Denver Nuggets 2.0 [S2: 55-19]

[Kenny]

3 Game Summary

The Nuggets continued their winning streak, notching up victories against the Hornets and the Pelicans. However, the streak ended at five, with a loss over the Utah Jazz.

The feature game is against the Pelicans. The player in the photo is Chucky Newton, the Nuggets 2015 second round pick.

Nuggets Edge Persistent Pelicans

The Nuggets were able to overcome a dominant rebounding effort by the Pelicans to win 90-87. The Pelicans had an advantage of +16 on the boards, thanks to Anthony Davis (12) and Ryan Anderson (9), who combined for almost 30 rebounds.

In Affalo's absence, Gary Harris stepped into the starting line up for the Nuggets and scored a team-high 19 points, along with 3 steals and 3 blocks on the defensive end. Chucky Newton was also able to contribute for the short-handed Nuggets. The second round pick registered 17 points and 4 rebounds off the bench. Shawn Marion was able to add 14 points, while Derrick Williams scored 10.

For the Pelicans, Anthony Davis was the catalyst for the interior domination they enjoyed. The Brow (19 points and 12 rebounds) and Ryan Anderson (15 points, 9 rebounds) both did a great job at keeping the Nuggets off the glass. Eric Gordon was also productive on the offensive end, with 18 points, while Jrue Holiday tallied 10 points and 7 assists. The Pelicans, however, were disappointing on the perimeter, as they were unable to contain Gary Harris.

NOP@DEN

DEN: 90
(Harris 19, Newton 17, Marion 14)
NOP: 87
(Davis 19, Gordon 18, Anderson 15)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Gary Harris 19 points (8-16 FG) 2 rebounds 3 assists 3 steals 3 blocks

Rebounds

DEN: Andersen, Nurkic 6
NOP: Davis 12

Assists

DEN: Lawson 14
NOP: Holiday 7

Last 3 Games

@CHA: 98-91 W
NOP: 90-87 W
UTA: 96-89 L

Overall: 11-6

Highlights

Shawn Marion continued his vintage form against the Hornets. He was just one assist shy of a triple-double, with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists, as well as 1 steal and 2 blocks. Initially signed as just a rotation player to cover Faried's injury, Marion has created a pleasant dilemma for the Nuggets coaching staff.

Mario Hezonja had a solid game in the loss against the Jazz. He had 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks from the bench.

Injuries

Kenneth Faried - Broken Ankle, 4-6 Weeks (Out)
Arron Afflalo - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)
JaVale McGee - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Chris Andersen - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)

Next 5 Games

@POR
CLE
@NYK
@IND
@UTA

[Kenny]

November 2015 Summary

Another great start to the season has seen the Nuggets rise to the 3rd spot of the Western Conference. They're only just behind the Spurs and the Grizzlies for the top spot. This is all in spite of the fact that the Nuggets lost Faried early to a broken ankle. The Manimal is likely to be out until the new year.
While the Nuggets' rebounding rate suffered, the team seemed to adapt well without the All-Star. They signed Shawn Marion, who showed flashes of his prime in Phoenix with a few of his performances. The likes of Ty Lawson, Arron Afflalo, Gary Harris and Wilson Chandler were also regular contributors to the Nuggets rise up the rankings.

Standings

East

Miami 12-4
Detroit 11-4
Cleveland 11-6
Washington 8-7
Toronto 9-8
Chicago 9-8
Atlanta 9-10
Orlando 7-8
---
Boston 7-9
Philadelphia 6-8
Indiana 6-8
Indiana 7-10
Milwaukee 7-11
New York 6-12
Brooklyn 4-11
Charlotte 5-13

West

San Antonio 11-4
Memphis 12-5
Denver 11-6
LA Clippers 11-6
Houston 10-6
Oklahoma City 10-7
Golden State 8-8
New Orleans 8-9
---
Utah 7-8
Sacramento 8-10
Dallas 8-10
Portland 7-9
LA Lakers 7-9
Phoenix 6-11
Minnesota 6-11

Monthly Awards

Player
East: [WAS] John Wall
West: [SAC] DeMarcus Cousins

Rookie
East: [CHA] Emmanuel Mudiay
West: [HOU] Theo Pinson

Trades

Atlanta received: Kevin Martin
Minnesota received: Mario Chalmers, Joel Freeland

Sacramento received: Wesley Johnson
LA Lakers received: Corey Brewer, 2017 2nd Round Pick

Miami received: 2016 1st Round Pick
Phoenix received: Mike Scott

Detroit received: KJ McDaniels, 2017 2nd Round Pick
Philadelpiha received: Jodie Meeks

Brooklyn received: Martell Webster
Washington received: Jarrett Jack, 2017 2nd Round Pick

Charlotte received: Raymond Felton
Minnesota received: Brian Roberts

LA Lakers received: Bismack Biyombo, 2017 2nd Round Pick
Charlotte received: Ian Mahinmi, Robert Sacre

