The Northwest Division is very similar to my high school girlfriend: top heavy.

The Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets are the only two teams in the Northwest that finished over .500 last season. Bottom dwellers Minnesota and The Artist Formerly Known As Seattle had two of the worst three records in the NBA. But last year's loser could be this year's flavor. Things can change in the blink of an eye or a bounce of ball in the NBA, and I see some serious potential on the clubs that were hanging onto the bottom rung last year.

Portland will be a definite dark horse in the Northwest Division, and in the West. With LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy back from last year's squad and a solid draft that included Jerryd Bayless, look for the Baby Blazers to sneak into the playoffs. Oh yeah, and did I mention that Greg Oden is healthy and will be playing his first professional game this season? If their frontcourt can stay healthy and they can manufacture some decent PG play this team should be solid.

The SuperSonics, as you should know by now, have packed their bags and moved their franchise to Oklahoma City. I guess they had their fill on Starbucks and Pearl Jam. I would like to sincerely apologize to Detlef Schrempf, Xavier McDaniel, Shawn Kemp, Dale Ellis, and Jack Sikma. We all feel your pain, and how about you bow your head and take a moment to remember the SuperSonics.

Thank You.

But despite the sticker shock of the team's move, the Thunder, as the Ok. City bunch is now known, have some athletes and could pose an interesting impediment for those who with to rule the division.

For all of you baseball fans out there, this division will be similar to the National League West, two good teams and some fill-ins. Look for the Jazz to remain the top dog, but the Blazers will be hot on their tails followed by the Nuggets, Timberwolves, and the…what in the world is Oklahoma City's mascot? Oops, sorry, the Thunder. That's catchy. Oh wait, no it isn't. Let's see J.J. Fad write a song about "Thunder". Good lord.

Without further ado, here is Doc's Sports preview of the Northwest Division:

Utah Jazz:
2007-08 Record: 54-28
2008-09 NBA Title Odds: 10/1
2008-09 over/under wins total: 51.5
2008-09 projected wins: Over
Key Additions: Kosta Koufos
Key Losses: none

Utah is looking to three-peat in the Northwest Division, and smart money is that it will. This is the most mature all-around team in the Northwest and the young bucks in the division won't be able to hurt their moxy. The Jazz are the older brother, and we all know how difficult it is to knock off the older brother. With Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer working as the new Stockton and Malone look for the Jazz to match their win total from last year. Quick stat: Williams and Boozer are the only teammates to each have 50 double-doubles last year. Koufos should provide Boozer with the necessary help on the offensive and defensive glass, and Andrei Kirilenko should return to his more productive (rested) 2006-07 form coming off the bench in 2008-09.

Portland Trail Blazers:
2007-08 Record: 41-41
2008-09 NBA Title Odds: 35/1 (*Note* Opened at 50/1)
2008-09 over/under wins total: 42.5
2008-09 projected wins: Over
Key Additions: Jerryd Bayless, and Greg Oden
Key Losses: Jarrett Jack

Portland will be looking to improve on its .500 record from last season and if its 13-game win streak is any indication this could be a team that is going places. The Blazers have done a good job of putting together a solid team through the draft. The last few draft classes have included Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, LeMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw, and Bayless. The Blazers had four different players average double figures last year and with two key additions this off-season look for them to finish in second place in the Northwest and make the playoffs in the Western Conference. This is a nice change for the fans of Portland as they are used to spending their money bailing their players out of jail. But be wary of this group from a betting standpoint. Their youth makes them a very volatile "Buy".

Denver Nuggets:
2007-08 Record: 50-32
2008-09 NBA Title Odds: 35/1
2008-09 over/under wins total: 45.5
2008-09 projected wins: Under
Key Losses: Marcus Camby
Key Additions: Smush Parker, Chris Anderson

I had to include Chris Anderson in the key additions area because he may be the funniest person in the NBA. He changes his look more than Madonna and he is about as talented as the new version of the New Kids on the Block. Losing Marcus Camby is going to hurt the Nuggets. News out of camp is that they want to improve on their defense but they just got rid of their best defensive player. Aaahhh, yeah, that makes sense. Yes, Pizza Hut, I would love to order a Pizza hold the sauce and cheese. The talent is still there with Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, and J.R. Smith, but they need more than that if they are going to outscore everyone each night, because defense will - still - be lacking. Further, that triumvirate hasn't exactly been known as willing leaders and teammates. The bottom line is that this team still looks better on paper than it does on hardwood.

Minnesota Timberwolves:
2007-08 Record: 22-60
2008-09 NBA Title Odds: 100/1
2008-09 over/under wins total: 30.5
2008-09 projected wins: Under
Key Losses: Marko Jaric
Key Additions: Mike Miller, and Rodney Carney

The Timberwolves went out and got Kevin Love in the draft because of Kevin McHale's lust for big men. The Wolves needed a scorer like um, say, O.J. Mayo, and got Love instead. With their point guard situation out of whack and the fact that they are a poor team in a good Western Conference the Timberwolves will not reach the 30-win mark. The Wolves will be looking forward to next year as their streak of 19 years without and NBA title will continue.

Oklahoma City Thunder
2007-08 Record: 20-62
2008-09 NBA Title Odds: 250/1
2008-09 over/under wins total: 26.5
2008-09 projected wins: Over
Key Additions: Joe Smith, Desmond Mason, and Russell Westbrook
Key Losses: Luke Ridenour, and The city of Seattle!

I still can't believe that the Sonics left Seattle. And if you can't tell, I am not happy about it. With the return of Kevin Durant and the additions of Smith, Mason, and Westbrook this team should surpass their win total from 2007-08, but not by many. The only thing this team will work towards is finishing in second-to-last and avoiding the basement, which, I believe, they will do. This team is afforded at least one "Honeymoon Year" since they have relocated.

For more information on Robert's NBA picks, check out his Insider Page here.