Can't We All Just Get Along?

(Boulder-CO) Just to reassure you that there is no love lost between New York Knicks Coach Isiah Thomas and Nuggets Coach George Karl, Chris Tommasson of The Rocky Mountain News does a great job chronicling the turbulent relationship between these two men. And trust me, just bang the link because it is seriously just too funny to not reminisce.

Nuggets vs. Knicks: Game 4 Preview

(Boulder-CO) Not since Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant matched up at Wrestlemania III have I been more psyched for athletes who like to body slam each other to square off. That’s right, Nuggets Nation, it’s that time of year again and the Nuggets are going back to Madison Square Garden to get reacquainted with characters like Nate “The Instigator” Robinson, Mardy “The Goon” Collins, and gasp, Coach Isiah Thomas!

What a motley crew, right? But don’t forget about a few of the Nuggets' roles in the episode dubbed by yours truly as, “The Little Grapple in the Big Apple”.

We have the body slam artist himself, J.R. Smith, and the stick and move master, Carmelo Anthony!

Seriously though, hopefully at this point we can all get a little chuckle out of the past in retrospection, but the truth about what happened the last time feelings hardened at the Garden was the Nuggets were derailed for about a month with the lengthy suspensions handed down to J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony and the NBA suffered another public relations black eye, pardon the pun.

And the last thing the Nuggets, Knicks, or for that matter, the NBA needs tonight is for anything close to resembling what happened on the eve of December 17th, 2006 to reoccur.

So here’s to a good clean fight, umm I mean, basketball game!

The 2007-08 Knicks are a team that could honestly go either way this year. They could vastly improve and maybe sneak into the Eastern Conference postseason or they could once again dwell in the basement of the division.

First off, the newly acquired and returning from injury Knicks have to step up. Their biggest off-season pick up was Zach Randolph and he is already paying dividends for the Knickerbockers. Z-Bo is averaging the only double-double on the team at 18 points and twelve boards nightly, but it’s guys like Quentin Richardson and Fred Jones that are going to have to get things going for this team to succeed.

Another critical point for the Knicks is consistent scoring. If this team could find a consistent 25 points a game it would greatly relieve some of the nightly uncertainty of where the offense is going to come from. We all know that Marbury can get hot, but lately it’s been less and less. Jamal Crawford is a guy that can spontaneously combust for 40, but he too can disappear from games. And from there, who do they turn to? Eddie Curry? David Lee? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

But the final and most critical point for the New York Knicks is to start finding positive things to rebuild the foundation of this franchise on. After a 33-49 season in 2006-07, Stephon Marbury and his oft-times zany antics, and after the off-season circus that was the Isiah Thomas sexual harassment case the Knicks just need to get the ball rolling in the right direction.

As for where the Nuggets are four games deep into this year’s campaign… Let’s just say that they have some issues still to deal with too.

For starters, the Nuggets have to catch a break with a healthy and productive running mate for AI in the backcourt. Anthony Carter is still recovering from a broken hand, Chucky Atkins has been unavailable due to a severe groin pull, and most recently Mike Wilks came up lame against the Hornets with a bad hamstring. J.R. Smith returning from his three-game suspension for, “conduct detrimental to the team” could be a spark, but I’m also wondering if Von Wafer or Bobby Jones are going to step up and seize the opportunity at hand.

Additionally, there is an opportunity to seize in the frontcourt. The competition is going to get stiff in a hurry between Nene and Kenyon Martin for the starting power forward spot. Both men are showing signs of improvement with each passing game and as each man gets stronger it is going to be a problem that George Karl and staff should feel fortunate enough to have to deal with.

Other than that, my final line is Nuggets by nine and be sure to check out my man Seth over at www.postingandtoasting.com for the best New York Knick-centric point of view in the NBA blogosphere.

Go Nuggets!

Memo to Smith: Hold Your Horses

(Boulder-CO) As if scripted from a Hollywood sports drama, J.R. Smith’s three-game suspension has run its course just in time for the Nuggets first trip back to New York to face the Knicks since feelings hardened at the Garden last December. But unfortunately for J.R., returning back into the good graces, and playing rotation, of Coach George Karl has no timetable.

When asked about whether or not J.R. Smith will play in Tuesday’s match-up with the Knicks Coach Karl answered vaguely with, “No idea”, as his reply. He then embellished on Smith’s chances of starting the game with the bleak point guard situation being what it is and said, “No way.” And rightfully so because the stage is too big and the air too thick for a player like J.R., who thrives on emotion, to make his season debut against quite possibly the most hostile crowd the Nuggets have ever faced this early in a season.

Kenyon Martin's Schedule

(Boulder-CO) Regardless of how much he may want to play, George Karl and his staff are not going to allow Kenyon to over do it. Here is the schedule Karl is expecting to keep Kenyon Martin's game appearances limited to in the next four games in five days for the Nuggets. Kenyon is expected to sit out Tuesday in New York and play at Boston on Wednesday. He then is scheduled to sit out Friday at Washington and play Saturday at Indiana.

This Game Stings

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

(Boulder-CO) The New Orleans Hornets continue to jab their stinger into the Denver Nuggets. Last night, the Nuggets were controlled defensively by the Hornets and suffered their first loss of the season, 93-88. Everyone played poorly for Denver and I know the reason why.

Take a look at these box scores: Carmelo Anthony only scored 20, AI only 23, Nene chipped in twelve and looked better than in his first two games, but those were the only three Nuggets who scored in double figures. And the reason why the Nuggets couldn’t get it started on the offensive end is they didn’t want to share the ball. Denver totaled only 18 assists in this game and played far too much individual basketball. Standing around, watching Carmelo, and gazing at AI is not going to get it done, and some of the onus lands squarely on the Nuggets superstars for not getting the other guys involved too.

It also didn’t help that the Nuggets shot the ball poorly. 36% from the field and 22% from downtown is just not going to get it done against many teams in today’s NBA. Furthermore, a combined 16-49 from AI and ‘Melo spells certain doom for the Nuggets on any given night.

However, a couple of Nuggets do continue to impress me despite this horrendous looking mess of a basketball game. Kenyon Martin played fantastic and gave the Nuggets nine points, seven rebounds, four blocks, and a steal in a total playing time of 22 minutes. K-Mart showed good bounce on both offense and defense, but it is still apparent that he is not quite ready for big minutes… yet, but when he is, he is going to be a tremendous help to the Denver front line. And, his front court mate, Marcus Camby, also continues to play incredible basketball. The Captain snatched 21 rebounds, scored eight points, dished five dimes, and swatted two shots, but struggled shooting like the rest of the Nuggets and finished 4-11 from the field.

And as if the loss isn’t enough bad news, Mike Wilks, the only other point guard currently healthy enough to be on the team, tweaked his hamstring in the second quarter and didn’t return. Now the Nuggets are faced with having the Answer as the only available guard on roster to run the point. Luckily, and right on time for a return to Madison Square Garden, J.R. Smith has served his three-game suspension and will be ready for the first return trip to New York since the, “Little Grapple in the Big Apple”, went down last December.

A lot of really fun things, hint-hint, are on the way before and after the Nuggets rematch with Knicks, so stay “refreshed” on The Nugg Doctor to make sure you don’t miss any of it.

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Hornets: Game 3 Preview

(Boulder-CO) Tonight, the Nuggets host the New Orleans Hornets at the Pepsi Center. As I said in my recap of the Timberwolf match-up, this is another game that if the Nuggets truly are a serious contender they will find a way to win convincingly. My line for tonight’s game is seven. Now let’s take a look at what’s in store.

