Carmello Anthony and Allen Iverson Star as the Nugget's New Double Barreled Assault.

The Monday, January 22 game at the Denver Pepsi Center against Memphis would turn into the proving ground for the Nuggets assault of their new double barreled assault. With Anthony back from suspension and Iverson getting comfortable in white Nugget's shoes, Denver and the rest of the NBA world would get to see these two play together. Within a minute both had taken shots to start it off, and when the overmatched and awestruck Grizzlies were finally allowed leave the crowd was still yelling after an amazing AI to Mello alley-oop.

To be fare this wasn't Phoenix or San Antonio or Miami or one of the other high flying teams this year. Even with the immensely talented Pau Gasol who would have the most points of any Grizzlies player at the whistle, the Grizzlies' defense allowed shot after shot. It got to the point that the Nugget's high scorer, Anthony, didn't even need to bother about his extremely poor jump shot performance as he dunked and lay-uped his way to 28 points. Iverson complimented this with 23 points of his own as well as the spectacular assist to Anthony for the alley-oop that sent the Pepsi Center into euphoria. At the expense of an already bottom feeder Memphis team Steve Blake and J.R. Smith displayed their up and coming prowess with the point guard Blake delivering 12 assists while Smith lighted up the arena from the three point line.

Watching this coming out party of the NBA's newest duo from within arms reach of the Pepsi Center rafters, a scalped ticket in hand, I understood that the nuggets rise to a contender had finally arrived in force. Writing this a few days later with the tremendous stats of another win highlighting the city, I believe that the Nuggets might have just found all the pieces. With two great behind the arc shooters in Iverson and Smith, Slasher extraordinaire Anthony, Blake the ultimate assists guard, and big men Camby, Nene, and Najera, the Nuggets have one high powered offense. The excess of talent lends itself to the ability to play the at the Nuggets signature fast pace, and with a new influx of long range ability, this offense reminds me of the Suns. In fact George Karl expressed the sentiment that the Nuggets will strive to reach a Phoenix-like offense but with a better defense.

From my view, and unfortunately it is close to a birds eye view, if the defense can just keep the other team from a triple digit score than this season could become great. Through two games with the revised Nuggets they have scored 116 points average, and that's a good average. Scores that high make playing defense easier since the Nuggets know that they have all the weapons to score on their next possession. Doubters will say that the great challenge has yet to come, but from looking at the beginnings of another wonderful superstar marriage, I say bring on Phoenix, or Dallas, or Detroit. The Nuggets are pushing their way into the elite group, spearheaded by the talents of Mellow and AI. Wait a second, lets not get too crazy, how about we host the Jazz first.