If the Boston Celtics can call theirs the Big Three, the Denver Nuggets might as well call theirs the Big Four.
While the Celtics Big Three of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett have a championship ring, and two NBA Finals under their belt, the Nuggets newest Big Four - Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mozgov - were brought to the Mile High City with hope of the same.
In their first game in powder blue and gold, Gallinari, Felton Chandler and Mozgov will face an uphill challenge. Not only do they have to learn a new system in a new environment with new teammates, but they have to do so on-the-fly against a team with the best record in the Eastern Conference. Oh yeah, and do so in front of a nationally televised TNT audience.
If Tuesday night's Nuggets victory was any indication, the incumbents from the Melo/Chauncey administration can play a little ball also. With superstars at PG and SF, players like Nene, Ty Lawson and J.R. Smith might have deferred to their All Star piers, or not seen the court - or ball - as much as they would have without Melo and Chauncey. Now that those two are playing for the Knicks, expect to see some things from the hold-overs that you might not have otherwise expected.
But, again, tonight's game isn't about the guys the Nuggets had, it's about the guys the Nuggets got. So all eyes will be on Denver's Big Four as they take the court for the first time this season in their new home.
The game tips tonight at 8:30 MT and can be seen on TNT.