#5. Becky Hammon is gaining some traction as a head coaching candidate (Click here for details).

#6. Glenn Robinson III has agreed to a three-year deal with the Pacers (Click here for details).

#7. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis turned down an invite to join "Dancing With The Stars" (Click here for details).

#8. Former Arizona forward Brandon Ashley has signed a partially guaranteed multi-year deal with the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#9. The Knicks signed power forward Darion Atkins to a partially guaranteed deal (Click here for details).

#10. Kings VP of basketball operations Vlade Divac dislikes analytics and has ceased contact with Dean Oliver, a guy in the organization who loves analytics (Click here for details).

Saturday's WNBA All-Star results: 

West 117 East 112: Final. Lynx forward Maya Moore won MVP with 30 points.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Heat traded point guard Shabazz Napier to the Magic for a future protected second round pick (Click here for details).

#2. The Cavaliers traded Mike Miller and Brenden Haywood to the Trail Blazers for cap space and trade exceptions (Click here for details).

#3. The Kings fired analytics guru Dean Oliver (Click here for details).

#4. Damian Lillard says he will likely not participate in the Team USA minicamp (Click here for details).

#5. Blake Griffin and Stephen Curry will participate in the Team USA minicamp (Click here for details).

#6. Dwyane Wade is launching his own brand of wine in China (Click here for details).

#7. Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts says he has no hard feelings towards LaMarcus Aldridge (Click here for details).

#8. The Spurs signed center Yassou Ndoye to a non-guaranteed training camp deal (Click here for details).

#9. The Mavericks signed forward Jamil Wilson to a partially guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#10. The Celtics signed guard Corey Walden to a non-guaranteed training camp deal (Click here for details).


---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord and like my Facebook page NBA Lord Nation for NBA news 

Western Conference Playoffs Preview: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Memphis Grizzlies

#4 Portland Trail Blazers (51-31) vs. #5 Memphis Grizzlies (55-27): 

     The Memphis Grizzlies swept the Portland Trail Blazers 4-0 in the regular season and by having a better overall record, they have earned home court advantage for the series. A huge factor going into this series is that the Trail Blazers are banged up and the Grizzlies are healthy. Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Jeff Green, and Marc Gasol were all able to go in Game 1 and they'll be good to go tonight in Game 2.

     As for the Trail Blazers, Chris Kaman (ankle) and Arron Afflalo (shoulder) will not be available for Game 2 after missing Game 1. In addition, the Trail Blazers have lost Wesley Matthews for the season to an Achilles injury. It will be really hard for the Trail Blazers to overcome these injuries. Especially since they weren't even able to overcome the Grizzlies when healthy.

     The only way the Trail Blazers win this series is if LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard become the best two players in the series and carry the team on their backs. Lillard has averaged 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game while Aldridge has averaged 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. They are an excellent duo that has the capability of taking over games against the very best of teams. The problem that they face is they really don't have anybody else who can help them. Nicolas Batum and Robin Lopez aren't bad, but they can't make up for the production that they would have with a healthy Wesley Matthews and Arron Afflalo.

     The Grizzlies on the other hand don't need to rely as heavily on any two players. Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley, and Jeff Green share the scoring the load together, which takes pressure off each of them individually. In addition, they have guys like Courtney Lee, Vince Carter, and Beno Udrih coming in off the bench who can also knock down some shots.

     The Grizzlies' biggest strength is their defense and rebounding, which is bad news for the Trail Blazers. It will be really hard for Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge to have huge games against a team that prides itself on defense and crashing the glass since it limits the amount of quality shots they can take. Lillard and Aldridge will have to earn every point they get and as a result will get worn down over the course of the series.

     Lastly, the Grizzlies have plenty of guys who can step up in the clutch given their veteran leadership and experience. Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, and Vince Carter are all used to playing under the pressure of the playoffs and should be able to perform just as well in clutch moments as Lillard and Aldridge. The Grizzlies have more weapons, more depth, and home court. I got the Grizzlies winning this series in 5 games.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

   

Friday's Fresh NBA Power Rankings: January 2, 2015

Here are my NBA Power Rankings to "tip-off" the new year! Enjoy!

