Chandler’s play as important as any going forward

When Wilson Chandler went to the Denver Nuggets from the New York Knicks in the Carmelo Anthony deal, the young swingman was ready to break out and have his skills showcased.

Unfortunately for the Depaul product, Danilo Gallinari, Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried had something to say about it.

With the starting lineup filled, Chandler has remained a player that Head Coach George Karl has used off the bench in key situations. When Chandler returned from injury in January to play his first game of the season, he looked ready to go. He was contributing on both ends of the court and was giving the Nuggets key minutes off the bench.

In February however, his production declined. Following the Nuggets game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chandler tweeted out his now infamous tweet of “11 days.” At that time of course, the trade deadline was a mere 11 days away and Chandler shortly tweeted after that that he had asked the team to trade him.

The deadline has come and gone and Chandler is still around. Coincidentally, Chandler has stepped his game up in four of the past Nuggets five games. There were the 22 points against Washington and the 11-6-3 game in the win at Charlotte. Chandler also scored 23 points which included three shots from behind the arc in the Nuggets blowout win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Sure he stunk the place up against the Trailblazers, but Chandler shined when given the chance against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

When fans look back at the Nuggets victory over the Thunder, they may remember Ty Lawson hitting the game-winnning shot at the end of the game. As a matter of fact, that’s what they will remember. What they need to remember though is that without Chandler’s 35 points, the Nuggets wouldn’t have even been in that game.

With the Nuggets staying put at the deadline, they’re counting on much of the same from Chandler as they go forward the rest of the way.