The best way to describe the Denver Nuggets 2005-06 season would be one that was up-and-down. The Nuggets went through stretches in which they looked like one of the best teams in the NBA, and others in which they looked destined for the NBA Lottery. Despite the highs and lows throughout the season, 2005-06 was far from disappointing. This team entered the year with one major objective: to win the Northwest Division Title. The Nuggets accomplished their goal, proving that despite the ups and downs, this year was a still step in the right direction.

The biggest reason for the Nuggets inconsistencies was the injuries. Directly from the start of the season, injuries plagued the Nuggets locker room and made it extremely difficult to build any momentum during the year. On opening night in San Antonio, the Nuggets took a huge blow to their frontline as Nenê went down with a torn ACL in his right knee. From that point on, Denver was playing this season short-handed in the low-post. In addition to the 81 games missed by Nenê, the Nuggets were without both Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin for 26 games each, Earl Boykins for 22 games and Eduardo Najera for 15 games. Only two team in the entire NBA had more total games missed due to injury than the Nuggets' 237 in 2005-06 (Houston - 274, Charlotte - 257). When considering all the injuries, the Nuggets 44-38 overall record is actually somewhat impressive.

The 2005-06 season was, for the most part, Carmelo Anthony's year. The third-year forward had a breakout season as he averaged a career-high 26.5 ppg, which was good enough for eighth best in the NBA. Anthony also shot a career-best .481 from the field and a career-high .808 from the free-throw line. His 26.5 ppg scoring average marked the highest by a Nuggets player since Michael Adams averaged 26.5 ppg in 1990-91. Anthony's stellar season did not go unnoticed as he was named to the All-NBA Third Team for his efforts.

Another Nugget with a solid year was center Marcus Camby. Camby led the NBA in blocked shots with an average of 3.29 bpg and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team for the second-straight season. Camby also averaged 12.8 ppg and career-highs of 11.9 rpg and 1.41 spg, which puts the 2005-06 season among the best that he's ever had.

Click on all the Nuggets players below to see they fared during the 2005-06 season as well:

Carmelo Anthony	Earl Boykins	Greg Buckner
Marcus Camby	Howard Eisley	Francisco Elson
Reggie Evans	Julius Hodge	DerMarr Johnson
Linas Kleiza	Kenyon Martin	Andre Miller
Eduardo Najera	Nenê	Ruben Patterson