Where do we rank?

[BRAVE KID]

Alright, so we have seen some big moves this off-season from ourselves and others. Since this is a "super star" league...quite a few folks have automatically dubbed a Lakers (Nash/Kobe/Dwight) and Heat (Lebron/Dwayne/Bosh) finals without ANY hesitation or second thoughts.

The west is quite a hell hole...OKC/Lakers/Spurs/Clippers/Grizzles/Utah/Dallas and up and comers Golden State/Minnesota/Houston.....man what a powerhouse conference we have.

So where do we rank in all of this? The average fan has us at 5th (behind LA/OKC/Spurs/Clippers) some have us at 7th...some may even think we don't even make the play-offs.

Now, when I look at our team...I think it's the most interesting team in the NBA. We're not looked at as contenders (as evidence to whatever crap Klis at the Denver post is spewing out) but we're not looked at as bottom dwellers....but we have the talent, potential, and youth to be contenders while also having the inexperience, streakiness, and lack of "superstars" to miss the play-offs entirely.

So it's no wonder a betting person would take the safe route with this team. You don't know what the heck to expect from them. We are EASILY the wildcard team of the West.

With each day passing by..I keep looking at the roster and comparing it to the other "elites" and I keep saying to myself..."We can beat them in a series" and I say it with a straight face everyday.

What's the biggest question to us?? It's not the lack of a superstar...no matter how much people want to say it is...

It's defense. We haven't been a good defensive squad in who knows how long but it sure isn't recent.

If we play good defense (lets say 10-13ish in DRtg) we're top 3 team in the West...no doubt in my mind...but here's the thing we have ALL the pieces to play good defense. So it's not just wishful thinking when saying "if we play good defense" quite frankly I'm willing to stretch it saying we SHOULD play good defense.

This is where Karl comes in. He's been stressing for years about defense but we have yet to see anything out of it except a bunch of BS. So a complete purge happened...this FO took away the headcases..took away the chuckers..and brought in younger athletic (while still being talented) kids that can be molded. So now..it's Karl's job to get them to buy into it. No excuses now..the drama is all gone.

Before I turn this into a Karl bashing thread, lol...what do you guys think? Where would you think we are ranked?

[Rentzias]

The average fan has us at 5th (behind LA/OKC/Spurs/Clippers)...
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If we play good defense (lets say 10-13ish in DRtg) we're top 3 team in the West...no doubt in my mind...

I agree with these thoughts.

[Manimal]

The Clippers are over-rated. When it comes down to it their only option with the game on the line is CP3. Griffin is useless at creating his shot, playing in the post or driving. Defend their PnR and they crap them selves. They don't have good wing play. All they can do is dunk. Which is pretty much useless in the half court offense against any decent team. They aren't particularly great defensively, certainly not with out Kenyon Martin. Denver can match them athletically, and has better wing play with Iggy and Chandler/Gallo.

Denver is the 4th best team in the west. The Griffin/CP3 hype has people's perception skewed. People say they have great depth with guys like Billups and Hill. But both of those guys are way past their primes.

And most of all they have Vinny Del Negro in charge, that is -5 wins right there.

[Nightmare]

The Clippers are over-rated. When it comes down to it their only option with the game on the line is CP3. Griffin is useless at creating his shot, playing in the post or driving. Defend their PnR and they crap them selves. They don't have good wing play. All they can do is dunk. Which is pretty much useless in the half court offense against any decent team. They aren't particularly great defensively, certainly not with out Kenyon Martin. Denver can match them athletically, and has better wing play with Iggy and Chandler/Gallo.

Denver is the 4th best team in the west. The Griffin/CP3 hype has people's perception skewed. People say they have great depth with guys like Billups and Hill. But both of those guys are way past their primes.

And most of all they have Vinny Del Negro in charge, that is -5 wins right there.

That's funny, when it comes to the Nuggets and the game is on the line there is NO option. Nuggets lost all their games because they took turns giving scrubs the oppotunity to hit a game winner and no one can do it. Bashing on Clippers with CP3 at the end of games who is one of the best finishers in the world when Nuggets have NO ONE?

[BRAVE KID]

don't forget to mention one of the best floppers in the world as well..that's important..

[Nightmare]

don't forget to mention one of the best floppers in the world as well..that's important..

Agreed, Gallo is one of the best floppers in the world. It is imprtant to note. Thanks. In the end it doesn't matter. Nuggets, Clippers? Both teams are a joke, not real contenders. doesn't matter if you're 3rd 4th of 5th, champions are a fantasy for you scrubs. MIAMI LAKERS OKC. REAL contenders. you guys can talk all you want how about maybe if u get lucky, the right match ups, lebron, kobe and durant breaks their legs and maybe you get a chance but its all fantasy.

