Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is November 6th, and on this day:

'71- The Los Angeles Lakers won the first of what would turn out to be an NBA-record 16 consecutive road games, beating Golden State 105-89.

'92- In a 106-94 loss to New York at the Omni, Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins became the 17th player in NBA history to score 20,000 points, after hitting for 30 against the Knicks.

'92- Robert Parish scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to help the host Boston Celtics to a 113-92 win over Minnesota, becoming only the second player in NBA history to play in the league for 17 seasons (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 20). Parish now holds the record with 21 having passed Abdul-Jabbar in the 1996-97.

'92- Two years after becoming the first major professional sports league to play regular season games outside of North America, the NBA returned to Japan for a pair of games to open the 1992-93 season. Shawn Kemp’s 29 points and 20 rebounds led Seattle to a 111-94 win over Houston before a sellout crowd of 15,640 at Yokohama Arena. The SuperSonics completed a Far East sweep the next evening with an 89-85 win.

'92- Milwaukee celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a 86-81 win at Detroit.

'99- The Conseco Fieldhouse, the new home of the Indiana Pacers, took its bows when the Pacers hosted the Boston Celtics. Hall of Famer and Indiana basketball legend John Wooden served as the honorary scorer, NBC broadcaster Bob Costas handled player introductions and Crystal Gayle performed the national anthem. At halftime, the Pacers paid tribute to the state of Indiana's 50 greatest basketball legends. The Pacers sent their fans home happy with a 115-108 victory.

'99- For the fifth time this decade, the NBA staged regular season games in Japan when the Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings play two games at the Tokyo Dome on November 6 and November 7 in the NBA Japan Games. Sacramento won the first game by a 100-95 score and Minnesota came back to take the second game 114-101.

Enjoy your day!

Game 4 - Nuggets @ Warriors

(Boulder-CO) The Denver Nuggets travel west tonight to take on the Golden State Warriors in a game that I have to admit does have me feeling a bit uneasy. The Nuggets traded Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups on Monday, but Chauncey will not be available for Denver's first game since the transaction and thus leaves the Nuggets shorthanded in the scoring column and even more so at the guard position.

Without Iverson, the Nuggets will need Carmelo Anthony to return to his familiar scoring form, sans the cornrows. In his first game back from suspension, Anthony only scored 13 points on a dreadful 5-15 shooting night while grabbing only four rebounds in a Nuggets loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Denver's home opener. And as of right now, 'Melo has the fifth highest scoring average - including the loss of AI - on the team behind Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, Anthony Carter, and Nene.

As for the Warriors, despite being 1-3 to start the season, and without moped maniac Monta Ellis, there are some bright spots for Don Nelson's squad. They only lost by five to the juggernaut Hornets in their season opener, suffered an overtime loss to the Raptors on the road before winning a tough game on the road against the Nets in New Jersey, but once again faltered to the Memphis Grizzlies to end their three-game road trip.

However, the Golden State Warriors are not going to be an easy opponent. They have a well-balanced offensive attack consisting of five players averaging better than a dozen points led by Stephen Jackson's 21.3 ppg and Corey Maggette 18.3 points and almost seven rebounds per game. And in a game that will probably be a shootout, not having Allen Iverson or his replacement is going to make emerging victorious in Oakland a tall order indeed.

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is November 5th, and on this day:

'46- Chuck Connors of the Boston Celtics shattered the first backboard in NBA history during the warm-up before a Celtics game. Connors went on to shatter desperadoes in the television show “The Rifleman.”

'55- Jack Twyman made his debut for the Rochester Royals at home against New York. The Knicks won 100-98 in overtime.

'71- Los Angeles Lakers forward Elgin Baylor, plagued by injury, retired after a 14-year, 846-game career that included 23,149 points. Five years later, he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

'82- With a 99-91 loss to the New Jersey Nets, the Cleveland Cavaliers set an NBA record for consecutive games lost (over two seasons) with 24.

'88- The visiting Los Angeles Clippers spoiled the debut of NBA basketball in the state of Florida with a 111-91 win over the Miami Heat at the Miami Arena.

'93- San Antonio, playing its first regular season game at the new Alamodome, established an NBA record for opening night attendance by drawing 36,523 fans. The Spurs sent the crowd home happy with a 91-85 win over Golden State, led by David Robinson’s game-high 32 points.

'93- The Houston Rockets beat the New Jersey Nets 110-88 to begin their 15-game start of season winning streak, tying the 1948 Washington Capitols for the best start in NBA history.

Enjoy your day!

Five Final Thoughts on the Trade

(Boulder-CO) I think that if you read the all the comments, the articles, and all the rest of the reactions around the Internet concerning yesterday's Allen Iverson-Chauncey Billups trade you might be just a little bit overwhelmed by all that has been said. So, I've decided to boil down the entire trade to just the five most important aspects the Nuggets Nation should keep in mind.

1. The trade not only gives Denver the point guard it has been longing for since trading Andre Miller back in the 2006-07 season, but it also allows Coach George Karl the ability to start the best five on this roster. With Chauncey at the point, J.R. Smith should now be a starter. His size, scoring ability, in addition to the help of Chauncey's leadership should all lead to great things for the Nuggets. That gives Denver Mr. Big Shot and The Prodigy in the backcourt and 'Melo, K-Mart, and Big Brazil as their presumed starting unit. And in doing so puts Anthony Carter back in his more familiar role of back-up PG, Dahntay Jones at SG, LK at reserve SF (where we all know he is more suited to play than SG), and Balkman, Andersen, and Hunter (if he's ever healthy enough to play) to hold down the backcourt.

2. This move took a considerable amount of money off of the books. AI was making the second highest salary in the league this season and was accounting for more than 25% of the Nuggets overall payroll. The tax level for the 2008-09 season has been set at $71.150 million. Any team whose team salary exceeds that figure will pay a $1 tax for each $1 by which it exceeds $71.150 million. With AI now a Piston, Denver's total payroll is now $70.17 and Stan Kroenke can breathe a little bit easier.

3. When AI came to Denver back in the 2006-07 season there was a lot of pressure for him to help the Nuggets get out of the first round. Denver never did so, and now the pressure is on Billups to accomplish the same feat; only I believe Billups will go about doing so in a much different way. With Iverson, the Nuggets became more flashy and less controlled. With Billups, I see Denver slowing down, having fewer turnovers, and playing better defense. All of those aspects of the game were areas where AI didn't substantially help the Nuggets and in doing so was actually hindering Denver from making the jump from playoff pretender to playoff contender. Now with Billups, I see Denver making a natural and beneficial transition to being a more well balanced team with fewer unforced miscues.

4. With the game on the line in the final moments I believe the Nuggets will have a calmer and more precise execution. AI was a jitterbug who was most likely going to create an opportunity for himself first before looking to set-up the best option at that critical juncture of the game. And while he did create and deliver often, his late game decisions were questionable from time to time. With Billups, Coach George Karl call in the play from the sidelines or draw up the play in a timeout and have faith that Billups will not only run the set accordingly, but also make any split-second adjustments he might see as the final moments tick away. Chauncey is just that heady of a floor general and that's just what the Nuggets have been lacking.