#1. Portland Trail Blazers (26-7): They defeated the Raptors 102-97 in their last game in an overtime thriller. Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge look like the best one-two punch in the league.

#2. Golden State Warriors (25-5): David Lee is going to continue to come off the bench. This is definitely a smart move by Steve Kerr.

#3. Atlanta Hawks (23-8): Al Horford returns to the lineup tonight. That's huge for them as they embark on a three-game Western Conference road trip followed by the Memphis Grizzlies coming to town.

#4. Toronto Raptors (24-8): What's nice is that due to their fantastic play they don't have to rush DeMar DeRozan back.

#5. Memphis Grizzlies (23-8): The Grizzlies are finding out that it's impossible to stay on top of the Western Conference standings forever, but that doesn't mean they should lose faith in their ability to come out of the West at the end of the season.

#6. Houston Rockets (22-9): It is still too early to see whether or not Josh Smith was a good pickup, but so far I like the move.

#7. Washington Wizards (22-9): Getting thumped at Dallas wasn't good and trips to Oklahoma City, San Antonio, and New Orleans won't be any easier.

#8. Chicago Bulls (23-10): They are still a bit up and down, but overall they look like a legitimate title threat.

#9. Dallas Mavericks (23-10): They have won three straight games against the Lakers, Thunder, and Wizards. They are heating up.

#10. Los Angeles Clippers (22-11): Getting thumped at home against the Raptors was alarming. I'll just say that.

#11. San Antonio Spurs (20-14): I still think they are a threat to win the title, but at some point they gotta start climbing up the standings.

#12. Cleveland Cavaliers (18-14): The fact that they are in the Eastern Conference is huge since it's far from clear they would make the playoffs if they were in the West.

#13. Oklahoma City Thunder (16-17): Kevin Durant is the #2 player in the NBA. I don't care what anybody else says.

#14. Phoenix Suns (18-16): They keep hanging around. I gotta give them credit.

#15. Milwaukee Bucks (17-16): They are showing that even without Jabari Parker, they are still a competitive team. The future is looking bright in Milwaukee.

#16. New Orleans Pelicans (16-16): It'll be interesting to see how Eric Gordon fits when he returns.

#17. Brooklyn Nets (15-16): I think everybody was shocked when they slaughtered the Bulls. Especially since Brook Lopez erupted for 29 points.

#18. Miami Heat (14-19): They are seeded #8 in the Eastern Conference right now. Yeah, no way they get back to the NBA Finals.

#19. Sacramento Kings (14-19): I would just like to point out that they were winning under Mike Malone. He's the coach they fired.

#20. Denver Nuggets (13-20): Ok, I'll admit it. The Nuggets stink. They aren't as good as I thought they were.

#21. Boston Celtics (11-18): If they really wanna blow things up, they'll trade Jeff Green.

#22. Orlando Magic (13-22): Injuries have really hurt this team. If they were healthy, they might be seeded #8 in the East.

#23. Indiana Pacers (12-21): Roy Hibbert is averaging 11.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. That is not gonna cut it.

#24. Utah Jazz (11-21): I'm gonna say it now. The Jazz should feel good about drafting Gordon Hayward over Paul George and this has nothing to do with George's injury.

#25. Los Angeles Lakers (10-22): If Kobe Bryant takes a pay cut next season, they could still build a competitive team around him.

#26. Charlotte Hornets (10-23): This whole season has been a disaster. The overtime loss to the Bucks was another reminder of that and what's worse is that Al Jefferson is out for a month.

#27. Detroit Pistons (8-23): I suppose they are playing better without Josh Smith, but they still have a ways to go.

#28. Minnesota Timberwolves (5-26): So far, they look like they won the Kevin Love trade and secondly, they got the best rookie in Andrew Wiggins.

#29. New York Knicks (5-29): They have won just one more game than the 76ers. They are that bad.

