Old Pangs Time

The holidays are just about over and it’s time to get serious again. No more snacking on cookies or putting things off, whence this delayed article. The Nuggets didn’t really get to have any kind of a relaxing Christmas. They played a game on the 25th and another on the 26th losing both and receiving no gifts from the refs. Without Melo for the past four games the Nuggies had had a hard time manufacturing points and hutzpah. It was looking pretty bleak in Melo’s absence, and I came closer than I have all season to pushing the panic button.

Luckily they have survived the latest losing streak to come out with a two game winning streak and improve to five games over fifty percent. Somehow with everything that has gone on during the first half of the Nuggets’ season, I just can’t bring myself to profess the doom so many others are attesting to. Without their star, the Nuggets are a worse team. Still, they are not the worst team in the division, let alone the league. Unlike the Cavaliers and LeBron James, the Nuggets don’t operate with Anthony as their leader and distributor. Carmelo is more akin to the best role player on the team. He scores the most points, is our go-to guy in the clutch, and is the face of the franchise. If Melo isn’t there it is much harder to put a finger on the identity of the team. Yet, in the end, the Nuggets can win without him and have plenty of other players to provide points and plays. Chauncey Billups is the team’s real leader and he does a good job at it when he can back up his words with his play. Earl Smith Jr is fast becoming a bonafide, consistent threat on the floor capable of good defense and rebounding. Nene has been the most aggressive I have ever seen him. Ty Lawson is the future of the Nuggets and is capable of becoming one of the top three point guards in the West.

It comes down to this. With the Nuggets finally, just about healthy and all together, the team owes it to themselves and the fans to try and play as well as they can for the next month before moving Carmelo. If Denver can put together another lengthy win streak and see exactly how they stack up presently versus what they could get for Melo in a trade, it may make more sense to end the season with him and try for another playoff run. Who knows? If they could make it to the conference finals or even the championship maybe Melo would stick around and other players would want to join. Sometimes leaving things up to destiny can create the best outcomes. The Nuggets have done better than any of the experts had predicted up to this point and maybe the New Year will bring new possibilities.

So here’s to the New Year and a new future for the Nuggets. Whatever it ends up being, I’m sure it will be interesting and certainly not the end of excitement in Denver. LET’S GO NEW POSSIBILITIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!