5. Last season, there was not a single player or coach on the Denver bench that could wear a NBA Championship ring. It may not seem like a big deal, but trust me when I say that kind of accomplishment is something that really does mean something when a team's leader is trying to get his brethren to cooperate. Chauncey brings that experience and I believe that it will pay off huge for the development of unity within this team and especially 'Melo and J.R. Smith.

Now there's just 79 games to go out and win before we can look back and truly reflect on whether or not this was the trade that pushed the Denver Nuggets up and over the hill they have been struggling to climb. I don't know about anybody else, but I think this trade is spectacular and I can't wait to see the new look Denver Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is November 4th, and on this day:

'65- Johnny Kerr played in the last of his 844 consecutive games spanning 12 seasons, then an NBA record, as his Baltimore Bullets lost 108-107 at New York.

'87- The Blazers honor Maurice Lucas by retiring his uniform number (#20).

'88- In front of 23,388 fans at the sold-out Charlotte Coliseum, the Charlotte Hornets, playing their first NBA game, were defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers, 133-93.

'89- The Orlando Magic opened their inaugural season in the NBA with a 111-106 loss to the New Jersey Nets at Orlando Arena.

'89- David Robinson made his debut for the San Antonio Spurs against the Los Angeles Lakers. San Antonio won 106-98. Robinson’s NBA debut was delayed two years because of his military commitment.

'93- NBA Vice President, Operations Rod Thorn announced that veteran referee Darell Garretson would relinquish his on-court officiating duties at the conclusion of the 1993-94 season, his 27th in the NBA. Starting with the 1994-95 season, Garretson became the NBA’s Director of Officiating.

'93- The NBA Board of Governors voted to grant the league’s 28th franchise to a Toronto group headed by John Bitove, Jr. The Raptors began play in the 1995-96 season.

'94- After having spent the previous 28 seasons in Chicago Stadium, the Bulls successfully opened their new arena across the street, the United Center, with an 89-83 opening night win over Charlotte in front of 22,313 fans. Scottie Pippen’s game-high 22 points helped lead the Bulls to victory.

'94- Clyde Drexler scored a game-high 26 points and Buck Williams pulled down 14 rebounds to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 121-100 victory over the LA Clippers, in a game played before a sold-out crowd of 14,239 at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan. The game marked the third time in five years that the NBA tipped off the regular season in Japan.

'96- With four assists during Houston’s 75-72 win over Utah, Charles Barkley became the fourth player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 3,500 assists for his career.

'97- Washington’s Rod Strickland dished the 5,000th assist of his career in the Wizards’ 120-96 win over Denver.

'97- Milwaukee ended Orlando’s NBA-record streak of 316 straight games with at least one three-pointer in a 110-76 win for the Bucks.

Enjoy your day!

The Entire NBA Blog Previews

(Boulder-CO) A huge amount of thanks goes out to Jeff over at Celtics Blog for putting in the time and effort to coordinate the 2008-09 NBA Blog Previews. Just in case you missed a team or two along the way here is the entire NBA broken down for you by those of us who choose not to sleep from late October through June.

Boston Celtics
Jeff Clark: CelticsBlog.com
Jim Weeks: Green Bandwagon
FLCeltsFan: LOY's Place
John Karalis: Red's Army
Dustin Chapman: Celtics 24/7

New Jersey Nets
Dennis Velasco: About Basketball

New York Knicks
Joey: Straight Bangin'
Seth Rosenthal: Posting and Toasting

Philadelphia 76ers
Dannie & Pete: Recliner GM
Jon Burkett: Passion and Pride

Toronto Raptors
Franchise: RaptorsHQ.com
Ryan McNeill: Hoops Addict
Cuzzy: Cuzoogle

Dallas Mavericks
Jake Kerr: Mavs Moneyball

Houston Rockets
grungedave and UofTOrange: The Dream Shake

Memphis Grizzlies
Joshua Coleman: 3 Shades of Blue

New Orleans Hornets
Rohan: At the Hive
ticktock6 & mW: Hornets Hype
Ryan Schwan & Ron Hitley: Hornets247.com

San Antonio Spurs
Graydon Gordian: 48 Minutes of Hell

Chicago Bulls
Nels: Give Me The Rock
Matt: Blog-a-Bull

Cleveland Cavaliers
Rock: Waiting For Next Year
FTS: Fear The Sword
David Friedman: 20 Second Timeout
Amar Panchmatia: Cavalier Attitude

Detroit Pistons
Brian Spencer: Empty the Bench
Natalie Sitto: Need4Sheed.com
Matt Watson: Detroit Bad Boys

Indiana Pacers
Tom: Indy Cornrows

Milwaukee Bucks
Jeramey Jannene: The Bratwurst
Frank Madden: BrewHoop

Denver Nuggets
Jeremy: Pickaxe and Roll
Nick Sclafani: The Nugg Doctor

Minnesota Timberwolves
Derek Hanson & Staff: TWolves Blog
Andrew Thell: Empty the Bench
Stop-n-Pop: Canis Hoopus

Oklahoma City
xphoenix87: BallerBlogger
Zorgon: Blue Blitz
Royce: The Thunderworld

Portland Trail Blazers
Mookie: ...a stern warning
Benjamin Golliver: Blazers Edge
Coup and SJ: Rip City Project

Utah Jazz
UtesFan89: The Utah Jazz
Basketball John: SLC Dunk

Atlanta Hawks
Matt McHale: Basketbawful
Hoopinion: Peachtree Hoops

Charlotte Bobcats
Brett: Queen City Hoops
Ziggy: BobcatsPlanet

Miami Heat
Darren Heitner: SportsAgentBlog.com
Gregory Broome: The Peninsula is Mightier

Orlando Magic
Ben: Third Quarter Collapse

Washington Wizards
Rashad: Hoops Addict
HoopsAvenue: HoopsAvenue
Mike Prada: Bullets Forever
Truth: Truth About It Dot Net

Golden St. Warriors
Rob Mahoney: Upside and Motor

LA Clippers
ClipperSteve: Clips Nation

LA Lakers
Kurt: Forum Blue & Gold
Josh Tucker: Respect Kobe
Trevor Smith: HoopsAddict

Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Stan: Bright Side of the Sun

Sacramento Kings
Tom Ziller: Sactown Royalty

Also see links to all the previews at CelticsBlog.com

A million thanks, Jeff!

NBA Blog Previews: Pacific Division

(Boulder-CO) The last of the NBA Blog Previews is here and just like those sleepy heads on the West Coast the Pacific Division is last to get up. Enjoy!

Golden St. Warriors
Rob Mahoney: Upside and Motor

LA Clippers
ClipperSteve: Clips Nation

LA Lakers
Kurt: Forum Blue & Gold
Josh Tucker: Respect Kobe
Trevor Smith: HoopsAddict

Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Stan: Bright Side of the Sun

Sacramento Kings
Tom Ziller: Sactown Royalty

Also see links to all the previews at CelticsBlog.com

It's Official: Billups Back in Denver

(Boulder-CO) Now we've got drama! Allen Iverson is no longer a Denver Nugget and Chauncey "Denver's Native Son" Billups and Antonio McDyess are on their way back to The Mile High City, reports ESPN.

