Who's Expecting What?

(Boulder-CO) With only eleven days until the start of training camp and just a mere three weeks before the Nuggets open up their preseason schedule I figured it was right about time to see who's expecting what out of the Denver Nuggets this season. Vote or support the Jazz!

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets Roster & Payroll Analysis

(Boulder-CO) With only twelve days to training camp, and Monday's signing of rookie Sonny Weems, the Denver Nuggets' roster is apparently set and it is time to breakdown who is returning, who has been added, and how much it's going to cost to suit up the 2008-09 Denver Nuggets.

The Starting Five:

PG - Chucky Atkins - Chucky is returning from an injury washed season in 2007-08 that started with a groin pull in preseason and progressed into a full-blown sports hernia. Atkins is back, healthy, and most likely going to be the Nuggets' starting point guard opening night. But aside from that nod against the Utah Jazz, Chucky is going to have to prove to George Karl in the first ten games of the season that his offense is worthy of maintaining the starting job. Remember, with AI and Atkins in the backcourt the Nuggets have the smallest guard tandem in the NBA and J.R. Smith is probably just as explosive offensively while giving the Nuggets a much bigger guard to compensate defensively with taller, more physical match-ups around the league.

Chucky Atkins will make $3.4 million this season.

SG - Allen Iverson - AI is starting shooting guard, but for how long is the burning question. The Answer is in the final year of his contract with the Nuggets, and unless Denver wants to pony up for a huge contract after this season it will probably be the last year for Iverson in the Mile High. With that being said, what kind of playing style Allen Iverson brings to this upcoming season may dictate just how much or how little success the Nuggets accumulate. We all know that AI is still capable of scoring 30+ points on any given night, but where the true gold hides is when Allen puts his scoring aside and makes sure others get into the act. Denver has proven to be almost unbeatable when AI double-doubles with points and assists, and if the Nuggets are going to compensate for their obvious defensive shortcomings it is going to be with AI taking a page out of the great Nate Archibald's book when he won an NBA championship with the Celtics as a facilitator first and a scorer second.

Allen Iverson will make $21.9 million this season.

SF - Carmelo Anthony - Fresh off winning the Olympic Gold Medal with Team USA, 'Melo will be the Nuggets' starting wingman next season and for the rest of his career in Denver. There is no question in my mind that Anthony will be in the top five scorers this season, yet again, but how the rest of his game continues to mature (or digress) will dictate whether or not he emerges as the true leader of this team. 'Melo posted a career-high rebounding average last season and that mark of 7.4 boards per game seemed to come him all but too easily. With Marcus Camby gone, not only is Anthony's rebounding effort going to need improvement, but his defense is also going to have to stiffen or the Nuggets are going to struggle tremendously.

Carmelo Anthony will make $14.4 million this season.

PF - Kenyon Martin - K-Mart's max contract and less than maximum impact over the years will forever be the defining black eye of the Kiki Vandewedghe era. But the fact still remains that said contract almost ensures Martin's stay in Denver through 2011. So, the best case scenario for the Nuggets is for a very defensive minded Martin to re-emerge as he reinvents himself for this franchise. The Nuggets are not short on offensive fire power and Kenyon Martin's most valuable impact will be minimizing the loss of Marcus Camby on the boards and relieving some of the lost post defensive burden on Nene.

Kenyon Martin will make $14.1 million this season.

C - Nene - Big Brazil will face the most pressure of any individual on this team in the 2008-09 season as he is thrusted into the Nuggets' starting center position. Nene has only played in 81 games for Denver over the last three years due to various injuries in addition to an unexpected fight against testicular cancer that limited him to just 16 appearances in the 2007-08 campaign. Nene is now healthy and reportedly in great shape, but the loss of Marcus Camby puts tremendous pressure on him to perform at a high level as of right now. If he does perform up to the Nugget faithful's expectations then all will be overlooked concerning his prior injuries. If he doesn't... Can you say, "lottery pick?"

Nene will make $9.6 million this season.

The Bench:

PG - Anthony Carter - "A. Ceeeeeeeeeeee." is back for another season with the Nuggets, but how much playing time he sees will be dictated by how well others perform. Chucky Atkins and J.R. Smith are presumably ahead of Carter on the depth chart, but the Nuggets were wise to invest a little bit of dough on Carter who has proven to be a quality insurance policy.

