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

The Nuggets were led by Carmelo Anthony’s 25 points in 30 minutes. J.R. Smith had 20 points off the bench in 23 minutes, while rookie point guard Ty Lawson chipped in with 13 points and six assists.

Kobe Bryant was uncharacteristically quiet for the Lakers. In 34 minutes of action, Bryant had 19 points, three rebounds, two assists and four turnovers.

For the Lakers, they can point to the fact that Pau Gasol is still out injured as a reason why they can still be confident against the Nuggets. That said, to say that the Nuggets will be the biggest challenge for the Lakers on their way to the 2010 NBA Finals wouldn’t be too much of a stretch.

Carmelo Anthony - Denver Nuggets (Image: Zuma Press)

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Nuggets Destroy Lakers in Denver

5. San Antonio Spurs
In their first game of the season, the Spurs looked dominant against the Hornets. They tripped up in their second game but San Antonio should be good this season.

4. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets won both of their games in impressive fashion. First they beat the Jazz at home and then went on the road and defeated the Blazers. The Nuggets look like they are for real.

3. Orlando Magic
After going undefeated in the preseason, the Magic extended their good play by winning the first game of the 2009-10 NBA season. Orlando has a real chance to win more than 60 games this season.

2. Boston Celtics
The season couldn’t have started much better for Boston. After going on the road to beat the Cavs, the Celtics then obliterated the Bobcats.

1. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers got their championship rings from their work last year and then won their season opener. That’s enough to keep the Lakers on top of the heap.

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are still the best of the best (Image: Zuma Press)

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NBA Power Rankings – October Edition

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

Joey Graham joins the Denver Nuggets (Image: Zuma Press)

Last year with the Raptors, Graham averaged 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game. All three of those stats were career-highs for the 27-year-old who played college basketball with his twin brother, Stephen Graham, at Oklahoma State.

The Nuggets would love if Graham could finally live up to his potential. Denver lost Dahntay Jones in free agency to the Indiana Pacers and Linas Kleiza to Europe. Minus those two swingmen, the Nuggets have brought in Graham and traded for Arron Afflalo and James White.

Preseason begins October 1st for the Nuggets as they take on the Utah Jazz. The Nuggets also play the Jazz to open the 2009-10 NBA regular season on October 28th.

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Joey Graham to Attend Nuggets Camp

JR Smith, who has a chance to start for the Denver Nuggets this season, was suspended for seven games for a reckless driving charge he pleaded guilty to during the offseason. Last year, Smith averaged 15.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 27.7 minutes per game. Each of those stats were a career-high for Smith, who also shot 44.6% from the field and 39.7% from being the three-point arc.

Jason Richardson of the Phoenix Suns received a two-game suspension for pleading guilty to drunken driving. Richardson, who will start at shooting guard next season for the Suns, was traded to Phoenix early last year. He averaged 16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest in 33.1 minutes.

Smith and Richardson won’t be paid during their respective suspensions. Even though they will be suspended to start the regular season, they will be able to participate in training camp and preseason play.

JR Smith Suspended - Denver Nuggets (Image: Zuma Press)

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JR Smith and Jason Richardson Suspended

Balkman was arrested in the city of Temple Terrance. The 25-year-old may face fines and/or a suspension from the NBA.

Prior to last season, Balkman was traded from the New York Knicks to the Nuggets. In 53 games, he averaged 5.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.9 steal per contest in 14.7 minutes. It was his third season in the NBA after spending his first two years with the Knicks.

This coming season, the 6-foot-8 forward is likely to have a bench role with the team. He’s a player who always plays with a high amount of energy and is capable of playing both small forward and power forward. With Linas Kleiza signing in Europe, Balkman could receive a good chunk of his minutes.

Renaldo Balkman - Denver Nuggets (Image: Zuma Press)

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Renaldo Balkman Arrested in Florida

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

For the Pistons, this move made sense because they will now have about $3.5 million to go after a free agent such as Drew Gooden or Ben Gordon. Sharpe wasn’t in the long-term plans and Afflalo was a replaceable piece.

Afflalo was the gem of this trade for the Nuggets. After losing Dahntay Jones in free agency to the Indiana Pacers, the Nuggets needed a defensive swingman. Enter Arron Afflalo. Though he’s not much of a scorer, he’s a scrappy defender who plays hard every possession.

While this was a noteworthy deal, it’s not nearly as big as the last time these two teams swapped players. Early last season, the Nuggets and the Pistons swapped Allen Iverson and Chauncey Billups. When all was said and done, the Nuggets were ecstatic to have Billups and Iverson was a disaster in Detroit.

Arron Afflalo Traded to the Nuggets (Image: Zuma Press)

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Arron Afflalo Traded to the Denver Nuggets

Sticking the dagger into Denver’s hearts was none other than Kobe Bryant. The Lakers superstar finished the game with 35 points, ten assists and six rebounds in 42 minutes of play. He connected on 12-of-20 shots from the field and all nine of his free throws.

Helping out Bryant on the night were bigmen Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Both bigs finished with 20 points, with Gasol pulling down 12 and Odom grabbing eight. Trevor Ariza, who got off to a fast start, totaled 17 point on the night.

For Denver, the struggles were on both ends of the court. They couldn’t slow the Lakers and they had trouble scoring on the other end. Carmelo Anthony led the way with 25 points, but he hit only 6-of-17 from the floor. Chauncey Billups also struggled from the field, hitting 2-of-7 shots. Off the bench, J.R. Smith was arguably Denver’s best player. The young Nugget had 24 points in 32 minutes.

While the Nuggets now grab their fishing gear, the Lakers will sit back to see whether the Orlando Magic or the Cleveland Cavaliers advance to the 2009 NBA Finals from the Eastern Conference.

Kobe Bryant Headed to the 2009 NBA Finals (Image: Zuma Press)

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Lakers Win, Headed to the 2009 NBA Finals