The report also states that 7'1" Cheikh Samb will be included in the deal and that Antonio McDyess has no interest in playing for any team other than the Pistons. If such a position holds true for McDyess, the Nuggets can buyout his remaining contract (hopefully at a discount) or he can just retire.

"The King of Park Hill" will most likely make his return debut with Denver on Wednesday in Oakland when the Nuggets take on the Golden State Warriors!

Welcome home, Chauncey.

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is November 3rd, and on this day:

'48- The Washington Capitols beat the Philadelphia Warriors 77-70, to win the first of 15 consecutive games to start the season, the best start in NBA history. The mark stood for 45 years before it was tied by the 1993-94 Houston Rockets.

'51- Neil Johnston made his debut for the Philadelphia Warriors at home against the Ft. Wayne Pistons. The Warriors won 70-69.

'56- Cliff Hagan made his debut for the St. Louis Hawks at home against Syracuse. The Nationals won 75-73.

'62- Wilt Chamberlain of the San Francisco Warriors scored 72 points at the Los Angeles Lakers, the fourth-highest point total in NBA history.

'82- Randy Smith played in his 845th consecutive game, passing Johnny “Red” Kerr as the NBA’s All-time Iron Man. Smith would go on to play in 906 consecutive games, a streak which concluded on March 13, 1983. A.C. Green of the Dallas Mavericks broke Smith’s record when he played in his 907th consecutive game on November 20, 1997.

'89- Nineteen years after their inaugural home game, the Portland Trail Blazers retired Bill Walton’s jersey number 32.

'89- Sarunas Marciulionis and Alexander Volkov became the first players from the Soviet Union to participate in a regular season NBA game. Marciulionis scored 19 points as Golden State lost to Phoenix 136-106, and Volkov was held scoreless as Atlanta lost to Indiana 126-103.

'89- The Minnesota Timberwolves opened their first season in the NBA by dropping a 106-94 decision to the host Seattle SuperSonics.

'90- Atlanta’s Moses Malone set an NBA record for free throws made in a career by hitting 7-of-9 from the line in a 121-120 win over Indiana at the Omni. Those seven successful FT attempts allowed Malone to pass Oscar Robertson--who previously held the record with 7,694--on the all-time list. Moses Malone was surpassed on March 24, 2001, when Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz connected on his 8,532nd free throw in a game against the Washington Wizards.

'95- With a 105-91 victory over Charlotte, Chicago won their first of an NBA record 72 games in one season and their first of an NBA record 37 home games won at the start of a season.

'95- The NBA’s two Canadian expansion teams, the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies, both make successful NBA debuts with victories in their first regular-season games. In front of more than 33,000 fans at SkyDome, the Raptors defeated New Jersey 94-79. The Grizzlies won their opener on the road, defeating Portland 92-80 at the Blazers’ new home, the Rose Garden.

'95- In a major trade just before the start of the 1995-96 season, Charlotte sent center Alonzo Mourning, guard Pete Myers and forward-center LeRon Ellis to Miami in exchange for swingman Glen Rice, point guard Khalid Reeves, center Matt Geiger and a 1996 first round draft pick.

'99- The Boston Celtics hold a special evening on opening night vs. the Washington Wizards, in honor of Red Auerbach, who had a hand in each of the team's 16 NBA championships. At halftime, legendary Celtics Bill Russell and Tom Heinsohn assist Auerbach in the raising of a banner commemorating his 50th season. This evening's game, along with all other home games, will feature video highlights, dedications and vignettes sharing memories and special events from Auerbach's legendary career.

'99- The Los Angeles Lakers debut in their new home, Staples Center, by hosting the Vancouver Grizzlies. Magic Johnson and Chick Hearn co-hosted a ceremony unveiling the Lakers' retired jerseys and championship banners in their new building.

'01- Steve Smith of the San Antonio Spurs, playing in his first game against his former Portland Trail Blazers teammates, tied an NBA record for most three-point field goals in a game without a miss, as he went 8-for-8 from beyond the arc and finished with 36 points in a 106-90 triumph.

Enjoy your day!

Analyzing the Inevitable AI Trade

(Boulder-CO) I didn't think it would happen this early in the season, but the Denver Nuggets are not wasting any time in shipping Allen Iverson out of town while they can get something for him in return.

It is being reported by MLive.com that not only has an agreement been made between the two teams, but also that neither player(s) were at their respective shootarounds earlier today.

Let's take a closer look at why and how this is all supposed to go down:

For starters, it didn't take an NBA genius to look at the AI situation and realize that he would probably not be in Denver for the duration of this season. First of all, he is getting older and his numbers have been on the slow but steady decline for the last three years. Not to say that they haven't been great, but the writing has been on the wall. Furthermore, he is in the last year of his contract worth $21.9 million dollars on Stan Kroenke's payroll and if Denver is going to get anything in return for him before he becomes a free-agent he was going to be traded before the season's end.

So, the only real surprise is how quick Denver brass has pulled the trigger.

In return for trading Allen Iverson, the Nuggets are reportedly going to acquire former Nuggets Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess from the Pistons. Chauncey is a Denver native and former University of Colorado Buffalo and McDyess spent the early portion of his career with the Nuggets throughout the 90's.

Billups is set to make $11 million this season and his contract runs through 2011 with a team option for 2012 before maxing out in his final year for $13 million. The final year team option is for $14.2 million dollars and Billups would be 35 years old. McDyess will make $6.8 million this year and has one more year at the same salary for next year before his is a free-agent or chooses to retire at the age of 36.

Now to examine what the Nuggets would be if/when the trade is officially announced:

On paper, the trade looks tremendously positive for the Nuggets. Despite the individual trade off of Iverson, Billups is a consummate team player who can better assist, pun intended, Carmelo, Nene, and J.R. Smith. In addition, he is a better defender and far superior long-range shooter. Not to mention his championship experience. Plus, the addition of Antonio McDyess bolsters Denver's thin frontline while adding veteran leadership.

By the numbers, Allen Iverson is going to be a loss for the Nuggets. The Answer averaged 26.4 points and better than seven assists last season in comparison to Billups' 17 points and six assists. But... keep in mind Denver has been longing for a true starting point guard since losing Andre Miller and with the emergence of J.R. Smith's scoring a few extra shots minus Iverson isn't the worst thing that could happen to this team overall. However, with Antonio McDyess' seven points and four rebound average from last year, I think the Nuggets will be able to counter balance the offensive loss of AI while adding the aforementioned strength on their frontline and the invaluable veteran presence both men would provide.

My final thought is nothing but love for this trade. The Nuggets were headed on a path to no where quick this season with the roster as it is/was, but this trade gives me new hope as to what could be Denver's future this season.

Go Nuggets!

An Internet Dunk Contest

(Boulder-CO) One of the down-right coolest guys ever, Ryan over at www.hoopsaddict.com, has a little Internet Dunk Contest going on right now where you can win a vertical leap package that could help you make your own dunk video. Post your submission in the comments section of the post. Your hops will thank you.

