Nuggets television play-by-play man Chris Marlowe loves to talk about the Denver Nuggets. So, what better way to fuel his desire then to give him his own blog on Nuggets.com. The 2009-10 season is Marlowe's sixth as the voice of the Nuggets telecasts on Altitude Sports & Entertainment. A veteran of the media industry, Marlowe has covered everything from the World Series of Poker to AVP Professional Beach Volleyball to the Olympics over the years. In addition to covering sports on television, the Los Angeles, California native has also made a number of cameos in major motion pictures as well. Needless to say, Marlowe has been places and seen things that most people only dream of. But now he's hanging out at Nuggets.com, so sit back and enjoy the ride. NOTE: These are the views of Chris Marlowe and by no means reflect the views of the Nuggets organization.

Welcome Back J.R. Smith
submitted by CMarlowe 11-9-2009

Tuesday night, JR Smith will suit up for the Denver Nuggets for the first time this season. He is not “the Messiah,” but he will surely help a lot. Arguably, JR is the teams’ third best player, its most athletic player, top three-point shooter and a creative dunking machine. He will spread the floor and open up all kind of possibilities for the Mile High Crew.

Now the $64, 000 dollar question — does Smith start or come off the bench?? Certainly while JR shakes the rust off, he will come off the bench. After that, Head Coach George Karl has an interesting decision to make. My best guess is that sometime soon; Arron Afflalo is going to move into the starting lineup at shooting guard. He has size and length and has demonstrated that he can defend and score. That would leave JR to spearhead the second unit. Ty Lawson would spell Chauncey Billups at the point, Chris Andersen would be the first frontline sub and Joey Graham would get minutes for Carmelo Anthony when he needs a blow. That would be nine deep. Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman will provide able backup and insurance.

Without JR for seven games, the Nuggets went 5-2. Pretty good I say. In that stretch we beat two very good teams (Utah and Portland), two injury depleted teams (Indiana and New Jersey) and one lousy team albeit with some talent (the Memphis Grizzlies). We also lost on the road to two playoff teams from a year ago (Miami and Atlanta).

Don’t underestimate the impact of not having Kenyon Martin available against the Heat and the Hawks. Remember, Kmart injured his leg seven minutes into the first quarter in Miami, went out, and then came back in limping around for four more minutes before calling it a night. He didn’t play in Atlanta. Kenyon gives Denver its toughness, especially in the lane. Opposing players driving to the hoop always have to worry about being confronted by Martin and getting knocked on their butts. Without Martin in there, the fear factor is gone. That was especially evident in the ATL, where the Hawks consistently drove thru the heart of the Nuggets defense with impunity.

Travel wise, this road trip has been very taxing for the players, coaches and media. Here’s how it’s gone so far: Last Monday we flew to Indiana, then played the Pacers on Tuesday night. After the game we flew to New Jersey arriving at 2:00 AM on Wednesday morning. We beat the Nets Wednesday night, and then flew to Miami arriving at 3:30 AM on Thursday. Got a day off there, but since we were sleeping thru most of it, it didn’t seem like a day off at all! Then we lost to the Heat on Friday and flew directly to Atlanta arriving at 2:00 AM on Saturday. Played the Hawks Saturday night then stayed over in the ATL before flying to Chicago on Sunday. That’s just part of our glamorous life on the road.

Anyway, I am looking forward to Tuesday night in Chicago! With Kenyon hopefully healthy and JR eligible, the Denver Nuggets will be at full strength for the first time this season. How will it turn out? Tune in to Altitude Sports & Entertainment — tip-off at 6:00 PM — and find out.

Out of the Gate, Nuggets Look Great
submitted by CMarlowe 10-30-2009

I know it’s only been two games, but I like what I see so far. The Nuggets are 2-0, with wins over division rivals Utah and Portland. And they have done it without the services shooting star J.R. Smith.

After two games, Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony is the NBA MVP. His team is undefeated and Melo is averaging 35.5 points per game, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists. It’s early, but it appears he has taken the “proverbial” next step up to the another level. In my opinion, Carmelo’s effort level has been the difference. He now plays 110% every possession on both ends.

