The Denver Nuggets have gone from being the team that concerned first-round playoff opponents because they had shot makers in Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to a team that concerns first-round playoff opponents because they play good defense.
These Nuggets are a lot different than the old Nuggets (and by old we mean a month ago). And Raymond Felton (who came west in the Carmelo Anthony deal) told Chris Tomasson writing for Hoopshype that these Nuggets are better than the Knicks.“We’re a better team (than New York), I feel like. That’s it,’’ said Felton, not elaborating...
“If we had to play them in one game, I think we would win,’’ (Al) Harrington said.
The Nuggets are 8-2 in their last 10, the Knicks are 5-5. The Nuggets are outscoring their opponents by an average of 12.8 points per game in that stretch, shooting 48.4 percent while holding their opponents to 44.2 percent. The Knicks are outscoring their opponents by an average of 1.4 points per game in the last 10, shooting 46.1 percent while allowing opponents to shoot 48.4 percent.
Felton may be on to something.
Harrington credited the Nuggets success to them playing with a chip on their shoulder.
“A lot of people said we were going to be the Cavaliers of the West and stuff like that,’’ Denver forward Al Harrington said of some projections about life without Anthony being similar to what Cleveland has gone through since LeBron James bolted to Miami. “We got a lot of guys with a lot of pride and we got some good players (in the trade). So we’re just going out with a chip on our shoulder for sure. The New York guys (acquired in the trade) are definitely pissed off that they were moved and stuff like that. We’re just going to make the best of the situation.’’
