Blizzard? Seemed more like a drizzle to the powder-blue thousands who weathered the weather to arrive at the Pepsi Center on Wednesday.
The Nuggets’ season got underway against the Utah Jazz, which is followed on the Denver schedule by tonight’s game at Portland. If you’re counting, that’s two division rivals in two nights.
So, yeah, there was excitement at the Pepsi Center before tipoff Wednesday because it was opening night. But the fact is, Denver plays these teams just four times each this season, so 25 percent of the games will occur before November even arrives. And last season, Denver won the Northwest Division by a tiebreaker because the Nuggets had the same record (54-28) as the Trail Blazers.
This season, Nuggets coach George Karl is especially wary of the Jazz, which dealt with injury issues for much of last season.
“They’re going to be good to great,” Karl said. “Will they figure out how to push it to the next level? I think they’re motivated to do that. Their young players have matured into dangerous players. Deron Williams is looking at being an MVP-type candidate. Any four of their big guys can be leaders of winning a game.”
As for the Nuggets, they will have to weather another storm — playing their first seven games without sharpshooter J.R. Smith, who has been suspended by the NBA. Karl went with veteran guard Anthony Carter to start Wednesday’s opener with Chauncey Billups in the Denver backcourt. But it’s possible Arron Afflalo and Joey Graham could get starts soon.
