On the heels of a thrilling 118-112 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets enter Monday's game at the Phoenix Suns with four winnable games on the week's docket.
At 5-4 the Nuggets are in a three-way tie for second place in the Northwest Division, so a good showing this week can vault them into sole possession of second.
Denver Nuggets Schedule Preview
at Phoenix Suns, Monday, Nov. 15 The first game of the week takes the Nuggets to the Valley of the Sun, to take on Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns. With an identical 5-4 record, Phoenix is looking to extend their current two game winning streak on the tail end of a back-to-back, after handing the Lakers their first home loss of the season. Even though the game is in Phoenix, it is oftentimes tough for NBA teams to compete at the highest level in the second game in two nights (and third game in four days), so look for Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and the rested Nuggets to be ready for the challenge.
vs. New York Knicks, Tuesday, Nov. 16 This might be the most interesting game of the week in the NBA, and not necessarily because of the game play on the floor. With New York on the short list of teams Melo would be happy being traded to, this game will garner a lot of attention from front office folks. Can Amar'e Stoudemire convince Melo that he is the missing ingredient to Knicks success? Will Melo see that his style of play can take the Knicks to the next level? Or will the Nuggets tack a sixth straight loss onto the Knicks record and show that even with the Melo Man the Knicks are a far cry from making the NBA playoffs? Expect the Nuggets and the home fans to understand what is at stake and to bring their A-game to this Tuesday night affair.
at Portland Trail Blazers, Thursday, Nov 18 Three games in four days. A division foe with a matching record. On the road. A late start and a national TV audience. LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy and two former Nuggets, Marcus Camby and Andre Miller. This game might be a tough one for the Nuggets. Expect this to turn into the Nuggets' most difficult game of the week, not necessarily because the Blazers are better than the Nuggets, more that the NBA scheduling wizards stacked the chips against them.
vs. New Jersey Nets, Saturday, November 20 If a team can be a "surprising" 3-6 heading into the week, then feel free to label the Brooklyn New Jersey Nets as surprising. Last season the Nets didn't win their third game of the season until December 30, at which point they were 3-29. So in that context a 3-6 record doesn't look so shabby for the Nets. In the second match-up of the week against a team rumored to be on Melo's short list, the Nets bring a formidable front court to the Pepsi Center in the way of Brook Lopez and Derrick Favors. Though the Nets are better than they were last season, the Nuggets should be able to handle them at home to finish off the week.