Nuggets guard Allen Iverson looking to bounce back in post-season

DENVER — Allen Iverson wasn't "The Answer" in the short-term for the Denver Nuggets.

He joined them midway through last season, hailed as the saviour who would help the Nuggets win a playoff series for the first time since 1994.

But trades, suspensions and injuries, including his own severely sprained ankle, precluded the team from developing any chemistry or cohesion, and A.I. was smothered by the San Antonio Spurs, averaging a career-worst 22.8 points in the post-season.

Iverson didn't look anything like the wizard who almost single-handedly drove Philadelphia in the playoffs, and the Nuggets were finished in five games for the fourth straight year.

Why will it be any different this time around when the eighth-seeded Nuggets face top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers starting Sunday?

Because, Iverson said, he's healthy again, the Nuggets have meshed after spending a training camp and a full season together and he and fellow all-star Carmelo Anthony have proven that two superstars can indeed succeed side-by-side.

"I think they've learned how to coexist with each other and play off each other," Marcus Camby said. "They're Nos. 3 and 4 in the league in scoring, they had a lot of balance out there, and they never let egos get in the way. They're both talented superstars."

The Lakers have their own dominant duo in newcomer Pau Gasol and MVP hopeful Kobe Bryant, who will be matched aplenty with Iverson.

"Let's go. This is what it's all about for me. You can't draw it up any better," Iverson said. "People say he's the best basketball player on the planet, so I'm definitely looking forward to the challenge. Especially with me believing that about myself, so let's go.

"This is what it's about. If you're scared, get a dog. If you're scared, go to church."

The Nuggets certainly aren't shy about having to face Bryant, Gasol, Derek Fisher or Lamar Odom.

"I'd be lying if I said it's the same thing if I was playing New Orleans or if we were playing L.A.," Iverson said. "Everybody know how big that stage is. I relish the moment. This is what I play basketball for. This is why I love it so much."

Although they're facing the top team in the power-packed Western Conference once again, only seven wins separated the two uptempo teams in the standings. The Nuggets feel it's anybody's series.

"The last couple of years we've been unfortunate enough to play against the top team in the Western Conference. Our work was always cut out for us," Camby said. "This year, we're coming in relatively healthy. ... We're a more balanced team, a more together team. We're playing pretty good basketball of late, we're playing great basketball here at home. Hopefully we can steal a few on the road."

Although forward Nene missed most of the season with an assortment of ailments and is still working his way back into shape after testicular cancer surgery, and Chucky Atkins missed most of the year with a sports hernia, for once the Nuggets enter the playoffs relatively healthy.

Kenyon Martin has returned with a vengeance from microfracture surgeries on both knees and he teams with Camby, the reigning NBA defensive player of the year, to provide plenty of muscle inside.

Denver's bench is a lot better than it was a year ago, when Linas Kleiza was lost in the playoff's bright lights and J.R. Smith made so many boneheaded moves that he ended up getting benched.

Kleiza has become an offensive force and Smith worked his way out of coach George Karl's doghouse this year and sparked the Nuggets' late-season surge to their first 50-win season in two decades. Karl even nixed any notion of trading for Ron Artest at the deadline in part because he didn't want to stunt Smith's progress. And Eduardo Najera has added a 3-point prowess to his energy game.

"J.R., L.K. and Eddie have been great for us in this stretch of games, the survivor games," Karl said. "Now when we're on the Broadway, they're going to have to step up further."

The Nuggets are thankful they're not facing the Spurs in the first round again.

"It'll be more up and down as opposed to San Antonio sitting there and running halfcourt sets the whole game," Smith said.

Therefore, the Nuggets shouldn't have to abandon their high-flying game this time around.

"No one in this locker room has won a championship, and that's all what we're pretty much striving to do," Camby said. "I think we're all tired of getting bounced out in the first round. I know myself, Kenyon and A.I. have been to Finals but we have nothing to show for it. I know that's what's driving us."

Get a Zune With Your Allen Iverson Reebok Shoe

Even though Allen Iverson and the Denver Nuggets are in the midst of a heated playoff series with the L.A. Lakers, Reebok won't stop from pumping up the crossover king's new shoe. Reebok's decent-looking Answer XI signature shoe dropped back in November, but the shoe company announced a partnership with Microsoft to release a limited edition Iverson shoe: The Answer XI Zune.

For the hardcore shoe collector, Reebok is only making 60 pairs of the shoe and making them available in only five stores nationwide. The special version of the shoe comes with a new design featuring the Zune logo and includes an 8GB Zune MP3 player etched with AI graphics on the back and is loaded with special AI content including his Reebok commercials, playlists and interview footage of other Reebok athletes talking about the first time they played against AI in the league.

The Answer XI Zune will become available in June and cost a cool $300. The only places you'll be able to get them is Complex/Training Day Store (NYC), Major Commonwealth (DC), Commonwealth (VA), Wish (ATL), and The 400 (Denver). Check them out:

Denver falls short but not into despair

Nuggets say they will bounce back from a 128-114 loss to L.A. in playoff series opener.

Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson did their dynamic duo part. The Denver Nuggets' bench was there, when needed, to prop them with added support. Their defense, for a long while at least, harassed Kobe Bryant into missing shot after shot.

The blueprint for a Nuggets' victory was in place.

Yet, they still didn't come close in Sunday's 128-114 opening-round loss to the Lakers.

Disheartening? Maybe.

Mildly depressing? Sure.

But the Nuggets were not quite in down-in-the-dumps despair.

Instead, there were a lot of nots coming out of their locker room, as in what will and will not happen as the series progresses.

"I'm pretty sure they won't break it open like that again," Anthony said. "I'm pretty sure we aren't going to come out and play the way we did in that third quarter and lay down the way we did for a couple minutes. I don't think that's really going to happen."

It did really happen Sunday, with Denver's pass-go defense from the regular season seeping into the playoffs.

Kenyon Martin did a decent job of stifling Bryant through much of the game until he started flirting with foul trouble, allowing Bryant to catch a groove. Pau Gasol waltzed his way through, past and beyond Nuggets defenders. And Luke Walton took advantage of smaller players guarding him.

It all left Nuggets Coach George Karl to quip, "I think Coby Karl could have scored the baskets."

For Anthony and Iverson it was a journey, if unsteady path, to their 30 points apiece. And one that ultimately ended in frustration.

Anthony took 26 shots to get there and Iverson took 24, making only seven of his 13 free throws.

Iverson was tossed at 2 minutes 10 seconds of the fourth quarter by official Ken Mauer after receiving two technical fouls in place of the foul call he sought.

"[He] made the right decision about throwing me out," Iverson said. "I deserved to get thrown out at that point. Obviously, I thought I got fouled on a hand check on that play, and I felt he was right on that play and didn't make the call."

At this point, it would probably be more prudent for the Nuggets to locate a defensive stopper, but Linas Kleiza came off the bench for 23 points. He played as Marcus Camby, the league's reigning defensive player of the year, curiously watched the entire fourth quarter from the bench.

