Nuggets vs. Celtics: Game 5 Preview

(Boulder-CO) I’m going to throw everyone a curve ball today instead of giving a traditional style game preview. I have teamed up Jeff over at www.celticsblog.com to give the readership of The Nugg Doctor an outside, expert perspective on tonight’s opponent. Plus, after the game, there will be a bonus question answered by both Jeff and I that will be included in tonight’s recap.

So, the way it’s going to work is I gave Jeff three questions to answer and he did the same for me. Ready to play?

My “Big Three” questions with Jeff’s answers are:

1) What team's BIG three will prevail statistically and whose team will prevail in the end? And I'm not talking about PER here either. The answer to the first part of this two part question is the sum of all the tangible stats. Points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks are the only stats that count, and turnovers count negatively!

A) Wait, let me get my abacus and slide rule. I think on first Tuesdays in November our big three scores pi times 4 divided by the average distance between Tommy Heinson and the nearest referee. You do the math and let me know how it goes. I'll go on a limb and say I'll take my guys and the over.

2) Name one thing, besides injury, that could seriously derail the Celtics this year. You know your team better than they know themselves, right? Be creative. Major points if you can make me double over in laughter, but I'll take serious hoops analysis if I have to.

A) Just one thing? Maybe Doc will find a way to play the starters 50 minutes a night and burn them out by the all star break (wait, that could be considered an injury). Maybe Kevin Garnett will get so intense that his head will actually explode (oops, that's pretty much an injury too). Maybe the Celtics will trade for Nene (insert your own injury joke here). Nope, I've got no non-injury related reasons for worry. Sorry.

3) Is there a point in this season, (a goal, team milestone, or something of the like), that you can honestly say will bring, "Celtic Pride" back to its heyday?

A) "Celtic Pride" should have bypassed DVD and gone straight to the trash. It never had a heyday, just a "what-the-hey?" day. Oh, you weren't talking about the movie? True Celtic pride is all about the championships. Lots and lots of them actually. I don't think any team will ever again rattle off 11 straight titles, so that is just an unfair standard. I say if they raise a banner then the pride is officially back. Hoist a few of them up there and you start to approach the heyday.

Jeff, a sly dog in his own right, had a tricky trio of inquiries for me to answer too. Here are his questions:

1) Everyone was watching when AI got traded to the Nuggets to be paired with Melo. But the team didn't mesh so well right away. Then in April, things really started to gel. What are some of the things that got things to work so well?

2) Celtics fans remember Kenyon Martin abusing Antoine Walker in his Nets days. Will we ever see that Kenyon again? What can we reasonably expect from him this year?

3) I've heard it said that Marcus Camby is overrated as a defender because his block stats come from weak side blocks but he can't stop his own man one-on-one. Is that true or am I overrating his overratedness?

Be sure to bang this link for my answers and as an additional bonus, I have a little side bet with Jim over at www.greenbandwagon.com that Denver’s “Big Three” will out perform Boston’s (with my first question to Jeff being the measuring stick) and the loser has to refer to the winner’s “Big Three” as the NBA's “Real” big three in their game summary!

A lot on the line tonight, Nuggets Nation!

Go Nuggets!

Knicks Out Fight Nuggets

(Boulder-CO) Every time the Nuggets would open up a lead the Knicks would fight back. Fight back so valiantly in fact that when the chips were on the line Isiah’s boys took the Nuggets lunch money, 119-112, with a fourth quarter surge of points being scored in bunches.

The thing bothers me the most about this loss is how many times the Nuggets had the opportunity to put the Knicks down by sizable amounts, but instead fell into lackadaisical stretches of both offense and defense as if the game was already won. Once in the second quarter the Nuggets were up by 15 points, 50-35, but let the intensity and emotion change hands in the form of a 66-60 finish to the first half.

That collapse, plus a couple more in the third period were the real reason why the Nuggets lost this game. Oh, and the fact that the Knicks scored 70+ points in the paint and more than 20 of them came from second chance opportunities leading me to believe that Kenyon Martin's toughness was missed more than some of us might have imagined before we had to watch this killer instinct lacking debacle.

To further illustrate my point, the box score shows similar shooting percentages in all categories across the board, but the one area you can’t put a numerical value on was how much hungrier the Knicks were than the Nuggets in the fourth quarter.

And after winning every 12-minute battle up to this point, the Nuggets came out lifeless in the fourth and the Knicks punked the Mile High Crew, 37-20, for the win.

The Nuggets are now 2-2 and play the vastly improved Celtics tomorrow night. I have goodies planned for tomorrow too, so keep that page refreshed.

Go Nuggets!

Carmelo's New M4 Kicks

(Boulder-CO) I've noticed that 'Melo has been wearing some new slippers already this season, so I did some research and found a little video that gives us a great view of the new M4. Enjoy the clip and leave your thumbs up or down in the comments section.

Can't We All Just Get Along?

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

Nuggets vs. Knicks: Game 4 Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Go Nuggets!

Memo to Smith: Hold Your Horses

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

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

Kenyon Martin's Schedule

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

This Game Stings

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Hornets: Game 3 Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oh, never mind, yes I do.

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

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets Too Tough for Wolves

(AP Photo/Andy King)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Wolves: Game 2 Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets Quote of the Week

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

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

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

Thanks, Scott! Your imagery is masterful.

Go Nuggets!

Opening Night Done Right

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Go Nuggets!

'Melo Blog Watch

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

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Sonics: Game 1 Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who’s with me?

Go Nuggets!

Don't Expect J.R. to be Extended

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

The NBA Blog Previews Master List

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

Backcourt Board Games

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

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

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

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

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

So, what do I suggest the Nuggets do?

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

Go Nuggets!

NBA Blog Previews the Pacific

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

Golden St. Warriors

Golden State of Mind

Los Angeles Clippers

ClipsNation.com

Los Angeles Lakers

Forum Blue & Gold

With Malice

Phoenix Suns

Bright Side of the Sun

Sacramento Kings

Sactown Royalty

Archives

CelticsBlog NBA Page

Kleiza Exercised

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

Go Nuggets!