8. Denver Nuggets
X-Factor: Paul Millsap
Denver finished one spot away from playoff basketball in 2016-17. The addition of Paul Millsap to this Nuggets squad is likely a finishing touch to push them into the Western Conference playoffs.
The starting point guard position will be a battle between Jameer Nelson and Emmanuel Mudiay. Nelson has an NBA veteran’s experience while Mudiay has yet to put the pieces together in his young career. Sharpshooter Gary Harris has the inside track for the starting spot at 2-guard. Harris had his best season yet last year, scoring 14.9 PPG on 42% from downtown.
Coming off of a labral tear in 2015-16, Wilson Chandler bounced back for a solid season last year, scoring 15.7 PPG mainly coming off the bench. With Danilo Gallinari dealt to Los Angeles in the offseason, Chandler’s in the driver’s seat as the starting SF.
The Paul Millsap and Nikola Jokic pairing down low has to excite Nuggets fans. Millsap enjoyed his best scoring output last season with the Hawks (18.1 PPG) and Jokic is flourishing in Denver after his second round selection in 2014. Last season he posted 16.7 PPG and 9.7 RPG on 57.8 FG%. It’s not AD and Boogie, but the Denver frontcourt should not be overlooked.
The rest of the rotation consists of Jamal Murray, Will Barton, Malik Beasley, Juan Hernangomez, Kenneth Faried, Mason Plumlee, and Darrell Arthur.
The Nuggets bench is a key reason this team makes the playoffs over New Orleans or Memphis. Injuries will spring up throughout the year, and this Nuggets lineup is built to sustain itself if a starter goes down. Along with depth, Denver scored 111.7 PPG, good for No. 3 in the league. Expect similar scoring numbers in addition to a defensive boost with Paul Millsap.
Final Record: 42-40