"Marcus, I didn't think, played poorly," Karl said. "I just thought at the time, the rhythm of the game was play fast and be aggressive to the rim and continue to try to score points in the faster mode."

They were in the game, even taking an eight-point lead in the second quarter. But these are the playoffs, where play toughens and tempers shorten.

Five technical fouls and one flagrant foul were called. All but one, a technical on Bryant, went against the Nuggets.

They were particularly peeved at Anthony Carter's technical foul on Bryant as he went to the rim in the third quarter. Carter pushed Bryant to receive the call, but before that, Karl said, Bryant hit Carter in the eye as he tried to hold him from falling.

"His eye was swelling in front of us, as he was being given the technical foul," Karl said. "I think it was a bad call."

All in all, it wasn't the start the Nuggets were looking for to the series or the game.

Their bus started spewing smoke on the way to Staples Center, an ominous sign. No one was injured, but it delayed their arrival.

They returned to the Mile High City after the game, with perhaps some of that fresh air and high altitude a remedy to clear some minds before Wednesday's Game 2.

Allen Iverson and the Nuggets are battling for 8 seed on the west vs Golden State Warriors

The Nuggets and Warriors will be fighting for their playoff lives on Thursday night. With the Dallas Mavericks suddenly looking like last years’ version, it’s the Warriors and Nuggets who will be fighting for that final seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. Both Denver and Golden State are 47 and 31. Against the BetUS spread neither team is all that good. Denver has gone 6 and 4 in their last 10 games, but only 2 and 4 in their last 6 games.

The Golden State Warriors are up one moment and down the next. They’ve gone 5 and 5 in their last 10 games. Against the Sacramento Kings the other night the Warriors scored 140 points. Here are more trends.

The Denver Nuggets are 9 and 2 against the spread in their last 11 games on a Thursday night.

The Golden State Warriors are 6 and 15 against the spread in their last 21 games at home.

The Over is 4 and 1 in the Golden State Warriors last 5 games at home.

The Over is 5 and 1 in the Denver Nuggets last 6 games as an underdog.

The Over is 10 and 4 in the last 14 meetings between these two teams.

The BetUS over/under in this game is 240 points. That equates to 120 points from each team. Man, it’s tempting to take the under isn’t it? I mean 120 from each team? Is that possible?

Actually, it’s definitely possible. I do believe that this game has a terrific chance of going over. The trends say so and the Warriors are playing at home where they love to run up and down the court and take wild shots.

But I have more faith in the Nuggets, actually. To me this comes down to each teams’ star player - - Allen Iverson for the Nuggets and Barron Davis for the Warriors. In that match-up I like Iverson because of his experience. Well, it also helps that he can pass the ball to both Marcus Camby and Carmelo Anthony if he can’t score himself.

The Nuggets are a veteran team with a veteran coach. These are the types of games where they should thrive.

I’ll be wagering that they do.

The BetUS basketball betting line is Denver Nuggets + 5 against the spread on the road versus the Golden State Warriors.

I’m taking the Nuggets and the points in this game.

Iverson lifts Nuggets to crucial win over Suns

Lying in his bed, well past midnight, Allen Iverson didn't have to shut his eyes to experience a nightmare.

After Monday's embarrassing loss at Phoenix, Iverson couldn't get the images out of his head. He thought about watching television, but feared seeing the highlights in living color.

But in Tuesday's 126-120 win, Iverson used his frustration as motivation, defeating the same Suns, this time at the Pepsi Center.

"You want to make sure you don't have that same nightmare," said Iverson, who scored a game-high 31 points. "Honestly, it's just wanting it more than the other team."

This win was huge. Denver (46-29) is now all alone in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of Golden State (45-29), which lost Tuesday to San Antonio.

The Nuggets also are just a half-game behind seventh-place Dallas (46-28), which was idle Tuesday. Sure enough, Dallas hosts Golden State tonight.

The win also showed Denver's recent mental toughness, especially against a stacked team such as Phoenix (50-25). After losing a series of first-quarter blowouts and fourth-quarter flops in March, the Nuggets have established themselves as gritty winners. They won five out of six games to close out the month, including statement victories against Dallas and Golden State. And after blowing a 22-point lead on Monday at Phoenix, they clamped down the Suns in the final minutes Tuesday, and this was after Phoenix took its first lead with 3:11 left.

"Tonight was a strong example of the way we fight going down the stretch," forward Carmelo Anthony said. "There were a lot of things being thrown at us, so we stuck together and won the game."

Or, as J.R. Smith put it: "When we want to play, we can play."

Iverson, as usual, was the heart of the Nuggets, shooting 9-for-18 from the field, while hitting all 11 free-throw attempts. And fellow guard Anthony Carter scored eight points with a team-high 10 assists and a career-high six
steals. And after all those accomplishments, it was Carter's defense that earned the highest praise from coach George Karl: "In a short period of time, he has become one of my favorite defenders."

Carter was responsible for disrupting Steve Nash's shot attempts — after three quarters, Nash had just three points and Denver led by six. To Nash's credit, the former MVP was able to find guys who could get shots off. Nash finished the night with 18 assists, four from tying a career high.

"Steve Nash is such a treat to watch," Karl said.

Karl's Nuggets have now won nine straight games at Pepsi Center, as well as 19 of their past 21. With a 31-7 home record, Denver's best since 1988-89, Iverson was asked if Denver is one of the best home teams in the NBA.

"Honestly, I think so," said Iverson, who suggested the crowd of 18,870 had guzzled Red Bull all night. "The energy is always in this building. People think the crowd doesn't help you, but the fans help you so much. They give you that added confidence. They give you hope."
Nuggets Recap

What you might have missed

The Nuggets shot 37-for-47 from the free-throw line. Not only did the Suns get to the line just 26 times, but they made only 14 shots (53.8 percent). Denver's Marcus Camby scored only six points, but he did hit a clutch jumper from the top of the key with 37.7 seconds left.

Final thought

The Nuggets lost the lead in the final four minutes, and a lesser team might have folded against the likes of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. But Denver buckled down defensively, hit key shots and free throws and won a big game.

Up next

vs. Sacramento, 7 p.m., Saturday.

Source: Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294

Defense is big part of George Karl's demands

Tuesday morning, Nuggets coach George Karl made good on a preseason promise: Defense was the name of the game.

The Nuggets kicked off training camp to the yells and whistles of defensive concepts because that's how Karl wants it to be, and because the Nuggets' spotty play on the defensive end last season dictates this is how it should be.

"The camp is going to be underlined, capital letters, defense first," Karl said. "If we're going to be a championship-caliber team, statistically defense is where we can improve and where we have to improve."

Denver ranked 26th in the NBA in average points allowed (103.7) and tied for 15th in field-goal percentage allowed (.460). Both numbers were comparable to what Denver averaged on offense, which kept opponents in games and allowed many to steal wins when they shouldn't have.

"The things that come to my mind are basically layups in transition and statistically we can't let guys shoot a high percentage on us," Karl said. "You're going to see a lot of individual challenge."

In the defensive categories of rebounds, steals and blocked shots, the Nuggets were among the league's best, thanks in large part to center Marcus Camby, who led the NBA in blocks (3.3) and was fifth in rebounds (11.7).

As a team, the Nuggets ranked third in the NBA in rebounds (43.4), eighth in blocked shots (5.3) and second in steals (8.26).

Nuggets guard Allen Iverson always has been known as a defender who plays the passing lanes, swiping lackluster and errant passes and taking them the length of the court for layups.

Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony showed improved intensity and competence on the defensive end during his run with Team USA this summer. His defensive effort was so good, it prompted Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski to tell Karl he believed Anthony had the potential to be an all-NBA defensive player.

Anthony didn't disagree.

"That's my goal," Anthony said. "I've showed bits and pieces of me playing defense. But I think this year I'm going to put a little more effort and focus into playing defense and becoming a better defensive player. Once my teammates see me doing that, that will give the opportunity to step up and motivate them to play 'D,' too."

The addition of guard Anthony Carter should help the Nuggets' perimeter defense, as will the acquisition of shot-blocking center Steven Hunter. The team already has the reigning NBA defensive player of the year in Camby, who downplays defending that crown.

"I mean, if it happens it happens," Camby said. "That's not something I'm going to really push for. I'm just going to try to let my play do the talking for me."

That fits the team concept.

"I think last season, toward the end of the season we showed that we could be a good defensive team," Anthony said. "So if we can start off like we ended last season, I think we'll be pretty good."

Footnotes: As expected, Nene (calf) did not participate in practice. He did some light shooting and stretching on the side. ... Karl was satisfied with his team's first morning practice of the 2007-08 season. "Guys had great attitudes," he said. "The maturity team very much was on the court." ... Nuggets single-game season tickets go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. Prices range from $10 to $110 per seat. Tickets can be bought a variety of ways, including at Ticketmaster locations and at the Pepsi Center box office.

Defense: Is the Key to Nuggets open camp

With an emphasis on defense first, the Nuggets opening training camp today at the Pepsi Center.

Coach George Karl, who this season is focusing on improving the team's defense from the start of camp, was satisfied with the first morning practice of the 2007-08 season.

"Guys had great attitudes," he said. "The maturity team very much was on the court."

Denver ranked 26th in average points allowed (103.73) and tied for 15th in field-goal percentage allowed (.460).

"The things that come to my mind are basically layups in transition and statistically we can't let guys shoot a high percentage on us," Karl said. "You're going to see a lot of individual challenge."

Said Carmelo Anthony: "I think last season, toward the end of the season we showed that we could be a good defensive team. So if we can start off like we ended last season, I think we'll be pretty good."

Footnotes

Nuggets single-game season tickets go on sale on Saturday at 10 a.m. Prices range from $10-$110 per seat. Tickets can be bought a variety of ways, including at Ticketmaster locations and the Pepsi Center box office. ...

As expected, Nene (calf) did not participate in practice. He did do some light shooting on and stretching on the side.

Chucky Atkins excited to backup Allen Iverson

DENVER — Chucky Atkins is used to playing behind All-Star point guards. That's just the way he likes it.

Atkins was signed by the Denver Nuggets in July to back up perennial MVP candidate Allen Iverson but he doesn't mind not starting. In fact, the primary reason he came to Denver is to play with A.I.

"The same thing that burns inside him, burns inside me," Atkins said. "The will to win, the will to leave it all out on the court. If it kills me, that's just the way it is."

Playing for his seventh NBA team and entering his ninth season, Atkins has played with All-Stars Chauncey Billups and Gilbert Arenas and he has has been a starter — but it's the sixth man role he seems to relish.

He finished eighth for the Sixth Man of the Year award last season with the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 13.2 points and 4.6 assists per game even though Memphis had the league's worst record. He also played on the best team in 2003-04 with the Detroit Pistons, though he just missed a championship when he was traded to Boston midseason.

Atkins said coming off the bench is easy for him. "You come off the bench, you don't have any pressure," he said. "If you've got it going, you've got it. If you don't, you go back and sit."

The veteran player said he has never seen a team as intense as the Nuggets are early in the preseason.

"Just seeing 12-year veterans like Marcus Camby and Allen Iverson working as hard as they are working in training camp, shows me these are guys that really and truly want to win," he said.

Even Kenyon Martin, who has played in just 58 games over the past two seasons because of a knee injury, has been working out with his surgically repaired right knee wrapped tight and occasionally iced.

Martin is only able to practice for about 45 minutes each day but it's a testament to the team's dedication, Atkins said. "Kenyon's not able to go for the whole time, but guys see Kenyon and he's on one-and-a-half legs, but he's coming out there and giving us everything. There ain't no slacking," Atkins said.

On paper, the Nuggets are one of the league's most talented teams. Carmelo Anthony and A.I. finished second and eighth in the NBA scoring race last year; Marcus Camby won the Defensive Player of the Year award and Nene averaged career highs in points and rebounds. Atkins is coming off one of his best seasons as a pro.

But it's still a team that was bounced rather unceremoniously from the playoffs, beaten by the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the first round.

What's the key to avoiding a fifth straight early exit?

"Getting off to a good start," Camby said. "Solidifying our home court. The last couple of years we always talked about playing here in Denver should be to our advantage. But we haven't been getting the job done at our home court, especially last year."

Augmon signed

The Nuggets signed veteran forward Stacey Augmon on Wednesday. Augmon, 6-8, 213, has played 15 NBA seasons with Atlanta, Detroit, Portland, Charlotte/New Orleans and Orlando. Most recently, he averaged 2.0 ppg and 1.5 rpg in 36 games with Orlando during the 2005-06 season.

Iverson sued

A lawsuit has been filed in Douglas County (Neb.) District Court against Iverson, claiming he did not show up at a weekend of booked appearances in Omaha in early August.

Kermit Brashear, the lawyer for the promotion company that booked Iverson for the events, said Wednesday they know nothing more than what Iverson's representatives told HYB Entertainment promoter Dave Chambers: that Iverson had a family emergency.

The lawsuit seeks $44,000 in damages.

Iverson was unavailable to comment Wednesday after the Nuggets' morning practice. A call to his manager, Gary Moore, by The Associated Press was not immediately returned. Moore is also the president of Crossover Promotions, Iverson's promotions company.

The company's Web site still listed the three Omaha events on its schedule.

Iverson: Spurs' missed layups add up in loss

As basketball shots go, the layup is the equivalent of golf's "gimme" putt: So short and simple a successful result seems a given.

How, then, to explain the six layups the Spurs missed in their 95-89 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series at the AT&T Center on Sunday night?

"Great question," said Spurs point guard Tony Parker, who missed two of the easy shots and three more from such close range he said he considered them layups, no matter what the official play-by-play sheet read. "I don't know. I haven't missed that many layups for a long time. Just one of those days."

Parker could not even get one of his signature shots, the tear-drop runner, to fall on a night when the "big three" of Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili combined to make only 19 of 52 shots.

Each of the three Spurs stars missed two layups, according to the official play-by-play accounting.

It only seemed like more.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said it seemed unlikely any of his teams had missed more layups in a playoff game.

"Probably not," Popovich said.

Parker's rise to All-Star status the past two seasons has been characterized by his ability to get to the rim and finish shots often much harder than the simple layin. But on Sunday he missed an uncontested layup with 1:22 remaining that could have sliced Denver's lead to four points and given Spurs fans reason to believe a comeback might be possible.

"I don't think I've ever missed that easy a shot," Parker said. "I think it's the first time I've missed that many layups in the same game. I missed five or six layups I usually make all the time with my eyes closed. It's just one of those games you have to forget. Hit the delete button and go to the next game."

Forgetting won't be easy, Parker said, because the Spurs know their defensive effort Sunday could have produced a victory had they not shot so poorly, especially from such close range.

"It's hard," Parker said, "because I thought we played pretty good defense, but we couldn't hit anything tonight.

"We had a chance to win, even though we played bad. So we just have to go back and give them credit, because they did play well. It's our turn now to try to react and play with better energy. Hopefully, we will shoot the ball better and have a better result on Wednesday (in Game 2)."

Parker often found himself involved Sunday in one of the most intriguing matchups of the series, going head-to-head against Allen Iverson. Iverson survived an 0-for-6 start to score 31 points.

"I can't get into a one-on-one thing," Parker said. "Allen is going to play good. We're going to try and slow him down, but I can't take as many shots as he is going to take. I just have to try to run my team and when I get a chance, try to go back at him."

Iverson and Anthony combine for 61 points to lead Nuggets over Spurs 95-89

The Spurs won the season series with Denver, 2-1, but that was hardly a good gauge of how this series would go. The Nuggets were without Anthony in the first matchup and Iverson had just returned from an injury for the second. Their third meeting was the last regular season game and Denver won a meaningless 100-77 rout.

With their stars now aligned, the Nuggets got the road victory they'll need to pull off the upset and win their first playoff series since 1994 - when they beat Seattle in a best-of-five to become the first No. 8 seed to knock out a No. 1.

Nene's dunk off a pass from the driving Iverson made it 80-77. Anthony's three and a basket by Iverson were followed by another Iverson-to-Nene combination to close an 11-0 Denver run and give the Nuggets a 10-point lead - their biggest of the game - with 3:27 left.

After Denver failed to get the ball over the half court line in time with under a minute to play, Parker hit a layup for the Spurs to bring them within 91-87 with 43.9 left.

Iverson missed his next shot, and Parker's under the basket pass to Duncan for a dunk made it 91-89 Nuggets with 17.9 to go.

But Anthony and Nene hit two free throws a piece after each was fouled by Duncan to extend the lead to 95-89 with 11.6 seconds left and seal the game for the Nuggets.

The Nuggets had the lead for most of the first half as Duncan, Parker and Ginobili struggled from the field. They combined for 15 points and shot 7-of-33 from the field in the first half, one fewer than Anthony scored for Denver as he went 7-of-9. Iverson missed his first six shots, then hit four straight.

It was Finley who kept the Spurs within striking distance of Denver. He hit two of the Spurs' first-half three pointers.

Anthony's fast-break dunk off a long pass from Camby with 4.9 seconds on the clock gave Denver a 44-42 lead heading into the third quarter.

Iverson's 11 points in the third, including a three with 2:39 left in the quarter, gave the Nuggets a slight edge going into the fourth.

2007 first round playoff, Iverson and Anthony combine for 61 points to lead Nuggets over Spurs 95-89

The Denver Nuggets have been here before, and this time around, they're not going to get too excited about it.

In 2005 the Nuggets beat the Spurs in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs on the road before losing the next four to a San Antonio team that went on to win the NBA championship. The Nuggets did it again Sunday night, beating the Spurs 95-89 in the first game of their Western Conference playoff series with Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony leading the way.

"The guys who were here two years ago know we were in the same situation last time," Denver centre Marcus Camby said. "They ran off and won four straight. That's why no one is really happy. We came out to get Game 1, but we also want to get Game 2."

If Iverson and Anthony play this well again, the Nuggets have a good shot. Anthony scored 30 points and Iverson added 31, including 29 after a sluggish first quarter.

"Two years ago we probably were just happy to be in the playoffs," Anthony said. "Now we ain't just happy to be in the playoffs. We know we're a good team and when we play good we can play with the best of them."

And the Nuggets played tough defence, too, which is not usually their forte.

"They stopped us, doing the things we wanted to do and we couldn't stop their two stars," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "That's really the bottom line. Their defence outplayed us."

Nene added 13 points and 12 rebounds and Marcus Camby grabbed 10 boards for sixth-seeded Denver, which entered the playoffs having won 10 of 11. The big guys also made things difficult for Tim Duncan, who scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds for the Spurs.

Tony Parker led third-seeded San Antonio with 19 points, followed by Michael Finley with 15 and Robert Horry with 14.

The Spurs' Manu Ginobili isn't putting much stock in the 2005 series, either.

"I still hate it. It's not that I'm going to get confident because I've done it before," he said. "We are very upset. We really wanted to take this one home and we didn't."

Game 2 is Wednesday in San Antonio.

"So now we really got to step up. Now we know we have to go to Denver and take one or two games," said Ginobili, who then added, not wanting to get ahead of himself: "First of all we have to focus on the next one because it's going to be a huge one for us."

Denver traded for Iverson in December, hoping the former MVP would combine with Anthony to form an unstoppable 1-2 punch and make the Nuggets a legitimate title contender. The two averaged 55 points a game, but not until late in the season did Denver start to win consistently.

"It was important to come out and play defence," Iverson said. "We understand that we can score points, we've been saying that all year long. We can score points, that's not our problem. We've got to be able to stop people. When we needed the stops, we got it."

Iverson, Anthony lead Nuggets over Spurs 95-89

Allen Iverson looked a lot like, well, Allen Iverson on Sunday night as the Denver Nuggets took a one-game lead in the Western Conference NBA playoff by defeating the San Antonio Spurs on their home hardwood 95-89.

Iverson scored 31 points and Carmelo Anthony checked in with 30 points. Center/forward Hilario Nene added 13 points and 12 rebounds and center Marcus Camby grabbed 10 boards for sixth-seeded Denver, which entered the playoffs having won 10 of 11. The big guys also made things difficult for Tim Duncan, who scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds for the Spurs.

The Nuggets also beat the Spurs in the first game of the 2005 playoffs.

