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Big task at hand for Nuggets: Defeat the elite

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 1, 2009 at 10 p.m.

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Nuggets guard Anthony Carter says Denver must "upgrade" against better teams if it is to be considered one itself.

Photo by Brian Lehmann / The Rocky

Nuggets guard Anthony Carter says Denver must "upgrade" against better teams if it is to be considered one itself.

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Well into last season, before a game against San Antonio, then- Nuggets guard Allen Iverson declared, "We're an elite team."

So what happened the rest of the way? The Nuggets, then tied for the NBA's sixth-best record, finished with only the No. 8 seed in the West and were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Lakers.

Denver (31-16) has the sixth- best mark in the NBA, is No. 3 in the West and Tuesday plays host to the Spurs. So what's the main guy acquired in the Nov. 3 trade for Iverson saying about the Nuggets' elite status?

"We're getting there," guard Chauncey Billups said. "We're not as close as I wish we was."

Billups knows one statistic is keeping Denver from receiving an invitation to the NBA's exclusive fraternity. While the Nuggets are a staggering 19-1 against teams currently with losing records, they're only 11-15 against winners (Denver also has a win against .500 Philadelphia).

"When you're trying to break into that elite group . . . to do great against the teams that are not so great, that's one thing," Billups said. "We've passed that. . . . Now it's time to start trying to beat some of the elite teams."

Billups' backup at point guard, Anthony Carter, agrees.

"We've got to upgrade our team against the better teams over .500," he said.

The Nuggets have that opportunity against the Spurs (32-14), who will bring in the second-best mark in the West. Carter calls the game a "measuring stick," and teammate Carmelo Anthony concurs.

"This is a big test for us," Anthony said. "In our minds, we feel like we're one of the better teams in the Western Conference. A game like Tuesday can validate that."

Coach George Karl has identified a goal of winning 80 percent of games against losing teams and splitting with winners. If a team plays 41 games against winners and 41 against losers, that equals 53-29. The Nuggets' winning percentage is .950 against losing outfits. But they're just .423 against winners.

"I agree that we need more mental toughness in some big games," Karl said. "We've come out the mentally weak team in some games against big teams."

Comments

  • February 2, 2009

    8:31 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    lsider writes:

    thank god we got chauncy to help our team mature, he exudes mental toughness. i think he's the most mentally tough guy in the nba other than maybe timmy d, shaq, and kobe. just look at detroit this year compared to last. we need all the good character guys we can get. it's good to see the nuggs win, but with billups we win the right way. he doesn't have to play a set number of minutes and understands he doesn't have to take over games he just waits for when the time is right. karl, please design some offensive plays to get him open at the top of the key or the free throw line i think this will improve his shooting percentage. i remember rick majerus doing it for andre miller when he was playing for the utes, i think that utah team finished second in the nation and cb is a better shooter than miller. chauncy billups is my favorite native coloradan, other than me.

  • February 2, 2009

    10:24 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jbowen43 writes:

    Chauncy's mental toughness needs to translate to his shot selection.

  • February 2, 2009

    11:48 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    anthony1979 writes:

    Who cares what AC has to say! He is HORRIBLE...He is a good guy but he needs to get released and we need a new backup PG

  • February 2, 2009

    12:37 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jersey writes:

    Hey "Karnac" Tomasson, hindsight is 20-20. When A-I made the comment they were at that point and "elite" team. Given what eventually transpired we can now see he was premature as to his optimism. Chauncey said it best in "We are getting there". I feel he is correct but more guarded. And the problem is?

  • February 6, 2009

    5:40 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    liam3323 writes:

    i agree with that so much isider, if D-Wade(when healthy) or Lebron or Kobe had this supporting cast that Carmelo has it would be championships, and Melo doesnt have to be Kobe or be Wade, he just has to be Melo, cuz he IS GOOD ENOUGH/TALENTED ENOUGH to get to that level as a player and this team could win championships as a result of it, all he has to do is put in the 110% work and effort day in and day out in all phases of the team and game...... if he does that (like Bird and MAgic and MJ did as you noted... and like Kobe and Wade and Garnett and Lebron do now-days) than we could head to greatness, only the spurs and lakers would be our competition in this conference.....

    That is the truth.