Anthony Carter will make $1.2 million this season.

SG - J.R. Smith - No player on this roster excites me more or may have more opportunity than the Prodigy. If he can prove to be a steady and efficient ball handler, while continuing to provide the Nuggets with a three-point threat, Smith may emerge as the Nuggets' starting running mate with AI within the first 20 games of the season. We all know what he is capable of doing with the ball in his hands, but like many other players on this team, his aptitude as a reliable defender will serve as a measuring stick for how high J.R.'s stock can rise. Now here's the B side of the record: Coach George Karl has delegated Smith as his whipping boy in the past for hoisting bad shots and showboating. Both need to be avoided this season for Smith to lose the "immature" tag and solidify himself as a night-in and night-out performer this team so desperately needs in their backcourt.

J.R. Smith will make $4.9 million this season.

SF - Linas Kleiza - LK is a player you have to feel sympathy for. Here is a guy that would most likely start for a majority of the teams in the Eastern Conference on his tenacity alone, but (un)fortunately is stuck playing behind perhaps the premier scoring small forward in the West. I've previously outlined how the only thing retarding Kleiza's numbers is the scarcity of minutes to go around, but make no mistake about Kleiza's impact off the bench. He is now going to assume the catch-all position that Eduardo Najera formerly occupied and I expect great things out of the L-Train in 2008-09.

Linas Kleiza will make $1.8 million this season.

PF - Renaldo Balkman - When Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced that the Nuggets traded PG Taurean Green, Forward Bobby Jones, and a 2010 second round draft pick to the New York Knicks for Renaldo Balkman and cash considerations I was less than pleased with the move. Denver already had Linas Kleiza log jammed behind 'Melo and to add another 6'8", "Big" small forward seemed pretty redundant. However, after talking to a few Knick fans (yes, they do still exist) I decided to leave the verdict out on Balkman. While his numbers aren't much to write home about he does present a tremendous upside with his energy. Balkman plays with a reckless abandon, shoots a high percentage around the goal, and his athleticism has been known to bother on the defensive end.

Renaldo Balkman will make $1.3 million this season.

C - Chris Andersen - If you haven't been a Nuggets fan for long I encourage you to go read Broken Wings to understand more about what makes the individual the Mile High City dubbed, "The Birdman" caw. Afterwards, it is important to understand that Chris Andersen is to the Nuggets as placing all your chips on double zero is on the roulette table in Vegas. Regardless of whatever happens, you're going to have a story to recount for years to come. So, if Andersen can play meaningful minutes off the bench while giving the fans good reason to cheer feel free to tip your waitress generously.

Chris Andersen will make $998,000 this season.

The Others (*Keep in mind only two of these players will be kept on the 12-man active roster list):

SG - Dahntay Jones - Reportedly a tremendous athlete, Jones has not been able to find a long-term NBA home since entering the league in 2003 as the Boston Celtics' selection with the 20th overall pick and his draft rights promptly being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. Perhaps with trader's remorse, the Boston Celtics gave Jones another look in 2007, but his stay in Beantown was short as he was waived in October of 2007 before the Sacramento Kings waived him again in February of 2008. Jones then found himself with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBDL before landing a one year contract with the Nuggets this season.

Dahntay Jones will make $926,678 this season.

SG - Sonny Weems - Denver worked with the Chicago Bulls in a three-team trade along with the New York Knicks and the Portland Trail Blazers to acquire Weems. In July, Weems had surgery to repair a sports hernia suffered in routine workouts, but he is expected to fully recover in time for the start of training camp on Sept. 30th. Weems played five games for the Nuggets' Summer League team, averaging 9.2 points and three rebounds in 22 minutes per game.

The details of Sonny Weems' contract have not been disclosed.

PF/C - Steven Hunter - It's not a good sign when a player formerly suspended indefinitely for violation of the league's drug policy is brought in to take any minutes you may have been in line for of the bench. Which is exactly what the Nuggets decided to do after they sent starting center Marcus Camby packing despite still having Hunter on the payroll. This tells me that Steven Hunter will once again be on the end of the bench and rarely played. But, then again... Who can argue with getting paid $3.4 million dollars to watch basketball with courtside seats?

Steven Hunter will make $3.4 million this season.

So where does that leave Denver financially?

