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NBA: 5 most improved teams in 2014-15

By Gerald Bourguet

Sep 26, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) during media day at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) during media day at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 29, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari (8) is interviewed during media day at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Denver Nuggets:
2013-14 Record: 36-46

Like the Pelicans, the Nuggets’ 2013-14 season was pretty much over before it began thanks to injuries raining down like plagues in biblical Egypt. Ty Lawson, Wilson Chandler, J.J. Hickson, Nate Robinson and JaVale McGee combined to miss 168 games, and that’s before you count the 82 games that Danilo Gallinari sat out because of an ACL tear he sustained near the end of the 2012-13 season.

Entering the 2014-15 season, everyone figures to be healthy. McGee and Gallo will have a considerable amount of rust to shake off considering they’ve combined to play five games in the last year, but their return, along with Arron Afflalo’s return, could be enough to help the Nuggets compete for a playoff spot. Don’t forget, it was only a year and a half ago that Denver was a dark horse in the West as the third seed in the conference.

Head coach Brian Shaw once again has a lot of new pieces to figure out, but depth shouldn’t be a problem for this fast-paced offense. Kenneth Faried is coming off a stellar season with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup and might be ready to take the next step. Whether the Nuggets shock everyone and make the postseason depends on whether or not Lawson is ready to finally lead, but at the very least Denver will be an improved team with exciting new rookies in 2014-15.

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