As part of our NBA preseason coverage I will breakdown the top players by division. Here are the best players in the Northwest Division.
Western Conference
Northwest
PG Russell Westbrook- Oklahoma City Thunder- 23.6 pts. 5.5 ast. Westbrook gets the nod here because of his immense potential and explosive offensive ability. He needs to grow and mature as a player though. His turnover ratio and constant battling with Durant for the spotlight is exhausting and needs to stop if he’s going to lead them to a championship.
SG Andre Iguodala- Denver Nuggets- 12.4 pts. 6.1 reb. A crafty, heady two way player that could lead this team deep in the playoffs; he isn’t special at one aspect of the game, but is better than average at almost everything, which really suits the makeup of this team. Under the radar steal that was overlooked in the big trade this offseason.
SF Kevin Durant- Oklahoma City Thunder- 28.0 pts. 8.0 reb. Arguably the best shooter in the NBA; his slight frame doesn’t hurt him at all in their system. Durant and the Thunder would benefit greatly from Westbrook actually running the offense and setting up scoring opportunities for him, but until that happens Durant remains a deadly weapon from anywhere on the court.
PF Kevin Love- Minnesota Timberwolves- 26.0 pts. 13.3 reb. Love has really come into his own the last couple years. He’s tenacious on the boards, sometimes a little too tenacious, and can score from anywhere on the court. The Timberwolves have been terrible for a long time, but Love gives them hope. If he gets any help at all I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in the playoffs.
C Al Jefferson- Utah Jazz- 19.2 pts. 9.6 reb. I really like Jefferson’s game, and the consistent effort he brings night in and night out. Not a lot of centers in the NBA has the impact on the game he does and while Jefferson isn’t a star anymore it doesn’t mean he’s not effective. Still puts up amazing numbers as well.
Bench LaMarcus Aldridge- Portland Trailblazers- 21.7 pts. 8.0 reb. There isn’t anything Aldridge can’t do on the basketball court if he sets his mind to it. With unlimited potential and a silky smooth game he should be one of the superstars in the league. His complacent nature and the location he plays in are the only things holding him back.
Best of the Southwest Division
Best of the Southeast Division
Why doesn’t anyone EVER give Portland any kind of love or respect? Seriously.