NBA Preview: Northwest Division

1. Utah Jazz (57-25)

During their 2007-08 campaign, I could see signs of greatness in the Utah Jazz. They were pretty much flawless at home, with the exception of the playoffs.

Deron Williams will emerge this year as the best—yes, better than CP3—point guard in the league. I see Carlos Boozer and Williams becoming a Kobe-and-Shaq type of duo this year. Not to mention Utah has the best coach in the NBA that has never won a title—which may change sometime in the near future.

Another huge factor that has affected the Jazz in the past is the health of Andrei Kirilenko. When healthy, he's been a consistent sleeper in fantasy—not to mention a big addition to this team. 

Look for Mehmet Okur to have another solid year, and we'll likely see Ronnie Brewer continue to develop. People don't talk all that much about Utah being a contender, but they should. This team has been above average for the past two years, and now the Utah Jazz will take their success to the next level. 

2. Portland Trail Blazers (46-36)

Portland is the youngest team in the NBA, but they sure don't play like it. In his second season, Brandon Roy was voted to the All-Star team, while his supporting cast of LaMarcus Aldridge, Channing Frye, and Martell Webster continued to get better. 

The Blazers got lucky enough to pick first in the 2007 NBA draft, and chose Greg Oden. He missed all of last season, but he has since healed completely, and has been tearing it up in the preseason. This guy is a franchise player, and so is Brandon Roy. Put them together, and you have yourself a winning squad.

If there was ever a bandwagon to jump on in the NBA, it's this year in Portland. The Blazers are the future of the league, and with Nate McMillan spending time with this team, and pulling them out of the cellar, it's Portland's time to get back in the postseason.

3. Denver Nuggets (39-43)

Denver's playoff run is done, at least for this season. With teams like the Blazers, Clippers, and Warriors (all teams that missed the playoffs last year) getting better this off-season, the West is just going to be too tough for an overrated Nuggets team.

Explain to me this trade: 2007 Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Camby to the Clippers for...the option to exchange second-round draft picks next year? Maybe Denver was trying to free up cap space, but still, I don't see how this trade can be justified. Camby's loss will hit the Nuggets pretty hard.

It's unfortunate that Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson haven't clicked on the court. Of course, Anthony has been considered highly overrated for the past two seasons, and his name has been thrown around in trade talks more than once. Don't be too surprised if the Nuggets end up making a move for Vince Carter or Shawn Marion.

Sorry, Denver. The West is just too tough. 

4. Minnesota Timberwolves (28-54)

Year One of the post-KG era was horrific. However, now they're only going to get better, and in start reaping the benefits of the trade that sent Minnesota's first franchise player to Boston. The biggest name that came to the T-Wolves was Al Jefferson, and he had a pretty good year. 

I look to Kevin Love to team up with Jefferson, and make a big-man duo of the future. One player who has been overlooked that came over in the Memphis-Minnesota draft day deal is Mike Miller. Yeah, he's a pretty goofy guy, but he can shoot the rock. 

It's going to be a long, hard road for the Timberwolves, but their time will come. They have the raw talent, and the potential to win games some four or five years down the road. I think a starting five of Jefferson, Love, Randy Foye, Corey Brewer, and Miller will someday be a contender. 

5. Oklahoma City Durants—I mean, Thunder (yuck) (18-66)

It's going to take a long time for people to look at this team as the OKC Thunder and not the team that was stolen from the Emerald City. It's also going to take a long time for this team to get 30 wins in a season.

Draft pick Russell Westbrook has been viewed as a bit of a stretch at number four. However, he will most likely challenge Earl Watson for the starting job by the middle of the season. 

Let's make one thing clear about the Thunder (I wanna cry every time I say it!)- Kevin Durant is the team. Sure, guys like Jeff Green and Nick Collison are important, but Durant is this team. He is this team almost as much as LeBron James is the Cavs. Durant is going to be a superstar, which makes me wonder if he'll decide to stay in the crap hole known as Oklahoma for more than a few seasons.

Oh, and another thing—don't expect P.J. Carlesimo to be the head coach in Oklahoma for more than a year or two. GM Sam Presti is a young guy, and about five years down the road, we can assess if he's the real deal or not. 

As a Seattleite, I can't stand to see my childhood team play in Oklahoma. I don't think I'm alone when I say that it's going to be hard to root for this team.