#30. Philadelphia 76ers (4-26): They have lost three straight games after winning two straight games. That is progress.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

2014-15 Northwest Division Preview

My season previews continue to march along. This time I stop at the Northwest Division of the Western Conference, home to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Denver Nuggets.

                                                    Portland Trail Blazers (57)

     The Portland Trail Blazers once again look prime for another competitive season in the Western Conference. The dynamic point guard/power forward duo of Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge should be even better this season which means that the Trail Blazers themselves should be better. In addition, due to the injury of Kevin Durant and the impending fall of the Thunder in the regular season standings, I expect the Trail Blazers to step up and win the Northwest Division.
     The only real knock on the Trail Blazers is that they didn't add anybody of significance to their roster. They lost point guard Mo Williams to the Timberwolves and added center Chris Kaman. Kaman still has some gas left in the tank and should be able to give them around 10 points and 6 rebounds per game off the bench, which is solid production for a reserve, but nothing to write home about.
     One player who might be worth keeping an eye on is Allen Crabbe, a second year shooting guard out of the University of California, Berkeley, which is where I go to school. Crabbe was an early second round pick in the 2013 draft and figures to be a key member of this team in the future. If Crabbe has a breakout year of sorts, that would be a huge boost to this Trail Blazers team.
     The Trail Blazers have the making of a team that should win the Northwest Division and clinch home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They might even clinch the #2 seed. Does that mean I think they threaten to reach the NBA Finals?
     Perhaps, but the playoffs is a different ball game. I expect the Thunder to be lurking with a healthy Kevin Durant come playoff time and I would have to pick the Thunder as more likely to come out of the West even if the Trail Blazers had home court advantage over them. Plus, the Spurs are a vastly superior team to the Trail Blazers at this point.
     But with that all being said, that doesn't mean the Trail Blazers won't be dangerous and it doesn't mean they aren't contenders. If I am picking a team to win a division, then I have to consider that team a "contender".

                                                        

                                                 Oklahoma City Thunder (54)
   
     The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a significant blow when they found out that Kevin Durant would miss the first 8-12 weeks of the regular season with a Jones fracture to his foot. However, the injury to Durant doesn't mean that the Thunder are heading to the cellar or out of the championship picture.
     The main reason why is because they have Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka to carry the load until Kevin Durant gets back. Westbrook and Ibaka couldn't carry the load for the full season, but they can do it through Christmastime.
     The biggest question mark I have about this Thunder team is their head coach Scott Brooks. I'm still not convinced he's the guy to lead them to the promised land. The team has been wise to keep him unless they can get a really good replacement for him, but at some point the team does have to consider going in a different direction if they cannot win a championship.
     As good as the Spurs are, the Thunder should be able to compete with them and take them out just by looking at their players. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are arguably the two best players in the entire Western Conference. That means that they should be favored to win every playoff series they have in the Western Conference playoffs.
     Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich out-coached Scott Brooks in the Western Conference Finals last year and that made the difference in the series. The Thunder obviously cannot go out and get Gregg Popovich, but they can go out and try to find a different coach to help close that gap. Avery Johnson, George Karl, Jerry Sloan, and Doug Collins are all available coaches who I think would take up the chance to coach this team if asked.  Lastly, I as I mentioned in my preview of the Trail Blazers, I don't think the Thunder win the Northwest division, but I still think they are the biggest threat to the Spurs in the Western Conference.

