Who’s Going To Be Better: Nuggets or Blazers?
J.R. Smith
The Lakers and the Spurs are the heavy favorites to lock down the top spots in the Western Conference. Even though the third spot is up for grabs, I think the most likely candidates will be either Portland or Denver. The Nuggets last year gave the Lakers a run for their money in the Western Conference Finals, but the Blazers continually get better every season. Both teams had 54-28 records last season. The question is: Which of these two teams will have a better record after 82 games?
Denver has the clear experience advantage over Portland. Besides making the final four last year, Chauncey Billups has won a championship and Kenyon Martin has been to two finals. J.R. Smith will miss the first seven games of the season due to a suspension, but I expect him to have a better year than last year. He is coming off a career year and has shown flashes of maturing. He told reporters that his stint in jail over the summer as well as recently becoming a father has humbled him. Coach Karl also expects big things out of Nene. He even went so far to say Nene has a chance to be an all-star this season.
The Nuggets have kept basically the same core of players from last year. They lost Dahntay Jones but have replaced him with Arron Afflalo. Although Denver is going with the “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” approach, that could bite them in the butt a little bit. Portland, on the other hand, addressed the one position they needed an upgrade in: the point guard spot. They signed veteran Andre Miller over the summer and the move will make Portland a better and deeper squad.
Portland definitely got waxed in the first round of the playoffs. But it was their first go at it and the team has made proven they have the ability to continually improve. Brandon Roy is a superstar in the making and LaMarcus Aldridge has all-star potential himself. If they can get Greg Oden to stay out of foul trouble and injury-free, they will be a contender for the next decade.
I think at the end of the year, experience will prevail and the Nuggets will have the third best record in the Conference at around 56 wins. Portland won’t be far behind though.
Who do you think will have a better record?
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October 6th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Imperial banana says:
Yea chauncey really played well on his way to that 2nd title…clutch! :¡
October 6th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Notorious says:
Tough call for sure, usually I would side with the better point guard and give it to the Nuggets. But the Blazers have been quietly stacking up on talent and have been preseason darlings for a couple years now. Eventually they (Blazers) need to take the next step…right?
Put me down for the Blazers, this is the year they make the jump.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
KenAdams says:
Well it is obviously going to be the Jazz!
October 6th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
me says:
how many rings does chauncey have?
October 6th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
GoEasy says:
sorry if I am just not remembering correctly, but hasn’t chauncy only won 1 chip?
October 6th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Ian says:
ill go with the billups lead team.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Ross says:
Good question. I’m stumped.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Ross says:
Billups has been to 2 Finals, but only won once.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
calvin brodus says:
p-town is tough, and they will probably grab 50 wins easy. but, the nuggs are taking the NW division…again. im still of the mindset that the NW is the toughest division in the league. its very possible that the nuggs, blazers and jazz will all see 50 wins this year. okc could easily break out and end the year with 42-45 wins. the wolves suck, but they should improve from last year.
btw, i think youre jumping the gun putting locking the spurs in at #2. i dont think that squad is nearly as dangerous as is being predicted. time will tell, but i think the nuggs have just a good a shot at #2 in the west as SA does.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Dime Magazine says:
@ GoEasy
This is Gerald. You’re right, Chauncey just has one chip. They lost the second time to San Antonio
October 6th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Gnasche says:
Both of these teams are on the rise, but I think the Nuggets’ toughness and experience gives them an edge over the Blazers. It might come down to schedule for overall wins, but I predict the Nuggets have a better winning percentage this year in games decided by 3 or fewer points.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Reddi Red says:
nuggets - because of Chauncey!
I think Melo is gonna be a little tougher this year too.
You better watch Afflalo as well.
I kinda hate that we (pistons) got rid of him.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Reno Hightower says:
Youre forgetting the Nuggets also lost Kleiza arent you??
Blazers. No question.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Gnasche says:
Well, maybe I’m wrong. Last year the Nuggets were 11-8 in “3 points of fewer” games, and the Blazers were 9-3. Guess I don’t watch enough Portland games.
October 6th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Jah says:
I’m going with the Nuggets here:
PG - Chauncey Billups
SG - J.R. Smith
SF - Carmelo Anthony
PF - Kenyon Martin
C - Nene
This squad is more experienced and just as capable as the Blazers:
PG - Andre Miller
SG - Brandon Roy
SF - Martell Webster
PF - LaMarcus Alridge
C - Greg Oden
I still say that you’ve got to give the Blazers more time to gel — this will be a non-issue in 2 years.
October 6th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Name (required) says:
i think over 82 games it will be close, the blazers are deeper, but so long as the nuggets have Melo and Chauncy id say they are the better team.
In the playoffs tho… no1 wants anything to do with Denver.
October 6th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Amar says:
healthy utah jazz . . .
October 6th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Steve A says:
5 on 5 the Nuggets are better, tougher. But the Blazers depth gives them the overall edge, though.
October 6th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Kobeef says:
What a stupid question.
The nuggets are clearly a better team than the blazers. Carmelo will eat Nicholas Batum for lunch.