Signinngs

Oklahoma City: Kevin Seraphin (1yr/4.98M)
New Orleans: Jordan Farmar (4yr/14.28M)
Sacramento: Kendrick Perkins (1yr/3.53M)
Memphis: Kendall Marshall (1yr/4.51M)
New Orleans: Rodney Stuckey (1yr/4.77M)
Denver: Shawn Marion (1yr/1.54M)
LA Lakers: Danny Green (1yr/4.27M)
Detroit: Elton Brand (1yr/2.41M)
Memphis: Omer Asik (1yr/4.26M)

[Kenny]

First All-Star Ballot: LeBron and KD Lead All Votes

The first All-Star ballots are back and much like last season, LeBron James (1,271,093) and Kevin Durant (1,221,178) have gained early momentum. Along with LeBron and KD, Carmelo Anthony (1,003,976) has also tallied over a million, while Kobe Bryant (948,135) has fallen just short of the mark.
Ty Lawson is the only Nuggets player to rank within the top 10 of either the frontcourt or backcourt ballots for the West. He's currently in 6th place among West guards.

Projected Starting Lineups

East: Kyle Lowry, Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Al Horford
West: James Harden, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins

Backcourt

East

[TOR] Kyle Lowry 811,940
[CHI] Derrick Rose 800,423
[WAS] John Wall 787,053
[MIA] Dwyane Wade 694,356
[PHI] Rajon Rondo 683,768
[BKN] Deron Williams 663,133
[CLE] Kyrie Irving 651,369
[CHA] Lance Stephenson 557,380
[DET] Brandon Jennings 504,530
[TOR] DeMar DeRozan 504,319

West

[LAL] Kobe Bryant 948,135
[HOU] James Harden 838,695
[OKC] Russell Westbrook 758,963
[SAN] Tony Parker 696,469
[GSW] Stephen Curry 696,449
[DEN] Ty Lawson 649,060
[POR] Damian Lillard 586,768
[PHX] Eric Bledsoe 547,503
[GSW] Klay Thompson 512,559
[PHX] Isaiah Thomas 484,797

Frontcourt

East

[CLE] LeBron James 1,271,093
[NYK] Carmelo Anthony 1,003,976
[ATL] Al Horford 844,977
[IND] Paul George 737,465
[CLE] Kevin Love 680,815
[CHA] Al Jefferson 667,101
[MIA] Chris Bosh 665,846
[CHI] Joakim Noah 588,091
[DET] Andre Drummond 540,339
[DET] Josh Smith 536,008

West

[OKC] Kevin Durant 1,221,178
[SAC] DeMarcus Cousins 802,500
[LAC] Blake Griffin 792,687
[NOP] Anthony Davis 771,452
[HOU] Dwight Howard 656,814
[POR] LaMarcus Aldridge 612,960
[MEM] Zach Randolph 592,413
[SAN] Paul Millsap 581,700
[DAL] Dirk Nowitzki 557,324
[UTA] Gordon Hayward 529,278

[Kenny]

5 Game Summary

The Nuggets won four out of five games in this five game stretch. Their loss, however, was quite an emphatic one at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.

Whatever poor form the Nuggets had against the Pacers, they more than made up for it against the Jazz.

Nuggets Rout Jazz

Mario Hezonja led a 107-79 blowout against the Jazz. The Nuggets rookie scored 22 points, which included 4-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Arron Afflalo was also effective against the Jazz, scoring 17, while Erick Green (16), JaVale McGee (12) and Ty Lawson (10 points, 10 assists) all registered double figures in scoring.

Dante Exum was the only efficient scorer for the Jazz, as he scored 18 points off 7-14 shooting. The rest of his Jazz teammates struggled. Alec Burks (6-15) added 13, while Gordon Hayward (10 off 3-10) and Ian Clark (9 off 4-12) were also erratic from the field.

DEN@UTA

DEN: 107
(Hezonja 22, Afflalo 17, Green 16)
UTA: 79
(Exum 18, Burks 13, Hayward 10)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Mario Hezonja 22 points (8-12 FG) 6 rebounds 6 assists 2 steals 4 blocks

Rebounds

DEN: Afflalo, Hezonja, McGee, Nurkic 6
UTA: Favors 11

Assists

DEN: Lawson 10
UTA: Burks 4

Last 5 Games

@POR: 98-85 W
CLE: 108-104 W
@NYK: 110-104 W
@IND: 115-92 L
@UTA: 107-79 W

Overall: 15-7

Highlights

Jusuf Nurkic came awfully close to a triple-double against the Blazers in Portland. He had 23 points, 13 rebounds and 8 blocks. Nurkic is quickly making JaVale McGee expendible.

Nurkic wasn't the only one close to a triple-double in the past five games. Shawn Marion was just three rebounds short of his own triple-double. He tallied 18 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists.