The Hornets were a team decimated by injuries last year. Peja Stojakovic wasn’t around. Morris Peterson spent time on the DL, and so did big man, and Team USA teammate of Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler; meaning that this year the Hornets are going to be tougher to beat. They still have perhaps the most pure, throwback point guard in the league with Chris Paul, and CP3 is off to another amazing start for the Hornets this year by leading them in scoring (20.5 ppg), assists (9.0 apg), and steals (2.5 spg). However, if there is a silver lining to how the Nuggets have historically handled Paul it’s that he is averaging 14.2 points in six games against the Nuggets, and has shot only 30.9 percent (29-for-94) from the field.

The flip-side to how CP3’s stats drop against the Nuggets is how Peja Stojakovic’s numbers skyrocket. Stojakovic, starting his first full season with the Hornets, is averaging 18.5 points and shooting 47 percent (8-for-17) from 3-point range. The once deadly sharpshooter is averaging 24.0 points in his last six games against Denver while making 50% (21-for-42) of his shots from the land of plenty during that span. Furthermore, I am a little bit concerned about the tandem of Paul and Stojakovic downright schooling the Nuggets around the perimeter with the pick and roll. I did see improvement against the pick and roll in the Minnesota game, but Minny didn’t have anyone who could compare to the duo we are about to face tonight.

And the Hornets are yet to face anyone like the Nuggets, either.

Sure the Hornets come into this game 2-0, just like the Nuggets, and have won their first deuce by an average of 17 points per win, but have they faced the REAL big three the league SHOULD be showcasing? I think not.

Marcus Camby, Carmelo Anthony, and Allen Iverson may just be the best three players on any team period. Their statistics are gaudy and their swagger is ludicrous. The Captain is averaging 18 rebounds, 5.5 rejected shots, nine points, and three assists. Locking it down defensively is all this man is does for a living. ‘Melo is averaging 32.5 points, 5.5 assists, five rebounds, a steal, and a block while shooting 53.5% from the field and a vastly improved 45.5% from downtown. Anthony is giving opposing team’s coaching staffs nightmares trying to think of ways to contain him on the night before their team faces the Nuggets. The Answer is averaging a double-double so far of 24.5 points, eleven assists, five steals, and four rebounds. And the scary thing about those numbers is AI is doing so while actually struggling offensively with a 36% field goal success rate and starting off the season cold (1-7) from downtown!

Plus, after two games, ‘Melo is leading the league in scoring, Camby is leading the league in blocks and is just a two boards behind KG for rebounding supremacy, AI is leading the league in steals and is just an assist behind Brevin Knight in the sharing department, and the Nuggets are only giving up a vastly improved average of 97 ppg while putting up 109.5 ppg on their challengers.

Now, if all that isn’t enough to justify my prediction and excitement for tonight’s game then I just don’t know what to tell you.

Oh, never mind, yes I do.

Be sure to check out the guys at www.hornets247.com and as always…

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets Too Tough for Wolves

(AP Photo/Andy King)

(Boulder-CO) I’m not so sure that last season’s Nuggets would have found a way to win this game. Denver had to hang around, fight to keep it close, and turn up the defense in the fourth quarter to get it done tonight at the Target Center, 99-91, against the new look Timberwolves in a game that shows just how much the Nuggets have improved.

Defensively, the Nuggets were anchored by the Captain, Marcus Camby. The Camby-man grabbed a game-high 21 rebounds, swatted six shots and altered countless others, scored 14 points, and found a way to dish three assists. He did an amazing job of locking down the boards and the rim in the fourth quarter with nine rebounds and two blocked shots and was the fuel for the Nuggets, 25-14, domination in the money period. Furthermore, this may be the best basketball I have ever seen the decorated veteran play.

Another Nugget who very well may be playing his best basketball as of yet is Carmelo Anthony. ‘Melo continues to give opposing defenses fits by abusing slower defenders off the dribble, posting up smaller foes in the blocks, and down right giving everyone who wants to try and stop him a ride on the ole “‘Melo Jab-Step Express.” He even hit a spinning - turn-around - fade-away that had the Altitude announcers using terms like, “Jordan-esque” and “Wow”. And once again Anthony finishes as the game’s high-scorer with 33 points, six assists, five rebounds, a steal, and a block.

His All-Star counterpart wasn’t too shabby either.

Allen Iverson continues to play extremely heady basketball for the Denver Nuggets and his 24 points, eight assists, three steals, and three rebounds were invaluable against a slew of Timberwolf point guards. AI is creating an abundance of easy opportunities for his teammates and continues to be the lightning to Carmelo’s thunder in the scoring column. His box score tonight may not be as impressive as opening night’s, but tonight he was indeed just as impressive simply because he finished with only one turnover. AI dished for 14 assists in game one, but he offset that high total with seven giveaways. But tonight he took care of the basketball for a much more favorable assist to turnover ratio in a game that needed to be controlled with a little bit tighter leash.

Up next for the Nuggets is a meeting with the New Orleans Hornets at home on Sunday night. Just like in tonight’s game, if the Nuggets are truly a contender they will find a way to beat the Hornets convincingly.

Now, if you don‘t mind… Allow me to analyze the first 96 minutes of Nuggets basketball. I have so many things to examine and so little time!

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Wolves: Game 2 Preview

(Boulder-CO) Tonight’s game should be a win by any stretch of imagination. The Timberwolves are definitely in the running for most disheveled team in the league, while the Nuggets, not even at full strength yet, are one of the strongest squads on paper. My line tonight is Nuggets by twelve, and here a few of the reasons why.

First off, only five players, (Marko Jaric, Mark Madsen, Randy Foye, Craig Smith and Rashad McCants), remain from last seasons' 32-50 squad. Furthermore, and as if losing KG was not doomsday all in its own, Minnesota also traded its second and third leading scorers, (Ricky Davis and Mark Blount), from last season to Miami on Oct. 24 in a deal that sent Antoine Walker, Michael Doleac and Wayne Simien to Minnesota. Good trade? I think not! Walker is not exactly John Basedow when it comes to conditioning, Doleac is not what I would call a real solid front court player, and Simien was released on Monday.

And things do not get much better for Minnesota when I analyze the injury report.

Randy Foye, an NBA all-rookie team selection last season, is expected to be out several weeks because of a lingering knee injury. Telfair, Jaric and Greg Buckner are expected to assume the ball handling while Foye, who averaged 10.1 points last season, is sidelined. That leaves the Wolves placing nearly all of their offensive weight on the shoulders of power forward Al Jefferson. And while Jefferson is a beast in the making, there is no way that he is going to be enough fire power for the Wolves to overcome the defense of Marcus Camby and the rest of the Denver frontcourt.

Plus, the Timberwolves will be starting Theo Ratliff tonight and for those of you who do not remember the damage ‘Melo did on him last year here is a little reminder for you, Theo, and the rest of the Nuggets Nation.

Game time is set for 6 pm MST and the contest will be televised by Altitude TV. Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Not me!

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets Quote of the Week

(Boulder-CO) Now that the season has started I am going to be offering up a "Quote of the Week" pertaining to the Denver Nuggets. Anyone affiliated with the Nuggets, a player on the team, or maybe even you - reader of The Nugg Doctor - could potential be the source of a quote.

And for this week's offering, I give you a verbal gem from former Nugget and Altitude Sports and Entertainment's own Scott Hastings. Scott had this to say during last night's telecast in reference to Carmelo Anthony dribbling the basketball:

"'Melo has more handles than Samsonite" - Scott Hastings

Thanks, Scott! Your imagery is masterful.

Go Nuggets!

Opening Night Done Right

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

(Boulder-CO) The Denver Nuggets have officially started the 2007-08 season off on the right foot. In their season opener at home, Denver trounced the Sonics, 120-103, behind Carmelo Anthony’s game-high 32 points, five rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a block.

