NBA 2009 Season Prediction: The Denver Nuggets

This article is my third installment of my 2009 NBA Predictions Series, in which, I evaluate each team, and determine what their fates are for the season. This article will be focused on the Denver Nuggets.

Founded in 1967, the Denver Rockets, then an ABA team, have claim to one ABA conference title, but no ABA outright title, in 1976, and zero NBA titles. When the ABA dissolved after the 1975-1976 season, Denver, along with three other teams, the New York (Jersey) Nets, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Indiana Pacers, were brought into the NBA. Because the NBA already had a team with the nickname Rockets (Houston), Denver changed their nickname to the Nuggets, and it has stuck ever since.

The Nuggets have won three ABA division titles, 1970, 1975, and 1976, and five NBA division titles, 1977, 1978, 1985, 1988, and 2006.

The Nuggets are not looking great coming into this season. They have lost Marcus Camby, who won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2008, was selected to the NBA All-Defense First Team in 2007 and 2008, and to the NBA All-Defense Second Team in 2005 and 2006. The Nuggets have also lost Eduardo Najera. Camby and Najera anchored the Nuggets defense.

Chemistry issues have also plagued this team. When the Nuggets traded for Allen Iverson in 2006, many thought that the starting lineup of Anthony Carter, Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin, and Marcus Camby, would be unstoppable. But because of chemistry issues, they finished the season with a No.6 seed and lost to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.

It's time to face the music, Kenyon Martin is not what he used to be. He has been injury prone the last couple of years. It is probable that his starting PF spot will be vacated to Nené, the Brazilian sensation. Anthony has been playing PF with the Olympic team, and he could also take up that spot, leaving the SF spot open to Renaldo Balkman, Linas Kleiza, or J.R. Smith. Nené could also be used at Center, as could Steven Hunter.

With no real stability on the starting lineup, the Nuggets could have to overcome a shaky start. Because of the lack of defense, the offense could have to convert to a run-and-gun style, that the team has used in the past, but has never been consistent.

Based on all the information at hand, unless Denver can pull off a front-office miracle, the Nuggets will fall to the bottom part of the Northwest Division, behind Utah and Portland; maybe even Minnesota.