"The guys who were here two years ago know we were in the same situation last time," Camby said. "They ran off and won four straight. That's why no one is really happy. We came out to get Game 1 but we also want to get Game 2."

"Two years ago we probably were just happy to be in the playoffs," Anthony said. "Now we ain't just happy to be in the playoffs. We know we're a good team and when we play good we can play with the best of them."

Tony Parker led third-seeded San Antonio with 19 points, followed by Michael Finley with 15 and Robert Horry with 14.

"They stopped us, doing the things we wanted to do and we couldn't stop their two stars," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "That's really the bottom line. Their defense outplayed us."

"It was important to come out and play defense," Iverson said. "We understand that we can score points, we've been saying that all year long. We can score points, that's not our problem. We've got to be able to stop people. When we needed the stops, we got it."

The Spurs won the season series with Denver, 2-1, but that was hardly a good indication of how this series would go. The Nuggets were without Anthony in the first matchup and Iverson had just returned from an injury for the second. Their third meeting was the last regular season game and Denver won a meaningless 100-77 rout.

A.I. No Longer Has to Carry the Team by Himself

He's no longer The Man in Philly. Now, he's the Wingman in Denver.

As such, Allen Iverson doesn't have to carry his team on his shoulders in the playoffs like he did all those years in Philadelphia.

He doesn't expect to dial down his intensity when the Nuggets open the playoffs at San Antonio on Sunday just because sharing the superstardom has suited A.I. so well since his trade from the Sixers.

"It's a better mind-set,'' Iverson said of having another elite scorer alongside him in Carmelo Anthony. "It feels that much more easier. Not saying that things are going to be easy for me because I'm going to play just as hard as I played when I didn't have 'Melo, even harder. But I think he just helps a lot.''

Anthony averaged 28.9 points in the regular season and Iverson averaged 26.3.

"He takes a lot of attention off of me - not saying that I'm not going to have that attention because I know they're going to double me, they're going to shadow me all over the floor, they're going to make sure every time I touch the ball I see a crowd of people,'' Iverson said. "But I just think it will make it easier on me.

"When he gets double-teamed, I'm going to have guys running out at me off the pass and I get a chance to penetrate and make plays for my teammates and make plays for myself.''

Iverson's career playoff scoring average of 30.6 is second in history to Michael Jordan's 33.4 average.

'Melo was the star of the American team at the world championships last summer but he has yet to make a name for himself in the NBA playoffs, where his scoring average is 18.6.

After Minnesota's Trenton Hassell helped limit Anthony to 15 points a game in 2004, San Antonio's Bruce Bowen shut down the baby-faced 'Melo in '05, helping hold him to 19.2 points on 42 percent shooting in the Spurs' 4-1 series win.

Last year, Anthony averaged 21 points against the Los Angeles Clippers but again the Nuggets were bounced in five games.

"I think it's important for him to get that monkey off his back, to win a playoff series and just have confidence in himself and his team,'' Iverson said.

Anthony has since learned how to handle Hassell and is confident he can counter Bowen this time, too.

"I'm much more mature than I was then,'' Anthony said. "I know what I have to do for us to win, which is not scoring 30, 35 points a game, especially not in the playoffs. I was young, playing against a veteran guy like Bruce Bowen.''

There wasn't much of a preview to the big matchup during the regular season as Anthony sat out two of the three games between the teams. The Spurs held him to 15 points on 6-of-15 shooting in a 95-80 loss on Feb. 20, a performance Anthony shrugs off because it came right after the All-Star game and featured Iverson's return after a two-week absence with a sprained ankle.

"I think they took advantage of us being tired, enjoying Las Vegas too much,'' Anthony said.

Nuggets center Marcus Camby is counting on Anthony deciphering the Spurs' defensive specialist, thanks to the addition of Iverson.

"A.I. makes a big difference. He's a guy who's been to the Finals, has a lot of playoff experience, been in the league 11 years, so he gives us another element out there on the court,'' Camby said. "Usually teams will double- and sometimes triple-team 'Melo. But now you're going to have to pick your poison.

"If you're going to double 'Melo, you're going to free up A.I. And he's probably the best 1-on-1 player in this league.''

Coach George Karl said the Nuggets have never had better chemistry in his 2+ seasons in Denver and he credits Iverson.

"Before we were more like professional misfits at times with our like for one another,'' Karl said. "Is that chemistry? Yeah, that's chemistry. Is that a little bit of character and experience and passion that A.I. brings? I think yeah, that's a little bit of it, too.''

Two years ago, the Nuggets were coming off a 32-8 run under Karl and upset San Antonio in Game 1 before dropping four straight. Iverson gives Karl confidence that things will be different this time around.

"Two years ago it was a honeymoon and an exuberance. There was an enthusiasm that didn't have a foundation or substance,'' Karl said. "I think this team, with A.I.'s presence, and 'Melo being older and Nene giving us a bigger presence, I just think there's more soul and more substance to who we are.

"Two years ago we were in dream land. We were in fantasy land. Now, I don't think we're in fantasy land. We fought through a tough year and feel good about ourselves.''

Time for Nuggets to respond

The Nuggets have been drummed out of the playoffs three years running by 4-1 opening-series mismatches. Will this year be different? NBA writer Marc J. Spears breaks down the key questions the Nuggets need to answer to surprise the heavily favored San Antonio Spurs starting in Game 1 on Sunday in San Antonio.

KEY QUESTIONS

Iverson, Anthony await answers

Denver Post staff writer Marc J. Spears breaks down the big questions surrounding the Nuggets heading into their playoff series against San Antonio.

1. Can Nuggets guard Allen Iverson take his game to another level in the postseason?

When the Nuggets acquired Iverson on Dec. 19, it gave the franchise hope it could become a championship-caliber team. Coming down the stretch, "The Answer" delivered, helping Denver gain a playoff berth. Iverson has been money in the postseason, averaging 30.6 points, 6.1 assists and 2.1 steals in 62 games for Philadelphia. He led the 76ers to the 2001 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. Iverson also is rested going into this series.

2. Will the Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony fare better this time around against the Spurs' Bruce Bowen?

Bowen hassled Anthony two years ago in the playoffs, holding him to 42.2 percent shooting from the field. Anthony is more confident and more polished this time. He averaged 28.9 points during the regular season, the third-highest average by a Nuggets player since Denver entered the NBA in 1976. However, in his lone appearance against the Spurs, on Jan. 10, he was held to 15 points. Bowen is a three-time all-NBA defensive first-team selection, who again will get strong consideration for the league's defensive player of the year award.

3. Can Nuggets forward-center Nene slow down Spurs star Tim Duncan?

Can anyone except referee Joey Crawford? Duncan again is a strong MVP candidate, having averaged 20 points and 10.6 rebounds. He's even
Fans will see A.I. at his best. (Post / Karl Gehring)
better in the postseason, in which he has averaged 25.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 118 games. The 6-foot-11, 260-pound Nene has played well in the second half of the season, but dealing with Duncan is another matter altogether. Why Nene over NBA defensive player of the year candidate Marcus Camby? Because he has the bulk to help him better deal with Duncan and has at times showed he can hold his own against the league's best, including the likes of MVP candidate Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas. Camby also can roam a little more when not guarding Duncan.