Denver started Allen Iverson, Yakhouba Diawara, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin, and Marcus Camby and jumped out to a 20-10 lead early in the first quarter. It was to be the first of four double-digit leads the Nuggets would enjoy throughout the contest, but Seattle does deserve credit for being resilient and battling back before conceding completely to the Nuggets in the second half.

Now, before I get too deep into the individual statistics, I have to mention both a couple of things that are really positive for the Nuggets and things that have to be corrected immediately. First off, the Nuggets have got to get better at defending the pick and roll. Too many times they allowed the player setting the screen to flare out to the three-point line for an open look or, in the case where the screener was a post player, an easy roll to the basket for a lay-up. The ideal way to defend the pick and roll is for the screening man’s defender to hedge, thus giving the man being screen time to recover and re-position himself in front of the ball handler and giving his help time to regain position on the screener. Too many times the Nugget defense double teamed the ball handler and left the screening player wide open. On a few occasions it was Chris Wilcox for a dunk, (and he played like a beast might I add), but on others it was Damien Wilkins who hurt the Nuggets by going 4-6 from downtown.

Another area where the Nuggets looked rusty was finishing around the goal. Not a single big man for the Nuggets finished scoring in double figures and it wasn’t because they didn’t have their chances. Nene especially needs to regain his touch around the basket as he missed four bunnies finishing just 1-5 from the floor. Usually those touches would have been violently slammed through the rim, but it appeared that Nene is still not at full-strength or conditioning yet. Marcus Camby also had a few chances on the offensive glass but finished 1-5 from the floor too. In a game against the rebuilding Sonics these two aspects of the game were not fatal, but against a team with more firepower and moxie the Nuggets may not have been so fortunate.

All that being said, the Nuggets had some incredibly bright spots for this being just their first game of the season.

The first thing that jumps out at me was how the Nuggets shared the ball. With 31 assists in total everyone got into the distribution act, but none were better than Allen Iverson. The Answer gave the Nuggets a game-high 14 assists, 25 points, seven steals, and five rebounds in an all-around game fitting of mid-season form. Such a performance also adds some legitimacy to the idea that when Allen Iverson dishes double-figures in dimes that the Nuggets are very tough to beat.

Other areas of lucidity were Marcus Camby’s 15 rebounds and five blocked shots, Linas Kleiza’s 18 points coming by way of five three-pointers, Eduardo Najera’s 14 points and four boards, and Yakhouba’s 12 points on 5-8 shooting. The Nuggets also shot a respectable 40.7% from three-point land with ‘Melo hitting 3-6 from the arch in addition to Eduardo Najera cashing in on 2-3 from the land of plenty.

Who knew, “The Grout”, had been working on his long ball?

And as for my foresight of Kevin Durant’s box score... Was I close enough for everyone? I predicted the rookie would finish with a final box score of 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists. He actually finished 18 points, five rebounds, and just one assist. Who loves ya, Nuggets Nation?

Up next for the Nuggets is a Friday night match-up with the Timberwolves. The game is set for 6 pm MST and will be on Altitude TV.

Go Nuggets!

'Melo Blog Watch

(Boulder-CO) The second blog post by Carmelo Anthony is up. Time to reach the goal.

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Sonics: Game 1 Preview

(Boulder-CO) Happy Halloween, Nuggets fans, opening night is finally upon us! Tonight the Nuggets host the Seattle Sonics at Pepsi Center in a game that is nationally televised on ESPN at 8:30 pm MST. And I can’t think of any better situation for the Nuggets to open up their season than in the spotlight of the NBA. We have some really big stories to follow this season and very high expectations out of this team.

The first thing we are all going to notice is Kenyon Martin back in the line-up. He is listed as the probable starting power forward and has had such a long and rocky road to travel to the get back to this point in his career it’s hard not to root for him. I predicted Kenyon to win the Comeback Player of the Year in my NBA Blog Preview, and although it’s only game numero uno, I think he is going turn things around this year after having to be away from the game for so long. He’ll be wearing his old number “4” to get back to his college roots too, so hopefully we will be seeing a lot of blue light specials out of one they call K-Mart.

From there you can take your pick of many old familiar favorites off of this Nuggets roster.

Carmelo is definitely going to put on a scoring exhibition. Kobe Bryant opened up the season with 45 points last night and I’m sure that ‘Melo is aware of it. Look for Carmelo to get things going early down in the blocks before opening up that jumper with the jab step.

Marcus Camby is capable of going for 20 rebounds any night. He also will be circling the bucket like a vulture all night swatting shots, hitting jumpers from the top of the key, and leading a couple of fast breaks without doubt. Look for Marcus to set the tone defensively for the Nuggets and take notice of how this team follows suit. Defensive toughness was stressed all training camp and tonight we really get our first glimpse of whether or not the concept was absorbed.

AI is also going to do his thing regardless of what position he ends up playing. It doesn’t really matter if he plays point or shooting guard because I think we would all agree that the ball is going to be in AI’s hands a good share of the time. And keep an eye on his assist total because it will be interesting to keep track of the win/loss record in games that AI does and doesn’t reach double figures in dimes all season long. If there turns out to be a direct correlation in Nuggets wins maybe he does need to adjust his game and become the full-time point guard after all. And while we’re in the backcourt, I’m also interested in seeing who steps up at the other guard position. The Nuggets have J.R. Smith trying to stay in good graces although he is supsended for tonight's game, Von Wafer looking to break through, the strong preseason finish of Bobby Jones, and Linas Kleiza all ready and available.

And the last major thing to keep in mind is an old Doug Moeism that says the first team to a hundred wins. The Nuggets should be able to get up and down the floor putting up points in bunches and should easily score at least a hundred points tonight against the Sonics. My prediction for tonight is Nuggets by eight.

Who’s with me?

Go Nuggets!

Don't Expect J.R. to be Extended

(Boulder-CO) The Denver Nuggets have until tomorrow to extend J.R. Smith's contract or choose to let the troubled young pro become a restricted free-agent after this season. And although I'm pretty sure you all know what I think about the situation here are a few of my thoughts: Let this bird fly the coop because he is way too much maintenance for a team with more serious problems and higher aspirations to occupy their time with. He always says that he is growing up and it's a learning process, but why is it that the lessons he keeps failing are those that should not have to repeat themselves? If there is a learning process going on, why do we keep hearing the same results? The answer, just like his reputation with previous coaches, is that J.R. is resistant to learning from his mistakes and taking the wisdom put in front of him. Need more proof? Just read the history of his driving record in its own section on his Wiki page. So, unless he flips a complete 180, let J.R. Smith wiggle on the hook he has created for himself. Maybe it's the kind of motivation that he needs to turn his life and career around.

The NBA Blog Previews Master List

(Boulder-CO) Huge thanks goes out to Jeff at www.celticsblog.com for putting together the most definitive source for NBA Blog Team Previews yet again for this season. Right here is the link for the Master List of all of us who contributed. Enjoy!

Backcourt Board Games

(Boulder-CO) With the news that Chucky Atkins is going to be out for at least six weeks with a severe groin strain some of my worst fears are starting to creep into my thought patterns on the eve of opening night. The Nuggets are a team that can ill-afford to have this kind of injury, (not to mention the chemistry problems and adjustment time needed afterwards), at this phase of the game. But yet the fact still remains that Denver’s only major off-season acquisition is down and the effects may be lingering.

Many of you may already know this, but I do not like Allen Iverson, with his historically one-on-one mastery, running the point. He is a creator. And like many creators from the history books before him, he is always near the top of the turnover leaders in the league. Does this diminish his contribution to the team? Absolutely not, but what it takes to be a creator in the game of basketball is not always synonymous with what it takes to be a great point guard.

