For the Denver Nuggets the shortened season will be both a boon and a challenge. The Nuggets have an established coach and system, but many of their players are scattered across world leagues or likely lost to free agency.
Barring an uncharacteristic slip by a suddenly stout Thunder squad and the Nuggets winning out, Denver seems destined for the 5th seed in the NBA Playoffs.
Aside from excellent two-way play by the Nuggets, the team turned around a trend of beating teams with bench depth. Denver’s starters all finished +10 or better, and Atlanta’s starters finished -10 or worse.
Three Nuggets scored 20+ points, led by Lawson (23) and followed closely by Felton (22) and Chandler (21). This new Democratic scoring approach has replaced the former ‘All Melo All the Time’ Denver offense.
In a matchup of two trade-worn teams, Denver showed that their workmanlike win over Memphis was no fluke. The New Look Nuggets downed the Celtics’ Original Big Three of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett with the same great effort and a lot more depth.
Anthony took his shots here, and either through circumstance or generosity Carmelo replenished Denver with a whole host of playable/tradable young talents as he left. We should all think on him fondly, welcome him back once a year with cheers, and not begrudge him his opportunity to play every other night in the Manhattan basketball theater that is Madison Square Gardens.
Denver will host the division nemisis Utah Jazz to kick off what could be Melo’s last year, month or week with the club… depending on which trade rumors you believe.
While it is no foregone conclusion, the sign-and-trade seems like the only way for the Nuggets to approach break-even on this deal. If Carmelo plays the entire 2010-2011 season in Denver without a new contract, I would be utterly shocked. Nobody in this town wants to see Carmelo Anthony on prime time television announcing that he’s leaving while the Nuggets get approximately squat in return.
The Denver Nuggets will open next season at home versus the Jazz and finish in Utah against that same division nemesis. With the release of the Nuggets’ 2010-2011 schedule on Tuesday, we see a clear focus on Northwest Division games when it counts.
The Nuggets were scary good when they were all healthy in the first half of ’09-’10. Kenyon’s potency at 100%, combined with Harrington’s added length (6’9â€) off the bench and the inspiring return of coach George Karl could be enough to keep Denver afloat in the stacked West.