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is November 1st, and on this day:

'46- The New York Knicks defeated the Toronto Huskies 68-66 in the first NBA game, which was played in Toronto. Any fan taller than Toronto’s 6-8 center George Nostrand got in free.

'49- Dick McGuire made his debut for the New York Knicks at the Chicago Stags. The Knicks won in overtime 89-87.

'49- Ed Macauley made his debut for the St. Louis Bombers against the Tri-City Blackhawks. The Bombers won 72-51.

'50-Bill Sharman made his debut for the Washington Capitols at home against the Indianapolis Olympians. The Capitols won 100-84.

'50' Bob Cousy made his debut for the Boston Celtics at Ft. Wayne. The Pistons won 107-84.

'96- Fifty years to the day that the first NBA game was played in Toronto between teams from New York and Toronto, the New York Knicks defeated the Toronto Raptors 107-99.'

'00- Pat Riley became only the second coach in NBA history to amass 1,000 regular season victories when the Miami Heat opened the season with a 105-79 victory over the Orlando Magic. Riley joined Lenny Wilkens as the only two coaches to achieve the mark.

'01-With the No. 1 selection in the inaugural NBDL Draft, the Fayetteville Patriots selected Chris Andersen, a 6-10 power forward from Blinn (Texas) Community College.

Enjoy your day!

Whistle Me for Traveling!

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

(Boulder-CO) I'm on the road in Lawrence, Kansas at KU and was unable to watch last night's tremendous overtime victory over the Clippers. But, from the recaps I evidently missed a great game.

Here are the high's and low's:

-The Nuggets rallied from 18 points down at halftime to force overtime and win, 113-103. In doing so, Denver tied the second-biggest comeback from a halftime deficit in the Nuggets' franchise history.

-After missing a last-second three-point attempt in the season opener, Kenyon Martin hit a HUGE three in overtime to secure the win. Martin recorded 13 points, 13 rebounds, and two assists despite missing nine of his first ten shot attempts.

-Marcus Camby didn't play due to the bruised heel that kept him out of game one of the season as well.

-Six Nuggets scored in double figures led by Allen Iverson's 25 points and five assists. Nene added 22 points and eleven boards, Anthony Carter chipped in a dozen points and half as many assists, J.R. Smith did his usual thing finishing with 17 points and ten rebounds, and Dahntay Jones scored 13 points and swatted a shot.

-Linas Kleiza continued his struggles offensively netting just six points in nearly 3o minutes, including the start, but did hit the boards nicely. LK finished with nine rebounds and three assists. He has scored just ten points combined in Denver's first two games.

-Denver grabbed a total of 60 rebounds. Ten more than the Clippers and out-passed L.A. 19-17 in the assist column. Half of Denver's 38 made field goals were assists.

The Nuggets open up their doors for the first time of the season tonight at Pepsi Center against the same team that ended their season last year. That's right, Kobe and Co. are in town and it's the first back-to-back set of the year. Oh, and Carmelo is back! 'Melo has served the team's two-game suspension for DUI late last season and will return to the starting line-up.

Something tells me tonight's game is going to be electric.

Go Nuggets!

Game 2: Nuggets @ Clippers

(Boulder-CO) The Denver Nuggets continue on the road tonight against the Los Angeles Clippers. The same Clippers that Mr. Marcus Camby plays for. Expect a warm welcome from Camby to all those that he befriended while on the Nuggets, but also expect a spirited effort by the Cambyman too as he without doubt plays with a chip on his shoulder to prove to his old boss that getting rid of him was a mistake.

Expect J.R. Smith to have another big game. I'll quote one of the local guys I play basketball with, "Dude is sick. No one can guard him. He only stops himself on occassion."

And to a certain degree, I agree with him.

Have a happy Halloween everyone. I'm in Kansas seeing my "nephew."

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is October 31st, and on this day:

October 31, 1969 The Seattle SuperSonics defeated the Cincinnati Royals 129-121, giving Lenny Wilkens, the NBA’s all-time winningest coach, his first coaching victory.

Enjoy your day!

Balkman's Option Picked Up

(Boulder-CO) Renaldo Balkman's option for next season has been picked up by the Denver Nuggets reports Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post. Please, dissect this move in the comments section.

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is October 30th, and on this day:

'53- Red Holzman made his NBA coaching debut for the Milwaukee Hawks at home against the Minneapolis Lakers. The Hawks won 69-59. This game also marked the debut of Minneapolis’ Clyde Lovellette.

'54- Bob Pettit made his debut for the Milwaukee Hawks at home against Ft. Wayne. The Pistons won 91-72.

'54- Frank Ramsey made his debut for the Boston Celtics at Rochester. The Royals won 98-95.

'54- The NBA adopted the use of the 24-second clock (the brainchild of Danny Biasone, owner of the Syracuse Nationals) and a limit of six team fouls per quarter, in an attempt to speed up play and eliminate stalling and deliberate fouls.

'80- The NBA announced its 35th Anniversary All-Time Team--Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Julius Erving, John Havlicek, George Mikan, Bob Pettit, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell and Jerry West. Russell was voted the greatest player of all time, Red Auerbach of the Celtics the greatest coach and the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers the greatest team ever.

'81- Chuck Daly made his NBA coaching debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia. The 76ers won 128-104.

'81- Isiah Thomas made his debut for the Detroit Pistons at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pistons won 118-113.

'81- Pat Riley made his NBA coaching debut for the Los Angeles Lakers at home against Houston. The Rockets won 113-112 in double-overtime.

'93- In the first preseason game between two NBA teams ever played in Europe, the Orlando Magic, behind 14 fourth-quarter points from Dennis Scott, defeated the Atlanta Hawks 120-95 before a sold-out crowd of 9,483 at Wembley Arena in the opening of the two-game NBA London Games series.

'01- John Stockton stepped onto the floor with the Jazz on Opening Night, beginning his 18th season with the same team, establishing the longest tenure with one organization. Stockton had been tied with Hakeem Olajuwon, whose 17 consecutive seasons with the Houston Rockets ended when he joined the Toronto Raptors during the offseason.

'02- On what Mayor Ray Nagin proclaimed as "Teal Day" in the city of New Orleans, the NBA returned to the Big Easy tonight as the Hornets defeated the Utah Jazz 100-75.

Enjoy your day!

5 Disappointments from Opening Night

(AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

(Boulder-CO) Opening night's game was a bit of a disappointment. The Denver Nuggets lost to the Utah Jazz, 98-94, after playing a hard fought game without a suspended Carmelo Anthony. And while Denver was down by as many as 14 with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter I do acknowledge the gusto they showed in not letting this game slip into blowout city, but too many disappointing factors contributed to this loss.

Here's five quick positives from the loss:

1. J.R. Smith is a freaking monster! Smith finished with 17 points on 7-14 shooting that included 3-7 from downtown. He added five rebounds, two assists, and a steal while playing solid defense and showing a multi-faceted offensive repertoire. I especially like the way he is finishing with his left hand around the basket.

2. Allen Iverson recorded eight assists while only shooting the ball 13 times. AI may have only scored 18 points in what was a very un-Nugget like offensive showing, but his curtailing of dribbling out the shotclock gives me hope that he understands what this team will need from him to be successful. Plus, Iverson only turned the ball over three times.

