WESTERN CONFERENCE NORTHWEST DIVISION Denver In the 2012-13 season, the Denver Nuggets were quietly one of the best teams in the NBA. Thanks to a roster featuring a collection of valuable players, Denver finished with a 57-25 record and the third seed in the Western Conference. However, after a firstround playoff loss to the Golden State Warriors, Denver fired head coach George Karl, overhauled its front office, and then parted ways with defensive master Andre Iguodala. In comparison, the 2013-14 season was bitterly disappointing for the Nuggets. New head coach Brian Shaw seemed overwhelmed at times and had difficulty earning the respect of his players. Injuries hurt the roster, taking out contributors Danilo Gallinari and JaVale McGee. No adequate replacement was found for Iguodala’s defense. The result was a 36- 46 season and a 21-win decline from the previous year. With Gallinari and McGee returning to the lineup, can Denver find its way back into the Western Conference playoffs? Defense The impact that the loss of Iguodala and the injuries to Gallinari and McGee had on Denver cannot be overstated. Iguodala is arguably the best overall defensive player in the league, a wing who can guard point guards and power forwards, and make life more difficult for just about anybody. Gallinari is a tall forward whose length causes problems for opponents. McGee is an undisciplined wreck but is also a prodigious shotblocker whose athleticism has to be accounted for by opponents. Without any of those players in the lineup, Denver’s defense suffered last season. The Nuggets finished 21st in defensive efficiency, and after taking a look at the roster, that was probably a good result for them. J.J. Hickson filled in for McGee at the center position, and got mostly bullied around by opponents in the post. Kenneth Faried brings a Kenneth Faried
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