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NBA: Predicting the 2019 draft lottery teams

By Colin Cann

SPRINGFIELD, MA - JANUARY 15: R.J. Barrett #5 of Montverde Academy dribbles during a game against Mater Dei High School during the 2018 Spalding Hoophall Classic at Blake Arena at Springfield College on January 15, 2018 in Springfield, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
SPRINGFIELD, MA - JANUARY 15: R.J. Barrett #5 of Montverde Academy dribbles during a game against Mater Dei High School during the 2018 Spalding Hoophall Classic at Blake Arena at Springfield College on January 15, 2018 in Springfield, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – APRIL 05: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Jeff Teague #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Pepsi Center on April 5, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – APRIL 05: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Jeff Teague #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Pepsi Center on April 5, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

13. Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets may have improved with the addition of Isaiah Thomas, although the fit is a little strange with most of the offense running through the recently maxed out Nikola Jokic. Jamal Murray will likely be relegated back to the bench after a strong showing last year.

Having a healthy Paul Milsap back after missing half of his initial season in the Mile High City cannot be understated, though. The Nuggets will be a good team this season, an absolute lock…if they played in the Eastern Conference.

Sadly, unless the playoff structure is redone to include the top 16 teams regardless of conference, Denver may miss out again. The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets are locks to make the postseason.

Outside of them it gets harder to predict, but Denver will need to finish with a better record than one of the Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers. Don’t forget about the Clippers and Grizz too, they’ll be fighting to stay in contention.

If next season is anything like the last, any of these ten teams could find themselves in or out of the playoffs in the last day or two of the regular season.

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