                                               Denver Nuggets (41)

     The Denver Nuggets should be improved with the return of JaVale McGee and Danilo Gallinari, but even with them healthy, they will struggle to crack .500. The biggest problem for the Nuggets is that the Western Conference is really deep and they still lack a real definitive star. Kenneth Faried, Ty Lawson, and Arron Afflalo are all on the cusp of being the kind of star that the Nuggets need, but I'm not sure any of those three guys gets there this season.
     Arron Afflalo is coming off his best season with the Magic, averaging 18.2 points per game; Ty Lawson is coming off his best season with the Nuggets, averaging 17.6 points and 8.8 assists per game; and Kenneth Faried is also coming off his best season with the Nuggets, averaging 13.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
     The main thing to understand about this Nuggets team is that they are building themselves into a team that will be able to compete in the playoffs, but they won't get there this season. The key thing for their head coach Brian Shaw to do is get them to continue to play unselfishly and as a team. They have the depth and the breadth of talent to give a lot of teams trouble, but they lack a legitimate superstar to take over games in the clutch. If Lawson, Afflalo, or Faried can become a legitimate superstar this season, the Nuggets may be looking at winning around 50 games. But at the moment, I see them as a .500 team.

                                                  Minnesota Timberwolves (36)

     The Minnesota Timberwolves are in for a really interesting and exciting season. They traded Kevin Love to the Cavaliers and got back Andrew Wiggins, Thaddeus Young, and Anthony Bennett who all should form a nice young core to build around for the future. In addition, they drafted Zach LaVine out of UCLA and Glen Robinson III out of Michigan while also picking up Mo Williams. The team itself looks to be promising and certainly capable of entertaining fans across the NBA.
     The most important player on this team in my opinion is Gorgui Dieng since he has the potential to make the Timberwolves forget about Kevin Love for good. As a big man he can score, rebound, and play defense which is Kevin Love's biggest weakness. If he can come close to scoring and rebounding like Kevin Love while also playing fantastic defense, Dieng will be an upgrade from Love in the post.
     The other really important player on this team is Ricky Rubio who is reportedly on the cusp of a 4 year, $52M extension. If he gets that extension, he better produce. He can pass the ball and defend really well, but his shot is still terrible. If he isn't able to score with more regularity and improve his shot, he could end of hurting the Timberwolves and their overall growth as opposed to helping them.
     Overall, I like this Timberwolves team. They have a solid pass first point guard in Ricky Rubio, a budding superstar in Andrew Wiggins, a really nice shooting guard in Kevin Martin, a solid front court with Gorgui Dieng and Nikola Pekovic, and some nice reserves. The problem they have is similar to the Nuggets: The West is really really tough and they are young.
     However, unlike the Nuggets, the Timberwolves have good reason to believe they have a future superstar on their hands in Andrew Wiggins. They just need to be patient and let him develop without expecting too much from him right away.

                                               

                              

                                             Utah Jazz (30) 

    

      The Utah Jazz are also in for an interesting season, but I'm not sure I would call it "exciting". They have a lot of young pieces with Trey Burke at point guard, Dante Exum as a combo guard, Alec Burks at shooting guard, Gordon Hayward at small forward, and Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter in the paint. 

     All of these players are expected to be really good in the future, but right now they are still a work in progress. The concern for the Jazz is that we've been saying this for the last three years, and it's time that these young guys step up. Namely Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, and Alec Burks. 

     The Jazz front office is doing all they can to put together a competitive team, but now it's time for the players to show that they are worth the investment. Hayward especially has a lot of pressure on him since he signed a lucrative max contract this summer to stay with the team. The Jazz didn't pay him that money to be a role player. They paid him that money to be a leader and a star on this team. 

     Similar expectations are also on Derrick Favors, who many have compared to a young Karl Malone.  So far, he isn't looking like the second coming of the Mailman. He looks like the second coming of Joe Smith, only worse. Smith at least had a couple of really productive seasons in the NBA before becoming an average NBA power forward. Favors is yet to have one. 

     The good news about Favors is that he keeps getting better. He averaged 13.3 points and 8.7 rebounds last season which was an upgrade from the year before in which he averaged 9.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Still, he hasn't yet backed up the hype. He needs to take an even bigger jump this season and average around 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. 

     Utah's rookie head coach Quin Snyder will have his work cut out for him and have his label as a "player development" coach put to the test. He has a lot of interesting pieces to work with, but it isn't at all clear how they should fit together. Look for the Jazz to be improved from last season, but nothing close to being a playoff team. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord