Last game: Jan 21, Denver Nuggets 105 – Los Angeles Clippers 85
Next game: vs. New Orleans Hornets, Jan 23 9:00pm ET

The Nuggets seemed to have picked up where they left off last season, all the hard work Carmelo put in this summer is really paying off. Ive always thought he was one of the best offensive players in the game, he has never had to work as hard as Kobe, LeBron or Wade to score and he has the “look” this season and if he continues his strong play, they will be dangerous. The Nuggets frontline needs to step up their play to take the Nuggets to the next level, rookie point guard Ty Lawson is making some teams regret passing him over in the draft with his strong play to start the season.

The Nuggets defense has been so much better this season, J.R Smith is even playing defense this season. The Nuggets could use another frontline player to really compete with the Spurs and Lakers in a 7 game series.

Trade idea 1 – Nuggets Trade Malik Allen, Renaldo Balkman and a first to the Warriors for Ronny Turiaf

Trade idea 2 – Nuggets trade Anthony Carter and Malik Allen to the Wizards for Fabricio Oberto

Everything went right for the Nuggets last season, can it repeat this season? The Nuggets made a few minor moves this offseason, while the other top teams made major shakeups. Arron Afflalo and Joey Graham should replace Jones’s production and trading for Ty Lawson will prove to really help long term this season, once he takes over the backup point guard duties. Can Kenyon Martin, Nene and Chris Anderson stay healthy this season? J.R. Smith is the best 6th man in the league, hes instant offense off the bench. Carmelo Anthony is getting some talk of joining the MVP dicussion this season after his strong showing in the playoffs.

Key Additions: Ty Lawson, Arron Afflalo, Joey Graham

Key Subtractions: Dahntay Jones

Projected Starting Lineup: Chauncey Billups/ Arron Afflalo/ Carmelo Anthony/ Kenyon Martin/ Nene Hilario

Key Reserves: J.R. Smith, Chris Anderson, Ty Lawson, Anthony Carter, Renaldo Balkman, Joey Graham, Malik Allen

-Bennice

After a two-year ban/suspension from the NBA for violating the league’s substance abuse policy it was unknown of Andersen would even make it back into the league, let alone be thrown a five year contract worth $26 Million. It’s not as if he didn’t earn it this season. He was the Nuggets energizer bunny and he always had the crowd at the Pepsi Center loud and on their feet applauding his hustle and fight. Hopefully, for the Nuggets sake, Andersen will not be like a lot of the other players who go all out to earn a contract and once they sign it, they revert back to being that easily replaceable kind of player. Along with Martin on the frontline, Andersen helped provide a little mental and psychical intimidation for the opponents and if Denver is to get back to the Western Conference Finals, they’ll need him to do more of the same.

Andersen wasn’t the only bigman given a lucrative contract by the Nuggets. Orlando Magic back-up center Marcin Gortat also signed a contract offersheet with the Nuggets. Being that he is a restricted free agent, nothing can be official until after Wednesday the 15th as the Magic reserve the right to make any offersheet given to him. According to Magic General Manager Otis Smith, he’ll wait the full week to weigh the pros and cons of matching or declining to make the offersheet. Gortat is another psychical big man that could prove to be very vital for the Nuggets come playoff time.

Everyone knows who Carmelo Anthony is, there is no question about that. However, he hasn’t seem to have gotten his just-due. Maybe it’s because before hooking up with Chauncey Billups, Anthony failed to even win multiple games in a playoff series, meanwhile James and Wade have both been to the Finals and Wade has even won a title. So sure, he hasn’t had success in the post-season, but the Nuggets had been facing the Spurs and Lakers a couple of times in their first round match-ups. That doesn’t take away from the fact that Anthony has done work on the court. Afterall, he was average 30 PPG a couple of seasons ago until and even after Allen Iverson was acquired by the Nuggets.

