The Denver Nuggets, quietly but definitively built a contender in the West. One that is built to compete this year and beyond. They posses youth at every position, they boast speed and athleticism that can only be matched by two or three other teams in the league. They have players that are as versatile as any in the NBA. What makes them special is part of what makes them championship pretenders in the eyes of many. The fact of the matter is that this Denver Nuggets squad goes ten deep rather easily. Here is a breakdown position by position. At point guard they have Ty Lawson and Andre Miller. At the 2-guard spot they boast Andre Iguodala and Corey Brewer. Their small forwards are one time Knicks Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler. At the 4 spot they bring to the floor Kenneth Faried and Anthony Randolph. And finally, they have JaVale McGee and Timofey Mozgov at the pivot. At least three of their back ups are fit to start for a number of other NBA teams. The one thing missing from this team is a bonafide superstar closer. The closest thing they have to a superstar is Olympic gold medalist Andre Iguodala. But I don't believe that the lack of a superstar closer will stop them from coming out of the West at least once out of the next five or so seasons.
The Young Core
Some may ask me for the basis of my argument, well, simply put, my basis is an analogy I picked up from certain trends that take place ever so rarely in the NBA. Teams can win a title without a transcendant superstar. Teams can be perennial playoff contenders without a superstar. As a prime example, look no further than the Detroit Pistons of 2003 to 2008. They won the title in 2004, handily beating a stacked Lakers team featuring four hall of famers. Their balanced attack was predicated on the strength of their defense and the chemistry they possessed on offense. With a fearsome starting five of Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace. The Detroit Pistons brought relevance back to the Motor City. Now the question is, can these Nuggets bring an even higher level of relevance to the Mile High City. I believe they can. The thing that separates those Pistons from these Nuggets is that the Pistons didn't necessarily go ten deep. They had a superb 6th man in Antonio McDyess, but not much behind him, certainly nobody that could start for any other team. Another difference is that these Nuggets will be more known for their high octane offense, one that led the league just last season and is poised for another top 3 finish this year. But don't sleep on the upside of their defense. With a (hopefully) more mature JaVale McGee patrolling the paint with his 7'6 wingspan and 33 inch vertical leap, and Kenneth Faried further tapping his full potential, the Nuggets will be solid down low. Let us not forget about their elite wing defenders, namely Andre Iguodala and the potentially deadly Wilson Chandler, not to mention Corey Brewer. These players will find a way to coexist harmoniously on defense, reaching a level similar to that of their high caliber offense. The rest of the league better take notice. This team is more dangerous than the Carmelo-led Nuggets ever were.
JaVale McGee
In conclusion, the Denver Nuggets have everything in place to make a significant amount of noise in the West. Remember, they were one game away from upsetting the mighty Lakers in last season's playoffs. Even with both teams having new players adding a different dynamic. I believe a Lakers and Nuggets rematch this season would surprise many, I predict the Nuggets winning that series in 6. Simply because they are faster and more athletic, even if the Lakers boast Dwight Howard. They also have enough shooters to space the floor for a slashing Andre Iguodala or Ty Lawson. These ten deep Nuggets will shock the world, I could be wrong about them this season. But in the extremely near future, don't be surprised to see JaVale's frown turned upside down. After the Nuggets hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy in June 2013 and beyond.
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