After finishing 36-46 last season (thanks in large part to a slew of injuries), the Nuggets return to the court Wednesday with a (mostly) healthy roster and few new faces. As Denver prepares to host Detroit in its season opener, the Post’s beat writer, Christopher Dempsey, joined fellow writer Nick Groke and columnists Benjamin Hochman and Mark Kiszla to offer their predictions for the team and the league this season.

NUGGETS’ 2014-15 RECORD

The return of Danilo Gallinari may be key to the Nuggets’ success in 2014-15. (Doug Pensinger, Getty Images)

Christopher Dempsey: 50-32.

Nick Groke: 43-39. The Nuggets won 36 games last season. If they improved by 12 games this season, it would be a big jump, but they’d still miss the playoffs. Dallas nabbed the eighth seed last season with 49 wins. The Las Vegas over/under on the Nuggets is 40. They’ll beat the odds by three, but they won’t outlast the West.

Mark Kiszla: 49-33. If Danilo Gallinari stays healthy for 75 games, if Nate Robinson occasionally plays with a brain, if general manager Tim Connelly makes smart trade at deadline. I know: That’s lot of ifs.

Benjamin Hochman: 47-35. Players are actually healthy, which should at least keep the

team in a playoff hunt.

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINISH

Arron and Afflalo and the Nuggets face a tough round in a stacked conference, with Klay Thompson and the Warriors. (Charlie Neibergall, The Associated Press)

Dempsey: Eighth.

Groke: 10th. A season-ending loss at Golden State pushes the Nuggs down a spot to 10th.

Kiszla: Eighth. In my handicapping, either New Orleans or Denver will rise to make playoffs. To repeat: One, but not both.

Hochman: Ninth. But everyone will be happy about the improvement, and that’ll be adorable.

NUGGETS’ LEADING SCORER

Ty Lawson may be the Nuggets’ leading scorer again, but can he be relied on to carry an offense? (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Dempsey: Ty Lawson

Groke: Lawson. His 17.6 points per game was a team high last go-round. But he carried the load a ton. His 8.8 assists might increase while his scoring dips. Lawson will be a shootout for the scoring lead with his wing.

Kiszla: Lawson. And that’s a problem. Lawson is very good player, but not a player who should be required to carry an offense.

Hochman: Lawson. He better lead in assists, too.

NUGGETS’ BREAKOUT PLAYER

Jusuf Nurkic, a first-round draft pick by the Nuggets this past summer, may surprise with his talents in the paint. (Steve Nehf, The Denver Post)

Dempsey: Wilson Chandler.

Groke: Danilo Gallinari. The former Knickerbocker will be the first Nuggets’ all-star since Carmelo Anthony in 2011 when the game plays at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Kiszla: Jusuf Nurkic. Connelly was so giddy about the acquisition of the huge European center that I wanted to text JaVale McGee to start shopping for moving vans to ship his stuff out of Denver.

Hochman: Arron Afflalo. He’s going to be better than the Arron Afflalo you remember.

NUGGETS’ MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Nuggets big man Timofey Mozgov, blocking Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant in a preseason game, is expected to continue to show signs of improvement this season. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Dempsey: Timofey Mozgov

Groke: Gallinari. He’s a career 14.5 points/5 rebounds guy. He’ll get up near 17/7 this season, stretching the wing and spotting up for kick-outs.

Kiszla: Nate Robinson. At age 30, maybe it’s too late for Robinson to improve as player, but here’s hoping his helter-skelter style can be channeled to the team’s benefit.

Hochman: JaVale McGee. Healthy, he’ll play just well enough for Denver to collect some quality pieces in a February trade.

NUGGETS’ BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

JaVale McGee and the other previously injured Nuggets players could be slow to return fully. (Ethan Miller, Getty Images)

Dempsey: Injured players will take longer than expected to get to full-time minutes.

Groke: Jersey ads. When the NBA adds ads to jerseys, the Nuggets will end up with something janky, from some company looking to overspend to make a splash. Think: MLS’ L.A. Galaxy and their kit sponsorship with a pyramid scheme supplement company.

Kiszla: Should it be a rough road for the Nuggets, disappointed fans will remind Connelly only about 25,000 times on Twitter that Denver should have kept the No. 11 draft pick.

Hochman: Lack of creative concession stand options at Pepsi Center.

BOLD PREDICTION FOR THE NUGGETS

Will ESPN’s newest NBA analyst be lured to the Nuggets’ front office or bench? (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Dempsey: Mozgov will be second on the team in scoring.