That leads me to believe he’s just been overlooked by the media. Why exactly would one of the best scorers in the league who’s constantly associated with two of the best players in the world get overlooked? Maybe it’s because of his off-the-court issues. Maybe because it’s the image he’s been portrayed to have. Maybe it’s because in the long run, only what you do in the playoffs is how they want to remember you. Regardless of what the case may be, Anthony deserves some credit and these 2009 playoffs have been his coming out party and I don’t think he’ll be overlooked for much longer.

Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post reports that guard Ty Lawson was a no-show for his workout with the Denver Nuggets, who reportedly had expressed the most interest in him up to this point.

Lawson was a no-show at the Nuggets’ college player workouts Sunday, two days after he was arrested in Chapel Hill, N.C., and charged with driving after consuming alcohol. According to Nuggets coach George Karl, Lawson, 20, also had been dealing with nagging injuries. But Karl still was surprised not to see him.

“When I was coming this morning, I thought he was going to be here,” the coach said.

Lawson and the point guard-starved Nuggets have been linked in recent days. A report from DraftExpress.com went so far as to say the Nuggets had promised to select the guard at No. 20 overall. Lawson has not hired an agent and still could return for his junior season with the Tar Heels.

Lawson continued the trail of misfortune yesterday, as he rolled an ankle in yesterday’s workout with the Washington Wizards.
Some good did manage to come out of this workout, however, as Kansas guard Mario Chalmers impressed the Denver staff.

While Lawson canceled, Kansas guard Mario Chalmers didn’t — and he has a defensive philosophy that should make the Nuggets take notice.

“I take great pride in defense,” Chalmers said. “I just try to work on my defense, try to get better and try to always guard the best player on the other team.”

As a perimeter defender, another high-level need for the Nuggets, Chalmers is one of the best options in the June 26 draft. He was routinely entrusted to guard the best opposing perimeter scorer while helping Kansas win the national championship. His size (6-1, 190 pounds) and length make him an intriguing prospect.

“Definitely a defender that can play NBA defense,” Karl said. “Athletic ability and strength and courage is prime time. The thing I can’t find in one practice, or two hours of work, is his decision-making and his ability to function. I thought at Kansas he played as much off-guard as he did point guard when I saw Kansas play.”

Chalmers also comes with a deft 3-point touch, hitting 41.9 percent in his career at Kansas. He made 46.8 percent behind the arc last season, the biggest a game-tying 3-pointer late in regulation in the NCAA title game, which KU won over Memphis in overtime.

Ever since, Chalmers admits to being something of a celebrity.

“I can’t go nowhere without being noticed nowadays,” said Chalmers, who hasn’t hired an agent but intends to stay in the draft. “But I like it.”

Jonathan Givoney of DraftExpress.com reports that with the 20th overall pick in this month’s NBA draft, the Denver Nuggets may have made a promise to North Carolina guard Ty Lawson.

Talk continues to circulate that the Denver Nuggets have promised to select Ty Lawson with the 20th pick later this month. Lawson pulled out of the NBA pre-draft camp after just one day, citing a hip-pointer, but was seen shooting around and looking absolutely fine just a few hours before he was supposed to play. He stated that if he were to be projected to be drafted outside the top-20, he will return to North Carolina, making the Nuggets precisely his cut-off point.

Denver started Anthony Carter at the point guard position in 67 of 70 games he played this season. He did an admirable job, but clearly the team is in need of an upgrade at that spot, particularly if they want to continue to play the brand of up-tempo basketball that George Karl is so fond of, and which Lawson just happens to absolutely excel at.

As Givoney states, Lawson is absolutely fit for the up-tempo game, and could be a terrific initiator in Denver’s system. Having Lawson alongside Allen Iverson may produce the smallest backcourt in the league, but it also complements their attack and could take pressure off of Iverson to be both the main scorer and playmaker in the backcourt.

Between his fit and the DUI he recently picked up, Lawson would fit right in.

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Posted By: Dustin Chapman

Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post reports:

Don’t look for Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony to be traded. Calvin Andrews, Anthony’s agent, told The Denver Post that the Nuggets “informed me that they’re not shopping Melo.”

Anthony has been a target for criticism after the Nuggets flamed out in the first round of the postseason for the fifth consecutive season. New Jersey inquired about trading for Anthony, but Andrews said chatter around the league that Melo might be moved is not accurate.

“Carmelo Anthony is their guy,” Andrews said Wednesday, relaying what Nuggets’ management told him. “There are no plans to trade Melo. Melo will be in a Denver uniform next year. They’re not entertaining trades for Melo. It’s not even in the cards.”

Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien, who is Denver’s designated trade negotiator, declined comment.

Anthony has four years left on his contract.

Unless the Nuggets are offered the rights to one of the top two picks in this June’s NBA Draft, which is highly unlikely, there is no reason to entertain the thought of dealing Carmelo Anthony.

Does he need a maturity-check? Does he need to adjust his attitude? Does he need to commit? Absolutely, but he’s not the only problem in Denver. The team needs a new identity altogether. Without a defensive minded supporting cast, what makes you believe Anthony will buy into anything heading in that direction?

The Denver Nuggets need a roster adjustment and perhaps a new leader (I don’t want to point any fingers, George Karl), but they do not need to trade one of the most versatile offensive players in the entire league at just 23 years of age.

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Posted By: Dustin Chapman

HE’s BACK

Denverites are used to it by now.  Rockies who? 

Regarding the past few seasons for the Denver Nuggets, much is misperception.   Casual analysis of this squad leads to conclusions that Denver is destined for yet another early exit.   Sure, even a hard-core Nugget fan will admit much about the current core is an enigma. 

You can make a sound argument that the 2007-2008 Nuggets are the most talented team in the NBA.  More importantly however, there is reason to believe that Denver, much like the baseball team there is destined to surprise.

Turmoil, inconsistency and unfortunate circumstances have beset this squad over the past 3 years.  No other team has lost a starter in the first week of the season the last 3 campaigns like Denver has and no other squad has consistently competed like the Nuggets with simliar upheavel.  The team has averaged 46 wins in the last 3 years and during that time span has had more than 30 different starting line-ups, 3 different coaches,  numerous and varying philosophies. 

Consider that Denver managed 45 wins last year after losing Martin in the second game of the year, only getting a half-healthy season from Nene, losing an MVP candidate for 15 games, their best shooter for ten and completely overhauling the point guard position mid-season.  All of this in the mighty West of course.  

Incredibly, the casual observer says that Denver underachieved.  The reason is that the roster has the apperance of an all-star squad.  Denver played like one much of ’07-08.  There is reason to believe that will change as well.

Last year King George emphasized pace in an effort to help maximize the talents of his best player and to avoid the court-spacing nightmare that was the 2006 playoff series against the underrated half-court defense of the Clippers.   Ovbiously heeding to the altitude was secondary justification.   What was lost was defensive identity and effort (Though the numbers indicate that Denver was above average defensively and only adequate offensively, much of that has to do with the style of play). 

This year’s training camp has been the polar opposite.  With Iverson and Anthony, Denver will always be able to score in the half-court.  Unlike last year, the Nuggz head into the opener with more than 4 players who can make a three-point shoot.  Atkins, Smith, Klieza and Wafer will all get their chance to extend the defense and make teams pay for sinking against the aforementioned Iverson-Anthony duo.   No need to speed up the game for that kind of half-court attack.