After taking on the league's third highest payroll last season with well over $85 million on the books this year's team is a little bit more of a bargain at $77.4 million. Leaving the Nuggets roughly $6.3 million over the NBA's luxury-tax threshold of $71.15 of which owner Stan Kroenke has to pay dollar-for-dollar that amount back to the league.

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is September 17th, and on this day:

'99- The NBA Board of Governors approved several playing rules modifications for the 1999-2000 season. The modifications had been recommended by a special committee of current and former players, general managers, coaches and other basketball experts in June and were tested in several NBA summer leagues. They are: A defender may not make contact with his hands and/or forearms on an offensive player except below the free throw line extended; A five-second rule that mandates that a player must either shoot, pass or pick up his dribble within five seconds if he begins dribbling the ball with his back toward the basket below the free throw line extended; The 24-second shot clock will be re-set to 14 seconds if the violations listed below occur with less than 14 seconds remaining on the 24-second clock, and will remain unchanged if the violation occurs with 14 or more seconds remaining on the 24-second clock: 1. A personal foul that does not result in free throw attempts. 2. Kicking the ball or blocking the ball with any part of the leg. 3. Punching the ball with a fist. 4. An illegal defense violation that does not result in free throw attempts; No illegal defense guidelines will apply to a player who is defending an offensive player who is positioned on the strong side of the court.

Enjoy your day!

Golf with J.R. Smith

(Boulder-CO) This is just a great story. Golf is a sport that I loathe and love all the same. Sometimes I find myself wondering why I have payed for such torture while at others I wish I could play all day long. But to play with the likes of an NBA baller, let alone the Nuggets' J.R. Smith, and to have the following transpire would truly be a memory of a lifetime.

NBA 09: The Inside

(Boulder-CO) SCEA is on the verge of opening up the 2008-2009 NBA video game season with NBA 09 The Inside available on all PlayStation consoles, and they have decided to feature Carmelo Anthony as one of the six NBA stars to grace the cover.

But, that's just the beginning of what is sure to make this game a must-have for any NBA gamer. Check out some of these new features:

The Life – Available on PS3 for the first time, players will go behind the scenes in this unique mode and experience the life of an NBA professional, balancing interaction with coaches, teammates, and rivals. NBA 09 The Inside lets players experience a completely new sequence of Life story elements for this year. Perform well on the court to earn rewards and endorsements.

Franchise Mode – For the first time on the NBA franchise, players can extend their experience in running a team where performance and player morale are tracked on virtually every level – salary, playing time, trades, team performance, and much more. Major focus will center player development, from draft selections all the way to seasoned NBA veterans.

NBA Replay Mode – Back to test the skills of the most hardcore NBA fans, "NBA Replay" is once again available for players to re-live great performances from the ’07 -’08 season and work through a wide array of the entire past season’s memorable gameplay scenarios.

NBA Replay (Games of the Week) – Returning with an all-new set of upcoming highlight-reel plays, "Games of the Week" will allow players to download five scenarios each week involving real NBA games from the upcoming ’08 -’09 season and attempt to replay those magical moments within the game.

Mini-Games – Two new mini-games available to challenge players:

o Blacktop Golf – A twist on the game of golf where players use basketballs to interact and score on traditional hoops, as well as different environmental objects, in an effort to get the lowest score possible.

o Rabbit – A shooting game where players attempt to score as many points as possible from moving targets and bonus targets, going through stages that gradually become more difficult.

Expanded Character Movement – A new contact mechanism takes into account a player’s momentum when pushing into one another, introducing a "physical" (as opposed to finesse) game play mechanic. Additionally, Havok is incorporated this year to create player interactions that move and flow in a much more fluid and realistic manner.

Brand New Animations – This year more than doubles the amount of dunk/lay-up animations are available, generating more variety under the hoop and creating a more realistic experience overall. Additionally, each character’s defensive posture shows a natural flow between one-on-one defense and off ball defense.

Full HD 1080p – NBA 09 The Inside continues to deliver true high definition at 60 frames per second, delivering the sharpest and most realistic basketball experience available.

The launch date for NBA 09 The Insider is October 7, 2008 and be on the lookout to score a free copy of this release shortly thereafter right here on The Nugg Doctor.

Go Nuggets!

Take That, King James!

(Boulder-CO) I am B-O-R-E-D bored, so what does any NBA team blogger do when college football is just barely enough to keep them from going into serious basketball withdrawal? Well, if your answer is look for rare and usually forgotten moments from the past then give yourself a nice pat on the back. Here is a clip of 'Melo giving LeBron James a taste of the medicine he is usually on the other end of the spoon of.