A true point guard will always bring the ball down the floor and, unless he has an obvious exploitable mismatch, will immediately snap out the first pass of the offensive set and continue to carry out the rest his duties. This may include setting a screen, curling off a screen, flaring out of the paint after a short cut to position himself for an entry to a post player, or directing traffic to most advantageously put his team in a position to score.

Now, with all that being said, can Allen Iverson do this? The Answer, pardon the pun, is an emphatic “yes!” But is that what the Nuggets need him to do? My answer to that is an emphatic “no!” The Nuggets need Iverson to be on the receiving end of the ball and not distributing it. They need AI on the wing, curling off of double screens set by the bigs, stopping and popping, shaking and baking, and dribble penetrating the paint while slicing through defenses like a bird in the wind because Iverson is at his best when passing off to a man that is freed from a defensively rotating opponent after he leaves his man standing as if their feet were in concrete.

The difference, Nuggets Nation is point guards distribute to create, and therefore are not creators. Allen Iverson creates distribution and therein lies the pivotal difference.

So, what do I suggest the Nuggets do?

I suggest the Nuggets start veteran Mike Wilks at point guard and keep Allen Iverson free from having to do too much too early and see how it works. Forget about starting Yakhouba Diawara at shooting guard. Such a move will only slow the team down offensively because he doesn’t move very well off the ball and his shot selection is still in need of a little contextual work. The Yak averaged 4.4 points a game last season while shooting 28% from behind the three-point line with a combined 31.5% from the field in total. Statistically not becoming of a starting shooting guard in this league with the point being he is not ready to start in the backcourt for a team with as high of expectations as the Nuggets. It’s too much pressure for the second year player, and with so much seasoning in a guy like Wilks, why not just save ‘Khouba for defensive purposes? That is where he is going to be able to help this team the most, and in the game of NBA chess… Trying to use a rook for the job of a knight is surely going to leave you with your king wide open.

Go Nuggets!

NBA Blog Previews the Pacific

(Boulder-CO) Here are some of the best NBA previews you are going to find for those of you on the left coast who worship the sun out there in the Pacific division. Don't sleep on the competition, Nuggets Nation!

Golden St. Warriors

Golden State of Mind

Los Angeles Clippers

ClipsNation.com

Los Angeles Lakers

Forum Blue & Gold

With Malice

Phoenix Suns

Bright Side of the Sun

Sacramento Kings

Sactown Royalty

Archives

CelticsBlog NBA Page

Kleiza Exercised

(Boulder-CO) In a move that should come as no surprise to anyone, the Nuggets have exercised a fourth-year contract option on forward Linas Kleiza. LK is poised to have a tremendously positive impact for the Nuggets this season after flashes of greatness late last season. He is definitely going to surpass his previous season's averages of 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds, and I wouldn't be surprised if he moves into the starting line-up in an over-sized shooting guard role when AI is forced to run the point early this season. He is capable of beating up smaller guards down in the blocks and on the boards and he is just as adept at guarding big two guards. Bravo, Nuggets Brass, you definitely made the right move.

Go Nuggets!

New ESPN Power Rankings

(Boulder-CO) The latest ESPN Power Rankings have the Nuggets as the twelfth best team in the league. I’d be willing to bet anyone pretty much anything that Denver winds up with a better overall season record than higher ranked teams like the Celtics, Jazz, Warriors, and Magic. Any takers?

Nuggets Individual Preseason Statistics

(Boulder-CO) Here is how the Nuggets preseason statistics shake out. Denver finished 5-3 overall with a pair of losses coming by way of the Detroit Pistons and the other loss to the Suns.

Scoring
1. Allen Iverson - 21.0 ppg
2. Carmelo Anthony - 19.0 ppg
3. J.R. Smith - 16.0 ppg
4. Linas Kleiza - 15.8 ppg

Assists
1. Allen Iverson - 6.0 apg
2. Anthony Roberson - 4.4 apg
3. Eduardo Najera - 4.0 apg
4. Carmelo Anthony 3.0 apg

Rebounds
1. Marcus Camby - 15.0 rpg
2. Eduardo Najera - 8.0 rpg
3. Carmelo Anthony- 5.6 rpg
4. Jelani McCoy - 5.5 rpg

Turnovers
1. Carmelo Anthony - 4.2 tpg
2. Allen Iverson - 2.67 tpg
3. J.R. Smith - 2.67 tpg
4. Anthony Roberson - 2.40 tpg

Steals:
1. Marcus Camby - 2.0 spg
2. Nene - 2.0 spg
3. J.R. Smith - 1.67 spg
4. Carmelo Anthony 1.6 spg

FG%
1. Jelani McCoy - 69.2%
2. Steven Hunter - 68.8%
3. Nene - 62.5%
4. Kenyon Martin - 61.9%

3-Point FG%
1. Bobby Jones - 50%
2. Anthony Roberson 45.8%
3. Allen Iverson - 44.4%
4. Von Wafer - 40%

Free-throw %
1. Eduardo Najera, Chucky Atkins, Brad Stricker, and Stacey Augmon - 100%
2. Anthony Roberson - 85.7%
3. Carmelo Anthony - 81%
4. Allen Iverson - 80%

After This... They Start to Count!

(Boulder-CO) Just a few quick notes from a game that no one could see.

First off, do you remember Linas Kleiza? You know that Lithuanian guy... Well, It was awesome to see LK break loose and score a game-high 34 points! Linas is going to have a big role this year and you might as well grab him on your http://www.protrade.com/ or fantasy team right now.

Secondly, AI gave the Nuggets 31 points and 10 assists. Big distribution nights for AI are going to be critical to the Nuggets success. Furthermore, anytime the Answer drops 30 you can expect Denver to win.

Next up is how the Nuggets put 133 points on Portland with not a lot of stars on the floor. Denver could very well improve offensively in comparison to last year as they learn to turn up the intensity on defense.

Counter point: Denver allowed Portland to score 125. Still a lot of work to do on the defensive end.

The most amusing part of the boxscore is Steve Blake's eight points. Does anyone disagree that the Nuggets were well advised to let him walk?

And finally, what is everyone wearing to the Pepsi Center on opening night?

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs Trailblazers Preseason Preview II

(Boulder-CO) Are we done with preseason yet? This is the last game for the Nuggets to try and experiment with any crazy line-ups, but I do not think that any starters will see more than enough minutes to stay fresh and break a sweat. Not much to preview for this one, so don't be broken hearted that the game isn't televised. And as long as nobody else gets injured, I could really care less who wins.

Go Nuggets!

NBA Blog Previews the Southeast

(Boulder-CO) This year's NBA Blog Previews have been fantastic and I strongly urge you to do your homework and get to know this year's competition. Here are the best Southeast links in game. Enjoy!

Washington Wizards

Bullets Forever



Orlando Magic

Believing in

Magic

Third Quarter

Collapse



Miami Heat

I Want to be a Sports Agent

Crazy from

the Heat



Atlanta Hawks

Impending

Firestorm

Atlanta Hawks

Blog



Charlotte Bobcats

Bobcat Bonfire

Archives

CelticsBlog NBA Page

Nuggets Edged by Strawberry, Suns

(AP Photo/Matt York)

(Boulder-CO) Denver had its chance late to walk away a winner tonight, but it was the high arching stroke of D.J. Strawberry that sealed the win for the Phoenix Suns, 116-113. Poor shooting percentages from both the free-throw line and three-point arch contributed tremendously in the loss, but worse than the defeat was seeing Chucky Atkins literally collapse after re-aggravating his groin in the middle of the fourth quarter. The injury was the worse case scenario for the Nuggets who now will likely have to start AI at point guard with the regular season set to start in less than a week.

