As usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle.  The Nuggets were neither  a top 10  defense, as their defensive efficiency rating suggests, nor are they a bottom five defense as most observers would suggest.

Most NBA fans believe the Nuggets are in for some video-game-like point totals without Marcus Camby in the lineup this season, but what those fans do not acknowledge is Camby was a big part of the problem when it was time to man up and play good solid defense.  He was physically incapable of guarding most centers in the post, he never challenged the ballhandler coming off screens, and he basically refused to play defense on the perimeter.  Now, I have a question for you.  What Nugget big man excels at those three areas?

The answer is Nene. (at right)

Most people forget how effective of a defender Nene can be.  He has guarded every big man in the NBA from Shaq to Dirk Nowitzki and done it pretty well.  I honestly believe the Nuggets can be a better defensive team this year than last year, partly due to the fact that Camby is gone.

How much better do they need to get?  Lakers fans know the answer to that question better than anyone.  The Nuggets provided about as much resistance as Belgium did in World War II in the face of  L.A.'s offensive onslaught in the playoffs last season.  The Lakers could have told the Nuggets exactly what they were going to do and the Nuggets still could not have stopped them.  The good news is the Nuggets have an athletic team full of players capable of playing good team defense. Nene and Kenyon can cover any front-court duo as well as anyone. Carmelo Anthony is capable of playing solid defense.  J.R. Smith has the athleticism and size to make things difficult for any shooting guard in the league.  If AI is allowed to defend point guards, he can get the job done.  The issue for this team is mental.  Either they do not put forth the effort to play good defense ('Melo and AI) or they have no clue how to (J.R. Smith).

I believe the Nuggets will be more sound on defense this season, but not to the extent where they could handle teams like the Lakers, Jazz or Hornets.  George Karl has tried to shift the focus to defense in training camp this season, and I believe to a certain extent the players are buying into that focus.  Also, acquiring long athletic players like Renaldo Balkman, Chris "Birdman" Andersen and Dahntay Jones have given Karl the option to run some full court pressure and trapping schemes.

So yes, the defense should actually be better this season, but I seriously doubt they will ramp it up to the level it needs to be to finally make it out of the first round of the playoffs.

2) Will the 'Melo-AI tandem finally work in ways that lead to significant wins?  They pile up points, but don't fit very well together, in my humble estimation.

I think any hope for the 'Melo-AI duo to put up significant wins, and especially significant playoff wins, has left town.  Both players claim that they love playing together and the pairing has opened things up so that scoring is as easy as ever, and there is some good evidence of that in their field goal percentages.  Last season 'Melo shot a career high 49.2% and AI posted his highest shooting percentage -- 45.8%, to be exact -- since his second year in the league.

That is all well and good and maybe scoring is easier for both of them, but they have not made much of an impact on the NBA.  The primary reason for that is a lack of team play on offense.  I have tracked the Nuggets' half-court possessions during a couple of games last season, one of which was game one of the playoffs series against the Lakers, and found that on a majority of their half-court possessions they passed the ball two or fewer times.  What is worse is the number of Laker fans strolling around town with Lamar Odom tattoos on their tuckus exceeds the number of possessions the Nuggets pass the
ball four times or more in a game.

'Melo is a major matchup nightmare for most teams, but the Nuggets rarely capitalized on the way 'Melo gets double-teamed in the post because he would make one pass and someone would shoot.  Defenses had little problem rotating to cover one pass.  Instead of passing and moving without the ball to get the defense out of position, AI would simply drive into the teeth of the defense.  If a team passes the ball, players do not hesitate to give the ball up because they now they will get it back.  That attitude fosters an environment of team play.  Well, the opposite was true with the Nuggets.  They knew if they passed the ball they might as well start jogging back on defense because it was about to be chucked toward the rim.

'Melo and AI both played in the All-Star Game and they were the highest scoring pair of teammates in the league, but they were never able to garner significant success together.  The proof is in the pudding. The Nuggets are 1-8 in the playoffs while they have played together and they have yet to win a home playoff game during the Iverson era.  That's right, the playoffs are like pudding.

