Saturday, October 14, 2006

Game Day Update: Who’s In, Who’s Out?

(Boulder-CO) Latest rumor circulating around DerMarr Johnson is that he is finally going to join the team…maybe. We have all been hearing this all summer long and I still stand firm on my position. Even if he does return, and I’m proven wrong, I still do not see where he is going to squeak any minutes this year. Yakhouba plays better defense. J.R. Smith is a better offensive threat. Linas backs up Carmelo and there you have it. Where does D.J. even fit in? Oh I’ve got it… A trade package!

On a quasi-related note, the Nuggets face off against the Golden State Warriors tonight. George Karl reports to the Rocky Mountain News that he is not sure if Nene or Kenyon Martin will play because both men have sore right knees. Kenyon’s is banged up from the exhibition with Efes Pilsen and Nene is just sore. First preseason game or not, folks, I’m biting my tongue on this one. That is a lot of money that was supposed to be spent on guys that were, “ready,” that are now questionable for action. That is all I’m going to say.

However, a couple of players that I can‘t wait to see play are ready for action. ‘Melo, Yakhouba, J.R., Reggie Evans, and Joe Smith should all log time tonight. I will be looking for budding chemistry between the new players and those returning. The tempo of tonight’s game should also be interesting. I’ll be looking for the Nuggets to shuffle a couple of different personnel looks at the Warriors, and hopefully use a big and small lineup at different times.

And finally, its time for the 2006-07 season’s first game prediction. I got the Nuggets winning this one by six. No special analysis, I just think that the Nuggets are a better team than Golden State. Plus, there is no way that Eduardo Najera is going to just let the Warriors beat the Nuggets up in front of his Mexican countrymen. Best of luck to the Nuggets, and as always, check back on The Nugg Doctor for the post game breakdown and analysis.

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