Tuesday at Nuggets training camp

Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 3, 2007 at midnight

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Short people have plenty of reason to live on with the Nuggets.

The Nuggets no longer have 5-foot-5 reserve Earl Boykins, but they soon might unveil the NBA's smallest starting backcourt. Six-foot Allen Iverson is a starter and 5-11 Chucky Atkins is the leading candidate to be the other.

"There are a lot of big 'two' guards in the league and they're going to try to post them up," center Marcus Camby said. "We have to cover those guys' backs."

If Iverson starts at shooting guard and Atkins at the point, the average size in the backcourt would be 5-11 1/2, 3 inches smaller than the next tiniest NBA unit. If coach George Karl starts 6-1 Anthony Carter instead of Atkins, the average size would barely top 6 feet.

At least the Nuggets won't come close to having the smallest recent starting backcourt. That distinction went to whichever team from 1987 to 2001 featured 5-3 Muggsy Bogues.

Calling Mr. Oden

When Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin heard Portland rookie Greg Oden will miss the season after undergoing microfracture knee surgery, he sprung into action.

"I gave him a call," Martin said.

Nobody without a medical degree knows microfracture surgery better than Martin. He is recovering from having had it in November on his right knee and in 2006 on his left.

Martin also knows about being a top draft pick and being hurt. He went through that in 2000-01, trying to overcome a broken leg.

"I was just trying to reach out to a young kid," Martin said. "Coming into my rookie year, I had to go through it. I wanted to give words of encouragement. That can go a long way. He sounded down. But I'm pretty sure my phone call helped him."

Etc.

• The Nuggets began training camp Tuesday with two workouts. Karl is using the morning for conditioning and the evening for contact work, a reversal from previous seasons. "I'm in better shape than I thought," said forward Carmelo Anthony, who admits to being a "little tired" after a second straight summer playing for USA Basketball.

• Martin, who has yet to play five-on-five and won't until doctors clear him, participated only in the morning. "If it was up to me, I'd just go," Martin said. "But that probably wouldn't be the best thing."

• Nene, limited at least the first week of camp because of a calf strain, sat out both sessions.

• Nuggets single-game regular-season tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. Tickets, priced from $10 to $110, are available at the Pepsi Center, Ticketmaster outlets, Ticket master.com or by calling 303-830-8497 or 719-520-9090.

He said it

"He's going to have a lot of duties. He'll be carrying a lot of bags and doing a lot of errands."

Iverson, on Nuggets forward Bobby Jones, who, as a rookie last year with Philadelphia, handled Iverson's chores before the guard was dealt to Denver.

Tall and short of it

The Nuggets potentially will have the shortest starting backcourt in the NBA, and it might not be close. The NBA's potential three shortest backcourts and three tallest:

SHORTEST Average Team Point guard Height Shooting guard Height height

Nuggets Chucky Atkins 5-11 Allen Iverson 6-0 5-11 1/2

Dallas Devin Harris 6-3 Jason Terry 6-2 6-2 1/2

Miami Jason Williams 6-1 Dwyane Wade 6-4 6-2 1/2

TALLEST Average Team Point guard Height Shooting guard Height height

Indiana Jamaal Tinsley 6-3 Mike Dunleavy 6-9 6-6

Houston Steve Francis 6-3 Tracy McGrady 6-8 6-5 1/2

Minnesota Randy Foye 6-4 Ricky Davis 6-7 6-5 1/2

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