3. Kenyon Martin worked to his offensive strengths. He made quick moves around the basket and powered his way to a lot of high-percentage buckets. I absolutely love Marting shooting that little jump hook with the right hand off of one or two power dribbles because he is still one of the quickest elevating off of the floor in this league. Kenyon finished tied with Allen Iverson with a team-high of 18 points.

4. Denver limited themselves to only 13 turnovers. That's quite a bit fewer than last year's average and a good sign of discipline offensively.

5. Denver outscored Utah 13-6 in fastbreak points. Not nearly enough, but still positive.

Now for the negative:

1. Anthony Carter has got to take better care of the basketball. The boxscore will tell you that he only turned the ball over once, but I counted three straight possessions where he lost control during the Nuggets final push that absolutely crippled Denver's chances of winning the game. Statistically, maybe they weren't turnovers, but I'll guarantee you Carter was thinking about that stretch on the plane ride to L.A.

2. Nene has got to put that big body on someone when the ball gets shot. Big Brazil finished with only four rebounds and no Nugget finished with more than six. As a team, Denver was mutilated on the boards 46-35 with many of those rebounds translating into second chance points for the Jazz.

3. In the first half alone, Denver allowed 36 points in the paint. The Jazz would finish with 52 points in the paint in total indicating that there was a halftime adjustment, but the matador defense has got to stop or this is going to be yet another year of defensive futility for the Nuggets. Too many times the on-ball defender for Denver got beat and when the help came the defender who was beat initially did a poor job scrambling to help the help which leads to easy drop passes around the goal and thus all the points in the paint.

4. That lane violation called on Kyle Korver's second free-throw attempt is about as soft a call as your going to see in today's NBA. Had the referee choked on his whistle, Denver is only down by two and the Nuggets' options to tie the game are many. How's that home cookin' taste, Utah?

5. Kenyon Martin taking the last ditch three-pointer to tie the game was baffling. Why the ball wasn't in J.R.'s hands will be a question on my mind for days to come.

The important thing is for Denver not to dwell on the loss and get back even tomorrow night against Marcus Camby and the Clippers. Splitting games without Carmelo isn't so bad, but heaven forbid the Nuggets lose to the Clippers and then have to see the Lakers without having won a game.

Go Nuggets!

Here We Go Again...

(Boulder-CO) The trash talking between the Utah Jazz, their fans, and the Denver Nuggets, their fans, and me is kicking into full swing. A good friend of mine, who sadly is a Utah Jazz fanatic, sent me this picture this morning to jab me in the ribs.

Obviously, this individual is a Nuggets fan who chooses to express their love for the team in a very, shall we say, interesting manner.

But I ask you, is such a unique way of expressing your loyalty to the team any worse than this, shall we say, classy, Utah Jazz fan?

And of course... There is always this.

Touché, my friends. Touché.

Head over to True Blue Jazz to give the fellas over there the business. Keep it classy!

Go Nuggets!

Game #1 - Nuggets @ Utah

(Boulder-CO) It's here! It's finally here! The regular season starts tonight for the Denver Nuggets in Utah against the bitter divisional rival Jazz. However, the game should have an unusual feel to it as Denver and Utah will both be missing top talent.

Carmelo Anthony will not play tonight or in the match-up with the Clippers in L.A. while he serves a team-imposed two-game suspension for a DUI late last season. The loss is going to be tremendous for Denver, but the good news for Nuggets' fans is Utah is without heady point guard Deron Williams. D-Will will not be playing tonight due to an ankle sprain suffered in preseason. The Jazz will also have to compensate for a few others not able to suit up. Matt 'The Irritant" Harpring is a scratch due to having to deal with an infection that resulted from ankle surgery and Jarron Collins is also listed as day-to-day with tricep tendinitis.

Now here's where things get tricky: The Nuggets game notes indicate that Dahntay Jones is probable to start over Linas Kleiza. The rest of the starting five consists of Allen Iverson, Anthony Carter, Kenyon Martin, and Nene. This leaves BOTH J.R. Smith and Linas Kleiza to come off the bench AND the starters in a position to compensate early for the offensive slack left by Carmelo's absence. Which all leads me to believe, if the game notes are correct, that George Karl is certifiably crazy! Why he would turn to Dahntay Jones, and no disrespect to Dahntay, to start the game over Linas Kleiza, a 40+ point game scoring talent of which came against Utah in Denver's only victory over the Jazz last season, when his team is missing 25+ points in offensive firepower is beyond me. Furthermore, this team with J.R. Smith in the starting line-up is far more capable of matching up with opponents defensively purely on size alone and I would think with Carmelo gone that would factor in as well.

Other things to be aware of in tonight's game are numerous starting with the Jazz's recent dominance in their own building and against the Nuggets as of late. Last season, Utah was the NBA's best home team with a record of 37-4. In addition, the Nuggets have lost nine of the last eleven meetings against the Jazz and were blown out by Utah by 27 points in each of their visits to Salt Lake City in 2007-08.

And the time for all that to stop is right now!

It would be a tremendous shot in the arm for this Denver team to be able to walk away from tonight's game with a W over their division rival without one of their star players. It would set the tone, not only in this rivalry, but for the rest of the season for what this team is capable of.

Unfortunately... the same can be said for the Jazz if they are able to defeat us.

So, there's only one question:

Which superstar means more to their team?

We'll find out tonight!

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is October 29th, and on this day:

'61- Oscar Robertson handed out a franchise-record 22 assists during Cincinnati’s 139-132 win over visiting Syracuse. The “Big O” went on to average a triple-double (30.8 ppg, 12.5 rpg and 11.4 apg) for the Royals during the 1961-62 season, becoming the first NBA player to average double figures in assists.

'77- Boston Celtic standout John Havlicek became the second player in NBA history to connect on 10,000 career field goals, reaching the milestone in a 103-98 loss at Cleveland.

'82- Dominique Wilkins made his debut for the Atlanta Hawks at Detroit. The Pistons won 94-86.

'82- James Worthy made his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers against Golden State. The Warriors won 132-117.

'94- On the second day of the two-day “NBA Challenge” in Mexico City, a sellout crowd of 21,268 at the Palacio de los Deportes (Sports Palace) watched Seattle defeat San Antonio 124-95 in the championship game. Shawn Kemp led Seattle with 29 points and 10 rebounds. In the third place game, Houston defeated the LA Clippers, 111-103.

'96- In conjunction with the NBA’s 50th anniversary celebration, the list of The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History was announced. It included: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nate Archibald, Paul Arizin, Charles Barkley, Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Dave Bing, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, Billy Cunningham, Dave DeBusschere, Clyde Drexler, Julius Erving, Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, George Gervin, Hal Greer, John Havlicek, Elvin Hayes, Earvin Johnson, Sam Jones, Michael Jordan, Jerry Lucas, Karl Malone, Moses Malone, Pete Maravich, Kevin McHale, George Mikan, Earl Monroe, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Robert Parish, Bob Pettit, Scottie Pippen, Willis Reed, Oscar Robertson, David Robinson, Bill Russell, Dolph Schayes, Bill Sharman, John Stockton, Isiah Thomas, Nate Thurmond, Wes Unseld, Bill Walton, Jerry West, Lenny Wilkens, and James Worthy.

