The Denver Nuggets are about to begin one of most important road trips of their season.
Denver play in Minnesota, New Orleans, Memphis and Houston and will know that only a solid trip can keep them in contention for a top two finish.
The Dallas Mavericks are red hot right now and the Los Angeles Lakers still hold the edge as number one in the standings - but the Nuggets can apply some pressure with a 4-0 road trip.
That is not beyond them. Kenyon Martin and Ty Lawson remain on the treatment table and George Karl will take time out for his chemotherapy sessions but, in Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony, Denver still have as good a 1-2 punch as any team in the league.
Billups tends to save his biggest scoring nights for the road, where he feels the need to be more aggressive and create his own shot. Scoring 39 in LA and 37 twice in Golden State makes for a solid resume this season.
And Anthony has his groove back, picking apart the Thunder, Pacers and Blazers during the Nuggets' three-game homestand. Apart from his duel with the Rockets' Shane Battier, Melo shouldn't have much trouble scoring on the upcoming trip.
The key will be the contributions that Denver gets from Nene and JR Smith, two players capable of passing the 20-point mark. Neither have scored consistently enough this season but both now have the chance to step up.
After all, this is the perfect time for the whole Nuggets roster to make a statement and do their coach proud.
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