Denver Nuggets Tickets

Denver Nuggets 2010 Playoffs Preview The Denver Nuggets have been one of the hardest teams to figure out this season, going from strong contender to struggling to reach the finish line.

The team's late-season problems can be at least partially blamed on head coach George Karl's medical issues. Karl has been receiving treatment for cancer and has not been able to be with the team consistently.

The Nuggets made it a point to win games for Karl in his absence, but it hasn't proven to be that easy. Apparently his coaching was making a difference on this team.

When it comes to hitting big-time shots in critical situations, Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups are two of the best in the business. Many think Anthony is the best player in the league for game-ending situations. That's high praise in a league with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

Anthony's mid-range game is probably the best in the NBA, and he has finally matured and started to listen to his coaches. He has made more of an effort on the defensive end and become a team player, taking a victory over putting up a ton of points.

One key for the Nuggets will be the health of Kenyon Martin. The center returned to action for the final few games of the season after a long absence and seemed to get back to form pretty quickly.

Another key will be J.R. Smith. Smith comes and goes depending on whether or not his three-point shoots are falling. He is very streak, so when they are going down, he can pile up the points in a hurry. If he can be a consistent scorer, the Nuggets will be very difficult to beat.

Denver has proven at different times throughout the year they have the capabilities of beating the very best teams in the NBA on a consistent basis and being a serious title contender.

Somehow, someway, the Nuggets always seems to do stupid things and beat themselves in the playoffs. The team is going to have to show a maturation and avoid just dumb mistakes if they really want a shot at the championship.