4. Will the fast-breaking Nuggets be able to run against the stingy Spurs?

Probably not, based on regular-season statistics. Going into the teams' season finale, San Antonio led the league in allowing just 90 points per game, and 44.2 percent field-goal shooting. The Spurs were 24-3 this season when holding teams between 80 and 89 points, which figures to be where they'll try to keep the Nuggets. San Antonio knows how much the Nuggets struggle when they don't score 100 or more points. Discounting Wednesday's meaningless finale, San Antonio clamped down in two regular-season wins over Denver, holding the Nuggets to an average of 81.5 points.

5. Can the Nuggets keep Spurs guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili from driving to the lane?

The Spurs have manhandled the Nuggets in part because Parker and Ginobili seem to be able to get into the lane any time they want. Doing so allows them to get easy shots or set up their teammates. Denver's best bet to stop the drives could be using more zone sets to help out Nuggets guards Allen Iverson and Steve Blake with difficult matchups. If the Nuggets stay in a man defense, will seldom-used defensive specialist guard Yakhouba Diawara get more playing time?

Road awaits Denver's warriors

DENVER - The Denver Nuggets are opening the playoffs on the road for the fourth straight season, and this time they swear things will be different.

‘‘I don’t really think anybody has us going past the first round,’’ Carmelo Anthony said. ‘‘That’s motivation for me. I’m pretty sure that’s motivation for my teammates also.’’

The Nuggets have been bounced from the playoffs in five games in each of the last three seasons, by San Antonio, Minnesota and the Clippers. They haven’t won a playoff series since 1994.

Why might it be different now?

For one, they have Allen Iverson to bring along this time when they open the playoffs at San Antonio on Sunday.

The main reason the Nuggets acquired A.I. from Philadelphia was for his postseason intensity they believe will put them over the hump and help them win their first playoff series since 1994.

And at 22-19, they just posted their first winning road record in franchise history.

‘‘It does build a little bit of confidence,’’ center Marcus Camby said. ‘‘Ever since I’ve been here, it’s been the opposite: we’ve been a great home team and dismal on the road. But for some reason it has been different.’’

The Nuggets are at a loss to explain their middling 23-18 home mark and their relative dearth of losses away from the Mile High City.

‘‘I really can’t pinpoint it,’’ Camby said. ‘‘Everybody said we have the advantage of playing in the altitude but it just seems like on the road we just take that togetherness of us against the world and that’s how we’ve been approaching it.’’

Eduardo Najera thinks he has the answer, and it’s ... The Answer.

‘‘Well, obviously Iverson brings a lot of mental toughness,’’ Najera said. ‘‘He’s a very confident man and I think that’s rubbing off on everybody and we believe just by having him on the court that we are a more complete team now that we have him. And obviously we have Carmelo playing better than last year and now we know each other a little better. So, I think that’s the difference.’’
Anthony had his own explanation following Thursday’s practice.

‘‘Well, we can breathe,’’ he said. ‘‘We can’t breathe out here, man.’’

Seriously, though, it has more to do with attitude than altitude, Anthony suggested.

‘‘When we go out there, the crowd is against us,’’ he said. ‘‘The 13 of us out there on the bench and out there on the court is all we’ve got on the road. So, we know we’ve got to stick together and we know we’ve got to keep our mistakes to a minimum.’’

Najera said he believes the Nuggets’ confidence away from the Pepsi Center will carry over into the playoffs.

‘‘We feel comfortable going on the road and winning a game or two,’’ he said. ‘‘So, I think that’s going to be a key. Obviously, we haven’t played well at home, so we’ve got to take advantage of the road games.’’

That’s the rub. The Nuggets only recently started to reward their home fans with the play they’ve displayed away from home almost all season.

‘‘I’ve said it, I think we focus more on the road,’’ coach George Karl said. ‘‘We’re more professional on the road than we are at home. I’m not a sociologist but it probably has to do with distraction, focus and commitment.’’

The Nuggets went a franchise-best 10-1 in April, when ’Melo won Western Conference player of the month. Iverson said it’s that rhythm that will help Denver win in the playoffs regardless of venue.

‘‘You don’t want to go into the playoffs playing bad basketball because nine times out of 10, it’s going to continue to carry on. You can’t just turn the switch on and off. But if you’ve been playing with some type of rhythm and some type of confidence, then that helps,’’ Iverson said.

‘‘I think that’s going to be the most important thing. Just us having that confidence, having that swagger, knowing that we can win basketball games if we play the right way. We are going to be in a tough environment. It’s not going to be easy on us, but it’s something that we feel confident that we can overcome.’’
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NUGGETS vs. SPURS

Game 1, Sunday: Denver at San Antonio, 5 p.m., TNT
Game 2, Wednesday: Denver at San Antonio, 5 p.m., TNT
Game 3, April 28: San Antonio at Denver, 6 p.m., ESPN
Game 4, April 30: San Antonio at Denver, TBD
Game 5, May 2: Denver at San Antonio, TBD, if necessary
Game 6, May 4: San Antonio at Denver, TBD, if necessary
Game 7, May 6: Denver at San Antonio, TBD, if necessary

No. 3 San Antonio vs. No. 6 Denver

Nuts and bolts: Playoff-tested powerhouse encounters dangerous team that hits its stride late.

Opening game huge: Considering the momentum they've gained through wins in 10 of their last 11, the Nuggets are going to come into San Antonio expecting to win Game 1. They did it two years ago, which is something Gregg Popovich won't need to remind his team about. The Spurs went on to win the championship, but are well aware that the road started off rocky. They'll look to avoid that this time around.

Iverson's new role: It's going to be strange to see Iverson not trying to put a team on his back come playoff time, but that's not his role in Denver. You won't see him putting up 30 shots or isolating on every possession, in part because a sore left elbow has limited his effectiveness. He seems to be adjusting well with being more of a distributor, though, and the Nuggets have flourished as a result.

Need for speed: Iverson's quickness was a novelty when he came into the league a decade ago, and even at 30, he remains one of the fastest players. So it's got to be strange when he runs into someone faster, like San Antonio's Tony Parker. That matchup will be crucial, because both teams excel in transition. The last time they met, Iverson was still nursing a bum ankle and Parker took him apart.

Can Karl get to a Game 6?: George Karl has had a decent run as the Nuggets head coach, but hasn't been able to last more than five games in a playoff series. San Antonio ousted the 2005 squad he excelled with following his mid-season hire, and the L.A. Clippers did Denver in last year.

Immovable object, irresistible force: Bruce Bowen vs. 'Melo. The Spurs stopper has had his way with Anthony in the past, but an improved Anthony expects to do better.

