The Denver Nuggets have arguably one of the most talented teams in the Western Conference. With Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Nene and the supporting cast, you can pit Denver's lineup against any other team and find favorable comparisons.
It makes you wonder, then, why the Nuggets (31-25) are only six games above .500 and only a half game away from being out of the playoff hunt.
A lot of that has to do with their horrific showings on the road. The Nuggets are 9-18 away from the Pepsi Center, and on the road is where they find themselves tonight when they face the Milwaukee Bucks in the last game before the All-Star break.
Win or lose, the break will be a good interruption for most of the team. With the February 24 trade deadline looming, Melo and Billups' names seem to be mention in every sports newscast, in every paper and on every blog.
Besides those two superstars, the rest of the team must be feeling the pressure of answering questions daily and waking up each morning wondering what the makeup of the team will be that night. All of this takes a toll on players, especially in the NBA, where teams can play four times a week.
So the long weekend will be good, not only to rest aching bodies, but also to decompress and clear minds.
Tonight's game tips at 7:00 p.m. MT from Milwaukee and can be seen nationally on ESPN.