When does preseason start?

Go Nuggets!

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is September 10th, and on this day:

'48- Bob Lanier was born in Buffalo, New York.

Enjoy your day!

39 Wins... Yea, You're Probably Right

(Boulder-CO) Here's a little ditty that should be able to dust the cobwebs off around here. The posting has been lean lately because I haven't had a whole lot of positive things to say so far through this off-season's transactions and I would rather give the new guys, and a few of the returning faces, a chance to surprise me before confirming my previous suspicions.

And apparently I'm not the only who thinks the Nuggets have taken a few steps back.

But 39 wins, really?

Basically, the Nuggets' entire season is hanging in the balance on what boils down to two players, Nene and Chucky Atkins. We know what 'Melo and AI bring, both good and bad. We also, now after a full healthy season, have an idea of what Kenyon Martin is going to give. But, where things get tricky is with Nene. If Nene stays healthy for the whole season the Nuggets can, at best, probably expect around a double-double of twelve and ten. Meaning, other guys (ie 'Melo, Kenyon Martin, and Chris Andersen) are going to have to each grab at least a rebound or two more than last year to make up for the rest of Camby's rebounding impact and you can forget about the blocks because their gone.

And if he doesn't stay healthy, well, can you say, "lottery"?

As for Chucky Atkins, we'll see if his presumed offensive boost is worthy of his defensive liability for a team that will most likely allow the most points per game next year. Remember, the Nuggets are in the position of having to start two guards who are both under six feet next year (not to mention one of their back-ups, Anthony Carter is merely 6'2") and I think you would be hard pressed to find another team in the NBA, or for that matter, any major conference NCAA team that is going to start a smaller backcourt.

What's everyone thinking with the season looming less than two months away?

SUPPORT 'MELO!

(Boulder-CO) Paul Pierce and 'Melo are in head-to-head combat for, um, super-imaginary superiority! Head over to NBA Guantlet to cast your vote and be sure to state your case in the comment section.

J.R. Smith Signed... Finally!

(Boulder-CO) The Prodigy will be in Denver for at least the next three years reports The Denver Post's Chris Dempsey. The Denver Nuggets re-signed J.R. Smith today to a three-year contract with undisclosed terms in what is most likely their last move of the off season. This Summer Smith was asked to join USA Basketball's Select Team that practices against the Senior National Team.

Smith, only 22-years old, is entering his fifth season in the NBA after being drafted 18th overall in by New Orleans before being traded to Chicago and then again in the same off season to the Nuggets for Howard Eisley and two second round picks back in 2006.

The Denver Nuggets have a major question to be answered this season when it comes to who will spend the most time in their back court with The Answer. Hopefully, J.R. Smith's game will continue to steadily improve, both offensively and defensively, as this move signifies that he will most likely be the Nuggets' starting shooting guard for if/when Allen Iverson is lost to free-agency after this year.

Go Nuggets!

Carmelo Anthony Watch

(Boulder-CO) Carmelo Anthony led the way for the Redeem Team today with a team-high 21 points, four rebounds, a steal, and a block as Team USA defeated Argentina, 101-81. Anthony was a perfect 13-13 from the free-throw line despite shooting a combined 3-14 from the field. Team USA now advances to the gold medal game against Spain on Saturday night.

4 Key Aspects of Routing Spain

(Boulder-CO) The Redeem Team once again trampled their way through the last game of pool play with this morning's victory coming over Spain, 119-82. It was an old fashioned blowout, with an unconventional twist for this USA Basketball team. Here are the four cornerstones from this morning's game:

1. Team USA shot 48% from downtown with Carmelo Anthony leading the way with four treys. The Redeem Team has been tepid from long range so far in these games thus prompting opposing teams to drop back in zone defenses and force the USA to beat them shooting perimeter shots rather than dunks. If Team USA is going to take gold in these games they are going to have to sustain the warm stroke from downtown.

2. Team USA forced 28 turnovers against the Spaniards. Fluke? I think not! Not but one game after I praised Coach K and his commitment to defense this team collectively turns up their intensity another notch against a Spanish team with young guards and completely flustered them. Bravo!

