For the past year, the Denver Nuggets and their fans were enjoying their success after trading Carmelo Anthony trade.
After dealing their longtime superstar the Nuggets made a miraculous run at the end of last season, finishing 18-7 and finished better than Anthony and the New York Knicks. The Nuggets than started this season 14-5 and were one of the hottest teams in the League. However, injuries set in and the Nuggets brass was forced to make a move to help the team financially and now the Nuggets are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
Thus the question are the Nuggets really a better team without Carmelo Anthony then with him? In his eight years in Denver, the Nuggets posted a 348-222 record (.611 percent) when he was on the floor and never missed the playoffs. This season the Nuggets are barely over mediocre at 26-23 and if they lose to the Bulls they would have their worst record in five seasons.
So can this team without any ‘so-called superstars’ be successful? Does Ty Lawson have the mentality to be a top-notch point guard? Is it time for the Nuggets rebuild this team, again? Is Arron Afflalo worth $43 million? Is Timofey Mozgov a stiff?
Only time will tell, but for right now the Nuggets are not better without Anthony.