Denver, with its starters in for the first half, jumped out to a twelve point lead at the break mainly due to attacking the basket early and often. Kenyon, Anthony, and Iverson all had really nice takes to the cup with the Nuggets in total scoring 22 points on either driving lay-ups or dunks. Shooting percentages were high at this point with 18 more points coming off of the charity stripe, but once the starters were summoned back to the bench all things statistically went down hill.

And so did the defense in the third quarter as the Nuggets allowed Phoenix to score 39 points in total including four three-pointers and only rebutted with 15 points of their own.

A once 12-point Nugget lead was suddenly erased and replaced with a 12-point advantage for Phoenix and George Karl had seen enough. It was time to see if the Nugget reserves could provide the courage to somehow win with a mountain to climb. And to their credit, they did fight valiantly to the end.

Denver managed to claw back slowly with a 9-0 run to tie the game at 113, but due to four missed free-throws by Von Wafer and J.R. missing his last three out of four attempts from the stripe the Nuggets opened the door for D.J. Strawberry to play the hero with just three seconds remaining after Marcus Banks drew a double team off of penetration and kicked it to him for the game-winning three. Denver finished the game by only shooting 16.7% from downtown and 61.8 from the free-throw line. Signed, sealed, and delivered. Nuggets lose.

Offensively, the Nuggets were paced by the dynamic duo of Allen Iverson (24 points and three assists) and Carmelo Anthony (22 points and five rebounds). Only two other Nuggets, (Bobby Jones and J.R. Smith), scored in double figures in comparison to seven for the Suns.

Up next for the Nuggets are the Portland Trailblazers in Portland tomorrow night. Hopefully a more favorable outcome is in store for the Nuggets Nation.

Go Nuggets!

J.R. Should Not Drink Alcohol

(Boulder-CO) Need proof of this post's title? Here is a quote pulled from the report, “Smith, 22, then told the officer ‘he was very (drunk and) doesn't remember everything’ that happened at the club.” I don’t even know how to explain what I just read, so here is the link.

If this report is true, and I mean 100% true, and it doesn’t translate into J.R. Smith being waived, traded, or anything resulting in him NOT being a Denver Nugget I will be very disappointed. And while I understand that A) J.R. Smith is a target, and B) that this kind of situation gets out of control all the time when people are drinking and acting a fool (that’s right I said acting a FOOL) … I still blame J.R. for putting himself in that kind position.

I Write for ESPN

(Boulder-CO) Ok, ok so maybe not fulltime - yet - but I have contributed a little piece to ESPN’s Denver Nuggets Preview. So, bang the link and check it out.

NBA General Managers Take Surveys

(Boulder-CO) The General Managers of nearly every team in the league have taken a survey and the results are in. Questions of note are who is going to win the Northwest Division and who will take home NBA superiority?

Surprisingly, the Nuggets are not picked to win their division, (they were last year and as we all know didn’t), but maybe this year it will be a flip-flop from last when the Jazz weren’t picked to win it either. Go check out what the real guys controlling the league think and get at me in the comments section!

Nuggets vs. Suns Preseason Preview

(Boulder-CO) Tonight the Nuggets will face the Suns in a game televised on national TV due to the fire situation in southern California. Phoenix enters this game with a stout 4-2 record so far this preseason, but tonight is going to be their first test against a Western Conference playoff foe since beating the Jazz about two weeks ago.

So, what do we know about the Suns? Obviously, they have the little go-go Steve Nash, Amare, and the on-again, off-again disgruntle Marion, but this team has also made some moves during the off-season that are of note. First, they landed the ever so fragile, but still very capable, Grant Hill. Another player I like that they have acquired is D.J. Strawberry. I’ve watched a lot D.J.’s game last year with the fighting turtles of Maryland and I can tell you that he is an outstanding player. He has a good shooting stroke, makes smart decisions, and is very athletic despite being a slender 6’5”.

And we can pretty much expect this one to be a barn burner. The Suns led the league last year with an average scoring pitch of 108.4 points a game as a result of Mike D’Antoni’s fastbeaking attack. The Nuggets came in at fifth in overall scoring at 100.3 points per game, however, Phoenix did have a better average margin of victory (5.6 points) in comparison to the Nuggets just barely squeaking by with two tenths separating what they gave up on the other end of the floor.

Other than that, I’m not going to guess as to who is going to play and who isn’t, but the game starts at eight o’clock MST on TNT and it should be a fun one. Also, be sure to check out these great Phoenix Suns sites for more information on tonight’s opponent.

www.phoenixsunsrising.blogspot.com
www.brightsideofthesun.com
www.sunsgossip.blogspot.com

Go Nuggets!

Carmelo Anthony is Blogging!

(Boulder-CO) Check it out! Carmelo officially has his own blog. He has only written one post as of yet, but he seems pretty honest and straight forward.

Snip-Snip: Nuggets Trim Roster

(Boulder-CO) It’s never personal, but some guys just don’t end up making the final cut. And when I say, “some guys”, I mean Anthony Roberson, Mike Wilks, Jelani McCoy, Brad Stricker, and I’m afraid to say… The Plastic Man Stacey Augmon were all thanked for their services and waived after last night’s game.

Not too many surprises on this cut list, but I did think that with the point guard situation looking as banged up as it is that Anthony Roberson might have stuck around a little bit longer. Especially since the Nuggets roster now stands at 14 players and the NBA roster limit stipulates that a team must have 12 active players at any given time, but also must have at least one “inactive” player with a maximum of three.

Now the current roster looks a little something like this:

Carmelo Anthony*
Chucky Atkins*
Marcus Camby*
Anthony Carter
Yakhouba Diawara
Steven Hunter
Allen Iverson*
Bobby Jones
Linas Kleiza
Kenyon Martin
Eduardo Najera*
Nene
J.R. Smith
Von Wafer

*denotes probable starter for opening night

Blaw! Double Buck Shot!!

(Boulder-CO) For the second time this preseason the Milwaukee Bucks have been bagged by the Denver Nuggets. Tonight, it was to the tune of, 114-102, at the Pepsi Center with Michael Ruffin actually being tossed after the final buzzer sounded! Talk about taking the preseason a little bit too seriously.

Denver was led offensively by Allen Iverson’s team high 21 points and six assists. AI also added five rebounds and a steal in 34 minutes of playing time. Other Nuggets of note were Carmelo Anthony (18 points, six boards, two assists, a steal, and a block), Linas Kleiza (12 points and a team-high seven rebounds), Von Wafer (13 points on 4-4 from downtown), and Kenyon Martin who played all of 20 minutes, but gave the Nuggets 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.

However, the biggest story is the first sighting of Big Brazil this season! Although he only played 13 minutes, Nene was effective with six points, four rebounds, two steals, and an assist. And coming in a close second to the Nene story is how J.R. Smith did not play, surprise-surprise…

From what I could tell from just the play-by-play and the gamecast, Denver dominated from start to finish by leading at the half by six and never losing the lead throughout the entire rest of the game. But other than the straight facts, that’s all I got!

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Bucks Preseason Preview II

(Boulder-CO) Who knows if even a single starter is actually going to play in this one for the Nuggets. So, in all reality this game should be close. The injury report is so long with Najera (sprained left foot), Atkins (tender groin), Camby (back spasms), Carter (broken hand), Nene (strained calf), Martin (double microfracture surgery), and Kleiza (sprained ankle) all on the day-to-day list that a definitive preview would be impossible to write.

Not to mention if J.R. Smith will even need to get suited up after his three ring circus continues to stop at all the wrong places for the Nuggets!

So, my only point of emphasis is for no one else to get hurt against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight at the Pepsi Center.

Go Nuggets!

Denver Nuggets: Destiny or Disappointment?

