rarely go as far as they hope to. Middle market teams, like Denver, have to draft well and hope their guys develop into stars, and that is exactly what is happening with Lawson. As good as guys like Gallinari, McGee, and Faried may become, the guy running the show will be the most important piece in this Nuggets puzzle. Last week, it became painfully obvious that there are now two massive roadblocks to have to deal with in the west. We all knew Oklahoma City was going to be very difficult to deal with for years to come, and now the Lakers have catapulted themselves into the fray. These two will have the spotlight on them all year, as it is expected by just about everybody that they will end up meeting in the Western Conference Finals. This scenario could end up being a great thing for a team like Denver. They won't have to worry about huge expectations, and can fly under the NBA radar. Do they have the pieces to be a factor in the west? It would be naive to say yes for sure, but it would also be naive to say no. If Ty Lawson can continue his steady climb and be an elite point guard, the Nuggets may have enough to upset some other teams' plans as soon as this season.