The Denver Nuggets (13-6) will take a seven-game winning streak on the road with them as they venture on their second longest road trip of the season, a four-game, six-night stint away from the Pepsi Center.
The road trip could also prove to be milestone-worthy, as head coach George Karl is sitting on career win 999, so the next time the Nuggets improve their record, the coach will join six others in this elusive category.
The first game of the trip, which takes the Nuggets to North Carolina to face the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday, Dec. 7, could prove to be an emotional trip for the coach. Karl started his basketball career at the University of North Carolina and the Bobcats are coached by Karl's good friend, and the last coach to reach 1,000 victories, Larry Brown.
Though led by talent in Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace, on paper it seems like the Nuggets should be favored in the game, as the Bobcats sit at 7-13.
If Karl can't secure his 1000th in Charlotte, the Nuggets play the following night against the Boston Celtics. The prohibitive favorites to come out of the East, the Celtics are 16-4 and have four sure-fire hall of famers in Paul Pierce, Kevin Durant, Shaquille O`Neal and Ray Allen. While he hasn't played enough years to warrant HOF talk, point guard Rajon Rondo is playing as good as almost anyone in the league, as he leads the association in assists per game with 14.1, while chipping in 11.4 points per game.
From Boston, the Nuggets travel north of the border to face the Toronto Raptors on Friday, Dec. 10. The Raptors sit below .500 with an 8-12 clip. This game will also match the Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and Nene Hilario against former teammate, and Missouri Tiger, Linas Kleiza.
Wrapping up the week, the Nuggets fly to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks. This will be the second time this season that Melo will face a team that is purportedly on his short list of teams he wishes to be traded to. Because of his friend, and Melo-LaLa wedding toaster, A'mare Stoudemire, and the potential endorsements from Madison Avenue, New York has always seemed like a place Melo would enjoy finishing out the year.
When Karl reaches the 1,000 victory he will join coaches Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Pat Riley, Jerry Sloan, Phil Jackson and Larry Brown on the list.