Groke: Jusuf Nurkic wins rookie of the year. He’s a longshot – literally. Hs 100-1 to win ROY. And Jabari Parker is the favorite for a reason. Milwaukee needs Parker to score. But Nurkic will show well early off the bench. And after the Nuggets trade JaVale McGee (or, less likely, Mozgov), Nurkic jumps up the ranks and grabs national attention.

Kiszla: At end of another less-than-satisfactory season, the Kroenke family does the right thing and brings back Chauncey Billups to the franchise, either in front office or on the bench.

Hochman: Kenneth Faried will make the all-star team, either as a reserve or filling in for an injured player.

TEAM WITH THE BEST REGULAR-SEASON RECORD

Clippers forward Blake Griffin could be MVP of 2014-15. (Ethan Miller, Getty Images)

Dempsey: Chicago.

Groke: Los Angeles Clippers. They have the NBA MVP playing for them.

Kiszla: Cleveland. If the Cavaliers don’t win 60 games in a weak Eastern Conference, then LeBron James’ hairline is not all that will show signs of age.

Hochman: Cavaliers. How can they not?

NBA CHAMPION

Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, back from his latest injury, has the pieces around him to win the NBA championship. (Jeff Haynes, The Associated Press)

Dempsey: Clippers

Groke: Thunder. Kevin Durant’s early season injury will work in his favor. He’ll peak in the playoffs.

Kiszla: Bulls. It’s all about Derrick Rose. If his body can withstand eight months of punishment on the hard courts of the NBA, the Bulls are league’s best team.

Hochman: Cavaliers. How can they not?

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

LeBron James, back in a Cavaliers uniform, could win his fifth MVP award. (Buda Mendes, Getty Images)

Dempsey: LeBron James, Cleveland

Groke: Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers. Once he masters a turnaround J.

Kiszla: James. I could get cute, but any other choice would be a reach.

Hochman: James. He’ll have an Oscar Robertson season of versatility.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Milwaukee forward Jabari Parker is favored to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award. (Tony Dejak, The Associated Press)

Dempsey: Jabari Parker, Milwaukee

Groke: Nurkic!

Kiszla: Dante Exum, Utah. For all the hype, I actually believe this draft class was overrated.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Hochman: Paker. He looked like a quality NBA player a year ago at this time.

Clippers coach and president of basketball operations, Doc Rivers. (Ethan Miller, Getty Images)

Dempsey: Doc Rivers, L.A. Clippers

Groke: Rivers. Free of the Clippers’ historic baggage, Rivers can run wild running another winner.

Kiszla: Monty Williams, New Orleans. Beware the Pelicans. Consider yourself warned.

Hochman: Rivers. The Clippers will win the West.

NBA’S MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Pistons center Andre Drummond finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting last season. (John Amis, The Associated Press)

Dempsey: Andre Drummond, Detroit.

Groke: Carmelo Anthony. Never underestimate Phil Jackson’s voodoo.

Kiszla: Anthony Davis, New Orleans. I’m cheating, because Davis already is among top 12 players in league. Most NBA fans just haven’t realized it yet.

Hochman: Anthony Bennett, Timberwolves. Take two.

NBA’S BIGGEST SURPRISE

Kobe Bryant has already faced criticism, and his Lakers will perhaps continue to fall in the regular season. (Frederic J. Brown, Getty Images)

Dempsey: Elfrid Payton, Orlando

Groke: The Lakers finish last in the West. Would that really be a surprise, though?

Kiszla: The news of Kobe Bryant’s demise will prove to be greatly exaggerated.

Hochman: How good the Jazz will play with its young roster. Like Denver, Utah will flirt with the eighth spot.

NBA’S BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Year 2 of Dwight Howard, left, and James Harden in Houston could be another disappointment. (Scott Halleran, Getty Images)

Dempsey: The Knicks, in their first season under coach Derek Fisher

Groke: Houston Rockets. They’ll flub out in the first round, again.

Kiszla: Toronto. Our old friend Masai Ujiri has done what he does best: put together a team that plays decent basketball, but has zero chance of contending for the league championship.

Hochman: The Cavaliers won’t sweep the NBA Finals, instead settling for a title in six games.

BOLD PREDICTION FOR THE NBA

First-year coach Derek Fisher has his work cut out for him with J.R. Smith and the Knicks. (Rich Barnes, Getty Images)

Dempsey: Nuggets’ Brian Shaw will be in the Coach of the Year conversation near the year’s end.

Groke: George Karl returns as head coach — of the San Antonio Spurs.

Kiszla: The Cavaliers will move the majority of home games in January to Honolulu or Bora Bora, because the NBA does whatever makes LeBron happy and comfortable.

Hochman:A prominent former star player will announce that he is gay.