Nuggets Mailbag: Denver entering crucial stretch of NBA season - Denver Post

The Nuggets have nine in a row at home into March, then a rough stretch of eight on the road (including against the Bulls). Tell me if this sounds about right: After this brutal February, the Nugs better get right -- and quick -- at home or they're looking at a low seed in the playoffs... or worse. Am I too pessimistic?
--Dave, Littleton

Simple math. 41 home games last season, Denver lost eight (and were the fifth seed). In 16 home games so far this season, Denver has lost seven. You're right, man. They cannot afford to blow any more winnable home games.

That's why, in my opinion, the win Monday against the Wolves was so important -- a misstep or two in overtime and that would have been a (another) home loss.

Yeah that nine-game home stretch will have a huge impact on the Nuggets' final record. Gallo should be back by then. And Denver starts out in a confidence-building three-game stretch against lowly Sacramento, Cleveland and New Orleans. Then some big guns come to town. Denver plays every other day against Memphis, Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Boston (on St. Patty's Day) and then Dallas, followed by a game against the Pistons.

I say Denver goes 6-3.

Is it true that Wilson Chandler may only sign a one-year extension with the Nuggets? Do you think he wants longer deal with Denver? Do the Nuggets want a long deal?
--James, Vail

What up James. I spoke to Wilson after Monday's Nuggets win against the Timberwolves. He was hanging out in the Denver locker room, seated next to Al Harrington. Chandler said that, naturally, he wants a long-term deal and that he should get clearance

Here's a question though -- Chandler probably won't start for Denver, maybe not even in the coming years, right? Maybe I'm wrong. Right now, the Nuggets young lineup is Ty Lawson, Arron Afflalo, Danilo Gallinari, Nene and Timofey Mozgov. Perhaps, against certain teams, you could start Nene at center, Gallo at power forward and Chandler at small forward. But it would appear that Chandler would be coming off the bench for Denver, even though he's an asset that could start for most NBA teams.

Anyway, it should be fascinating to see how much long-term money Denver throws at a guy who might not start. But Denver already lost Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith for nothing. (Although in a normal season, they could have worked out a sign-and-trade to get a draft pick or something.) So the Nuggets will have to consider all options so they don't lose Chandler for nothing, as well.

But the good news is, any way you slice it, Chandler should be in uniform by early March, providing explosive offense and long arms on defense, as Denver tries to make the elusive second round.

B-Hoch, in my opinion, the Nuggets need to get their butts up past the No. 8 seed by whatever means possible. Please, just stay away from OKC in the first round. But who do they match up well with in the West, overall, do you think?
---Crix, Denver

I'll tell ya Crix, you make a good point. Last season, there were whispers around the Pepsi Center that the Nuggets matched up well with every Western playoff team (Mavericks, Lakers, etc.) except Oklahoma City. And, of course, that's the team Denver played in the first round.

Now the Thunder squad is, like, really good. But Durant always seems to have Lochness Monster games against the Nuggets -- look at Christmas 2010, some of the playoff games last spring and, of course, his career-high 51 points the other night (including 45 in regulation). Durant is one of the reasons the Nuggets made a push to sign Luc MBbah a Moute from the Bucks this offseason -- he's a tenacious, savvy defender who Denver would have used on Durant (the Nuggets made an offer to Luc, but the Bucks matched and brought him back).

And Denver often seems to have trouble with the OKC bigs, notably Serge "Iblocka," whose triple-double the other night was the first involving blocked shots in Sonics/Thunder franchise history.

One optimistic sign is that Denver took the Thunder to overtime -- in Oklahoma City -- without Nene or Danilo Gallinari. But, yeah, Denver should try to stay the heck away from the Thunder. (Then again, shouldn't most teams?)

Is there a chance for Danilo Gallinari to be back in the week after the all-star break?
--Notus, Croatia

Hello Notus! I didn't know we delivered in Croatia. Hope you're doing well over there...

Yes, it's quite possible that Gallo could be back that week, at worse the early March roadtrip to Houston (March 2) and San Antonio (March 4). Good golly, Denver needs Gallo. He is such a dynamic player. Along with Arron Afflalo, he's one of Denver's top perimeter defenders. He gets to the foul line more than most of his teammates (and he makes foul shots more than most of his teammates).

And while the 3-ball hasn't been falling as regularly as people would want, Gallo has found other ways to get into the 20-point range, notably with his piercing penetration into the paint. He's been missed, yes sir.

Benjamin Hochman is in his sixth season as the Nuggets and NBA reporter for The Denver Post. Pose a Nuggets- or NBA-related question for the Nuggets Mailbag. And "like" Benjamin Hochman on Facebook