"I'm much more mature than I was then," Anthony told the Rocky Mountain News. "I know what I have to do for us to win, which is not scoring 30, 35 points a game, especially not in the playoffs. I was young (in 2005) playing against a veteran guy like Bruce Bowen. Hopefully, I can go get my mental on right now."

The x-factor: With Tim Duncan and Marcus Camby patrolling around the rim, there's going to be little available at the basket outside of a few putbacks. That's going to put a lot of emphasis on jump shooting, an area where Denver struggles and San Antonio excels. That will make the difference.

How good is this series going to be?: The individual matchups alone make this series compelling. There are great defenders, scorers and coaches everywhere you look.

The selection: San Antonio in six. A healthy Duncan is not going to let his team lose a first-round series. Impossible.

Iverson, Nuggets pan for NBA gold

Goal of perfect match is to bring a basketball title to Denver

If Allen Iverson ever needs to be reminded why he's in Denver, a shiny, half-foot-tall hint sits in his locker stall.

It's a miniature replica of the Larry O'Brien Trophy, handed annually to the NBA champion.

"It's motivation," Iverson said. "I got it when I first got here."

That would be Dec. 19, when the Nuggets pulled off the biggest deal of the NBA season. Iverson, figuring he wasn't going to contend for a title any time soon in Philadelphia, didn't mind being dealt and has considered the Nuggets the perfect landing spot.

The feeling is mutual. Those on the Nuggets had heard the stories about Iverson's antics in Philadelphia, but they now wonder if this wily veteran is really the same guy.

Now, about that championship. Iverson, whose 76ers fell in the Finals to the Lakers in 2001, knows that's why he was summoned to Denver.

"I feel like that's why I was brought here, to help us become a better team, to have an impact on this team," the 6-foot guard said. "It's just been a great ride so far. But, to end the story, what better way to do it than to win a championship? That's what my mind is set on."

It won't be easy in his first Nuggets playoff go-round, with his sixth-seeded team in the Western Conference opening against No. 3 San Antonio, the NBA's hottest team after the All-Star break.

But Iverson, 31, has two years remaining on his contract and has said he wants to re-sign with the Nuggets after that.

"I've had fun," Iverson said. "It's been exciting, just being on a team where I can play my game."

For years, many believed Iverson's game mostly was hoisting shots. In 10-plus seasons with the 76ers, he averaged 28.1 points, winning four scoring titles.

But Iverson, who said he wasn't surrounded by much talent with the 76ers and was unfairly pigeonholed, has become content in Denver to step aside and let forward Carmelo Anthony be the big scorer.

After averaging 31.2 points in 15 Philadelphia games, Iverson averaged 24.8 in 50 Denver games for a seasonal mark of 26.3.

"A.I. gets a bad rap for being selfish," Hornets coach Byron Scott said of Iverson, whose Nuggets have won 11 straight games when he gets 10 or more assists. "But he wants to win. That's the bottom line. . . . He felt he had to score more (in Philadelphia), but now he's got a group of guys around him."

Iverson, though, arrived in Denver with plenty of baggage. His time with the 76ers was marred by squabbles with coaches. He didn't always show up on time, and his rant about "practice" remains a favorite highlight on sports stations.

But the only thing bordering on negative for Iverson in his Nuggets tenure has been a $25,000 NBA fine for being critical of referee Steve Javie. Iverson then apologized on three consecutive days.

"My first thought when I think of A.I., all the negative stuff out there, he's the exact opposite," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "I think A.I. has great leadership skills and has been a strong teammate in every way."

During the process before the trade, Karl said some observers believed Iverson would be well served just to get out of Philadelphia, where many negatives had surrounded him. Iverson agrees.

"I made mistakes," he said of his time there. "I did a lot of dumb things. I'm 31 years old (now). I was in Philadelphia 11 years. I did some young, dumb mistakes. I had to grow to be able to get to this point here. I'm a father of four, so I can't set no bad examples for them.

"I'm not the same person I was when I was 21, 22 years old. I'd be foolish if I was doing the same things I was doing then."

Iverson, though, said he doesn't "regret anything" from his 76ers years and has "learned from all the mistakes."

Now he seems content to dispense his wisdom to the Nuggets' many young players.

Iverson has become a mentor to Anthony, 22. With Anthony serving a 15-game suspension for fighting when Iverson arrived - and with Iverson missing eight games because of a sprained right ankle shortly after Anthony returned - it took time to mesh.

But it came together during the homestretch of the season. The Nuggets won 10 of their final 11 games.

"It took about 14 or 15 games for us to get it right," Anthony said. "It finally came this month. It couldn't have come at a better time."

Iverson also has taken under his wing Nuggets guard J.R. Smith, 21. Smith, in his third season, has had growing pains, including squabbles with coaches and serving a 10-game suspension for fighting in the Dec. 16 brawl that also cost Anthony.

"He's talking to me so much about my character and my attitude toward the game," Smith said. "He's just taught me a lot more than I've ever been taught. How to get steals and how to read the offensive player's mind. Just how to get open shots, and another thing, just root for the team when I'm not in there.

"He's totally different from what people perceive him to be. A lot of people think he's a bad guy. He's not that at all. He's a great teacher and just overall a genuine, great person."

Put it all together, and the Nuggets look to be in good shape. Vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien said the team has been "heading north" after an adjustment period after the Iverson deal.

The Nuggets have gone north in the standings. Iverson's reputation has gone north.

But what Iverson is concerned with most is trying to get through the rugged West, then claim the NBA title he long has sought.

Nuggets' buddy system working

Nuggets stars Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony enter playoffs hitting stride as double trouble for opponents.

Given a chance to gloat, Allen Iverson instead laughed off an opportunity to say "I told you so."

"You can say that," he said.

The laugh and smile faded.

Denver's trade for Iverson in December was one of the biggest stories in the NBA this season. Everyone had an opinion about how it would work and whether A.I. and Melo would share the ball. The evidence is in heading into the first-round playoff series against San Antonio. The Anthony-Iverson combo has hit its stride.

"That was a big deal for myself and (Carmelo), to be able to say that," Iverson continued. "And it just shows what type of players we are, to put our egos aside and try to accomplish the same goal. Both of us have the same goal, and that's to win a championship. The only way you're going to be able to do it is together."

Anthony said, "We knew it would work out."

Fast friends off the court, the two have given the Nuggets the look of a dangerous team on it, combining to average 55.2 of the Nuggets' 105.4 points per game.

"You've got two great scorers," Los Angeles Clippers forward Tim Thomas said. "They are going to cause problems for any team."

The Clippers ousted the Nuggets from the playoffs a year ago in part by smothering Anthony, who had little help at the offensive end.

"Last year, it was easy to send two guys at Carmelo to get the ball out of his hands, but this year it's a different team," Thomas said.

Said Nuggets center Marcus Camby: "On nights where they double- and triple-team Carmelo, it's good to have another scorer like A.I."