[BRAVE KID]

Scrubs? The clippers and Nuggets aren't scrubs..I'm not sure who pissed in your cheerios but no matter how much you're trying to ***** and shoot down the idea, it's still possible. They aren't stacked with "superstars" like the teams you mentioned but they aren't scrubs.

Oh and it's CP3 who I was referring to, just making sure you actually got it.

[3iverson3]

That's funny, when it comes to the Nuggets and the game is on the line there is NO option. Nuggets lost all their games because they took turns giving scrubs the oppotunity to hit a game winner and no one can do it. Bashing on Clippers with CP3 at the end of games who is one of the best finishers in the world when Nuggets have NO ONE?

woooahhh. I can tell you never watch Nuggs bball because you said we lost all of our games because we played scrubs for the game winner. I remember AAA, Gallo, Miller, and TY being clutch. I don't recall that many games where we lost due to missing game winners. With Iggy on CP3 I like our chances. We have a solid team that is good enough to win in a seven game series. This is a forum of discussion and its the offseason...keep em coming.

[Nightmare]

woooahhh. I can tell you never watch Nuggs bball because you said we lost all of our games because we played scrubs for the game winner. I remember AAA, Gallo, Miller, and TY being clutch. I don't recall that many games where we lost due to missing game winners. With Iggy on CP3 I like our chances. We have a solid team that is good enough to win in a seven game series. This is a forum of discussion and its the offseason...keep em coming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngNzJTiiXGw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gr4nWWFxxI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xno820oaoVE

LOL I like how you showed your fear of CP3. You need to find a way to make yourself feel better and tell yourself we got whoever to guard CP3. Clippers don't have that problem. They fear NO ONE on the Nuggets team.

[Kurple]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngNzJTiiXGw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gr4nWWFxxI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xno820oaoVE

LOL I like how you showed your fear of CP3. You need to find a way to make yourself feel better and tell yourself we got whoever to guard CP3. Clippers don't have that problem. They fear NO ONE on the Nuggets team.

Nuggets > Clippers

[BRAVE KID]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngNzJTiiXGw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gr4nWWFxxI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xno820oaoVE

LOL I like how you showed your fear of CP3. You need to find a way to make yourself feel better and tell yourself we got whoever to guard CP3. Clippers don't have that problem. They fear NO ONE on the Nuggets team.

They may not fear a single player..but they do respect the team. No-one wants to run up and down the court with the Nuggs. Nobody does it better than the Nuggets. Fact.

[Poz303]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngNzJTiiXGw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gr4nWWFxxI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xno820oaoVE

LOL I like how you showed your fear of CP3. You need to find a way to make yourself feel better and tell yourself we got whoever to guard CP3. Clippers don't have that problem. They fear NO ONE on the Nuggets team.

Nice choice of videos. First one is with Big Al, which is no longer on the team, second is with OKC where we are going into overtime in OKC. I think that shows we can hang with OKC more than missing a buzzer beater. Our off season moves have actually improved our team. And the third is against the Lakers, where Gallo missed an open layup. I would take that shot every time and bet Gallo makes it more times than not.

Call the Nuggets scrubs all you want, I think Nuggets fans will have the last laugh on you. Sounds like you're taking a page out of Blake Griffins book, just keep whining.

[IgglesFanInCO]

In the nba forum thread about us a while ago a LOT of people had us at 3-4 actually, and most said we were a darkhorse who could surprise, but its pretty simple, uneducated NBA fans who only pay attention to their own team and superstars think we are a 7 or lower seed, people who have payed attention think we can get homecourt advantage

If we get homecourt advantage I would be stoked, and I think we will definitely be in that 3-5 range

My most optimistic mindset right now is we sneak into the WCF and get to play the Lakers instead of OKC, we just match up so much better against the lakers

[BRAVE KID]

And with Nash guarding Lawson...we would have the ultimate mismatch at all times...only problem is Dwight. He is MUCH more athletic and explosive than bynum and just as huge...not to mention Gasol is a ***** to handle due to his size alone.

[IgglesFanInCO]

And with Nash guarding Lawson...we would have the ultimate mismatch at all times...only problem is Dwight. He is MUCH more athletic and explosive than bynum and just as huge...not to mention Gasol is a ***** to handle due to his size alone.

The one thing about dwight is, although he is a fantastic defender, the one area of defense where he isnt completely dominating is fastbreak defense, mcgee and faried can out run and outhustle him, thats one of the reasons why we match up so well against them imo, teams that rely on half court offense wont touch the paint against the lakers