Trent Reinsmith
When the 2021-22 NBA regular season ended, the Utah Jazz was the top team in the Northwest Division with a 49-33 record. The Denver Nuggets finished the year one game off the pace of the Jazz, finishing the year with a 48-34 record. The Jazz and Nuggets made the Western Conference playoffs. The Minnesota Timberwolves, who had a record of 46-36, also made the postseason in the Northwest after winning their play-in game.
Despite three Northwest Division teams making the playoffs, none of those three clubs made it past the first round. The Memphis Grizzlies eliminated the Timberwolves in six games. The Golden State Warriors dismissed the Nuggets in five games and the Dallas Mavericks sent the Jazz home in six.
With the 2022-23 NBA regular season opener fast approaching. It’s time to look at how the NBA’s Northwest division will play out for the upcoming season.
Before we look at how the Northwest Division might shake out during the 2022-23 NBA Season, please check out our guide for betting on the 2023 NBA Playoffs and our tips for betting on the NBA.
2023 NBA Northwest Division picks
| To Win 2022-23 NBA Northwest Division |  |  |  |  |
| Denver Nuggets | -140 | -140 | -140 | -141 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +135 | +150 | +135 | +140 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +1200 | +1000 | +1200 | +1000 |
| Utah Jazz | +5000 | +2800 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +20000 | +20000 | +20000 | +12000 |
Denver Nuggets
When your team has a player as good as Nikola Jokic, the odds are good that you will be in contention to win whatever division you play in. Jokic, the back-to-back reigning NBA MVP, is just 27. Despite his age. Jokic has established himself as one of the best players in the history of the NBA. He will be expected to lead a Denver Nuggets squad that added Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith from the Washington Wizards in a trade for Will Barton and Monte Morris.
The Nuggets will also get Jamal Murray back in 2022-23 after he missed the entire 2021-22 season recovering from an ACL tear. Michael Porter Jr also returns for the upcoming season after missing most of last year after undergoing lumbar spine surgery in December.
Minnesota Timberwolves
In a trade that improved the Minnesota Timberwolves and hurt the Utah Jazz, Minnesota sent Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, four first-round draft picks and a pick swap to Utah for Rudy Gobert. Gobert is a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, most recently winning that award in 2021. Gobert finished third in voting in 2022.
The expectation is that Gobert will assist the Timberwolves on defense as well as helping Karl Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards on offense.
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are in a rebuilding stage. The team not only moved Rudy Gobert, but the club sent its top scorer in 2022, Donovan Mitchell, to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton, three first-round picks and two pick swaps.
The upcoming season will not be a good one for the Utah Jazz.
Our pick
The Minnesota Timberwolves made the most significant moves of the offseason in the NBA’s Northwest Division and they could be a decent value bet heading into the 2022-23 NBA season, but a healthy Denver Nuggets squad is still the best bet to win the Northwest Division.
Pick: Denver Nuggets to win the NBA Northwest Division on 2022-23.
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