In 38 minutes, Iverson had 11 points, six assists and five rebounds. He hit 4-of-11 shots from the field and 3-of-4 shots from the line. While noticeably tired, Iverson didn’t look too horribly out of shape.

Despite the loss, it wasn’t all bad for the Sixers. They led after each of the first three quarters. It took Chauncey Billups exploding for 31 points and eight assists for the Nuggets to win their fourth straight game.

For Philadelphia, they need to see quick returns on their Iverson investment. They have now lost ten straight games and can’t afford many more losses if they want to make the 2010 NBA Playoffs.

Is Allen Iverson the answer? We’ll find out.

Allen Iverson returned to the Philadelphia 76ers (Image: Zuma Press)

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Allen Iverson Returns, Sixers Lose

Anthony finished the game with 41 points — 19 of which were scored in the fourth quarter. His big finish allowed the Nuggets to outscore the Blazers in the fourth 35-27 to win by a final score of 97-94. Anthony shot 11-of-21 from the field and 18-of-19 from the line. He also had six rebounds three assists and one steal.

Chauncey Billups was also big for the Nuggets, scoring 22 points, dishing out six assists and pulling down four rebounds. The Blazers were led by Brandon Roy’s 30 points, while Rudy Fernandez chipped in 22 points off the bench.

The Nuggets next play the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, while the Blazers travel to Houston to play the Rockets on Saturday.

Carmelo Anthony - Denver Nuggets (Image: Zuma Press)

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Carmelo Anthony Carries Nuggets to 2-0 Start

5. Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets
When it comes to leadership and leading by example, Chauncey Billups might be the best point guard in the NBA. He knows how to win and uses his strength to dominate the action.

4. Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
Although he’s getting older, Steve Nash is still a handful. He’s a deadly shooter who is one of the top two passers in the NBA. With the Suns reverting to the run-and-gun style, Nash should have another very good season.

3. Deron Williams, Utah Jazz
Deron Williams can do it all. When healthy and at the top of his game, he shows as much talent as any point guard in the league. The next step for him is to be consistently great.

2. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
Out of all the point guards on this list, Tony Parker has the best history in terms of winning. His elite speed causes headaches and his passing is underrated.

1. Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
Right now, it’s not even very close. Chris Paul is far and away the best point guard in the NBA. He mixes skill with competitiveness at a level that is difficult to match in NBA history.

Chris Paul - New Orleans Hornets (Image: Zuma Press)

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Best Point Guards in the NBA

Known for his defense, ability to pass the ball and his leadership, Carter played relatively well last year. In 78 games, he averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 assists in 22.9 minutes per game. He shot 43.3% from the field and 73.1% from the line.

In the playoffs, Carter played well against the Dallas Mavericks in the second round but struggled against both the New Orleans Hornets and the Los Angeles Lakers.

For the 2009-10 NBA season, Carter is expected to have a smaller role. During the 2009 draft, the Nuggets traded for point guard Ty Lawson and Lawson is expected to be Chauncey Billups’ backup next season. As a result, Carter will likely be the team’s third point guard and could be used as a defensive specialist in certain situations.

Anthony Carter - Denver Nuggets (Image: Zuma Press)

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Nuggets Re-sign Point Guard Anthony Carter

Those two points by Billups proved to be key in the Denver Nuggets’ Game 2 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. In a tight fourth quarter battle, the Nuggets were able to eek out a 106-103 victory. The game was decided at the end when Derek Fisher of the Lakers missed a desperation three-pointer.

Billups finished the contest with 27 points, four assists and two rebounds. While Billups was very good, the real star for Denver was once again Carmelo Anthony. The talented forward poured in 34 points, grabbed nine rebounds, handed out four assists and blocked a shot. Kenyon Martin and Linas Kleiza both chipped in with 16 points for the Nuggets.

As you would have guessed, Kobe Bryant was the star for the Lakers. Number 24 totaled 32 points on 10-for-20 from the field and 10-for-10 shooting at the line. Trevor Ariza had 20 points, while Pau Gasol scored 17 points and grabbed 17 rebounds.

Game 3 will be played in Denver on Saturday.

Video of Chauncey Billups Bouncing the Ball Off of Kobe Bryant (Image: Newscom)

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Chauncey Billups Video – Bounce Off Kobe

Who will win in this series between the Lakers and the Nuggets? Here are five reasons why I think the Lakers will beat the Nuggets in seven games:

1) Best Player in the Series
When predicting who will win a series in the NBA, a lot of the time the team with the best player in the series will come out on top. While Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups are great players, Kobe Bryant is easily the best player in the series.

2) Chauncey Billups’ Recent History
It’s undeniable that Billups is playing great basketball. However, if you have been following him in recent years, you’ll notice how he’s had trouble in the conference finals in the last three postseasons. Last year, Rajon Rondo ran circles around him. If he breaks down again, the Lakers will romp.