'01- The Fayetteville Patriots won the top selection in the NBDL’s Inaugural Draft Lottery.

Enjoy your day!

A Million Thanks!

(Boulder-CO) I write and write and write, and evidently, all of you enjoy it! So much so in fact that you voted this little corner of the Nuggets Nation the #1 Nuggets Team Blog in La Ball Talk's Top Team Blog Contest!

Will there be fantastic prizes and large cash sums? Sadly no, but the fact that enough of you voted to make The Nugg Doctor #1 over some other great Nuggets sites is enough to supercharge me just in time for the regular season.

My appreciation is limitless and I thank all of you again!

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is October 28th, and on this day:

'67- Walt Frazier made his debut for the New York Knicks vs. Detroit. The Pistons won 111-98.

'73- Seven-foot center Elmore Smith of the Los Angeles Lakers blocked an NBA-record 17 shots in the Lakers’ 111-98 home victory over Portland.

'83- Clyde Drexler made his debut for the Portland Trail Blazers against the San Diego Clippers. Portland won 117-93.

'98- The NBA announced that it has canceled all games through November 30 and indefinitely postponed the entire 1998-99 season because of the stalled collective bargaining negotiations with the National Basketball Players Association.

'99- Jayson Williams of the New Jersey Nets donates over $2 million to his alma mater, St. John's, in the name of his former college coach, Lou Carnesecca. Although the exact amount was not revealed, it was believed to be in the neighborhood of the $2.5 million donation that Portland Trail Blazers guard Steve Smith made to his alma mater, Michigan State, a few years ago. The amount was the largest donation ever to St. John's by a professional athlete. Williams said that he wanted to do something to honor Carnesecca, who he looked to as a mentor and a role model.

Enjoy your day!

Kleiza & Balkman on Option Watch

(Boulder-CO) Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post reports today that Renaldo Balkman and Linas Kleiza have until Friday of this week for the Nuggets to pick up an option on both players before they become restricted free agents at the end of the season.

My intuition says neither will be signed immediately, with the Nuggets waiting to counter any other team's offer at the end of the season in the same fashion that they handled J.R. Smith this off-season.

Balkman's option is for$2.1 million, while Kleiza's is for $2.7 million.

Go Nuggets!

Todays Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is October 27th, and on this day:

'56- Tom Heinsohn made his debut for the Boston Celtics at the New York Knicks. The Celtics won 115-112.

'84- Hakeem Olajuwon made his debut for the Houston Rockets at the Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets won 122-111.

'92- The Houston Rockets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 104-102 in a preseason game held in Mexico City, before a crowd of 19,527 at the Mexico City Sports Palace. It was the first NBA game ever played in Latin America.

Enjoy your day!

Marlowe's High Hopes

(Boulder-CO) I'm up early on a late fall Sunday morning making my usual rounds around the interwebs and to my surprise find the most optimistic forecast for the Denver Nuggets I have ever read.

Fellow blogger and Nuggets play-by-play man, Chris Marlowe knows the team just about as well as anyone, so could his foresight be right? I hope so!

Click here to read, "Welcome to Nuggets Nirvana".

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is October 26th, and on this day:

'76- The Indiana Pacers won their first NBA game with a 120-90 home victory over Seattle. The Pacers entered the league from the ABA, along with the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets and New York Nets.

'84- Charles Barkley made his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 76ers won 111-101.

'84- John Stockton made his debut for the Utah Jazz at Seattle. The SuperSonics won 102-94.

'84- Michael Jordan made his debut for the Chicago Bulls at home against the Washington Bullets. The Bulls won 109-93.

'85- Patrick Ewing made his debut for the New York Knicks at home against Philadelphia. The 76ers won 99-89.

Enjoy your day!

NBA Blog Previews: Southeast Division

(Boulder-CO) We're at it again with some of the most highly anticipated teams in the Eastern Conference. Get your read on!

Atlanta Hawks

Matt McHale: Basketbawful

Hoopinion: Peachtree Hoops

Charlotte Bobcats
Brett: Queen City Hoops

Ziggy: BobcatsPlanet

Miami Heat

Darren Heitner: SportsAgentBlog.com

Gregory Broome: The Peninsula is Mightier

Orlando Magic

Ben: Third Quarter Collapse

Washington Wizards

Rashad: Hoops Addict

HoopsAvenue: HoopsAvenue

Mike Prada: Bullets Forever

Truth: Truth About It Dot Net

Also see links to all the previews at CelticsBlog.com

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is October 25th, and on this day:

'85- Karl Malone made his debut for the Utah Jazz at home against Houston. The Rockets won 112-108.

'99- The Portland Trail Blazers are named as one of only five companies across the nation to receive the Points of Light Foundation 1999 Award for Excellence in Corporate Community Service. The Blazers are the only professional sports team ever to be recognized and the first corporation to receive the award in the state of Oregon. The award honors companies which have demonstrated exceptional commitment to community service and which have very strong employee volunteer programs that target serious social problems. The other award winners are the Glaxo Wellcome Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC; LensCrafters, Cincinnati, OH; NEC Electronics Inc., Santa Clara, CA; and United Airlines, Elk Grove Township, IL.

'00- The NBA announced that as a result of an arbitrator’s ruling that the Minnesota Timberwolves, forward Joe Smith and his agent entered into a secret agreement in violation of the NBA’s salary cap rules, NBA Commissioner David J. Stern directed the forfeiture of Minnesota’s next five first-round draft picks, fined the team $3.5 million and voided all contracts between Smith and the Timberwolves. On December 8, the NBA restored Minnesota’s first round draft pick in 2003.

Enjoy your day!

Preseason Closer

(AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)

(Boulder-CO) The Denver Nuggets concluded their preseason campaign last night in Los Angeles by defeating the Clippers, 106-92. The win gives Denver a 6-1 record through preseason play and thankfully, no one is done for the season at this point!

The game was another showcase for J.R. Smith. Now, I know I have written critical things about The Prodigy in the past, but I can not be sweeter on him than I am right now. J.R. scored yet another team-high 19 points on 4-7 from downtown to fit nicely with four assists, three rebounds, and a steal. And if this kind of production can become routine for Smith, there will be no choice but for George Karl to start him while pleading with Allen Iverson to metamorphose into more of a point guard than a scorer.

For the record, J.R. finishes as the Nuggets leading preseason scorer with an average of 18.3 ppg.

Linas Kleiza also had a solid game to finish the preseason. LK scored five of his 18 points in the final two minutes of the contest and added six rebounds, an assist, and a block in 25 minutes of burn. In total, the Nuggets had six players finish in double-digit scoring as Carmelo (11), Kenyon (10), Nene (12), and surprise-surprise Juwan Howard (11) accounted for 71 of the total 106 points scored.

On the defensive end, The Birdman ruled the roost. Chris Andersen finished last night's game with 15 rebounds, including eight offensive boards, and four blocked shots to accompany his six points.

