After a lot of experts predicted the Blazers would breakthrough and capture the division, the Nuggets traded for Chauncey Billups. Billups changed the whole dynamic of power in the western conference. His leadership and late game/playoff success gave the Nuggets something they had previously lacked.
Denver and Portland tied for the division lead with 54 wins, but Denver won on a tiebreaker. Portland tried to add more pieces for a title run in the 2009 off season, but were unsuccessful They thought they were going to sign Hedo Turkoglu, but he eventually signed in Toronto. As it be, the Blazers roster is quite good without making any significant moves. Brandon Roy is one of the best players in the league and inexplicably does not receive more national attention.
Carlos Boozer’s injury yielded both good and bad results for the Utah Jazz last season. The good: Time opened up for forward Paul Millsap to become a star. A double-double machine, Millsap became a top rebounder, who could score as well. The bad: Boozer not being in the lineup cost the Jazz wins. The team chemistry in the playoffs was not sharp as Boozer and Millsap were not used to playing with each other in key minutes late in games. The Jazz will be solid if healthy, and have a lot of depth to work with upfront. They will not win the division but they will surely make the playoffs.
Minnesota’s season in ‘09 took a devastating turn when forward Al Jefferson tore his acl and missed significant time. Rookie Kevin Love played well, and new draft pick Johnny Flynn will give the Wolves a dynamic point guard who can pass and score. With Jefferson healthy the Wolves will be competitive, but will not make the playoffs.
The Thunder are perhaps the most intriguing team in the NBA. Filled with young talent, this might be the year the Thunder make a serious run at the playoffs. Kevin Durant is a superstar and he is the most competitive player in the league other than Kevin Garnett. Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, and Nenad Krystic, are a few of the young, athletic pieces for Oklahoma City. The Thunder will make the playoffs, and will be one of the most exciting teams in the NBA in 2010.