* This is my submission to the www.hoopsblogging.com NBA Preview contest. Shall it be picked as one of the "best", I would win wild prizes and undisclosed amounts of cash! It also serves as a insightful look at what is at stake for the Denver Nuggets this season. Enjoy!

(Boulder-CO) Few teams with as rich of a basketball history as the Denver Nuggets have never won the NBA’s greatest prize. Such a fact is also why this season’s results can most accurately be evaluated at the end of the season by asking, “Were this year’s Nuggets a team of destiny or disappointment?” And by reading this preview, you’ll understand exactly what’s at stake for the Nuggets in 2007-08.

At first glance, one would venture to say that Denver’s roster is stacked! Carmelo, AI, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year-Marcus Camby, Nene, and former All-Star Kenyon Martin have all carved out their respective places in the NBA. Denver also has a budding talent in the form of Linas Kleiza, an All-World hustle player in Eduardo Najera, and a new sharp-shooting point guard in Chucky Atkins, but never has a single one of the aforementioned been able to raise the Larry O’Brien trophy. In fact, not a single player on the roster has. So, could this be the year that Denver finally brings it home?

Two things are going to dictate how far the Nuggets travel in the 2007-08 campaign. The first is team chemistry. If the Nuggets can find a way for their players to work together, while also achieving the individual accolades, they will surely go deep into the playoffs. Remember, if the spirit of the late Wilt Chamberlain doesn’t possess Kobe Bryant last March it was Carmelo Anthony who would have probably won the NBA scoring title. In addition to this, the Nuggets added a future HOFer and former scoring champion in Allen Iverson midseason, along with other less notable roster shake-ups, and the Nuggets just never really found a way to ideally mesh all their talent. Furthermore, losing Kenyon Martin for the season after the first two great games he played, and Nene needing to lose some weight after returning from his own season-ending injury and you can start to see just how pivotal this year’s team chemistry is going to be.

Equally important for this year’s Nuggets is to not get bitten by the injury bug. For too many seasons now the Nuggets have had an intricate part of their squad go down in their first handful of games. Vashon Leonard, Nene, and Kenyon Martin (twice) are just a few of the Nuggets in recent memory to become seriously hurt in the infancy of a season, not to mention names like LaPhonso Ellis and Calvin Natt come to mind from Denver rosters from further back in the history books. I’m also looking in the direction of Marcus Camby, who has always had his ups and downs with injuries, despite playing in 70 games (second highest total number of regular season games in his career) last year. In summary, Denver has historically been a hotbed for injured NBA players and the Nuggets can ill-afford this trend to continue if they are going to become a team of destiny.

So, aside from those two biggest contingents facing the Denver Nuggets, this team is a solid ten deep. The starting five of Chucky Atkins (14.2 points and 4.6 assists), Allen Iverson (24.8 points, 7.2 assists, and three rebounds), Carmelo Anthony (28.9 points, six rebounds, and 3.8 assists), Nene (12.2 points and seven rebounds), and Marcus Camby (11.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, and 3.2 assists) can match up offensively with anyone in the league. Denver then has the five of J.R. Smith, Linas Kleiza, Eduardo Najera, Kenyon Martin, and the newly acquired seven-footer Steven Hunter all ready to spring off George Karl‘s bench. Round out the roster with a young defensive specialist like Yakhouba Diawara and an offensive specialist like Von “Nilla” Wafer and you can see why the expectations are so lofty in the Mile High City.

Finally, building off their regular season record of 45-37 last year and their frustrating/familiar first round exit in the playoffs, the Nuggets need to take the good and separate the bad to take this franchise further than ever before. Individually speaking, George Karl needs to stop coaching through the media, Carmelo needs to rebound more, AI would benefit this team greatly by having less turnovers, Camby, Nene, and Martin all need to stay healthy, J.R. Smith needs to improve his shot selection, Atkins needs to act as a supercharged motor on the fast break, and Linas, Eduardo, and Steven Hunter all need to find their niche for this team to improve. Otherwise, the team with the third highest payroll in the league, a team of destiny if you will, could become a team of disappointment real quick! And by disappointment I mean just barely being better than .500, limping into the playoff picture with a low seed, and consequentially being bounced in the first round yet again while having to suspend one of their pivotal players.

Destiny or disappointment, Denver. What is it going to be?

Go Nuggets!

Najera Hurt… At Home?

(Boulder-CO) I just couldn’t believe the report in Today’s Rocky Mountain News. Allegedly, Eduardo “The Grout” Najera slipped on some stairs in his home and sprained his left foot!

Had this happened to anyone else but Eduardo and I would be calling this questionable, but still, how are you going to get hurt on some stairs in your own home? Sounds a little bit like some other Denver athletes who have also been injured in bizarre home instances... Good grief!

NBA Blog Previews the Northwest

(Boulder-CO) This thing is like a runaway train! The NBA Blog Previews keep on keeping on and today's offering is the Northwest Division. Enjoy!

Northwest Previews:

Utah Jazz

Daily Basketball

Taking it to the Rack

Basketball John



Seattle Supersonics

Sonics Central



Portland Trail Blazers

TrueHoop

The Inferno



Timberwolves

TWolves Blog



Denver Nuggets

Nugg Doctor



Blog Previews Archives

CelticsBlog NBA Section

Welcome to the J.R. Smith Circus

(Boulder-CO)The Denver Post is finally reporting why J.R. Smith has been suspended for three games and it is not at all what I first suspected. The real reason why J.R. is going to serve a three game suspension is, “Smith allegedly tore up a club and caused someone injuries which required an ambulance,” at the popular DC-10 lounge in Denver on Saturday, October 13.

And while I was initially upset that a suspension had been handed down by Nuggets brass because I assumed it was a late consequence for his first flare up, I could really care less at this point knowing that J.R. himself is 100% to blame for this one.

So, my feelings are if he wants to be out and doing his thing during the twilight of the night where nothing but malarkey goes down so be it, but then don’t issue a statement saying you don’t want to be a, “team cancer”, if that’s where you want to be the night before traveling to Michigan to play the Pistons the same day. And although it was a measly, meaningless preseason game don’t be surprised when the box score reads 4-14 from the field, (including 0-4 with the long ball), with a game-high four turnovers.

Tom Ziller of the AOL Fanhouse thinks J.R. is on thin ice, but I think a more accurate metaphor would be J.R. has broken through the ice and is now treading the icy water of the Denver Nuggets and their patience.

Let Me Count the Ways

(Boulder-CO) I am so tired of hearing about J.R. Smith for all the wrong reasons! Car accidents, spats with the team and coaching staff, trade rumors, and now a suspension (and this time it isn't even for body slamming Nate Robinson)! I could go on and on about all the reasons, and players, that should make this problem go away, but I would rather hear what you all have to say. Get at me!

Nuggets Sign Another Small Point Guard

(Boulder-CO)The Denver Nuggets official home page has announced that the Nuggets have signed yet another small point guard in Mike Wilks. Wilks is a five-year NBA veteran who has played with six different teams.

Why they would sign another man under six feet tall is totally beyond me. We already have Chucky Atkins who is all of 5'11", Allen Iverson at maybe an inch taller than that, and both Anthony Roberson and Anthony Carter who are 6'2" each.

Furthermore, I don't expect Wilks to do much than give the other guys a break in the last three preseason games.

Nuggets Downed Again by Pistons

(AP Photo/Adam Bird)

(Boulder-CO) "Sloppy" is the only way that I can describe what I just watched on NBATV. It's a good thing the Nuggets didn’t play any of their presumed starting five because if ‘Melo, AI, Camby, Nene, or Martin played in this game I might have to just reevaluate everything I've been thinking as of late! Ok, I may be overacting a little bit, but honestly, this was about as ugly a basketball game as I have seen played in a really long time. Not to mention the Nuggets lost to the Pistons, 119-110, for the second time this preseason.