For the Clippers, it was a startling look back at last season's suffering as their two main additions to this year's team were unable to play. Former Nugget Marcus Camby didn't play due to a right heel bruise sustained in a scrimmage two weeks ago that is still making him walk with a limp, and Baron Davis is still on the IR due to a partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament in his left ring finger. My only hope for Marcus, Baron, and the Clippers as a franchise is to get healthy and have more success than last season because I spent the entire year covering L.A. for About.com and can sympathize with a team that has endured their fair share of bad luck and losing.

Can you taste the air, Nuggets Nation? The regular season is now only four days away! And what better way to get it started then to face the hated Utah Jazz right out of the gate on Wednesday night. Both Utah and Denver will be missing a star (Deron Williams due to an ankle sprain and Carmelo due to drinking and driving late last season) for the regular season opener, but I'll guarantee that the distaste for each other will not be diluted because of so on opening night!

I'm ready, Denver. Are you? Let's get this ship out of the harbor!

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is October 24th, and on this day:

'59- Wilt Chamberlain played in his first NBA game with the Philadelphia Warriors, beginning a record streak of 1,045 consecutive games--his entire career--without a disqualification. The record was later broken by Moses Malone of Atlanta on April 19, 1991, in his 1,046th game without disqualification.

'93- Before a sellout crowd of 20,808 at the Mexico City Sports Palace, the New York Knicks defeated the Houston Rockets 103-93 in a preseason matchup, led by 20 points each from Patrick Ewing and Charles Smith.

Enjoy your day!

Saying Goodbye to Five

(Boulder-CO) In no major surprise, today the Denver Nuggets trimmed back their preseason roster by waiving five players. Mateen Cleaves, Smush Parker, Nick Fazekas, James Mays and Ruben Patterson were let go leaving the Nuggets with 14 players on their roster. Remember, under the rules of the collective bargaining agreement a team can only have twelve active players on its roster while also having up to three, but no fewer than one player(s) on it's inactive list which includes NBDL players.

My guess for who will be on the inactive list on opening night are Sonny Weems, due to injury, and Juwan Howard. Once Weems is healthy again, it will be a fight between he and Dahntay Jones for the twelfth active roster spot.

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is October 23rd, and on this day:

'67- The New Jersey Americans (today the New Jersey Nets), a new ABA franchise sold to Arthur Brown, played its first game.

'75- Bill Willoughby made his debut for the Atlanta Hawks, becoming the youngest player in league history at 18 years, five months and three days old.

'87- The Milwaukee Bucks defeated Tracer Milan of Italy 123-111 in the opening game of the first McDonald’s Championship, held at the Milwaukee Arena. The Bucks defeated the Soviet National Team 127-100 in the championship game of the tournament, sponsored by the NBA and FIBA.

'93- In the finals of the sixth McDonald’s Championship, held at the Olympiahalle in Munich, Germany, the Phoenix Suns defeated Italian League champion Buckler Bologna 112-90, as Charles Barkley led all scorers with 28 points. Barkley was awarded the Drazen Petrovic Trophy as MVP of the tournament, after scoring 52 points in two games.

Enjoy your day

When I'm Right - You're Right!

(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jimmy Jeong)

(Boulder-CO) I predicted, "The Denver Nuggets are averaging 103.2 ppg while the Raptors come into tonight's match-up averaging only 92.9 ppg. So, if Denver is able to score more than 100 points tonight they will earn the W. Toronto plays at too slow of a pace to beat the Nuggets if Denver shoots a decent percentage from the field."

Denver won last night, 105-94, and shot 53% from the field.

Steeeeeeeeeeriiiiiiiiiiiiiike!

The big story from what was an otherwise meaningless game is all about J.R. Smith. Smith poured in another great performance last night consisting of a game-high 22 points, five assists, four boards, and two steals in a team-high 31 minutes off the bench. He also continues to blister the three-point line after finishing 4-7 from long distance. Six games into this preseason I have only two concerns: First, that this torrid start for J.R. will cool off come regular season. And second, that George Karl is too stubborn to start him.

There were a couple of other Nuggets that played well. From the starters, Carmelo Anthony finished 15 points, six rebounds, and a team-high six assists and Dahntay Jones added a dozen points and four rebounds. From the bench, Chris Andersen had another solid performance of seven points, six rebounds, and another pair of blocks and Ruben Patterson hit double-figure points with ten.

But the big highlight of the game came from Nene. I'll let the video evidence speak for itself.

Denver is now 5-1 and has one last preseason game against Marcus Camby and the newly revamped Clippers in L.A. on Friday.

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is October 22nd, and on this day:

'57- Sam Jones made his debut for the Boston Celtics at the St. Louis Hawks. The Celtics won 115-90.

'58- Elgin Baylor made his debut for the Minneapolis Lakers at home against the Cincinnati Royals. The Lakers won 99-79.

'60- Lenny Wilkens made his debut for the St. Louis Hawks at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Hawks won 112-96.

'76- Robert Parish made his debut for the Golden State Warriors at home against the New York Nets. The Nets won 104-103.

'76- Twin brothers Tom and Dick Van Arsdale played together in a game for the Phoenix Suns, becoming the first and only pair of twins to play for the same NBA club. The Suns ended up losing the game 111-98 to the New Orleans Jazz.

'99- NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain, who died October 12, 1999 at the age of 63, is the subject of ESPN's SportsCentury series. Chamberlain was selected by a distinguished panel of 48 journalists, historians, observers and administrators as #13 on the list of the greatest North American athletes of the 20th Century. The charismatic Chamberlain played 14 seasons with the Warriors, 76ers and Lakers and dominated the NBA like no other player ever. He holds numerous NBA records, most notably for single-season scoring average (50.4 ppg), single-season minutes (48.5 minutes per game) and highest single-season rebound average (27.3 rpg). On March 2, 1962, Chamberlain did the unthinkable and scored 100 points in a game against the Knicks. For his career, Chamberlain averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds. Before coming to the NBA, Chamberlain played at the University of Kansas and averaged 29.9 points and 18.3 rebounds for his career.

Enjoy your day!

NBA Blog Previews: Northwest Division

(Boulder-CO) Know thy divisional enemies! Here is the Northwest previewed by the best!

Denver Nuggets

Jeremy: Pickaxe and Roll

Nick Sclafani: The Nugg Doctor

Minnesota Timberwolves

Derek Hanson & Staff: TWolves Blog

Andrew Thell: Empty the Bench

wyn: Canis Hoopus

Oklahoma City

xphoenix87: BallerBlogger

Zorgon: Blue Blitz

Royce: The Thunderworld

Portland Trail Blazers

Mookie: ...a stern warning

Benjamin Golliver: Blazers Edge


Coup and SJ: Rip City Project

Utah Jazz

UtesFan89: The Utah Jazz

Basketball John: SLC Dunk

Also see links to all the previews at CelticsBlog.com

Go Nuggets!

Vote Nugg Doctor #1

(Boulder-CO) Daniel of www.laballtalk.com has organized a Top Team Blog Contest. If you're reading this, I'll assume you enjoy what goes on around here and hope you will vote The Nugg Doctor as the #1 Nuggets team blog.

Thanks again to all of you who read this site daily!