October 6th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
fan says:
Carmelo is the key to this team. If he plays like Games 1 & 2 of the finals. I thought I was dreaming. Also if JR improves from last yr. This team could go all the way. Very dangerous on both sides of the ball. Dahntay Jones physical presence is going to be missed. Anthony Carter is the one weakness I see. He just doesn’t cut it for me. He might be worse than Duhon and S.Blake
October 6th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Lucas says:
While the Blazers look better on paper, I’ll have to go with the Nuggets
October 6th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Ian says:
calvin
by how many games did the nuggets beat out the spurs last season? arent the spurs better this time? even with the same team we had last season healthy we take the second seed? remember what the spurs are to the suns well the nuggets arent far behind.
October 6th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Utah Jazz Blog says:
As Lucas said, Blazers definitely look better on paper. They are an up-and-coming team with a ton of young talent. Question is will they live up to the potential?
I feel like everything fell into the place for the Nuggets last season, and I don’t think they will be able to duplicate the same level of success. For that reason, I say Blazers will be better.
October 6th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Chris says:
The Jazz will win the division, hands down.
October 6th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
thuggets suck says:
“The nuggets are clearly a better team than the blazers. Carmelo will eat Nicholas Batum for lunch.” -kobeef
You’re right, Kobeef. Melo torched Batum last year, like when he went 3-18 against him in a blowout loss.
October 6th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
AB_40 says:
I think POrtland is gonna have a better record overall by one or two games. but I think the nuggets will have the biggsest or the seccond biggest winning streak of the season something like 22 next to boston’s 27. because if KG is just 80% boston is gonna come out hard
October 6th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
scotsman says:
the key to this is martin and nene staying healthy. if they do then they are the better team. with limited depth though i think they have way more chance of getting too much wear and tear as the seasons comes to an end.
October 6th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
sh!tfaced says:
The Nuggets, right now, the Blazers in a season or two…
October 6th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
dreams says:
jazz, nuggets, blazers
October 6th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
Zers says:
The Spurs won’t have the second best record
October 7th, 2009 at 1:29 am
coultin says:
To answer the initial question, the Nuggets will be better than the Trailblazers
But, I think it’s going to read;
1 Lakers
2 Jazz
3 Nuggets
4 Spurs
5 Blazers
6 Mavs
7 Rockets
8 Hornets
I think the media is quick to forget how good the Jazz are when healthy. I think the Nuggets are a far better team than the Blazers.
Am I crazy for putting the Rockets better than the Hornets?
October 7th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Mellmeister says:
Just to clear it out…
The Nuggets with their post-season heartbreak would come out strong, i see one weak point… their coach.
The Nuggets could’ve won against the current NBA Champs if not for their coach. the coach shouldn’t be satisfied until theyb won a chip, and i think George Karl was already satisfied come that time they already got past the 1st Round… Sad to say, there are a lot of factors to consider… a healthy Nene and Kenyon… Melo cracking up the Holy Trinity of Today’s NBA (LBJ, Kobe, and D-Wade)and on how their bench would play, Affalo and the others have potential for greatness plus the birdman’s tenacity. but still, i’d choose the nuggets… i like their unpredictability but it also scares the sh*t out of me.
Nuggets Experience over Blazers Depth.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Claw says:
Can Oden stay healthy, will he dominate or just be foul plagued and have a hard time staying on the court?
Andre Miller upgraded the Blazers and losing Kleiza hurts the Nuggets depth, but Melo is still better than Roy and I think it really depends on Oden.
Oden could be a defensive force but isn’t healthy enough to maintain any type of consistency until he does it’s the Nuggets.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Claw says:
@31 - I can’t see the Rockets making it without Yao and who knows about McGrady. I’d take the Rockets out and move up the Hornets and put the Suns at #8.
Mavs will be interesting, see how Kidd and Marion do in their reunion tour.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
UncheckedAggression says:
Some of you aren’t giving Roy the credit he deserves. If Oden has a decent season, the Blazers could easily end up 3rd in the west. Roy is about as consistently great as you can expect from any player in the league right now, aside from a couple exceptions.
The Nuggets might be better than they were last year, but I wouldn’t put too much faith in that. I don’t trust Karl’s coaching in the long-term–eventually it just seems like his teams fall apart. He’s lucky he has Billups on his team…
October 7th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
ripcityos says:
Blazers 60+ wins this season and take second or third, mark my words. Everyone’s saying in a few years but no, this is the season and they will take Northwest Division. Anyone catch Odens numbers last night, how bout Millers.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
sagcat says:
Both of these teams tied for the second best record in the West last year at 54-28. The idea that the Nuggs could improve and wow! get third! seems like it’s selling them short.
Likewise, the co-second place Blazers will almost certainly improve over last year, making them obviously the #2 team in the West going in. Brandon Roy is the difference maker for me. He’s just that good. (I think the Nuggs will be about the same as last year.)
San Antonio is being way overstated going into this season. This squad still has as close as we can find to “going to be decimated by injuries.”
October 10th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
IWR says:
Nugz lost talent and the Blazers added it. They had the same record last year and the only reason Denver was finally healthy and only “won” the division due to a tie breaker from the Spurs winning their last game.
Nugz caught a lucky break to just tie the Blazers last year, it won’t happen again.
October 13th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
j says:
Blazers hoomer here. i thinkblazers have the better regular season record, but as of right now, the nuggets have the better chance of going deep in hte playoffs. That could all change though if Oden is even decent