Bloggin' From The Mile-High City....

December 2, 1:15 p.m. The Nuggets just wrapped up shootaround. George Karl just compared Jose to John Stockton, high praise for sure. The Nuggets expect 'Melo to play tonight with a right elbow contusion. Carmelo won't be 100 per cent but they feel he'll have to play through it. Concerns tonight against the Raptors for Karl are not limited to Bosh and Jose - he says its the potential of O'Neal's return and then Bargnani stretching the defence. More high praise for the Raptors regarding Bosh. Karl called him a unique big because of his length, quickness and he's left handed. Karl also acknowledged Bosh's willingness to get better. How about this for a winning attitude. I spoke to a Denver coach who told me that when Chauncey Billups first addressed the team after the trade, he told his teammates, "I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to win." According to the coach, his team has responded to the all star veteran with a NBA ring, just look at the numbers. Denver is 11-3 since the trade. And only two players in the league are averaging more points and assists, Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade. I spoke to Jermaine and he told me he is 90 per cent sure he is going to play tonight. O'Neal did participate in shootaround this morning, but Denver is a tough place to return because of the altitude. The Raptors definitely missed his physical presence on Sunday as the Lakers made Bosh work defensively against Andrew Bynum. Always look forward to hearing from you. Tonight's game is on theScore. mdevlin@raptors.com