Arron Afflalo had a fine game against the Cavaliers. He scored 25 points.

The Nuggets didn't have a good game against the Pacers, but Gary Harris did. Harris scored 19 off the bench in the loss.

Injuries

Kenneth Faried - Broken Ankle, 2-4 weeks (Out)
Shawn Marion - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)

Next 5 Games

@CHI
@CLE
HOU
MIL
@HOU

[Kenny]

Has Kenneth Faried Played His Last Game For Denver?

Kenneth Faried hasn't come back from his ankle injury yet, and chances are, his comeback won't be in a Nuggets jersey.

Sources close to the situation have stated that the Nuggets front office are looking to trade Faried - along with shooting guard Arron Afflalo - for a starting power forward.

The Nuggets have made various inquiries, with players such as Al Horford and Serge Ibaka at the top of their list of preferred players.

[Kevin]

Go for Ibaka and Morrow.

[Kenny]

Go for Ibaka and Morrow.

That would certainly be a nice combo for my squad. Plus, I do love spamming the three point line.

[Kenny]

5 Game Summary

It wasn't the greatest five games for the Nuggets, thanks largely to Derrick Rose and the Rockets combo of James Harden and Trevor Ariza. Aside from losses to the Bulls and the Rockets, the Nuggets had comfortable wins against the Cavs and the Bucks.

The feature is against the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron haters rejoice!

Nuggets Smash Loveless Cavs

The Denver Nuggets had eight players in double figures in their 136-120 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Wilson Chandler led the way, with 24 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks. Gary Harris and Derrick Williams both played well off the bench, scoring 18 each, while Ty Lawson (16 points, 12 assists) put up his obligatory double-double. Jusuf Nurkic (12), Mario Hezonja (12), Arron Afflalo (10) and JaVale McGee (10) all chipped in as well.

For the Cavaliers, LeBron James led a field of five double-digit scorers with 24 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Dion Waiters had one of his better games offensively with 22 points, while Kyrie Irving added 19 points and 7 assists. Tristan Thompson (16 points, 14 rebounds) was impressive in Love's place, and Alex Kirk added 13.

DEN@CLE

DEN: 136
(Chandler 24, Harris 18, Williams 18)
CLE: 120
(James 24, Waiters 22, Irving 19)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Wilson Chandler 24 points (9-12 FG) 5 rebounds 7 assists 1 steal 3 blocks

Rebounds

DEN: Anderson 7
CLE: Thompson 14

Assists

DEN: Lawson 12
CLE: Irving, James 7

Last 5 Games

@CHI: 96-95 L
@CLE: 136-120 W
HOU: 121-93 L
MIL: 125-110 W
@HOU: 114-107 L

Overall: 17-10

Highlights

Arron Afflalo led a late surge against the Houston Rockets. AAA ended up with 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to get the win.

With both Kenneth Faried and Shawn Marion injured, Wilson Chandler has been performing well at power forward. He was one of the Nuggets' better players in the loss against Chicago, with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks.

Add another crazy double-double to Ty Lawson's list. Against the Bucks he had 12 points and 17 assists. Well he's at his best, Denver is a hard team to beat.

Ty Lawson wasn't the only one racking up the assists in this five game stretch. In the loss against Houston, Erick Green had 11 points and 8 assists.

Injuries

Kenneth Faried - Broken Ankle, 1-2 weeks (Out)
Ty Lawson - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Wilson Chandler - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Gary Harris - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Erick Green - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)

#AnkleGate #CopyAndPaste

Next 6 Games

@SAN
@MEM
@OKC
BOS
NYK
TOR

[Kenny]

Around the League: Dirk Traded to Raptors

In one of the strangest trades in recent memory, the Dallas Mavericks have sent franchise stalwart Dirk Nowitzki - along with their 2017 second round pick - to the Toronto Raptors for Gerald Wallace and their 2016 first round pick.

It seemed like Dirk Nowitzki was set to retire with the Mavericks, but now he's going to team up with the likes of Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas.

This bizarre nature of this trade is compounded by the rumour that the Mavs are discussing the possibility of an extension with Gerald Wallace.

[Kenny]

6 Game Summary

It was another relatively indifferent stretch for the Denver Nuggets, as they split the last six games of 2015. However, a win against the Spurs could certainly be seen as a step forward.

In two of the wins, the Nuggets revealed the NBA's next star in the making. The game against the Knicks is the feature.

Harris Receives MVP Chants in Nuggets Win

For the second game in a row, Gary Harris scored over 30 points to lead the Nuggets to a 104-99 win against the Knicks.

As well as scoring 38 points, Gary Harris iced the game from the charity stripe, which earned him MVP chants from the Pepsi Center crowd. Along with Harris, Ty Lawson (14 points, 10 assists), Arron Afflalo (12) and JaVale McGee (10) all had meaningful contributions to the win.

