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 Jerry Schemmel is here to speak his mind. As the voice of the Denver Nuggets since 1992, he is allowed to do just that. You've heard him call the colorful play-by-play during Nuggets games on the Altitude Radio Network. You've heard him give his tremendous basketball insight on a variety of shows on Altitude Sports & Entertainment. Now he's taking over Nuggets.com with the stuff that is really picking at his brain. This is Jerry Schemmel's Take On Things . . . so pay attention. NOTE: These are the views of Jerry Schemmel and by no means reflect the views of the Nuggets organization.
A Question Worth Answering Jan. 2, 2007 -- Question: What do you get when you put the top two scorers in the NBA on the same team? The answers seem to vary from sportswriter to sportswriter, talk show host to talk show host, even Nugget fan to Nugget fan. There are generally two views. The quieter and softer voice says that Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony together spell “trouble,” while the majority screams “trouble for the rest of the league.” Pairing the number one and number two scorers together might be a gamble, but it’s dice that nearly every NBA general manager would throw if given the chance. Especially the GM of a team that has been first round playoff losers three-straight years. It might not work. But it might. And the fact that it might work, that there is now a chance that the Nuggets could contend for an NBA championship, or at least be elevated somewhere close to that level, is something very new for this franchise. Think about it, and answer this. When, honestly, was the last time you thought the Nuggets might have a legitimate shot at a championship? I thought so. Hey, it might not happen. But it might. Because of the trade, it could. So if it were to happen, what has to happen? In my view, a couple things. First, the Nuggets must get better defensively. Poor defensive teams have a nasty habit of getting bounced out of the playoffs. And for this Nuggets team, improving at the defensive end is not a matter of a need for different schemes or different personnel, it’s a matter, in my mind, of more intensity. A commitment to playing intense defense all the time presently doesn’t seem to exist. And it needs to. The encouraging thing is that this team is quite capable of playing great defense. They have the personnel. Camby can block. Iverson and Anthony can steal. Boykins can disrupt. Diawara can harass. They just need to commit to doing it. It must become a mindset. Secondly, and in my mind, more importantly, Melo needs to make it happen. I think Allen Iverson is going to be Allen Iverson. Every night. He will play with great intensity and give great effort every time he laces them up. He will score when he has to and pass when has to and play defense because he has to. At the least, he is going to be the same A.I. we’ve always known. At the most, he may be that plus a better passer. It just might be Melo who has to adapt. It might be Melo who has to take nothing but good shots within the offense. It might be Melo who has to think win first and score second. It might be Melo who has to share the spotlight. It might be Melo who might just have to accept that doing less might produce more. I have a prediction. I predict Melo will do it. I think he’ll rise to the occasion. I think he’s too competitive not to. Carmelo Anthony has done some things he regrets. Several, actually. But look how he’s responded, look at the way he has stood back up after falling down. He has apologized and taken responsibility because he’s actually a very good person. Despite what you or someone you know might think. And he loves to play. And he loves to win. Please trust me on that. So what do you get when the top two scorers in the NBA are on the same NBA team? Well, the Nuggets might not win a championship. But, then again, they might. And I’ll bet we have a whole lot of fun watching them try.
Jerry's Other Takes:
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