Iverson made his name and built his Hall of Fame résumé by keeping the Philadelphia 76ers afloat for 10-plus seasons, and doing it with flair. In Denver he has been happy to blend in, deferring when necessary or taking charge if needed.

"I'm trying to win a championship," Iverson said. "Anything less would be disappointing to me. I want to win a championship. That's it."

Getting it together

Only in the past month has Anthony openly admitted to "lying to myself" about the speed in which he and Iverson could perfect their on-court chemistry.

Nuggets coach George Karl never pretended the union would be a finished product from Day One.

"A comfort zone doesn't come in 2 1/2 months in the NBA," Karl said. "It usually comes in 2 1/2 years. But that doesn't mean you can't win games; it doesn't mean you can't figure it out in a short period of time."

After a rocky start, the duo inched over the .500 mark again after the 19th game that they were both in the lineup. The victory March 20 over New Jersey put Denver at 10-9 when both were on the court. A 9-1 finish leading up to the regular-season finale, when both sat out, pushed Denver to 20-15 with the Melo-A.I. combination.

"We knew it would take some time," Anthony said. "It took a couple of games, but once it started, it started."

Lakers star Kobe Bryant said he never doubted the Nuggets' tandem would produce.

"It looks good to me," Bryant said. "You got one guy penetrating on the perimeter doing his thing and another guy on the low post. It's a serious threat. We couldn't do anything with it. That's why we had to go to a zone."

Both sacrificed parts of their offensive game to make it work. When Anthony returned from his 15-game suspension in January, he was leading the league in scoring with a 31.6-point average. Iverson came to Denver averaging 31.2 points, second best in the league.

Both since have fallen, with Anthony finishing second to Bryant at 28.9 points per game while Iverson finished eighth overall, at 26.3. And while they are taking fewer shots than before, they have raised their efficiency level. Iverson was shooting 41.3 percent in Philadelphia compared to 45.4 percent in Denver's free-wheeling, fast-breaking system.

"He plays with a lot of heart, a lot of energy," Bryant said of Iverson. "What I like about him is he's extremely creative."

Different playoff dynamic

Anthony is better off now. He knows that.

In each of the past three postseasons he has had an "S" on his chest and therefore a target on his back. The Spurs in 2005 and the Clippers last season made it clear their objective was to get the ball out of Anthony's hands and force someone else - anyone else - to try to beat them. The Nuggets didn't have anybody else.

"It's going to be hard for them to say it now," Anthony said.

Iverson is the reason. A longtime Western Conference scout viewed the Anthony-Iverson combo through a lens similar to the 1994-95 Houston Rockets, who won the NBA title as a No. 6 seed with the combination of Hakeem Olajuwon (27.8 points per game) and Clyde Drexler (21.4).

"When you have two guys that can go for 40 points each, that's scary," the scout said.

Iverson averages 30.6 points for his career in the playoffs, and some of his triumphs have grown into legend. At the top of the list is his 48-point performance in Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals, leading Philadelphia to an upset victory in overtime; the 76ers lost the series in five games to Bryant's Lakers.

"The last couple of years in the playoffs, we had a lot of teams just load up on Melo and make it tough for the other guys out there," Camby said. "But now you have to sort of pick your poison. If you try to take Melo away, it's going to free up A.I., and he just relishes that moment.

"He's a big-time scorer and probably one of the best clutch players ever to go down in history."

Anthony said he is relieved not to bear the burden of carrying the team alone. He dismisses the idea that he and Iverson would fight over the basketball during the playoff spotlight. And Anthony has a lot to prove with a career playoff average of 18.6 points - nearly six points less than his regular-season average - and a shooting percentage of .362.

"It's going to work," Anthony said. "We've got seven games. One night he might win a game by himself; one night I might win one; one night the rest of the team might win one. But we're going to go out there and compete, I can tell you that."

Equal Opportunity:
A look at games in which Nuggets stars Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony have shared the floor this season.
http://www.denverpost.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=1499158

Blending into a dangerous mix

Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson are blending into a dangerous duo. This was always a sure thing.

The question was if the duo would be dangerous to the Denver Nuggets or to their opponents. So far, it’s the opponents who are getting blitzed.

A fresh optimism permeates the Nuggets, long one of the NBA’s losing franchises. Denver has won nine of its past 10. The team is healthy. Best of all, Anthony and Iverson have declined to squabble.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson offered one of his usual half-smiles.

“They’re both talented and they both want to win and they’re both sharing the basketball,” Jackson said.

Here’s the problem. Yes, the Nuggets have been powerful and wonderful in recent weeks, but the San Antonio Spurs are more powerful and wonderful.

It’s the Nuggets extreme bad fortune to begin battle with the Spurs on Sunday in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Only a clueless optimist expects the Nuggets to survive this series.

I don’t usually embrace moral victories, but this series is different. If Denver can push the Spurs to seven games, the Nuggets can walk happily and hopefully into the offseason.

Futile is the best way to describe the Nuggets playoff history. The franchise has won a total of nine playoff games since 1988, and the Nuggets have suffered three consecutive 4-1 playoff ousters. Each was swift and lacking in drama.

The Anthony-Iverson duo offers Nuggets fans hope. Not for a series victory, but at least for a touch of excitement. Anthony and Iverson both adore a big stage and the chance it offers to show off their talents.

The NBA playoffs offer that stage. Expect the duo to combine for more than 60 points at least once.

Iverson has shown surprising maturity and restraint since arriving in Denver. In Philadelphia, it was always about Allen. He was a basketball anarchist who left a franchise in shreds.

At first, Iverson didn’t blend with Anthony and the Nuggets. He seemed too eager to serve his teammates.

Iverson lost the best part of his old act.

Anthony scrunched his face when he remembered the first few tense weeks.

“I was lying to myself, but I had to tell myself it would work right away,” Anthony said.

Slowly, Iverson grew into a new persona. He still shows flashes of Allen the Anarchist. He still launches ridiculous shots.

But he’s committed to team, to winning, to finishing his career the right way.

And he still can score. He humiliated Steve Nash in March, dropping 44 points on the two-time MVP. The Spurs won’t be able to follow recent playoff strategy by surrounding Anthony while ignoring all others.

The Lakers’ Kobe Bryant shook his head when he considered the offensive punch Iverson brings to the Nuggets.

“They have a weapon they can go to when they really need it,” Bryant said. “It’s not like when he was at Philadelphia, when he had to score 30 points a game. He can wait for an
opportune time.”

Iverson’s new generosity means the Nuggets should be mighty next season. With a healthy Nene and a wiser J.R. Smith and, of course, the Anthony-Iverson duo, Denver could fly among the NBA’s top teams with a realistic ambition to travel to the Western Conference Finals.

But that’s next season. This season, the Nuggets must refuse to make a quick exit.

Toppling the Spurs? Highly unlikely, but delivering an emotional, physical seven-game challenge should be the expectation.