Even though they were without Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks were able to stay in the game through Tim Hardaway Jr and Justise Winslow. Hardaway added a team high 23 points, while Winslow registered 18 points and 5 rebounds as the starting small forward. Jerryd Bayless (12), Greg Monroe (12 points, 8 rebounds) and D.J. Augustin (10 points, 12 assists) also played well for the Knicks.

Unfortunately for the Knicks, no one could contain Gary Harris.

NYK@DEN

DEN: 104
(Harris 38, Lawson 14, Afflalo 12)
NYK: 99 (Hardaway 23, Winslow 18, Bayless 12)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Gary Harris 38 points (13-23 FG) 5 rebounds 4 assists 1 block

Rebounds

DEN: Nurkic 10
NYK: Hawes, Monroe 8

Assists

DEN: Lawson 10
NYK: Augustin 12

Last 6 Games

@SAN: 99-97 W
@MEM: 103-96 L
@OKC: 110-97 L
BOS: 122-103 W
NYK: 104-99 W
TOR: 96-89 L

Overall: 20-13

Highlights

Right before his 38 point effort in the feature, Gary Harris went one better against the Boston Celtics by scoring 39. With trade rumours surrounding Arron Afflalo, more games like this from Harris could go a long way to making a trade happen.

Jusuf Nurkic was one of the Nuggets' best in the win against the Spurs. He had 18 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks on the night.

Even though JaVale McGee is currently at odds with Brian Shaw and the Nuggets over his role on the team, he showed that he's still very capable against the Thunder. When Jusuf Nurkic got hurt, McGee came in and ended up tallying 18 points, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Jerami Grant generally isn't known for his offensive prowess, but he had a pretty solid game in the loss against the Raptors. Grant ended up with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.

The Nuggets didn't have a great night against the Grizzlies, but it could have been a lot worse if it weren't for Derrick Williams. In the fourth quarter, Williams hit two huge three pointers to bring the Nuggets within striking distance. He ended up with 14 points off the bench.

Injuries

Kenneth Faried - Broken Ankle, Day-to-day (Out)
Mario Hezonja - Back Spasms, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Jusuf Nurkic - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Chris Andersen - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)

Next 5 Games

ORL
LAC
MIA
ATL
@LAC

[Kenny]

December 2015 Summary

December was a mixed bag for the Denver Nuggets. It started off promising, as they won four of their first five, but after that, it was essentially a .500 month. However, the Nuggets managed to hold onto their third spot.
A real highlight of the month was the play of Denver's younger players. Mario Hezonja was in great form and was even in the starting lineup before back spasms forced him to take a step back. Hezonja's work before the injury was still enough to earn him the West Rookie of the Month award.
Then there was Gary Harris. He exploded towards the end of the month, with some great performances over the Celtics and Knicks. There's still a question mark over whether Harris can continue to carry the Nuggets offense, but if his play towards the end of December is anything to go by, Nuggets fans will have a lot to look forward to in 2016 and beyond.

Standings

East

Chicago 20-12
Detroit 19-13
Philadelphia 17-12
Miami 19-14
Orlando 17-14
Indiana 16-15
Toronto 16-16
Atlanta 17-18
---
Washington 14-17
Boston 13-17
Charlotte 14-19
Cleveland 14-19
Milwaukee 13-20
Brooklyn 12-19
New York 12-22


West

Houston 23-11
Memphis 21-10
Denver 20-13
LA Clippers 19-13
San Antonio 19-13
Oklahoma City 19-14
LA Lakers 16-17
Minnesota 15-17
---
Portland 15-17
Utah 14-16
Golden State 14-16
Sacramento 15-19
Dallas 14-19
Phoenix 13-19
New Orleans 11-20

Monthly Awards

Player
East: [CLE] LeBron James
West: [OKC] Kevin Durant

Rookie
East: [CHA] Emmanuel Mudiay
West: [DEN] Mario Hezonja

MVP Race

[HOU] James Harden
25.6ppg 5.4rpg 6.1apg

[OKC] Kevin Durant
24.6ppg 8.2rpg 5.5apg

[ATL] Al Horford
19.8ppg 12.7rpg 3.2apg

[LAC] Blake Griffin
23.8ppg 8.7rpg 3.9apg

[OKC] Russell Westbrook
19.5ppg 6.7apg 1.9spg

Trades

LA Clippers received: Kristaps Porzingis, Jae Crowder
Dallas received: Patty Mills, Reggie Bullock

San Antonio received: Jose Calderon, 2016 Second Round Pick
New York received: Spencer Hawes

Dallas received: Andre Dawkins, Udonis Haslem
Miami received: Devin Harris

Indiana received: Jared Dudley
Milwaukee received: Ben Gordon

Memphis received: Marco Belinelli
San Antonio received: Tayshaun Prince, Jeff Jacobsen

