Nuggets Too Powerful for Sixers

(Boulder-CO) Despite having only three players score in double-figures in comparison to Philly’s six, the Nuggets systematically disposed of the 76ers, 109-96. Allen Iverson played like he had something to prove as the rest of the Nuggets, while bending at times, proved too strong to break against old friends now turned foes like Reggie Evans, Andre Miller, and two other lesser known local products.

The Nuggets won every quarter except for the third when they let a once ten-point lead transform into a tie game before going on a run to finish the quarter with yet another ten-point lead.

Allen Iverson scored a game-high 38 points and handed out eight dimes against his old franchise, but the real story that has been shaping up for a couple of weeks now is Anthony Carter. The former Hawaii Rainbow, in all honesty, has been the difference in this latest stretch of six wins in the last seven games. Why might you ask? Simply put, he makes this team go offensively by kick-starting the offense with his good passing and floor leadership and, if it weren’t for a monster like Marcus Camby (who had 12 rebounds, 11 points, and seven blocked shots) , he would be making a strong case for himself as the Nuggets defensive MVP so far too! Against the Sixers, he quietly scored five points while assisting his teammates to get buckets a game-high 15 times. AC is constantly coming up with defensive hustle plays evident by his three blocks, two steals, and five rebounds, and when he is on the floor the Nuggets look twice as strong as without him.

Guys like J.R. Smith, Yakhouba Diawara, and (I hate to say it) Chucky Atkins are seeing less and less playing time right now because George Karl just doesn’t need to play them. For instance, against the Timberwolves the game before, the instant George Karl took a struggling Chucky Atkins out of the game and inserted Carter the game’s momentum swung and the Nuggets came out on top. Furthermore, the former high school drop out is quickly becoming a staple of the Nuggets defense and he is proving to be just what the Nuggets have needed for quite some time now; a low maintenance, high efficiency, workhorse guard that doesn’t need or want a whole lot of time in the spotlight.

Now the Nuggets have won three straight games, are undefeated so far in 2008, and face another serious test in the Phoenix Suns on the tail end of a back-to-back set on the road. Even if they lose for whatever reason tonight in Phoenix they have still weathered the storm of last week’s scheduling consisting of four games in five nights by winning three out of four. But, if the Nuggets happen to beat the Southwest Division leading Suns on their home floor at least you’ll be able to say you’ve been on the bandwagon since it started rolling back on Halloween of ‘07 now wont you? That just leaves you one thing left to do. Tell a friend about the Nugg Doctor and let’s see how crowded this wagon can get!

Go Nuggets!