As if typed bright gecko green, the box score illustrates that the Nuggets were abused on the offensive glass. Detroit hit the O-boards to the tune of 22 offensive rebounds because Jelani McCoy was the only Nugget of any size to enter the game. Plus, Denver didn’t do too good of a job rebounding on the other end either as the Pistons finished with 55 total boards-18 more than Denver overall.

About the only bright spots for the Nuggets were J.R. Smith and Eduardo “The Grout“ Najera. Smith finished with a game-high 33 points on 10-19 from the field, three rebounds, two steals, and an assist. It was the first good shooting night of the season for J.R., but he started slow and only began heating up after a few good takes to the hole. The Grout had another great game by giving the Nuggets a double-double of 12 points, eleven rebounds, and six assists.

I do have to say one thing about Detroit’s Jason Maxiel and it’s that J-Max played like an absolute animal. Maxiel finished with tonight’s most impressive stat line of 25 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and a steal. More than that was how he made countless hustle plays like tapping out loose balls, bodying up Denver’s post players, and altering nearly ever shot from about five feet from the basket all night long. ‘Sheed may be the starting big man for the Pistons, but Detroit should be counting their blessings that they have a guy like Maxiel coming off their bench.

The Nuggets now have a five day break until their next preseason rematch with the Bucks in the friendly confines of the Pepsi Center. This duration should be good for the banged up Nuggets to rest and for the healthy Nuggets to regroup and refocus. These five days should also give the Nuggets coaching staff a few more practices to make some roster decisions and work on the team’s chemistry. Five days is a long time to wait after a game like this, but it just may be what I need to forget that this one ever happened.

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Pistons Preseason Preview II

(Boulder-CO) Last week these two teams met and Coach George Karl decided to rest his starters. That game ended up being the Nuggets first loss. This week, I don’t think the Pistons are going to be as lucky. The probable starters for tonight’s game, via the Denver Nuggets media notes available at www.nuggets.com, are Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Yakhouba Diawara, Jelani McCoy, and Eduardo Najera. And I believe the addition of the Nuggets All-Star duo is going to be enough to deliver the win this time around at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

With preseason minutes being monitored closely by the Nuggets coaching staff, Carmelo Anthony is averaging a team-high 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. AI is also having a fine preseason with averages of 16.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 2.3 rebounds. Both men didn’t play in the first meeting against the Pistons.

The injury report on tonight’s game lists Linas Kleiza, Chucky Atkins, and Kenyon Martin all as questionable, but I would be very surprised to see Kenyon make an appearance in tonight’s contest simply because the Nuggets training staff will probably give him a day off to rest his knees after such a great performance last night. However, I would be surprised if Chucky Atkins doesn’t see some burn tonight as he has not played now in almost a week after re-tweaking his groin against the Pistons the first time around. Nene is also listed as “out” for tonight’s game and there is no definitive word right now as to when Big Brazil will make his preseason debut.

The Nuggets are 22-6 during the preseason since 2004 and have won 15 of their last 19 preseason contests. Including the 2003 preseason, the Nuggets have an impressive .750 winning percentage (27-9) over the last four-plus years.

I’m putting the line at five tonight and am predicting a Nuggets “revenge” victory. In whatever minutes the Nuggets big guns do play, expect a spirited effort as the preseason is now officially halfway finished.

The game is on NBATV and starts five o’clock MST. Be sure to check out these fine Detroit Pistons sites for more on tonight’s opponent.

www.need4sheed.com
www.detroitbadboys.com
www.pistonsnationblog.com

Go Nuggets!

Denver Bags the Bucks

(AP Photo/Patrick Ferron)

(Boulder-CO) Tonight’s efforts in Green Bay featured some of the most positive signs the Nuggets could have hoped to see thus far in the preseason. Kenyon Martin made his return and played great. Eduardo Najera also made his preseason debut and looked as if in mid-season form. Plus, Allen Iverson is finding the open man and the bottom of the net, and Carmelo Anthony continues to improve on the glass and defensively. Simply stated, the Nuggets couldn’t have asked for much more from their individuals as they collectively blew the Bucks out of the gym, 104-78.

The first half ended with the Nuggets up by six, 49-43, but it was the third quarter when the Nuggets really started to pull away. With a combination of defensive intensity and offensive explosion the Nuggets limited the Bucks to a measly 15 points and notched 33 of their own. What I really liked about this stretch of the game was Denver totally dictated the speed of the game in the third and from that point on coasted to the easy victory.

Right off the bat you have to love the way that Kenyon Martin gets the nod from George Karl to start in his first game back from microfracture surgery almost a year ago. Martin only played 15 minutes in the game, but when he was in he was effective. Sporting his familiar college number "4", Kenyon scored eleven points, cleared five boards, dished out an assists, and stole a ball. K-Mart also played some solid defense on Yi Jianlian in the first half and disrupted the rookie’s low post attempts by out muscling him.

And if you love the way Kenyon made his debut, you have to be elated to see the hustle play of Eduardo Najera available to the Nuggets now too!

He isn’t going to make the highlight reel very much, but Eduardo Najera’s overall effort is second to none. Tonight, Najera gave the Nuggets a game-high nine rebounds (four on the offensive glass), six points, four assists, three steals, and a block in a very utilitarian effort. I could go on and on about how much I love the game of Eduardo Najera, but instead I think I’ll just give him a new nickname. From here on out, I’m going to refer to Eduardo as, “The Grout”, because the guy just fills in all the cracks!

Then you add in the one-two punch of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson and you can start to see how the Nuggets beat the Bucks by 26 points. AI finished tonight’s contest with a game-high 22 points, six assists, two rebounds, and a steal while absolutely giving the Bucks fits on defense. And his Western Conference All-Star counterpart was just as deadly. ‘Melo gave the Nuggets 16 points, eight big boards, three steals, two assists, and a block in a mere 26 minutes of game time.

Up next for the Nuggets is a preseason rematch with the Pistons tomorrow night. The game is on NBATV and starts five o’clock MST. A game preview chalked full of links and insight will be up tomorrow in the AM. The Nuggets now rest at 3-1 with just 14 days until Halloween’s opening night. You with me, Nuggets Nation?

Go Nuggets!

Protrade.com Opens NBA Team IPO's

(Boulder-CO) At four o'clock MST www.protrade.com opened up the NBA Team IPO's for the 2007-08 season. The Nuggets opened at just a shade under $120, and will without a doubt earn far more than that! Email me at scallywg31@aol.com to request an invite to my Protrade community and enjoy the sports stock market madness all season long!

Nuggets vs. Bucks Preseason Preview

(Boulder-CO) Tonight the Nuggets travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin to face the Bucks. Milwaukee is solid team with some new faces, but if the Nuggets play their stars for any substantial minutes they should be able to earn their third W of the preseason.

The NBA Draft’s sixth overall pick, Yi Jianlian, is the newest Buck and is showing some good things to the Milwaukee faithful. Just last game he scored 13 points and grabbed three rebounds, but didn’t do too good handling the ball. Yi turned it over a team-high eight times and also finished with five fouls. Marcus Camby, if active, should have a field day with the similarly sized Yi down in the blocks and on the boards.

The Bucks are usually led offensively by Michael Redd. Last year, Redd finished with a career-high scoring average of 26.7 points, but has been struggling a bit this preseason to come back to his old form after a season-ending injury sidelined him in early April of last season. His scoring average so far in the 2007-08 preseason is 11.3 points in 26.3 minutes per game.

All in all though this is the type of game that the Nuggets must win come regular season and I would really like to see them finish strong in the fourth quarter. My final line is Nuggets by six. Tip off is set for six o’clock MST.

Go Nuggets!