Toronto received: J.R. Smith, Jordan Mickey
Detroit received: Patrick Patterson, James Johnson

Boston received: Jordan Adams
Memphis received: Evan Turner

Chicago received: Paul Pierce
Minnesota received: Nikola Mirotic

Toronto received: Dirk Nowitzki, 2017 Second Round Pick
Dallas received: Gerald Wallace, 2016 First Round Pick

Chicago received: E'Twaun Moore
Dallas received: Al-Farouq Aminu

[Kenny]

Trade News: Nuggets Acquire Lee, Afflalo and Faried Head to Golden State

The Denver Nuggets have acquired David Lee in a trade that sent Kenneth Faried and Arron Afflalo to the Golden State Warriors.
It's reported that the incredible emergence of Gary Harris played a significant role in this trade, as Afflalo's role in the team started to decline.
Kenneth Faried, on the other hand, was mentioned in various trade rumours the last few seasons.

What the Nuggets get

While Denver doesn't get a defensive presence at the power forward spot, they do receive a skilled offensive player and a solid rebounder in David Lee.
The Nuggets also received the Warriors' first round pick in 2017.

What the Warriors get

Golden State have picked up two legitimate starters in Kenneth Faried and Arron Afflalo - however, Afflalo is likely to be the Warriors' sixth man with Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala starting at both of the wing spots.

[Martti.]

Wow, didn't see that coming. You did get the pick, but Faried and Afflalo for Lee? Questionable in my view.

[Kenny]

Wow, didn't see that coming. You did get the pick, but Faried and Afflalo for Lee? Questionable in my view.

I admit that it is questionable on the surface, but it's a part of a bigger plan. With Lee, McGee and Birdman alone there's 30M in expiring contracts, which means I can throw max money at a free agent like Anthony Davis or Al Horford, and perhaps pair them with the likes of Joakim Noah or John Henson, who are also free agents. In the mean time, I have a solid offensive power forward who can rebound and I can give Gary Harris an audition as the team's main scorer.

[Kenny]

5 Game Summary

In the first five game stretch sans Afflalo and Faried, the Nuggets have gone for a perfect 5 from 5. Each game was fairly close, with largest margin being an eleven point win over the Hawks.

The focus of this summary will be David Lee's first game for the Nuggets against the Orlando Magic.

Lee Impresses on Nuggets Debut

David Lee made an immediate impact for the Nuggets in their 105-101 win over the Orlando Magic. It was a tail of two halves, as Orlando had a commanding 55-42 lead at the end of the first half. However, the Nuggets were dominant in the third and fourth quarters of the game, outscoring the Magic 63-46 in the second half.

The recently acquired Lee made a huge statement in his first game for the Nuggets, putting up a team high 31 points and 10 rebounds. He was well supported by Gary Harris, who scored 19 on the night. Ty Lawson (15 points, 11 assists) did a great job running the offense, while Wilson Chandler added 12 points of his own.

Victor Oladipo was the top scorer for the Magic, with 24 points. Former Nuggets guard Nate Robinson was one Orlando's best players. He registered 18 points and 8 assists on the night. Maurice Harkless added 14, while Aaron Gordon scored 12.

ORL@DEN

DEN: 105
(Lee 31, Harris 19, Lawson 15)
ORL: 101
(Oladipo 24, Robinson 18, Harkless 14)

Jordan Performer of the Game: David Lee 31 points (15-23 FG) 10 rebounds 2 assists 1 steal

Rebounds

DEN: Lee 10
ORL: Vucevic 17

Assists

DEN: Lawson 11
ORL: Robinson 8

Last 5 Games

ORL: 105-101 W
LAC: 114-104 W
MIA: 101-96 W
ATL: 106-95 W
@LAC: 103-95 W

Overall: 25-13

Highlights

Gary Harris continued to make his push for the Most Improved award against the Los Angeles Clippers. He once again scored 39 points. Could this run land Harris an All-Star selection?

David Lee has proven to be a great acquisition for the Nuggets so far. In his first five games, he's averaged 19.2 points and 9.8 rebounds. Along with his impressive feature performance, Lee also played well against the Clippers, tallying 22 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 blocks.

With Gary Harris and David Lee getting all the headlines, Ty Lawson has benefitted from being an afterthought. Against the Heat, Lawson scored a season high 24 points to go with his 13 assists.

The Nuggets are getting a lot of production out of their shooting guard rotation lately. Along with the Harris' breakout performances, Mario Hezonja has been a key contributor off the bench. Against the Hawks, Hezonja added 15 points.

Next 5 Games

LAL
@HOU
@NOP
PHX
@SAC

[RMJH4]

Interesting trade, I see the bigger picture alright. Would be great to grab a big free agent. I have traded for Lee before. Cant believe Dirk is in Toronto now.

[Kenny]

Interesting trade, I see the bigger picture alright. Would be great to grab a big free agent. I have traded for Lee before. Cant believe Dirk is in Toronto now.

