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The Nuggets are currently hanging on to the #2 seed in the West and just went into Staples and trounced the Clips.

A yr ago they traded away a superstar for a collection of lesser players. This offseason they lost Wilson Chandler, JR Smith, and Kenyon Martin for nothing...yet there they are with one of the best records in the league.

Is there a deeper explanation than simply being a deep team? and how far do you expect them to get? legit contender?

Anywhoo, such an intriguing road they've taken over the last yr. Props to the Denver front office.

crack-cocaine

gallo

It's funny how people thought they were gonna be a lottery team. I always believed they'd finish in the Top 4. It's early in the season, but I'm fairly confident they'll keep up the pace.

They have very solid pieces at every position, including their bench. They know how to use those pieces and play as a team.

That's it.

They pass the ball to go from good looks, to great looks.

They're the 2nd best offensive team in the NBA. They're essentially running D'Antoni's system, but with a PG and a roster suited for it.

Their deep, pass the ball well, have talent top-down and are well coached.

And Gallo and Lawson are awesome.

So is Al Harrington.

So is Andre Miller.

So is Mozgov.


Fck I love their whole team.

I remember reading an article about how dedicated their front office was and how they used advanced stats a lot (drafted ty lawson because nc ran like a 140+ ortg when he was on the floor)

I'd like to think that as an advanced stats geek anyways

Does anyone consider them legit contenders?

Relax, they beat a over tired Clippers team. They are a great regular season team, but they are not legit contender when it come to the playoff. They need to trade a few guys for a legit all-star/superstar caliber player and then they will be a threat.

Yeah they should trade half their roster for Carmelo, then they will be a threat. No, forreal this time!

dockingsched wrote:Does anyone consider them legit contenders?

If you consider teams like the Grizzlies, Clippers, Blazers, and Sixers contenders, then I do. The Nuggets are very clearly at this level, if not better. Seedings aside, a Denver-OKC wcf wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Big men that play big, wings with diverse games, and the best PG duo east of LAC - true PGs too, guys that know how to run an offense

no superstars, but a deep roster of good players that can do multiple things - you dont see many 1 trick specialists on that roster

Key to the future is going to be Gallinari; if he can be a consistent 22-25 ppg scorer, they solidify their status from plucky over-achieving team to legit

Chri2Kng wrote:Relax, they beat a over tired Clippers team. They are a great regular season team, but they are not legit contender when it come to the playoff. They need to trade a few guys for a legit all-star/superstar caliber player and then they will be a threat.

oh god let the team play a playoff series first. no one knows what this team is going to do in the playoffs. they could be really good especially if they finish with a top 3 seed. they play as a team, have good chemistry and a deep bench. its not like having melo helped us in the playoffs. he only took denver past the first round once and chauncey had a lot to do with that.

james dolan

I think there are 2 reasons:

1) Their defense gives them easy baskets in fast breaks. The deep rotation gives an advantage allowing them to increase intensity.

2) They are playing like a real team sharing the ball. Anybody in that team can give an assist.

Like Charles said, they're two deep at every position. Teams are tired already, and the playoffs could easily be the same way. Fresh and younger legs could easily prevail. (And just as easily not.) Look at the Spurs last year; great record, gassed by the playoffs.

Easy, their big three (Lawson, Gallo, Nene) is just as good and productive as most other teams' collection of stars...they just haven't gotten the recognition yet. Combine that with the fact that they have a much better supporting cast than most teams, to go along with no diva/ego issues...and it's a recipe for success. Defense and teamwork wins games, not isolation scoring and laziness.

per ESPN NBA countdown, 3rd best record in the NBA since trading away Carmelo. just crazy!