Rocky Mountain High on J.R.

(Boulder-CO) Latest and greatest out of Denver concerning J.R. Smith is if the season were to start today he would be the starter. Reports of J.R. looking great are abundant and are starting to leak out to the streets. He has reportedly shown the desire to defensively step up his game to the level that his offense is capable of.

The Nuggets have been playing in pick-up games at Pepsi Center and J.R. has been really holding his own. It would seem that the Nuggets are going to do everything they are capable of to land Bonzi Wells, but this type of news is reassuring just in case such fate doesn’t become a reality. If J.R. can forget the first few years of struggling for playing time in New Orleans, take what he has learned in a couple of years in this league, and apply that to a golden opportunity in Denver. He has no reason to not succeed here. This was a guy coming out of high school that everyone knew possessed the athletic ability to be a force in this league. Sometimes it takes a young guy a few years to understand just what it is going to take in this league to cut the mustard and hopefully those years are past for Smith. Remember a guy named Kobe that took a couple of years to find his game?

As for the chance to become a major contributor on a team that could really make waves… That is solely up to J.R. to seize the opportunity. I can not think of a team in this league that needs someone to step up at the two spot more. If, and hopefully when, J.R. proves to be the guy for the Nuggets. Opposing teams in the league need to watch out. The Nuggets are a legitimate 50 win team if they can stay healthy with the guys they got. They can only get better with guys like J.R. capitalizing on the situation at hand and with any other trades that may go down between now and the opening night. Which, by the way, can not come quick enough!