Normally I wouldn't go for the big free agents when I'm controlling a smaller market team, but since I'm going to have the money, I figure I may as well. Anthony Davis would be a real coup.

Yeah - the Dirk trade was certainly bizarre.

[Kenny]

5 Game Summary

Another 5 games, another 5 wins. The Nuggets win streak was extended to 10 with wins over the Lakers, Rockets, Pelicans, Suns and the Kings. 4 of the 5 wins were by 5 points or less, with the last game against the Kings the only win by double figures.

Even though there were two overtime wins - and the Pelicans game was a really good one - the Rockets win was a big deal, considering the Nuggets recent history against them.

Nuggets Escape Houston With OT Win

The Nuggets managed to snatch a 128-124 win in overtime against the Houston Rockets - but it could have ended much differently.

Down by one within the last minute of play, the Nuggets turned the ball over, which led to a Rockets fastbreak. Gary Harris gave away a clear path foul, which handed the Rockets two free throws and possession. After hitting the two free throws, the Rockets inbounded the ball to Trevor Ariza, who was intentionally fouled. With the ability to ice the game from the stripe, Ariza missed both free throws, giving the Nuggets possession and the ability to tie the game off the timeout play. Ty Lawson accepted the invitation, as he hit the 3 to force it into overtime.

Lawson ended up with 18 points and 13 assists on the night - but it was Gary Harris once again proving to be the leader in scoring for Nuggets. Harris scored 30 points to add to his impressive scoring run over the last month. Wilson Chandler chipped in with 16 points, while David Lee (14 points, 13 rebounds) had a solid game. Mario Hezonja added 12.

Much like his opposite shooting guard, James Harden also led his team on the night. The Beard top scored with 34 points to go with 7 assists. Patrick Beverley was also a crucial contributor for the Rockets, adding 26 points and 7 assists. Trevor Ariza scored 12 points, but will mostly be remembered in this game for not closing it out. Dwight Howard fought hard in the paint, with 12 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks.

This was a huge win for the Nuggets - not just because it kept their winning streak alive, but because they were able to defeat a team that proved to be a difficult match up for them previously.

DEN@HOU
(OT)
DEN: 128
(Harris 30, Lawson 18, Chandler 16)
HOU: 124
(Harden 34, Beverley 26, Ariza 12)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Gary Harris 30 points (11-17 FG) 3 rebounds 4 assists 3 steals 2 blocks

Rebounds

DEN: Lee 13
HOU: Jones 16

Assists

DEN: Lawson 13
HOU: Beverley, Harden 7

Last 5 Games

LAL: 110-106 W
@HOU: 128-124 W (OT)
@NOP: 126-126 W (OT)
PHX: 94-89 W
@SAC: 113-101 W

Overall: 30-13

Highlights

Think Gary Harris played well in the first OT game? Well, he scored 10 extra points against the Pelicans in the second. Harris had 40 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. Harris has quickly made the starting shooting guard position his own.

Ty Lawson is starting to become a part of the MVP conversation with his recent form. Against the Lakers, he had 26 points, 12 assists and 2 steals.

Mario Hezonja continued his run as a Rookie of the Year favourite against the Kings. He had 19 points and 5 assists off the bench.

One of the big stories within the franchise during this run has been JaVale McGee's discontent with his bench role. McGee's stand off with Nuggets management put him in the coach's doghouse, which gifted the Birdman more playing time. Chris Andersen contributed 12 points and 2 blocks against the Suns.

Injuries

David Lee - Back Spasms, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Wilson Chandler - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)

Next 5 Games

PHI
WAS
@BKN
@DET
@ORL

[Kenny]

Nuggets Sign O'Neal Amidst McGee Drama

Jermaine O'Neal recently signed a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, adding to speculation of JaVale McGee's impending departure from the team.

After McGee became inactive, the Nuggets needed to bolster their centre rotation, which consisted of Jusuf Nurkic and Chris "Birdman" Andersen.

According to McGee's agent, the centre stated that Nuggets GM Kenny Young was trying to be the worst GM in response to Jusuf Nurkic taking his place in the starting line up.

With the signing of Jermaine O'Neal, the Nuggets front office could either trade or waive McGee.

[Kenny]

6 Game Summary

The winning streak ended at twelve with a loss to the worst team in the entire league, the Brooklyn Nets. The Nuggets also lost the following game against the Pistons. However, the Nuggets were able to get back to their winning ways in the last two games against the Magic and the Bucks to make it a respectable 4-2 in the last six games.

The feature is the game against the Magic.

Nuggets Get Back On Track Against Magic

The Nuggets got back to winning ways with a comprehensive 110-83 win over the Magic.