3. Team USA had been struggling a bit from the free-throw line, but found a way to drastically improve from the stripe today against Spain. Chris Paul's unblemished 8-8 helped, but no one on the team missed more than one free-throw against Spain, and as a team the USA shot nearly 80% on 19-24.

4. The NBC annoucing crew keeps bringing up how popular Kobe Bryant is in China (and rightfully so), but LeBron James seems to be the player opposing teams are most in awe of. LeBron has been doing everything in these games, in addition to serving as the team's most vocal leader, and today was just another day for the King. James scored a team-high 18 points, dished eight assists, grabbed five rebounds, and nabbed four steals in a team-high 28 minutes of play. James, while not the biggest player on Team USA, is definitely proving to be the most physically dominating.

That's it!

From here on the games are for keeps.

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is August 14th, and on this day:

'59- Earvin “Magic” Johnson is born in Lansing, Michigan.

'94- The USA basketball team, Dream Team II, defeats Russia 137-91 to win the gold medal in the World Championship of Basketball in Toronto, Canada. Shaquille O’Neal, who averaged 18 points per game, is named the tournament’s MVP.

Enjoy your day!

Greece on the Wheel

(Boulder-CO) Early this morning the Redeem Team squared off with Greece in their first real challenge of the 29th Olympiad. And if you’ve found a way to block out the disappointment that was the 2006 World Championships, let me remind you that Greece was the team that upset the Americans who ended up settling for Bronze in those games.

But that’s why our boys are dubbed, “The Redeem Team”.

In the first quarter, the USA looked to keep the Greeks honest from downtown and they did so by allowing Greece penetration while staying home on the three-point arch. Content to allow Greece two pointers, the result was Greece only being able to put four three-point attempts in the air in the first ten minute period - all of which missed.

However, with the game still close after the first ten minutes the United States turned up their defensive intensity on the perimeter in the second quarter and blew the contest wide open with a dizzying display of fast break dunks. The increased pressure rattled Greece out of their desired penetrate-and-dish game plan and catapulted USA into halftime with a 19-point lead. LeBron James once again sparked the team with emphatic rejections around the rim and Chris Bosh (who played his best game of these games so far) bothered Greece’s ball handlers with his length and quickness. As for the Greeks, their game plan was failing. After only being able to put 16 points on the scoreboard in each of the first ten minute quarters, Greece was 0-7 from three-point range in the first half and trailed the USA, 51-32, at intermission.

In the second half it was just more of the same and then some as the USA extended their lead to defeat Greece, 92-69.

The USA had found the recipe for disrupting the Greeks, and Greece, like most of the other international competitors in these games, is not equipped for coming from behind.

Chris Bosh and Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 18 points each. Bosh added four rebounds and two blocks on 7-8 from the field and 4-5 from the free-throw line in a very well-rounded effort. And speaking of well-rounded… Dwayne Wade and LeBron James were once again nothing short of spectacular! Wade continued his brilliant overall performance so far in these games with 17 points, six steals, five assists, three rebounds, and the capstone highlight thus far of these games. After coming up with a backcourt steal that left him off balance and heading out of bounds, Wade showed tremendous presence of mind as he turned, collected the ball, and tossed an incredible alley-oop to Kobe Bryant for a thunderous slam!

LeBron James, along with three more demoralizing rejections, added 13 points, a team-high eight rebounds, tied Chris Paul for a team-high six assists, and added his own collection of jaw-dropping aerial displays.

Up next for the Redeem Team is another tough test in pool play against Spain and Pau Gasol on Saturday. Another strong defensive effort is in order for the USA to stay perfect heading into the elimination rounds as Spain has numerous NBA players on its roster.

Angola is STILL Not a Threat

(Boulder-CO) It may have not been the, 116-48, thumping the 1992 Dream Team dished out, but the "Redeem Team" again made short work of Angola, 97-86, late last night. Led by the physical play of LeBron James and the continued offensive renaissance of Dwayne Wade, the Americans looked unbeatable when in the open floor while still struggling to dial in the international three-point line.

The USA played tremendously active defense in the first 30 minutes. By not allowing Angola to score even 20 points in each of the first three quarters, Team USA was able to crank up their transition offense after defensive rebounds and shot 55% from the field.