It was interesting that Portland didn’t double-team Anthony on Thursday night. They paid the price as Melo torched them for 41. I’m expecting that teams in upcoming games will go for the immediate double and try to take the ball out of Melo’s hands.

With J.R. Smith suspended for the first seven games, Anthony Carter has been starting at shooting guard. I believe that Arron Afflalo and Joey Graham will have to beat AC out to win the position. That means putting up numbers when they get their chance.

I think I mentioned in one of my previous blogs that rookie Ty Lawson was pretty good. He may be more than that. In the first two games the former Tar Heel is averaging 12.0 points, 3.5 assists, and 1.50 steals. He’s proven to be fast, smart and remarkably strong. I hope you saw his drive to the basket against Utah where he banged into 7-footer Mehmet Okur, drew the foul, and converted the 3-point play.

Chris Andersen is off to a sluggish start. In the first two games, Birdman only has one blocked shot. My advice: do what you do best—block shots, rebound and play defense. Don’t worry about scoring—leave that to number 15. Expect Bird to go from owl to condor in the next game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Nuggets Have Most Talented Team in Karl Era
submitted by CMarlowe 10-23-2009

After watching Tuesday night's win over Minnesota and a number of practices, I am convinced that Coach George Karl has his most talented group of players, 1-through-13, since he arrived in Denver. It also might be his best roster since his days in Seattle with Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Detlef Schrempf, and Sam Perkins. That group made it to the NBA Finals in 1996.

The question to be answered this season: will the Nuggets be better than last year? My answer is yes—they will be a better team. However, many of the NBA’s teams will also be better this time around. In my opinion, if Denver can win 54 of more games again this season they will be a legit contender for the Western Conference Title and maybe the NBA crown.

With JR Smith suspended for the first seven games of the regular season, Coach George Karl has been looking at potential fill-ins. At the moment, former Toronto strongman Joey Graham is the starter at shooting guard. Expected fill-in Arron Afflalo apparently will be coming off the bench. No worries here. I like them both. Graham is a bruiser, who can score and defend—Afflalo is quick, fast and can shoot the three. Tuesday night, AA had 20 points and made 3-5 triples.

Also impressive Tuesday night was rookie point guard Ty Lawson, who had 10 points and 8 assists. He is improving quickly and has a very nice feel for the game. On one fast break play, Ty slowed down veering off to the left—then threw a sweet lob bullet to Birdman flying in from the right side. I feel Lawson is going to be a key contributor right off the bat.

It’s been reported that the regular referees may sign at new deal with the NBA soon. That would be welcome news. While the new guys have done OK, the veterans are much better and needed for the regular season. One thing I do like about “the replacements” however is that they come to the court with no history, and carrying no grudges. Some veteran NBA refs should follow suit.

The season opener for the Denver Nuggets is Wednesday October 28th against the Utah Jazz. If you can’t make it to the Pepsi Center that night, please join Scott Hastings and me on Altitude Sports & Entertainment for all the action.

All Nuggets Games on Altitude in HD!
submitted by CMarlowe 8-26-2009

That’s right, this season every Denver Nuggets game that is televised on Altitude Sports & Entertainment will be available in High Definition. Home games, road games and of course playoff games, all in crystal clear HD.

What? You haven’t seen a Nuggets game in High Def? Well, here are some examples of how the Mile High Crew will look in HD. A Carmelo Anthony smile will light up your living room. You’ll be able to see the gleam in J.R. Smith’s eyes as he contemplates launching a 35 footer. When Kenyon Martin scowls, beware: your dog may be frightened and could scamper out of the room. How many tattoos does Chris “Birdman” Andersen have? You’ll be able to count them up. And finally, you’ll be able to see just how handsome my partner Scott Hastings truly is!

