Thread: The Official Denver Nuggets Thread!

Originally Posted by EMB6903

Aaron Afflalo will fill that role. He is 10x better of a player then dhantay jones was...He is so fundamentally sound and his perimeter defense is tops in the game...I wouldnt be surprised if hes starting at the 2 for the majority of the season.

Why are you so high on Arron Afflalo? I don't know anything about him other than that he played for Detroit.

Originally Posted by Buff

Why are you so high on Arron Afflalo? I don't know anything about him other than that he played for Detroit.

chuck norris is his second cousin. . . .


it'd be sweet if kenyon could give us something more this year-- especially on the glass. . . .

I was pleased with K-Mart last year, of course his contract means you expect huge numbers but its just not so. If he can get his knees strong enough for another season I like his attitude heading toward this year, as long as he does not get to cocky and not give it everything thinking its in the bag.

Originally Posted by Buff

Why are you so high on Arron Afflalo? I don't know anything about him other than that he played for Detroit.

Ive just always been a fan of his, was the leader of a very good UCLA team for 2 years...hes nothing flashy,certainly wont win you games, hes just a solid player. Very high bball IQ, lockdown defender who is limited offensively but plays to his strengths, and a good spot up shooter, .... Bruce Bowen gets a lot of comparisions and all but I really think Aaron Afflalo= a prime bruce bowen

A HUGE UPGRADE over Dhantay Jones.

The Denver Nuggets are playing the Indiana Pacers in China tonight, it will be live on Altitude at 10pm MST if anybody cares...

Carmelo Anthony put up 45 points against Indiana in 3 quarters tonight, most points coming on Dhantay Jones. Nuggets win in Beijing 128-112.

Originally Posted by EMB6903

Carmelo Anthony put up 45 points against Indiana in 3 quarters tonight, most points coming on Dhantay Jones. Nuggets win in Beijing 128-112.

I was watching the first half, Melo was looking real good. Then I feel asleep...Wanted to see how the 2nd unit looked.

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_13563560

Joey Graham is holding out hope of making the Nuggets roster.

He shouldn't have to worry. It's all but certain.

Graham, 27, has impressed Nuggets coach George Karl so much that Karl has already talked about fitting the 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward in the rotation during J.R. Smith's seven-game suspension when the season starts.

Those decisions are still to be determined, but what is clear is how much Karl likes the hard- working, rough-and-tumble Graham.

"There's a 'how we played' last year that I don't think any of us want to change," Karl said. "Joey has that Dahntay Jones personality. They are different players, going to do it in different ways. But from the standpoint of courage and toughness and the desire to defend, Joey has those personalities."

The Nuggets once tried to trade Linas Kleiza for Graham when he was with Toronto. That didn't work out, and they almost missed out on Graham again this summer. Cleveland, Minnesota, Charlotte and Houston all courted Graham, who played his first four NBA seasons with the Raptors, averaging 6.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and shooting 48 percent from the field.

The Nuggets came on strong last month, and Graham had dinner with Karl just prior to the start of training camp.

"We sat down and he was telling me the things that he needed on this team, and I'm like, 'I'm that guy,' " Graham said. "I fit right into the system and the things that they are trying to do here. Me and George have a great rapport. We talk every day about the things that I need to do. And hopefully he sees I can come in and do the things he needs for me to do."

Graham is battling to fill the 13th, and presumably final, spot on the Nuggets' roster. If he makes the team, that would leave his competition for that space, swingman James White, on the outside looking in. Though the NBA allows up to 15 players on the roster, the Nuggets usually keep just 13, though Karl said he'd like to keep more.

If Graham makes the team, his one-year contract would become guaranteed on Jan. 10.

But Graham isn't thinking about that right now. The former Oklahoma State standout is simply trying to earn his way onto the roster.

"All I can do is control the things that I can control and leave the rest up to the Lord," Graham said. "I can control coming out here playing hard every day in practice and playing hard in the game. Hopefully I can show them that I do deserve to be on this team."

Nuggets Preview from Yahoo Sports:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/bal...urn=nba,196839

If anyone is interested, the Nuggets/Lakers preseason game just started on TNT.

I hope the Nuggets actually play some damn defense this year. I'd like to see them win a title! I love the Lakers, but I love the Nuggets too, and I hope the Nuggets can beat the Lakers in the playoffs this year and win a world title.

Time to step it up Nuggets!!

How is it possible to love the Lakers and the Nuggets? As for defense the Nuggets have actualy played pretty well. The question with this team I think will be will the hunger still be there? Melo said last year he had a down year, crazy but just think of a even more energized Melo! I like our additions and think they will bring it off the bench.

West will be a battle. Nuggets need to stay ahead in the division and realize teams will be out to take that #2 spot as well. Excited and nervous for the year!

Originally Posted by BroncoAV06

How is it possible to love the Lakers and the Nuggets? As for defense the Nuggets have actualy played pretty well. The question with this team I think will be will the hunger still be there? Melo said last year he had a down year, crazy but just think of a even more energized Melo! I like our additions and think they will bring it off the bench.

West will be a battle. Nuggets need to stay ahead in the division and realize teams will be out to take that #2 spot as well. Excited and nervous for the year!

Agreed. Honestly, the Spurs worry me just as much as the Lakers. I think the Nugs will be just as good, and hopefully better this seasons. On paper, the Nugs look like a better team, but nobody wants to mention them. I love the underdog persona.

it was a preseason game tonight but it was good with alot of action... bird and martin getting in to it with lamar kardashian and Ty Lawson looking great! should be another exciting season

since J.R. came into her daughter's life, "The smile hasn't left her face. There's no more talk of dying."

Hannah attended the Nuggets' first exhibition, which was her first Nuggets game.

"I don't do well in crowds. When I went to a Broncos game I passed out," she said. "But I'm able to focus at the Nuggets game, and I'm all right because I'm watching J.R."

Afterward, J.R. spent several minutes with Hannah in the locker room and introduced her to his teammates. "I couldn't believe it. That locker room is like a five-star hotel, and there were all the stars," said Hannah, an incredibly intelligent, vibrant, expressive young lady. She is schooled at home, alone, by e-mails from teachers.

Because of the illness, the blood rushes to, and badly swells, her feet. J.R. presented Hannah with a pair of his size 15 sneakers. Then, on a recent night, J.R. — wearing a tuxedo! — and his driver joined the Marklin family at a charity gala, danced with the little girls at the adjoining tables and participated in raising $200,000 for Make-A-Wish.

Hannah is "bummed that J.R. won't get to play at the beginning of the season." Smith has been suspended for seven games.

But, she's optimistic the team will do well.

"The Nuggets are going to have a big year. I think they'll beat everybody, but I'm an optimist now."

J.R., who has a young daughter, and Hannah have entirely different backgrounds, "but I think we get along so well because he is genuine, and he's funny, and I'm pretty humorous — sarcastic — and he can take it and give it. I wish everybody could see the side of him that I have.

"At first, I thought J.R. met with me because he was forced to, but that's not how it is. I can tell. He is turning his life around."

Perhaps J.R. is growing up.

"He wants to live a better life. I want to live a good life," she said.

Karl is noticing a changing of the guard for Smith.

"J.R. is enjoying his service," Karl said. "His consciousness towards what he's doing is sincere and real."

Hannah has three more wishes: She wants J.R. to have an all-star season and "get past his past." At her next Nuggets game she wants "to eat a hot dog . . . with sauerkraut," and last, she wants to strengthen her body "because if I do he's going to take me out golfing."

Let us hope all the wishes come true for J.R. Swish and The Fairy Princess.


His irresponsibility caused the death of a close friend. His responsiveness may have helped save the life of a new friend.

The Fairy Princess and J.R. Swish is a rose-and-thorn tale.

Four years ago, when Hannah Marklin was 12, her fondest wish was to play basketball.

But she developed a mysterious ailment. The Cinderella-haired, beautiful young girl couldn't keep food down, and she was losing far too much weight. Doctors believed she was bulimic. When medication didn't provide relief, her gallbladder was removed, and a tube was inserted into her nose and down to her lower intestine.

Hannah developed a massive stomach infection, and another tube was surgically placed in her body. The suffering worsened.

