Northwest Division looks strong: NBA 2016-17 forecast:

NBA 2016-17 forecast: Northwest Division

By Brian Boake | Sep 14, 2016

May 11, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts (right) instructs guard C.J. McCollum (3) against the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

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DENVER NUGGETS

Last season: 33 – 49

This season: 38 – 44

I struggled with this team before settling on a record showing mild improvement. There’s a lot to like about the youthful Nuggets. They have a couple of European centres, Nikola Jokic and Josef Nurkic, who both look like they can play and then some. Will Barton emerged from obscurity last season to become a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. He can shoot the lights out.

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Jamal Murray (Kentucky) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number seven overall pick to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

They would be easier to take seriously if Danilo Gallinari could ever come close to playing 82 games, or if Kenneth Faried rediscovered his early-years magic. I have no idea what to expect from guard Emmanuel Mudiay, for whom the Nuggets have high hopes. If Jameer Nelson plays a lot of minutes early, they are in trouble.

I like where this team is headed, but they won’t arrive this year, unless Canada’s Jamal Murray is a Rookie of the Year candidate – and he might be.

Next: Oh dear, OKC

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