February 16, 2009 11:43 PM
Motivated Anthony a Nuggets key
By Chris Tomasson
Rocky Mountain News
They held an All-Star Game without Melo.
Maybe this will turn out to be a good thing for him.
Even though it's understandable Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, who missed 15 games in the season's first half, was passed over by West coaches as a reserve for Sunday's game, it never hurts to have extra motivation.
"I think he's going to have a chip on his shoulder because he's truly one of the best players in this league,'' Nuggets All-Star guard Chauncey Billups said about Anthony's snub.
The Nuggets will take anything they can get in the second half as they jockey for playoff position. It certainly also could help that Anthony, who has had a sore right elbow this season in addition to missing 10 games last month with a broken right hand, got some extra rest during All-Star Weekend.
Coach George Karl doesn't mind the extra rest the Nuggets are getting around All-Star Weekend. In recent years, they've played on the Wednesday before the break and the Tuesday after it. But this time, after playing last Wednesday at Orlando, they don't play again until Wednesday at Philadelphia.
"I'm excited,'' Billups said. "Second half. This is where it gets real serious.''
During the second half, the Nuggets' first goal is to hold off Portland and Utah to win the Northwest Division. Their second goal is to finish with the No. 2 or No. 3 seed, definitely wanting to avoid No. 4 since that could mean a second-round date with the mighty Lakers.
That is, if the Nuggets finally can win a first-round series. Guard Tony Parker, whose San Antonio Spurs, ousted the Nuggets in the first round in 2005 and 2007, believes they finally are primed to do that.
"I think they'll have a better chance this year,'' Parker said. "I think they'll be dangerous in the playoffs.''
Anthony having a chip on his shoulder will make them that much more dangerous.
Join the discussion