Getting your player ready...
The Nuggets lost to the Lakers in the Western Conference finals, but that’s all they lost. For the most part, it’s all good in Nuggets Nation.
Why? Because their season didn’t just provide snapshot moments and lasting memories. It changed who they are. Finally, a generation after joining the NBA, they have what it takes to win a championship. Namely, work ethic, toughness and a commitment to defense. Less rap, more heavy mettle.
Chauncey Billups, right, when asked how the Nuggets had grown in the conference finals: “We showed them we’re not going anywhere. We’re going to play, we’re going to fight to the end. Win or lose, we’re going to fight. It’s going to be a fight every single night.” Doug Pensinger, Getty Images