After taking a commanding lead early, the Nuggets were able to give their bench more playing time, which worked wonders for Erick Green. Green ended up being the Nuggets best player on the night, scoring 20 points off 8-12 shooting. Ty Lawson (17 points and 10 assists) had his usual double-double effort, but ended up being overshadowed by his backup. Gary Harris had one of his quieter nights, as he scored 16 points, while Mario Hezonja and David Lee both added 12 each. Wilson Chandler also managed to make an impact in the scoring column with 10 points.

In a game where the Nuggets had six players in double digits, the Magic struggled to find offensive production. Nate Robinson was their top scorer with 15 points, but he was one of just three players for the Magic who tallied in double figures. Victor Oladipo (13) and Tobias Harris (10) were the only other two.

DEN@ORL

DEN: 110
(Green 20, Lawson 17, G Harris 15)
ORL: 83
(Robinson 15, Oladipo 13, T Harris 10)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Erick Green 20 points (8-12 FG) 1 rebound 6 assists 3 steals 1 block

Rebounds

DEN: Nurkic, O'Neal 8
ORL: Ezeli 10

Assists

DEN: Lawson 10
ORL: Payton 7

Last 6 Games

PHI: 110-90 W
WAS: 102-98 W
@BKN: 106-99 L
@DET: 104-98 L
@ORL: 110-83 W
@MIL: 107-103 W

Overall: 34-15

Highlights

It can't be a summary without at least one big performance by Gary Harris. This time it was against the Pistons. Harris scored 28 points.

Derrick Williams put up some big performances in David Lee's absence. Against the Wizards, he had 21 points and 10 rebounds. He was also easily the best player on the Nuggets in their loss to the Nets, where he scored 27 points.

Ty Lawson finished February strong, with 21 points, 11 assists and 3 steals against the Bucks.

Mario Hezonja scored 20 in the loss against the Nets.

In his first game for the Nuggets, Jermaine O'Neal had 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks off the bench.

Injuries

Wilson Chandler - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Jermaine O'Neal - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)

Next 5 Games

MIN
SAC
DAL
MEM
LAC

[Kenny]

January 2016 Summary

What a month January was for the Denver Nuggets. They earned a five-game lead in the West over the Memphis Grizzlies thanks to a record of 14-2 to start the new year.

Even though Gary Harris and David Lee both had stellar months, Ty Lawson is receiving recognition as the Nuggets leader. He is currently 4th in the league's MVP race and is tipped to come off the bench for his second All-Star game.

Denver is currently the hottest team in the league right now and there are no signs that they're going to slow down any time soon.

Standings

East

Chicago 31-18
Miami 28-18
Toronto 27-21
Philadelphia 25-20
Indiana 25-23
Boston 24-24
Detroit 24-25
Cleveland 23-26
---
Charlotte 22-25
Atlant 23-27
Washington 21-27
Orlando 20-28
Milwaukee 18-29
New York 18-30
Brooklyn 16-31


West

Denver 34-15
Memphis 29-19
Houston 28-20
San Antonio 27-20
LA Clippers 26-21
Minnesota 26-21
Golden State 24-21
Oklahoma City 25-22
---
Utah 24-23
LA Lakers 24-24
Portland 22-26
Dallas 22-28
Sacramento 22-27
Phoenix 20-27
New Orleans 17-30

Monthly Awards

Player

East: [NYK] Greg Monroe
West: [HOU] James Harden

Rookie

East: [NYK] Justise Winslow
West: [POR] Stanley Johnson

MVP Race

[CLE] LeBron James
26.3ppg 7.1rpg 5.2apg

[HOU] James Harden
25.8ppg 5.3rpg 6.6apg

[TOR] Kyle Lowry
18ppg 6.8rpg 8.6apg

[DEN] Ty Lawson
14.5ppg 10apg 2.3spg

[OKC] Kevin Durant
24.8ppg 8.1rpg 5.8apg

Trades

Lakers received: Zoran Dragic, 2017 Second Round Pick
Suns received: Danny Green

Nuggets received: David Lee, 2017 First Round Pick
Warriors received: Kenneth Faried, Arron Afflalo

Grizzlies received: Andrea Bargnani, 2017 Second Round Pick
Knicks received: Courtney Lee

Hawks received: Quincy Pondexter, 2017 Second Round Pick
Grizzlies received: Thabo Sefolosha

Jazz received: Kyle Singler, Cartier Martin
Pistons received: Trevor Booker, 2017 Second Round Pick

Heat received: Jarnell Stokes
Grizzlies received: Josh McRoberts, 2016 Second Round Pick

Bulls received: Elton Brand, Tony Mitchell
Pistons received: Andray Blatche

Signings

Nuggets: Jermaine O'Neal 1yr/1.44M

[Kenny]

5 Game Summary

The Nuggets will go into the All-Star Weekend unbeaten in the month of February.

Nuggets Tame The Grizzlies, Increase Lead in West

The Nuggets posted a 106-93 win against the Grizzlies in Memphis.

