NBA All-Star Weekend is just days away, in New York City, and there are probably only a few fan bases less enthused than the Denver Nuggets’.
And with good reason (unless, of course, you’re ).
This coming weekend, these past few weeks – shoot, everything about the Nuggets this season is just a bummer.
So forget 2015.
Let’s go back to 2005, when the Nuggets were just a few weeks into a 32-8 run under new coach George Karl, had a second-yard star in Carmelo Anthony and were the hosts of All-Star Weekend. This was life in ’05:
1. The Slam Dunk Contest returned to its birthplace, and rookie Josh Smith was named crowned champion after leaping over Kenyon Martin and paying tribute to Dominique Wilkins:
2. Mark McGrath, a celebrity all-star, was still cool:
3. Minka Kelly, she of Derek Jeter and “Friday Night Lights” fame, was dating Donald Faison:
4. LeBron and Carmelo played on the same team – the Sophomore Team of the Rising Stars Challenge — and Melo was named MVP:
5. Remember the hip-hop violinist? Sure you do:
6. Steve Nash still had his long, flowing locks:
7. The SuperSonics still existed:
8. Earl Boykins — all 5 feet, 5 inches of him — was a Nugget:
9. Destiny’s Child was still together:
10. And lastly: This photo. A personal favorite. Manu still had hair, Yao was still playing and towering over everyone, A.I. led the league in scoring (and won MVP of the All-Star Game) and Kobe, already with three titles, still had the majority of his ligaments intact:
Bonus: Shaq. On the bench. On the phone:
CHEW ON THIS
• The NBA unveiled an interactive basketball map of New York and it’s AMAZING. .
• Happy 55th birthday to .
• Melo is close to . George is .
• In case you missed it, Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels of Super Bowl XLIX to Peter King and it was pretty great.
• Hope you’re ready for spring training, because this furry little guy is.
Nicki Jhabvala: njhabvala@denverpost.com or twitter.com/nickijhavala
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