One week into the 2011-2012 season and the Denver Nuggets are 3-2 with victories over the Dallas Mavericks, the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers. The latter defeated the Nuggets in LA on Saturday, but Sunday night saw the Nuggets pick up a 99-90 victory over the Lakers at the Pepsi Center. In his Week 1 NBA power rankings, ESPN's Marc Stein is a believer in the Nuggets:
Maybe I'm saying so because the committee (of one) was there in person to see Denver splatter the defending champs in its season opener, but the Nuggets -- with all their speed and depth -- look as dangerous as a team can when it loses two early.
As such, Stein moved the Nuggets up five spots from No. 9 to No. 4. The Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder are the only teams ranked ahead of the Nuggets. They are a combined 14-1, the loss belonging to the Bulls.
The Nuggets play the Milwaukee Bucks, the Sacramento Kings, the New Orleans Hornets and San Antonio Spurs this week. The Nuggets could wind up 3-1 this week.
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