I know Marcus Camby has claimed that he feels like he has been disrespected and made to be a scapegoat by the team. I think the Camby trade was actually an indictment of the AI trade.  The front office has come to the conclusion that it did not work and it was time to begin a retooling process.  With Iverson's contract expiring at the end of the year and the Nuggets possessing some nice young talent, the Nuggets are in position to avoid rebuilding and attempt to retool on the fly.  And that brings us to .…

3) Along those lines, what are the chances AI finishes the season in another city?

The Nuggets' offseason moves have all pointed toward the future, whether it was trading their 2008 first-round pick to Charlotte in exchange for a future draft pick or sending Camby to the Clippers for a $10-million trade exception.  If the Nuggets' front office was dating the team, they have decided that they are going to break up, but for now have just emotionally withdrawn themselves from the team.  They know AI is going to be here for at least most of this season, but he will not be back next season.

If the Nuggets trade Iverson it will be part of a deal to save money. I do not think they will trade him just to trade him.  Under the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement they can actually save a little over $4 million by trading Allen Iverson and bringing back the minimum allowable salary.  The question is what team is willing to trade for Allen Iverson and add an additional $4 million in salary as part of the deal?

Because of the difficulty of finding a trading partner who would not only be willing to trade for AI, but also take on additional salary I am starting to believe Iverson will play the remainder of the season in Denver.  The Nuggets are still a playoff contender and keeping Iverson around would not be such a horrible thing.  The Nuggets were very fortunate that several different circumstances came together that allowed them to dump Camby's contract.  I am not sure if the stars will align again for them to pull off a similar trick with Iverson.

4) J.R. Smith was prolific in only 19:11 mpg last season.  Does he get more PT this season, and if so, how does that change the way Denver operates on both ends?

J.R. Smith will absolutely get more playing time this season.  He took a major step forward last year in several areas.  Not only did he play more under control, but he showed he can handle the ball, set up
teammates and actually give a hoot about defense.

Smith should play around 28 to 30 minutes a game this season, and if he can crack the 30- minute-a-game barrier he will put up at least 20 points a game (fantasy sleeper alert!).  His development allows the Nuggets to do something important, and that is keep Anthony Carter and Chucky Atkins on the bench.  Because both J.R. and AI can handle the ball, they can play in the backcourt together.  That makes the Nuggets better on offense and defense.   Smith is the best offensive third wheel in the league and he provides Denver with a tremendous shooter and finisher who can give defenses fits. Defensively, he eliminates the problem of playing a pint-sized backcourt.  J.R. still has a lot to learn defensively as far as positioning and team principles, but he showed that he was willing to put the effort in to play defense while he is on the court and to tweak something Duke, Lady Jaye and Shipwreck used to tell me: effort is half the battle (well, actually it is more like 78% of the battle).

Look for J.R. to be in contention for both the most improved and sixth-man awards.

5) Where do you see them finishing, record-wise and in the playoff hunt?

I have been one of the few proponents for the Nuggets' chances this season.  I foresee Nene remaining healthy, because even though he has missed two-thirds of the Nuggets games over the last three seasons, he is yet to suffer a truly debilitating injury and I like his chances to avoid coming down with cancer two seasons in a row.  Also, as I pointed out above, Nene is a far better all around player than Camby. J.R. Smith is going to be better.  Linas Kleiza should be an improved player.  But the primary reason that I believe the Nuggets will surpass expectations is almost everyone has something to prove.

The whitewashing at the hands of the Lakers was the first time the Nuggets have been bounced from the first round and have not had an excuse.  It was obvious to anyone who watched the series that the Lakers were trigonometry and the Nuggets were eighth-grade algebra. In the past they have been able to delude themselves that they were a bounce or two away from winning the series.  Last year there was no
way they could fool themselves into believing things just did not go their way.

I think you are going to see a more dedicated team this season and a more driven team.  'Melo has something to prove.  Nene has something to prove.  J.R. Smith has something to prove.  Collectively, the team has something to prove.  Even George Karl has something to prove.  This is still a very talented team and even though they are not going to be contenders, I believe they will surpass expectations.

My prediction for the Nuggets this season is 47 wins and a sixth straight first round postseason exit.

I admire his optimism, but just don't see it.  This year, Denver is on the outside looking in.

PROJECTION: Low-to-mid 40s in the win column, outside the top eight.  Dangerous to play on individual nights, but over the long haul there's too much talent, not enough team.

Thanks again to Jeremy from www.pickaxeandroll.com for the great in-depth responses.

BK