Finally, a doctor at Johns Hopkins properly diagnosed Hannah with dysautonomia, an incurable disease resulting from the breakdown of the autonomic nervous system and leading to an exploding heart rate, serious blood problems and, possibly, death.

The teenager from Parker couldn't play sports, couldn't exercise, couldn't attend school, couldn't go out with her friends, couldn't stand for more than a few minutes a day. She was barely surviving. In 2006, during a prolonged hospital stay, Hannah began watching the Nuggets on TV. "I became a huge fan," she said.

After her stomach stopped functioning, and she endured another series of examinations and yet another surgery last month, the courageous, but despondent, 16-year-old begged parents Bryan and Marlowe: "I can't do this any more. Please let me die."

Hannah, who hasn't eaten solid foods in three years, said recently: "When I was younger, I didn't think death was controllable. But during the last six months, I realized I could control my body and my mind and quit living, and I wanted to. I didn't have much of a life."

Hannah's parents turned to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

All Hannah wanted was some tickets for this season's Nuggets games.

She got more. Coach George Karl showed up with three season tickets, and backstage passes for every game.

And the coach was accompanied by J.R. Smith.

"I was nervous when I met J.R. I'd heard all the bad stuff about him — the accident thing (in which Smith's best friend died) and how he spent time in jail and that he was immature," Hannah said. "I didn't think he'd be comfortable with a sick kid, and I didn't know if I would like him.

"But J.R. was so cool. People don't want to touch me because they mistakenly think they'll get my disease. J.R. just reached out and hugged me. It was a very special moment."

That visit could have been the end of a brief commitment for J.R. As part of his sentencing, Smith has to perform community service. He could sweep streets.

However, on his own and without publicity, or a push, J.R. has continued to reach out to Hannah, and they have become great buddies.

"J.R. has given me a reason to go on fighting. He wants to help me, and I'm going to help him 'man up,' " she said, with a laugh that dulls the pain.

"It's a very rare disease she has, and I was really surprised how high her spirits were," Smith said. "It gave me something to think about as I go through the stuff that I go through.

"It's incredible how anyone can have that effect on another person — she told me I gave her life and a reason to keep pushing. It's incredible."

Marlowe Marklin said that since J.R. came into her daughter's life, "The smile hasn't left her face. There's no more talk of dying."

Hannah attended the Nuggets' first exhibition, which was her first Nuggets game.

"I don't do well in crowds. When I went to a Broncos game I passed out," she said. "But I'm able to focus at the Nuggets game, and I'm all right because I'm watching J.R."

Afterward, J.R. spent several minutes with Hannah in the locker room and introduced her to his teammates. "I couldn't believe it. That locker room is like a five-star hotel, and there were all the stars," said Hannah, an incredibly intelligent, vibrant, expressive young lady. She is schooled at home, alone, by e-mails from teachers.

Because of the illness, the blood rushes to, and badly swells, her feet. J.R. presented Hannah with a pair of his size 15 sneakers. Then, on a recent night, J.R. — wearing a tuxedo! — and his driver joined the Marklin family at a charity gala, danced with the little girls at the adjoining tables and participated in raising $200,000 for Make-A-Wish.

Hannah is "bummed that J.R. won't get to play at the beginning of the season." Smith has been suspended for seven games.

But, she's optimistic the team will do well.

"The Nuggets are going to have a big year. I think they'll beat everybody, but I'm an optimist now."

J.R., who has a young daughter, and Hannah have entirely different backgrounds, "but I think we get along so well because he is genuine, and he's funny, and I'm pretty humorous — sarcastic — and he can take it and give it. I wish everybody could see the side of him that I have.

"At first, I thought J.R. met with me because he was forced to, but that's not how it is. I can tell. He is turning his life around."

Perhaps J.R. is growing up.

"He wants to live a better life. I want to live a good life," she said.

Karl is noticing a changing of the guard for Smith.

"J.R. is enjoying his service," Karl said. "His consciousness towards what he's doing is sincere and real."

Hannah has three more wishes: She wants J.R. to have an all-star season and "get past his past." At her next Nuggets game she wants "to eat a hot dog . . . with sauerkraut," and last, she wants to strengthen her body "because if I do he's going to take me out golfing."

Let us hope all the wishes come true for J.R. Swish and The Fairy Princess.