3) Lakers Have Homecourt Advantage
Both of these teams are very good at home. The Lakers used their homecourt advantage to dispose of the Rockets and they’ll likely need that advantage to take care of the Nuggets.

4) Lakers More Talented
Outside of Kobe, the Lakers have a lot of talent. Pau Gasol is an All-Star player. Andrew Bynum is one of the best young centers in the NBA. Lamar Odom is immensely talented. Trevor Ariza and Derek Fisher are above average role players.

5) Nuggets Lack of Chemistry
When push comes to shove, will the Nuggets have enough chemistry not to crack? I’m not sold on that fact. I think the Nuggets will begin to fracture once the pressure is dialed up a few notches.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (Image: Newscom)

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Lakers vs. Nuggets Prediction – WCF Preview

Billups was at it, Dahntay Jones was at it—no surprise there. Nene and Kenyon Martin were throwing their chiseled bodies around like they were the Bad Boys. Martin, especially, is always going to get his worth when fouling,  not a lot of And 1’s via a Martin foul. Carter, Smith and Andersen off the bench played like the spark plugs that they are. Birdman is becoming a Denver legend, yes?

One performer really cemented himself in my eyes as a legitimate superstar. Carmelo Anthony.   He was playing defense, and playing it well. George Karl must be elated—Carmelo buying in on defense, that might just be too much.

No matter Denver’s opponent in the Western Conference Finals, I can say Denver will be my pick to come out on top. When watching them it looks as if the team is on a mission. They can thank Billups for that, he knows what this time of the year is all about. But also they should thank themselves. They could have just reverted back to their old selves—all flash, little substance, no hope. But just as Carmelo stated in his post game comments on the court, Chauncey is a leader.  He’s the difference.

And by way of a reputable, proven example, Carmelo is finally becoming a leader as well.  Plus, he ain’t half bad on the court either.

Melo doing his best Dr. J impersonation (Image:Newscom)

Joe Dumars is taking thank you cards now, Nuggets fans.

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Denver’s Got My Vote

Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups were the stars for the Nuggets. Anthony led the way with 30 points, five assists and three assists, while Billups had 28 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds. Anthony hit 13-of-22 field goald attempts and Billups of 10-of-16. J.R. Smith, Nene and Kenyon Martin chipped in with 18, 17 and 15 points, respectively.

As expected, Dirk Nowitzki was the star for the Mavericks. The superstar forward out of Germany had 32 points, ten rebounds and seven assists, while hitting 9-of-17 shots from the field and 12-of-12 free throws. Jason Kidd had 19 points and nine assists, while Brandon Bass had 17 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

The Nuggets will play either the Los Angeles Lakers or the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers hold a 3-2 lead in the series and will be looking to eliminate the Rockets in Houston in Game 6.

Chauncey Billups is headed to the Western Conference Finals (Image: Newscom)

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Nuggets Topple Mavs, Advance to the WCF

The Nuggets, who won the game by a final score of 117-105, got 25 points from both Nene and Carmelo Anthony. Chauncey Billups chipped in with 18 points and eight assists, while J.R. Smith poured in 21 points from off the bench.

For Dallas, it was the Dirk Nowitzki show. The German bigman had 35 points, nine rebounds and four assists. 2009 Sixth Man of the Year Jason Terry had 21 points and six assists from off the bench.

Going back to the regular season, the Nuggets are now 6-0 against the Mavs. The next two games of this series will be played in Dallas. Game 3 will be on Saturday, while Monday is the date for Game 4.

Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets (Image: Newscom)

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Nuggets Crush the Mavs Again, Go Up 2-0

Chauncey Billups and the Nuggets Win by 58 Points (Image: Newscom)

The 58-point margin of victory tied the largest in the history of the NBA. In 1956, the Lakers beat the Hawks 133-75.

The Nuggets finished with seven players in double-digits. Carmelo Anthony led the way with 26 points and seven rebounds, while Chauncey Billups chipped in 17 points and eight assists. Linas Kleiza, J.R. Smith, Chris Andersen and Nene also finished the game with between 11 and 14 points.

For the Hornets, superstar point guard Chris Paul was held in check. He had four points, six assists and six turnovers in 36 minutes. All-Star forward David West led the way with 14 points. New Orleans as a team shot just 31.5% from the floor, 2-of-15 from three-point land and turned the ball over 26 times.

Said Anthony about his team’s route: “I wouldn’t have thought that we would win by 58 points. I never thought anyone could win by 58 points in the playoffs.”

The Nuggets will try to end the Hornets’ season on Wednesday in Denver in Game 5.

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Nuggets Stomp Hornets by 58 in New Orleans