Preseason Preview #6: Nuggets @ Raptors

(Boulder-CO) The Denver Nuggets have traveled north to Rexall Place in Edmonton, Canada tonight to take on the Toronto Raptors. Tonight's match-up is the second-to-last preseason game on the docket and should provide some insight as to how things are going to look on opening night, October 29th in Salt Lake City.

For starters, the injury report for tonight's game is extended for the Nuggets. Chucky Atkins is still out after undergoing right knee surgery, Sonny Weems is a scratch due to a left groin pull, Steven Hunter did not make the trip because of right knee inflammation, and Allen Iverson will not play tonight after twisting his right ankle against the Timberwolves.

Healthy Nuggets and match-ups to watch (or not watch, depending on how you look at yet another preseason game not being televised) are numerous. For starters, and I know I'm high on him right now, J.R. Smith is playing great. Despite a questionable three taken late in the game against the T-Wolves, and I say questionable because he Denver's best three-point shooter and we've all seen him make similar shots, Smith is actually shooting the ball quite efficiently. As the Nuggets leading scorer in four out of the five games so far, J.R. has shot 73.4% from the field and 50% from downtown in his last two outings while ranking 7th in NBA preseason scoring with an average of 17.4 points per game.

And with production like that how and who could justify not moving AI to point and Smith into the starting line-up?

I welcome any arguments saying continuing to start Anthony Carter over J.R. Smith gives this team a better chance at long-term success.

Another interesting battle for playing time is shaping up between Linas Kleiza and Renaldo Balkman. One the one hand, you have the offensive explosiveness of Linas Kleiza. On the other, the constant energy, hustle, and defensive edge of Balkman. And while I think Linas is the more polished player overall, I do see how Knick fans fell in love with this guy. He is cut from the same cloth as the departed Eduardo Najera, but brings more of a controlled athletic energy that results in positive things for the Nuggets as where Eduardo's heady game presence was felt mostly in times of absolute chaos. However, Linas does have a considerable statistical edge over Balkman with averages of eleven points and 5.8 rebounds compared to Renaldo's 5.5 points and 3.3 boards.

Moving right along...

I think the biggest surprise so far in the preseason has been the production of Chris Andersen. With Steven Hunter chronically injured, the repaired knees of Kenyon Martin always in the dark corner of my thoughts, and Nene's luck and injury history considered the Nuggets should be counting the blessing that having the Birdman back in Denver has played out to be. Chris is averaging eight points, 7.8 rebounds (ranking 16th in preseason), and two blocked shots per game; more rebounds and blocks than both Kenyon and Nene.

Carmelo Anthony is also having a great preseason in a particular statistical category. 'Melo is averaging five assists per game in what has been limited playing time. Carmelo's career-high average in assists is 3.8 from back in the 2006-07 season and as long buckets are the direct result of smart passes that's a good thing for Nuggets fans.

Now for a prediction about tonight's game!

The Denver Nuggets are averaging 103.2 ppg while the Raptors come into tonight's match-up averaging only 92.9 ppg. So, if Denver is able to score more than 100 points tonight they will earn the W. Toronto plays at too slow of a pace to beat the Nuggets if Denver shoots a decent percentage from the field.

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's Date is October 21st, and on this day:

'67- The expansion Seattle SuperSonics won their first NBA game, defeating San Diego in overtime, 117-110.

'72- One day after setting an NBA record by scoring 58 points in the fourth quarter of a 126-118 loss at Boston, the Buffalo Braves scored an NBA record-low four points in the third quarter of a 91-63 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at Buffalo.

'76- Adrian Dantley and Alex English made their debuts against each other. Dantley’s Buffalo Braves defeated English’s Milwaukee Bucks 133-112.

'79- Guard Sam Smith of the Chicago Bulls scored the first four-point play in NBA history during a 113-111 loss to the Bucks at Milwaukee.

'95- The Houston Rockets defeat Buckler Bologna of Italy 126-112 in the championship game of the six-team McDonald’s Championship, in front of a sellout crowd of 10,708 at London Arena in London, England. Clyde Drexler is awarded the Drazen Petrovic Trophy as the tournament MVP after averaging 20.5 points and 8.5 assists in two games, including 25 points and 10 assists against Buckler Bologna. The Rockets, who downed Australia’s Perth Wildcats 116-72 in the tournament semifinals, are the first reigning NBA Champion to play in the McDonald’s Championship.

Enjoy your day!

Nuggets Split Over the Weekend

(AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

(Boulder-CO) The Denver Nuggets played familiar preseason foes in not so familiar venues over the weekend and were able to split their chances for victory while improving their record to 4-1. Denver first played the Suns, in Syracuse, for a homecoming of sorts for Carmelo Anthony in which they were victorious, 94-91, on Friday before taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and losing, 111-107, on Sunday.

In the Phoenix match-up, the Syracuse fans were nothing short of gracious to Carmelo. From the opening introductions to chanting, "We want 'Melo" late in the third, their positive vibration could be felt on the Nuggets side all night. And for their appreciation of Carmelo-past and Carmelo-present, Anthony did not disappoint. 'Melo scored 14 points in just 24 minutes while adding nine rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

But, once again, the brightest Nugget continues to be J.R. Smith. The Prodigy led the Nuggets in scoring for the fourth-straight preseason game with 19 points, five assists, three rebounds, and three steals in a quick 24 minutes of burn off the bench. If at this point he hasn't secured his place as the first Nugget off of George Karl's bench then I'm not sure what else this young man can do to ensure so. J.R. has seemingly turned the proverbial corner and his basketball IQ has caught up to his other-worldly physical gifts with the results having made me just a touch giddy. Because the way I see things... Allen Iverson needs to become more of a passing floor general anyways with a guy like J.R. Smith picking up his scoring void giving Denver an ideal starting backcourt this season.

The rest of the game was pretty mechanical for Denver. Linas finished with eleven points and three rebounds, and Anthony Carter was the only other Nugget to finish in double-digit points with ten. Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, and Alando Tucker DNP'd for Phoenix while Chucky Atkins, Steven Hunter (what else's new), and Kenyon Martin (coaches decision) DNP'd for Denver.

(AP Photo/Tom Stromme)

In Sunday's match-up with the Wolves, the Nuggets finally took their first L of the preseason after Kevin Ollie made four free throws in the final 16 seconds to cement a, 111-107, Denver defeat. The game could have gone either way, but ultimately the Denver defense cost them the game.

However, this loss was good for the high-flying Nuggets because it proves that when they allow a team, even a rebuilding team like the Timberwolves, to shoot over 50% from the field that they will most likely lose. Minnesota finished the game with a clip of 52.6% shooting on 27 assists (led by Randy Foye's 15 dimes) while five Timberwolves scored in double-figures.

Sure, the boxscore indicates that Denver finished with six double-digit scorers led by Anthony Carter's 17 points and seven assists, but when the defense isn't there the W's are going to be few and far between.

Allen Iverson did not play due to a tweeked right ankle suffered Friday against the Suns.

Next up for the Nuggets is a trip to Canada to take on the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday. Once again, the game is not televised so be sure to check back tomorrow for a preview and recap of the action.

Go Nuggets!