I must say it has been awhile.

But I am beginning to feel that old tingle. Oh for Big Mac on a cold winters night when "the Iceman Cometh". The heat generated when the "Missle" flew in and the explosion necessitated the need for a "Doctor". The "Skywalker" in the upper atmosphere, and it only got better and those of us who remember, we enjoyed.

Same after the Dark Ages of 1979 1980 when the Nuggets Jedi Doug Moe or as my friends and I called him "Moe-Duh!" our Yoda. "Stiff he is". Missles, Smooth and Fat were the three wise men. When Kareem elbowed English and put him out of the Playoffs I just dropped on the floor like I did in 1977. Oh no, not again.

It started to return during "The House of Mutombo" but something was always missing with that team. They were such a blue-collar bunch with guys like Tom hammonds and Reggie Williams. Add in oft-injured LaPhonso Ellis, Antonio McDyess they shoulda been a big time contender. My buddies and I were screaming at the TV when Seattle died and Mutombo was on the floor. Eight beat Number 1. Boy that one ended fast didn't it? I still detest Bernie Bickerstaff and the entire Nuggets FO at that time.

The Thuggets? Anything with Melo was, to me, a joke. In my opinion George Karl got more out of those teams than anyone else could have.

But now, this team, I don't quite know. I live out of state and wish I could get the game audio on my computer so I can get the feel. But just reading and seeing the few highlights I can I feel a tingle with these kids. All the injuries scared me, but they kept right on winning. The last stretch of 5 games in 7 days and coming out of that 3 and 2? Holy Biff! Pow! and Whamo! Batman! I think maybe there is something here. I also think Bill Simmons is wrong in saying this is a regular season only team.

This team does not know how good they are. Will they know soon? I for one hope not because from what I am reading and seeing in the highlights is a team getting better at everything. I don't even think they know or realize it either because it is happening in real time to them. It is good old experience and the thing is they are right now just having fun. No one really expects this to last. Many are waiting for the collapse and you hear/see it in the articles that say Denver is first going to fall apart because of all the injuries. Now it is the coming locker room dissension because the starters are returning. Will the guys who played so well give up their minutes? And what about Mary Anne? Confused? You won't be after this episode of Soap.

So how far can this team go? Will they be enough to handle the cheap hits the so-called greatest (nope) player ever will give to Jokic and Murray then have the ref call Jokic and Murray for the foul? I hope they don't play the Lakers in the Playoffs first. I fear the last scenario happening and once in the head the game is lost. That is how the Nugs beat Seattle in the 8th vs 1st series. They got in Seattle and George Karl's head and played a solid series.

Now this is where the "They don't know how good they are" scenario comes into play. Coach Malone and the team are learning as they go. Come Playoff time, if they continue on this path of happy, happy, joy, joy could have home field advantage just like that team a few years back. Will they have acquired enough experience and physicality to withstand the flustercluck that will be invading the Pepsi Center? The kids will be seeing everything that the other team can throw at them in the first two games to get a win and flip the advantage. Personally, if what I have seen is true, I think the kids can do better than even I think they can because of how unusual they play.

The obvious key is, of course, Jokic. His being the Point Guard more or less throws everyone off. First you have to keep him healthy. Second is his conditioning for the second season. The last two and quite important things are keeping the offense fresh enough to continue to throw off the other teams defense. The Nuggets offense is different and keeping it that way is important as this team gains experience.

The last and to me most important part is the defense. They need to crank it up a notch, but not enough to get the refs involved. Come playoffs comes more physicality. Oh for a Kenyon or Camby at the end of the bench. Gimme them fouls and a few bruises as needed.

All I ask is for a first.

Denver Nuggets first NBA Title

We can talk about the follow up later.