There are two things which I would like to highlight for Team USA against an obviously outmatched opponent like Angola. First off, Team USA did a very good job of protecting the basketball. The "Redeem Team" turned the ball over just twelve times and created 13 steals. In an exhibition-style game there is always the potential for the game to become very sloppy, especially in transition, but the USA avoided such a let down. The second area is a testament to Coach K's commitment to defense. The USA could have easily allowed the much smaller Angolans to hoist jumper after jumper while staying content to just clear the defensive glass, but instead Team USA kept the perimeter pressure on Angola's backcourt which disrupted any attempt by them to run offensive sets.

Dwayne Wade's once again led Team USA in scoring with 19 points as everyone but Jason Kidd scored for Team USA. Dwight Howard added 14 points and a game-high two blocks and Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James each scored twelve points with Anthony grabbing a team-high six rebounds and James flipping a game-high five assists.

Up next for the Americans are two far more competitive match-ups with Greece and Spain. Greece, the team that stunned them two years ago in the semifinals of the world championships, is one of the best three-point shooting teams in these games and two days later comes a real test against Spain.

Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is August 10th, and on this day:

'20- Red Holzman is born in Brooklyn, New York.

Enjoy your day!

"Redeem Team" Topples China

(Boulder-CO) With the games of the 29th Olympiad already in full speed after Friday night’s breath taking opening ceremonies. It would only make sense that the USA Basketball’s “Redeem Team” would begin it’s quest for gold in pool play against the host nation, China, and their biggest star, Yao Ming.

In the first quarter, things started quickly for China as Yao Ming broke the scoring open with a three from the top of the key. Ming also set the tone on the defensive end with a emphatic block on Kobe Bryant which prompted an easy fast break opportunity for the Chinese. And with the reassuring presence of Yao in the middle, Team China played the entire first quarter with a certain level of confidence as it concluded, 20-16, in favor of the Americans.

In the second ten minute period, Team China’s confidence continued as they hit their fifth of seven early three-point attempts. On the defensive end, LeBron James was making his impact felt with transitions blocks. After pinning a Chinese lay-up attempt from the right side in the first quarter, James simply jumped up and caught a left-handed attempt and proceeded to outlet the ball to a streaking Dwayne Wade for an easy slam. However, Team China was efficient in their half court sets by working the ball inside to Yao Ming with their guards relocating and spotting up for open perimeter looks. Conversely, the USA looked sloppy in the half court game, but was able to open a, 49-37, lead by halftime with a relentless barrage of transition points; many coming by way of highlight quality dunks.

In the second half it was all about defense for the “Redeem Team”. The third quarter saw the USA hold China to a mere eleven points as they cranked up their offensive barrage to lead by 26 points going into the fourth quarter. And when the USA can open up such a large margin they can simply demolish a team within a blink of an eye. With the majority of the USA’s starting five on the bench for the fourth quarter the lead would eventually balloon to over 30 points as Team China graciously conceded to a, 101-70, defeat.

The “Redeem Team” was led by four players in double-figure scoring. Dwayne Wade led all scorers with 19 points on a perfect 7-7 from the field and 5-5 from the free-throw line, LeBron James added 18 points, a game-high three blocks, and six rebounds, and both Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard finished with 13 points, respectively. Team China was led by Yao Ming’s 13 points, two blocks, and a game-high nine rebounds.

Nuggets and Carmelo Anthony fans alike didn’t miss much as ‘Melo scored just three points, all by way of free-throws, while committing three fouls and just as many turnovers.

Today's Date in NBA History

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

'62- The Philadelphia franchise’s name was changed from the Nationals to the 76ers.

Enjoy your day!

The 2008-09 Nuggets Schedule

(Boulder-CO) It's closer than you may think... That's right, Nuggets Nation the season is rapidly approaching and today the Nuggets released their game schedule for next season. February is by far the most brutal month with only four home games on the docket (including an eight-game road trip), but you have to love getting the season kicked off against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City!

Let's hope LK has another 41-point performance and the Nuggets can get the 2008-09 season off on the right foot.

Go Nuggets!

Support AC in the Floor Burn Tourney

(Boulder-CO) Longtime basketball-blogging chum of mine, Ryan McNeill of www.hoopsaddict.com has put together a tremendous effort to recognize those on teams league-wide who do not get the kind of recognition they so desperately deserve. It's called The Floor Burn Tournament and I put together a little something for Anthony Carter as the Nuggets' selection. So, head over there and show "A-Ceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" some love in the voting while also taking part in the rest of the great match-ups from around the league.

Go Nuggets!