Just as it seemed that Nuggets were unstoppable, blowing past the Hornets and breezing by the Mavericks, they hit a wall (LA). The Lakers were able to derail the Nuggets right in their tracks and moved on to the finals with ease.
The key to the team's success was the Chauncey Billups acquisition. Billups was clearly a better fit for the team than Allen Iverson, as evidenced by the team's win-loss record after the trade. Chauncey knows how to bring out the best in his teammates, and we saw Nuggets like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Anderson, and others bring their games to new heights.
I anticipate a great season in Denver, assuming their lineup remains as is.
Point Guard: Chauncey Billups seems to be fitting into Denver's system and he very well could lead the nuggets to an NBA title.
Shooting guard- JR Smith seems to steadily improve with each year. He's been in the NBA for over five seasons now, but he's amazingly only 24 years old and should continue to improve. A great threat from three point land, he'll provide the team with a healthy dose of offense.
Small forward- Carmelo Anthony's averages may have been down a bit, but he improves as a player with every season in my mind. His game is more well-rounded and he's more responsible on the court, meshing with his teammates for better results.
Power forward- Kenyon Martin is one of the best defensive players in the league, hands down. The key to Martin (and the major question mark) is his health. When healthy, Martin's defense wins basketball teams games. Period.
Center- Nene seems to be rebounding well off of his injury and if he plays the way he did in 08, averaging 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds, he would be a needed big man on the Nuggets roster.
Other- Chris Anderson will continue to play a major role as defensive spark plug off the bench. His blocked shot totals last season were outrageous, and factored very heavily into the Nuggets' playoff run. Ty Lawson should be a nice backup point guard.
The key to Denver's success may be the team's health. Kenyon Martin and Nene Hilario are both injury prone, but invaluable to the Denver squad. Chauncey Billups typically stays healthy, but any aging player becomes some kind of a concern in the health department. Chris Anderson will need to stay out of trouble, as will JR Smith. If all of the stars align, Denver could easily contend with the best for a championship.
The key to the team's success was the Chauncey Billups acquisition. Billups was clearly a better fit for the team than Allen Iverson, as evidenced by the team's win-loss record after the trade. Chauncey knows how to bring out the best in his teammates, and we saw Nuggets like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Anderson, and others bring their games to new heights.
I anticipate a great season in Denver, assuming their lineup remains as is.
Point Guard: Chauncey Billups seems to be fitting into Denver's system and he very well could lead the nuggets to an NBA title.
Shooting guard- JR Smith seems to steadily improve with each year. He's been in the NBA for over five seasons now, but he's amazingly only 24 years old and should continue to improve. A great threat from three point land, he'll provide the team with a healthy dose of offense.
Small forward- Carmelo Anthony's averages may have been down a bit, but he improves as a player with every season in my mind. His game is more well-rounded and he's more responsible on the court, meshing with his teammates for better results.
Power forward- Kenyon Martin is one of the best defensive players in the league, hands down. The key to Martin (and the major question mark) is his health. When healthy, Martin's defense wins basketball teams games. Period.
Center- Nene seems to be rebounding well off of his injury and if he plays the way he did in 08, averaging 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds, he would be a needed big man on the Nuggets roster.
Other- Chris Anderson will continue to play a major role as defensive spark plug off the bench. His blocked shot totals last season were outrageous, and factored very heavily into the Nuggets' playoff run. Ty Lawson should be a nice backup point guard.
The key to Denver's success may be the team's health. Kenyon Martin and Nene Hilario are both injury prone, but invaluable to the Denver squad. Chauncey Billups typically stays healthy, but any aging player becomes some kind of a concern in the health department. Chris Anderson will need to stay out of trouble, as will JR Smith. If all of the stars align, Denver could easily contend with the best for a championship.
About the Author:
David Placter enjoys all NBA drama and can't wait to see the 09-10 season kick off. He's added more thoughts about the team at his favorite Denver Nuggets forum and has contributed a handful of sports trivia questions about the Nuggets at RootZoo, a leading sports platform.
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