Nuggets Get Their Answer for a Missing 'Melo

How do you respond to losing the top scorer in the NBA? If you're the Denver Nuggets, just go out and acquire the second leading scorer. In the aftermath of the league's decision to suspend their top two performers for a lengthy period, the Denver Nuggets struck a deal with the Philadelphia 76ERS to acquire Allen Iverson. One of the most celebrated Philly athletes ever, Iverson will be switching NBA uniforms for the first time since the franchise made him the top overall pick in the 1996 draft. While Sixers fans will have a tough time saying goodbye, the move couldn't come at a better time for Denver. Disregarding the fact he is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, acquiring Iverson pushed stories of Saturday night's brawl to the back pages. They not only got a scorer they coveted, they were able to turn a negative situation in to a positive in a very short time.

For the immediate future, the edge goes to Denver in this deal. They bring in a bona-fide superstar to help contend in an ultra-competitive Western Conference. Iverson is capable of carrying the offense until Anthony returns and brings a lot of intangibles that Coach Karl covets in a player. Also headed to Denver is youngster Ivan McFarlin, an athletic forward who will only see limited minutes. Although the Nuggets benefit greatly from this deal, they gave up a lot to acquire Iverson. Gone is steady PG Andre Miller, reserve forward Joe Smith, as well as two #1 draft picks. Miller is a big guard who distributes well, can grab rebounds, and also gets to the basket effectively. Smith was only thrown in to the deal for his expiring contract, but can still give the Sixers a boost off the bench. I think the Nuggets will hurt more from the loss of Miller than people are anticipating. They are now left with Earl Boykins as their best true point guard, who teamed with Iverson, would make a tremendously undersized guard tandem. Either Iverson or J.R Smith will be relied on to handle the ball more than they're accustomed to if they want to keep enough size on the court. Also, Smith had finally been thriving as a true shooting guard, it'll be interesting to see if his progress is hindered by the acquistion of Iverson.

The only other question left to be answered by Iverson is whether he can co-exist with Carmelo Anthony. For the first time in his career, Iverson will be the number two guy. While his adjustment to the thin air of the Rockies will take place with Carmelo inactive, he will get a chance to mesh with Anthony in late January. Iverson's always been known to take lots of ill-advised shots and has had trouble getting teammates involved. With Andre Miller gone, the Nuggets will need someone to step up and create shot opportunities for everyone else on the court. If Iverson can help fill that void, this Nuggets team could be very dangerous when the playoffs roll around.