Northwest preview: Utah looks over shoulder -- at Portland, not Denver

For the past two seasons, the Utah Jazz have ruled the Northwest Division, with Denver in lockstep behind them.

Utah is prepared to rule the roost in the division again, but there's a new kid on the block knocking on the door -- Portland.

After a freefall that bottomed out with an NBA-worst 21-61 record in 2005-06, the Trail Blazers have worked their way back into contention with a shrewd bit of personnel maneuvering by general manager Kevin Pritchard.

Now Portland has Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez to go up against Olympians Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, along with Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko, of the Jazz.

The Blazers beat Utah in three of the teams' four meetings last season.

"They were good last year, and they should be better this year," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "They beat us to death last year. They have a chance to be a terrific team this year."

As for Denver, forward Carmelo Anthony said the Nuggets "have a chance to win 50 to 60 (games). We have a chance to be one of the best teams in the NBA."

Without Marcus Camby's defensive presence, that would seem a pipedream.

Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer (Getty Images)

Utah Jazz

Williams has proved that he belongs alongside Chris Paul at the top of the list of best young point guards in the NBA. At 24, he already displays the poise and skill level necessary to be a perennial All-Star.

The fourth-year point guard joins power forward Boozer as the main reasons Utah was one of the best offensive teams in the league last season, ranking second in field goal percentage and assists and fifth in scoring.

North Harbour: In a competitive Western Conference, the Northwest is made to look like the weakest division in the NBA. In reality, it just looks that way in relative terms to the entire conference. The West champion, however, could just as easily come out of the Northwest. The best GMs in the NBA reside in the Northwest. In professional sports, it's all on the front office. If your front office can't function properly, the effects are rippling. With a good GM, and good front office, your team will end up going places. You can almost bet on it. Now, let's look at the division. Right now, Utah has a good GM and great front office. Portland's front office is the best in the league, and the team is on it's way. Oklahoma City saw a need to rebuild, and is doing an excellent job with stockpiled draft picks and good young players. But then look at Minnesota: Kevin "McFail" is the GM. The Wolves traded O.J. Mayo, and they can't ride Al Jefferson for his entire career. The Denver front office did a great job getting Iverson, but their team doesn't have direction, nor is it well organized. Read more

The supporting cast is strong, with the sweet-shooting Okur at center and a nice bench that includes Kyle Korver, Matt Harpring and Paul Millsap.

Sloan is leaning toward bringing the versatile Kirilenko off the bench, too. That would probably mean using C.J. Miles -- still only 21 but in his fourth year with the Jazz -- as the starter at small forward. That would be the biggest question mark on a Utah team that should approach or top the 50-victory plateau again.

Greg Oden (Getty Images)

Portland Trail Blazers

Rookies Oden, Fernandez, Jerryd Bayless and Nicolas Batum will add to an already promising nucleus that includes Roy, an All-Star guard last year in his second NBA season, and Aldridge, who averaged 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds as a second-year player.

The 7-foot Oden, the first pick in the 2007 draft who missed all of last season following microfracture knee surgery, gives the Blazers the presence in the middle they haven't had since the late Kevin Duckworth in the early '90s.

Portland should be one of the deepest teams in the league, and coach Nate McMillan has indicated he might stretch his rotation to 10 or 11 players, including point guards Steve Blake and Sergio Rodriguez, forwards Travis Outlaw and Channing Frye and center Joel Przybilla.

Even so, the Blazers still might be a year or two away. The average age of the top 12 players -- not including 21-year-old Martell Webster, out until at least December following surgery for a stress fracture in his foot -- is 23.5. Not one of the dozen has reached his 30th birthday.

Kenyon Martin (Getty Images)

Denver Nuggets

Coach George Karl's teams can always score, and the 2008-09 Nuggets should be no different with Anthony and the prolific Allen Iverson leading the way.

Karl expects big things from power forward Kenyon Martin, who appears to have made his way fully back from microfracture knee surgery that cost him all but two games of his 2006-07 season.

Another important factor will be center Nene, who played only 16 games last season after recovering from testicular cancer. Still only 26, the Brazilian must be a powerful force inside and must stay healthy if the Nuggets are to be playoff-bound.

Mercurial J.R. Smith is expected to fill a reserve role this season, and the Nuggets need him to be a scoring threat off the bench.

Last year, Denver was next-to-last in the league in opponents' scoring and 28th among 30 teams in rebounding. With Camby now a Los Angeles Clipper, somebody must step up or the Nuggets will be left behind.

Kevin Durant (Getty Images)

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder hope they hit rock bottom last season while going 20-62 in their final year in Seattle. In coach P.J. Carlesimo's second season and the team's first in its new city, the Thunder should be better, but not by much.

Last year's Rookie of the Year, Kevin Durant, is their biggest threat along with fellow second-year pro Jeff Green, who will fill the small forward role. Durant's goal is to play well enough to earn All-Star recognition, but it might take a serious upswing in the won-lost department for him to make it.

Around Durant and Green, there are holes everywhere. Nick Collison or unproven Johan Petro will man the center position. Chris Wilcox, Desmond Mason and Joe Smith are veterans who must provide stability at the forward spots. Earl Watson and promising rookie Russell Westbrook must match talents with some of the NBA's best point guards who reside in the West.

Mike Miller (Getty Images)

Minnesota Timberwolves

A once-proud franchise fell swiftly after the departure of Kevin Garnett, and the rubble still hasn't been completely cleared. It's going to be another long season for the Timberwolves, who won only 22 games a year ago.

Center Al Jefferson proved to be a handful for every opponent last season, and he'll get a bulk of the shots again for a team that needs his offense. Long-distance shooter Mike Miller, acquired from Memphis, will provide plenty of help at either shooting guard or small forward.

Besides those two, there are question marks everywhere. Rookie power forward Kevin Love should provide immediate help with his inside work and passing skills. Coach Randy Wittman is counting on Randy Foye, who missed 43 games because of a knee injury last season, to lead the way at the point.

Kerry Eggers covers the NBA for the Portland Tribune.