David Lee was the main man for the Nuggets, with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks. He had great help by Wilson Chandler and Gary Harris, who both scored 19 points each, while Jermaine O'Neal contributed 18 off the bench. Ty Lawson (12 points, 9 assists) also played a meaningful role in the win.

The Grizzlies offense was dominated by Mike Conley. Conley added 29 points and 8 assists. Vince Carter scored 16 and Josh McRoberts (10 points, 10 rebounds) registered a double-double.

DEN@MEM

DEN: 106
(Lee 20, Chandler 19, Harris 19)
MEM: 93
(Conley 29, Carter 16, McRoberts 10)

Jordan Performer of the Game: David Lee 20 points (9-12 FG) 9 rebounds 1 assist 1 steal 3 blocks

Rebounds

DEN: Nurkic 10
MEM: McRoberts 10

Assists

DEN: Lawson 9
MEM: Conley 8

Last 5 Games

MIN: 111-103 W
SAC: 106-102 W
DAL: 99-82 W
MEM: 106-93 W
LAC: 133-115 W

Overall: 39-15

Highlights

Gary Harris came awfully close to a 5x5 against the Clippers. He had 32 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks.

David Lee continues to impress his new team, particularly against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Lee had 31 points and 12 rebounds on the night.

Wilson Chandler was 3 assists away from a triple-double against the Dallas Mavericks. He tallied 19 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists.

Jermaine O'Neal had another solid contribution off the bench against the Kings. He scored 15 points off a perfect 6-6 from the floor.

Injuries

David Lee - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Jerami Grant - Back Spasms, 1-2 Weeks (Hurt)

Next 4 Games

@MIN
NOP
HOU
OKC

All-Star Weekend will be up next!

[Kenny]

All-Star Bench

East

[CLE] Kyrie Irving (4th)
[WAS] Bradley Beal (1st)
[DET] Josh Smith (1st)
[NYK] Greg Monroe (1st)
[ATL] Al Horford (4th)
[BKN] Deron Williams (4th)
[PHI] Rajon Rondo (6th)

West

[OKC] Russell Westbrook (4th)
[HOU] James Harden (4th)
[DAL] Chandler Parsons (2nd)
[NOP] Anthony Davis (3rd)
[HOU] Dwight Howard (9th)
[UTA] Gordon Hayward (1st)
[DEN] Ty Lawson (2nd)

Rookie Challenge

Stars

[BOS] Marcus Smart
[HOU] Theo Pinson
[MIL] Jabari Parker
[NYK] Justise Winslow
[DEN] Mario Hezonja

Bench

[LAL] Andrew Harrison
[MIA] Caris LeVert
[IND] Brenden Dawson
[ORL] Aaron Gordon
[BKN] Jahlil Okafor

Elites

[ATL] Anthony Barber
[UTA] Dante Exum
[POR] Stanley Johnson
[MIN] Andrew Wiggins
[SAC] Brice Johnson

Bench

[MIA] Shabazz Napier
[DEN] Gary Harris
[SAN] Kyle Anderson
[LAL] Julius Randle
[PHI] Joel Embiid

Dunk Contest

[TOR] Terrence Ross
[CHI] Wayne Selden
[CLE] Alex Poythress
[MEM] Kevon Looney

3 Point Contest

[GSW] Stephen Curry
[DEN] Gary Harris
[DAL] Chandler Parsons
[MEM] Vince Carter
[NYK] Tim Hardaway Jr
[BKN] Randy Foye

[Kenny]

All-Star Weekend: Part 1

Exum's Elites Blowout Stars

The Elites easily beat the Stars in the Rookie Challenge 113-86.

For the second year in a row, Gary Harris led all scoring in the Rookie Challenge with 27 points off 11-24 shooting. However, Dante Exum was judged as the MVP of the Rising Star Challenge. The Australian guard filled up the stat sheet with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 14 assists, 6 steals and a block. Kyle Anderson also added 16 points, while Andrew Wiggins (14), Stanley Johnson (12) and Julius Randle (11 points, 9 rebounds) also contributed to the win.

For the Stars, Caris LeVert was the top scorer with 19. Jahlil Okafor (14 points, 12 rebounds) was a strong inside presence, while Brenden Dawson (13) and Theo Pinson (12) had minor scoring contributions. Jabari Parker managed 11 points and 8 rebounds.

Elites Vs Stars

Elites: 113
(Harris 27, Anderson 15, Exum 15)
Stars: 86
(LeVert 19, Okafor 14, Dawson 13)

Rising Star Challenge MVP: [UTA] Dante Exum 15 points (6-11 FG) 4 rebounds 14 assists 6 steals 1 block

Rebounds

Elites: Embiid 13
Stars: Gordon 16

Assists

Elites: Exum 14
Stars: Harrison 7

Chandler Parsons Won the Three Point Shootout

Wayne Selden Won the Dunk Contest

[Lamrock]

Glad to see you're still kicking ass!