Now Karl has the athletes to play his gambling, pressure and trapping style of defense without losing focus of his offense.   Much to the chagrin of K-haters, the genetic mutant  Kenyon Martin appears as healthy and springy as he has ever been in a Denver uniform.    A heathy Martin can tenaciously guard the opponent’s best player from 2 to 4.  While Martin is Denver’s best man-defender, he can also shore up Denver’s peremiter defense when they go big.  Nene showed in the Spurs series (much like he did against Minny in 04) that he can be a beast inside when he wants to.   All of that will help keep the pressure of one of the most overrated defenders in the NBA in Marcus Camby, who had better make a rotation in 2007-08.  How Denver plays defensively however will most be attributed to how commited Carmelo Anthony is.   Early indications seem positive that Melo finnaly gets it.   There is no question that when motivated Melo is a superb man defender, highlighted by some brief stints against Kobe, Dirk and T-Mac.  If Melo decides to give the effort on his off-ball movement and awarness his teammates will follow and Denver could be a defensive juggernaut despite it’s poor back-court duo (Atkins Iverson).    Kuba-D, Athony Carter, Bobby Jones, and Najera give Denver great defensive re-enforcements  off the bench.

Denver arguably has the most roster versatility in the NBA (dependent on Crazy George).  They can play big and dominate the boards with Nene, K-mart/Najera Camby/Hunter.  They can play the old- Philly in Iverson philosophy (W/Melo on the bench) with Ivy and a quartet of hustle and defensive minded players. They can play small-ball up-tempo Suns ball Melo at 4 or 5, Wafer, Smith, Klieza Atkins/Iverson/Roberson. They can go with two shot blockers and a couple scorers like Dallas (Hunter and Camby).  Karl is virtually unlimited in how he can attack the opp.  There is no doubt Karl will tinker, but will he obsessively stick with a set hiearchy that limits him? (see Boykins and Blake) Will his bench buy in? The great depth has much downside as up.  

One of many un-revealed secrets heading into this year is the new-found 3 point shot of Anthony.  AS seen in the playoffs and World Championships, if Melo has a respected 3 point shot (he should stroke 35% this year) he is as unstoppable an offensive force in the NBA and that includes the Bean.    The extra 5 feet on his J makes his first step even quicker and his explosiveness at the rim more pronounced.  Reports indicate that Melo’s handle has improved as well as his passing ( avery underrated aspect is his court vision and feel out of the double team), he could be Denver’s second best playmaker on the peremiter. Given his improvements and desire to be an offensive rebounder (a combination of Moses Malone and Shawn Marion according to the Sprus), Melo has a chance to be the best player in the NBA next year. Yeah, I said it.  Of course that is contingent upon his defense.

Bubba-Chuck not only can take over game offensively, but more importantly it’s his leadership that most postively effects Denver.  It’s clear that he has established a great rapport with his team and finnaly gives Denver an identity(tough and can handle all adversity / consistent effort). Iverson can create when it stalls against the best defense and he would have givern Denver a legit chance of upsetting the Spurs if he would have converted his normal % of lay-ups.  Look for Iverson to continue to improve his offensive effieciency, but more importantly he will help Melo and guys like K-mart who feed off an alpha-dog.            

 The biggest ?’s heading are 1) Will the team be defensively commited? Is Wafer for real? Can Klieza and Nene perform like they did in the second half last season?  In which way will the depth go? Can Carmelo play to his potential? Will A.I. play within the team like last year?

         All the elements are apparent for a championship run.  The hunger.  AI  and Camby: vets who want a ring.  Carmelo’s continued desire to be the best, K-mart out to prove the naysayers (always been his motivation) the intra-squad competiton. 

There is finnaly some stability, the chemistry is as good as it has ever been.  Denver is the most dangerous team heading into 2007-08 season but they play in one of the best conferences in NBA history.

In each of the last three pre-seasons the Denver Nuggets have been the popular, rather oxymoronic darkhorse pick in the Western conference by most major publications.   In each of those campaigns however, the team suffered a season ending injury to a starter in the first week of the season.  That has led many Nugget faithfull, having endured similair curse beckoning heartache (most notably Laphonso Ellis and Antonio McDyess two of the most promising young PF’s in recent NBA history to suffer career damaging injuries while in a Denver uniform) to wonder which Nugget is next.