NBA Blog Previews: Central Division

(Boulder-CO) The NBA Blog Previews continue to roll on and today's offering is the Central Division. Do your homework, Nuggets Nation.

Chicago Bulls

Cobra Brigade

Bull Riding

Cleveland Cavaliers

YAYSports!

The POJO Dojo

Cavalier Attitude

Truth in a Bullet Fedora

Detroit Pistons

PistonsNationBlog

Empty The Bench

Need4Sheed

Motoring

Indiana Pacers

Indy Cornrows

Pacers Pulse

Milwaukee Bucks

Bango's Bunch

Archives

CelticsBlog NBA Page

Also see: Southwest Previews Atlantic Previews

Denver Nuggets NBA Blog Preview

Team Name: Denver Nuggets

Last Year's Record: 45-37

Key Losses: Steve Blake and Reggie Evans

Key Additions: Von Wafer, Chucky Atkins, Steven Hunter, and the return of Kenyon Martin

1. What significant moves were made during the off-season? The Nuggets decided to not resign Steve Blake in a move that I agreed 100% with. He was not the kind of point guard that could take this team any further in the post season than he did and he was looking to make way more than the Nuggets should have considered paying him. Denver needed a shooter and speedier fast break general and I think that Chucky gives them that.

Denver also traded Reggie Evans to the Philadelphia 76ers and in return received center Steven Hunter and guard Bobby Jones. The Nuggets had a log jam at the four spot with Nene, the return of Kenyon Martin, and Eduardo Najera, so it was good for both Reggie and the Nuggets to make the move. Steven Hunter serves as a good, inexpensive back up for Marcus Camby in the middle and Bobby Jones is definitely competing for a roster spot.

But the best move the Nuggets made this off-season was signing Von Wafer from the NBDL Colorado 14ers. Von is a shooting guard that I believe is going to really surprise some people this year because he has proven to be an offensive force at every stop on his way to the NBA. Don’t know much about Wafer? Here’s a crash course! “Nilla”, as he likes to be called, averaged 32 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists his junior season while in Lisbon, La playing for Pineview High School. His senior year, he transferred to Heritage Christian Academy in Cleveland, Texas where he averaged 26 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, and 4 blocks per game. And for his achievements on the basketball court, Wafer earned All-America third-team honors from USA Today Newspaper following his senior season. Von also was named a McDonalds All-American and scored 29 points on 13 of 20 shooting from the field while clearing 8 rebounds. He matched up well with King James for much of the game and finished second to James in the slam dunk contest.

He then played two years of college hoop at Florida State University before becoming an early entry in the 2005 NBA Draft. His freshman year at FSU Wafer averaged 7.9 points in 17.5 minutes a game. He ranked third among all ACC freshmen with 43 three-point field goals made and scored in double figures 12 times. As a sophomore, he led the team in scoring with an average of 12.5 points per game and made 65 bombs from long range. He made more than one three-point field goal in 14 games and surpassed the 20-point mark on six occasions.

Many people at this point in Wafer’s career thought it was a mistake for him to enter the draft early and some experts didn’t expect him to be drafted at all. In fact, during one of the only pre-draft workouts he could arrange with the Phoenix Suns, Wafer reportedly was frustrated by the physical play from Jan Jagla and responded by swinging an intentional elbow to Jagla’s nose, walked off the court, and ended the workout at that point. Things at this point were not looking good for Wafer’s NBA chances.

However, Von proved all the pessimists wrong by becoming the 39th overall pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2005 NBA Draft. He was later waived, but then did some serious work in the NBDL while playing for the Colorado 14ers. Wafer finished last season as the D-League’s second highest overall scorer at a pitch of 21 points a game while grabbing 2.9 rebounds and dishing 3.3 assists.

Fast forward to this summer’s Las Vegas NBA Summer League.

Von “Nilla” Wafer led the Nuggets in scoring with an average of 24.2 points, plus three assists, and 1.9 rebounds while coming in third overall in the mid-summer classic's scoring race. Not to mention he capped off his summer showcase with a record-tying 42 points against the New York Knicks in only a mere 26 minutes of playing time.

There, now you have no excuse for not knowing about Von Wafer!

2. What are the team's biggest strengths? Obviously, the Nuggets are an offensive juggernaut. ‘Melo, AI, and the rest of the fast-breaking Nuggets are going to put up major numbers on most teams. I’m also looking for ’Melo to once again be among the league’s leading scorers.

3. What are the team's biggest weaknesses? Defense and chemistry are going to be equally challenging for the Nuggets. Even with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Marcus Camby, the Nuggets biggest area to improve is defense. They gave up way too many points to teams that struggled offensively last year and lost too many games because of it. Chemistry is also going to be an obstacle to overcome in Denver. AI and Carmelo need to learn how to bring out the best in each other. Plus, the return of Kenyon Martin is going to provide another wrinkle in the roster that George Karl is going to have to manage. Who plays well with who is going to be just as important as who steps up and plays well this year for the Nuggets, and George Karl is going to have his hands full shuffling the full deck of talented players the Nuggets have on their roster.

4. What are the goals for this team? The Nuggets first goal should be to finish in the top four seeds in the Western Conference Playoff picture. This is going to take at least 50 wins in the regular season and would prevent them from running into a buzz saw like San Antonio in the first round. This should also help them in accomplishing what I feel is their second goal of getting out of the first round of the playoffs. From there I feel like the sky is the limit for this year’s Denver Nuggets.

5. Any wild predictions for this upcoming season? Actually, I’m glad you asked that! I think that Kenyon Martin is going to have a big year and win Comeback Player of the Year. He is attempting to be one of the only players ever to come back from microfracture surgery on both knees and he is really refocused on returning to the level formerly expected out of him.

Predicted Record: 53-29 and the Nuggets will march all the way to the Western Conference Finals!

Go Nuggets!

Mainstream Reports on Smith’s Incident

(Boulder-CO) Rocky Mountain News reporter Chris Tomasson writes in his article today, “Smith apologized to his teammates after practice Thursday. He told them, ‘I’m not trying to be a team cancer.’ Smith declined comment after the game Friday but said after the morning shootaround he disagrees with there being, ‘a lot of speculation and stuff going around about me being an individual player.’ Regarding his apology, Smith said, ‘something between me and the team happened Thursday’, but he wouldn’t elaborate. ‘I just want to let my teammates know I’m here to win,’ he said. ‘It’s not necessarily about me. It’s about the team.’”

Tomasson also gets Coach George Karl’s take on the incident. Chris writes, “Asked if Smith not playing had anything to do with the week’s events, Karl said, ‘I don’t think so, but you can write whatever you want.’”

Sure, George… We all believe you, but at least you’re not going to talk about it in the media after two preseason games! But just to reassure you that George Karl isn’t a completely changed man he goes on to elaborate on J.R.’s performance in the Nuggets loss to the Pistons and said, "I don't remember (the points) as much as I remember his mistakes."

So what can we take from all this convoluted mixed messaging? I think that while George Karl isn’t going to make a mountain out of a mole hill, J.R. Smith is really toeing a thin line with Karl. It is clear to see in the box scores of the first three games that J.R. has some serious heat on him from Wafer and Linas Kleiza. There has even been more and more serious talk about “finding” a position to utilize Linas in because of the high number of minutes ‘Melo is set to most likely play at the small forward position. And if any one is keeping track of Wafer’s performances in a head-to-head capacity with J.R. Smith. Wafer’s averages for the first three preseason games are 14 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and less than one turnover a game. J.R.’s averages for both games that he has appeared in are 14 points, two rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 3.5 turnovers a game. Oh, and are you wondering how George feels about Wafer’s defense? In the same article, George comments, “I thought Von was awful defensively in the first half and pretty damn good in the second half.”