New-Look Nuggets 2-0 Without Chauncey, Melo

The Denver Nuggets, fresh off an 89-75 victory over the Eastern Conference leading Boston Celtics, do not seem to be writing themselves out of contention in their own respective conference. Some have predicted a tough road ahead for the Nuggets due to chemistry issues and a supposed lack of 'star power'. The Nuggets, though, appear determined to quiet the critics and show the NBA that a smaller market team without someone like Carmelo Anthony can succeed.

New faces Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, and Danilo Gallinari all debuted at the Pepsi Center on Thursday night against an elite opponent on national television. Chandler contributed with a sharp three-point stroke, Felton dished out six assists and coexisted with his point guard counterpart Ty Lawson, and Gallinari showed hustle and notched three blocked shots despite a poor shooting night.

Nuggets fans can take note of a few important components of their reassembled team. First and foremost, Denver seems to have become a better defensive team seemingly overnight, holding the Celtics' offense at bay in only the first game with the newcomers in the trade with New York.

Secondly, the Nuggets can rely on a much more balanced attack without having to play through Anthony and Chauncey Billups at such a high rate. This dynamic could help players like J.R. Smith and Ty Lawson get offensive opportunities in a more consistent way throughout the course of the game instead of only in short spurts (i.e. not having to force shots as much).

This points to the last point: Coach George Karl does not have to deal with balancing egos as much with Carmelo's obvious need to shoot a multitude of shots to be successful. The Nuggets have a plethora of capable scorers and can spread the ball around. Parity in the offense will make the individual players happy and should make Nuggets fans happy with less one-on-one play and more ball movement and efficiency. The new offensive situation and a defensive focus should help translate into wins and a playoff berth.