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Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Rimban: Denver Nuggets
By Erwin Rimban
MANY basketball experts have predicted that the Denver Nuggets will be one of the toughest rivals of the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Western Conference this season. Let us explore why this may be the case indeed.
The Nuggets biggest star is undoubtedly 6-8 forward Carmelo Anthony. Selected in the same batch as the growing legend LeBron James, Melo must now justify the lofty expectations of him when he was drafted second overall. How? Well, he must prove that indeed he is one of the premier small forwards in the game today. One of the things I am excited about in this season of the National Basketball Association (NBA) is the resurgence of interest in the small forward position. The small forward is one of the most exciting positions in basketball. It is the task of the small forward to provide the offensive spark that a team needs. He must be among the major offensive options. He must be a player with a variety of moves. And more importantly, he should be able to score inside or outside. The greatest small forwards have been players who were able to enthrall fans with their variety of moves and skills. The small forward may be the consummate skill position.
Outstanding small forwards in the history of the game include Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Julius Erving, Alex English, Bernard King, and Paul Pressey, the original point forward of the NBA. Today, we have a new crop of exciting small forwards in the persons of LeBron James, Tracy McGrady and Carmelo Anthony. The small forward position is definitely enjoying a resurgence if you include excellent stars like Antoine Walker, Tayshaun Prince and Lamar Odom. Thus, it is incumbent upon resident Nuggets star Melo Anthony to prove that he is indeed one of the best in the game today. Currently, he has compiled averages of 20.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg and 1.06 spg. Not bad for a rising superstar. But Melo must prove that he a player who can consistently carry his team night in and night out.
And he has good company this season. At center is 6-11 Marcus Camby who may be considered one of the best pivotman in the game today. He has career averages of 10.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg and 2.30 bpg. These are good numbers for one of the game's outstanding shotblockers. Their partner manning the starting spot in the power forward position is 6-9 Kenyon Martin, one of the game's most exciting forwards. Kenyon has career averages of 15.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.30 spg, 2.4 apg and 1.30 bpg. These are remarkable numbers for one of the best all-around players in the league. What Martin should do is minimize his style points and just concentrate on making all the essential things that can help them win games, especially in the playoffs. The shooting guard for this team is awesome three-point specialist Voshon Lenard who has career averages of 12.2 ppg and 2.1 apg. Their starting point guard is rising star Andre Miller, 6-2 floor general who has career averages of 14.2 ppg, 7.4 apg and 1.41 spg. His backup is diminutive but talented point guard Earl Boykins who has career averages of 8.4 ppg and 3.2 apg. He is only 5-5 but plays with a lot of heart! A fun player to watch on the floor for the Nuggets.
Critical players who will come off the bench for the Nuggets include Eduardo Najera, a 6-8 strongman who can bang bodies inside even with players of considerable size. He has career averages of 5.0 ppg and 3..8 rpg. He is s player who can be relied upon to execute the dirty work for this team. Like playing good defense and hauling down those all-important rebounds. Another player off the bench is 6-9 swingman DerMarr Johnson who has an average of 6.6 ppg. Finally, they have veteran Bryon Russell, a 6-7 forward who has career averages of 7.9 ppg and 1.04 spg.
Thus we can see that the Denver Nuggets have some materials they need to compete at the highest levels in the West. They have a primetime center in Camby who could have an all-star season if he would be completely healthy. He is a talented player who plays good defense and can alter the shots of the opposition with his ferocious shotblocking, reminiscent of the legendary skills of Bill Russell, the immortal super center of the Boston Celtics of yore. His partners are Martin and Anthony in the frontline, which makes them one of the strongest contenders in the West on paper. The problem now for the Nuggets is to translate that theoretical strength into actual consistency in winning games. There are many games where the Nuggets really show their ability in offense as well as defense. But there are also games where they seem to lack that chemistry and consistency so necessary in winning a prolonged series like the NBA playoffs.
They are one of the favorites in the Western Conference. Now is the time to show their real worth.
(November 22, 2005 issue)
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