I wasn’t surprised that Linas Kleiza left the Nuggets to play in Europe. He got an offer he couldn’t refuse -- a two-year deal worth $12.2 million to play with Olympiakos of Greece. Now Linas was a good player for the Nuggets, sometimes spectacular, but he is not a $6 million a year player in the NBA. By the way, as I understand it, if Kleiza wants to return to the NBA, Denver will retain his rights. Bottom line—good luck to Linas—maybe we’ll see him again some day down the line.

I went to one of my dentists the other day, Dr. Fowler, and he told me that when he was growing up in Asheville, North Carolina he idolized one of the stars for the North Carolina Tar Heels. That player, in case you didn’t guess it, was George Karl! Yes George was a terrific college player and good enough to play professionally for 6 years.

Speaking of the coach, as I write this, the Denver Nuggets have 11 players on their roster. They need two more for a full compliment of 13. I believe that one of those positions could go to former Boise State star Coby Karl. Coby played extremely well in summer league and would be an intriguing role player for, head coach and dad, George Karl.

Finally, I’m glad that the Nuggets re-signed reserve point guard Anthony Carter. He was a key part of the Nuggets big season a year ago and should be a contributor again this season. It will be interesting to see if rookie guard Ty Lawson can play well enough early to earn minutes ahead of AC.

Young Guns in Denver
submitted by CMarlowe 7-24-2009

George Allen, Hall of Fame football coach, once said “the future is now”.

Another George, Nuggets Coach George Karl, would almost certainly agree. However, I would amend the statement—Chris Marlowe would say “the future is bright now and for years to come!”

Consider that the Denver Nuggets now have one of the youngest and most talented teams in the NBA. Seven would-be regulars are in their early or mid 20s. Carmelo Anthony is just 25, Nene checks in at 26, JR Smith is all of 23, Renaldo Balkman is a hair over 25 and restricted free agent Linas Kleiza has muscled his way to 24 years of age. Add to that group, two more gifted youngsters that we just picked up, Ty Lawson is 21 and Arron Afflalo is 23, and you get the rosy picture.

Of course let’s not forget the three outstanding veterans, Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin and Chris “Birdman” Andersen who provide stability and leadership for the Nuggets. Mix them in with the youngsters and you’ve got a Denver team that is going to contend for a long time.

By the way, if you haven’t seen Ty Lawson play yet you are in for a treat. One of his nicknames that I love is “The One Man Fast Break.” Some say that he is already the fastest man with the ball in the NBA! Try to imagine Lawson leading the second unit fast break—with JR, Bird, Balkman and Kleiza flying down on the wings. In his last three summer league games, Ty averaged over 20 ppg, and was deadly from beyond the arc. He is destined to be a great player for Denver.

Once upon a time, I did play-by-play announcing for UCLA. As a matter of fact, I was their guy when they won their last NCAA title in 1996. Since I have an affinity for their program, I am happy to report that the Nuggets now have a Bruin on the roster! Arron Afflalo is a terrific pickup, a guy that will make you forget Dahntay Jones in a hurry. Afflalo, at 6”5”, 215, is a tough physical defender who can also score. Because of the logjam of guards in Detroit he didn’t play much, but take it from me, he can play. The former first round draft choice will fit in perfectly in George Karl’s rotation that now emphasizes defense.

Random thoughts:
San Antonio had the best off-season, picking up Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess and second rounder DeJuan Blair.

The L.A. Lakers took a huge gamble by signing Ron Artest. I like Ron Ron as a player, but he could single handedly destroy the Lakers chemistry. And if they don’t sign Lamar Odom, they will drop a notch.

Utah without Carlos Boozer (who will most likely be traded soon) and Houston without Yao Ming (who is injured) will be big question marks.

Watch out for Oklahoma City this season. With Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook and the recent addition of rookie James Harden, the Thunder could make some noise.

And will Allen Iverson end up with the Clippers? Donald Sterling, the Clips owner, apparently wants AI to sell tickets. However, Coach Mike Dunleavy is not so enthused. It might come down to whether Allen would be willing to come off the bench. Of course, you know “The Answer” to that one.

Finally, as I continue to recover from biological shoulder re-construction, I have determined that a chicken sandwich, no matter what you do to it, never tastes as good as a burger.