Yes, you can get a fresh start, though great memories will never die. Are you wondering why Iverson is playing even better now than when he was still with the Sixers earlier this season? Allen Iverson has been born again and he knows that the Nuggets have the potential for a finals appearance, if not this year then next year. Iverson is out of the losing rut he was in with the Sixers and the power of belief in the future has motivated him to new and tremendous heights of professionalism and performance as a player. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Nuggets: Iverson Loving His New Digs By Travis Heath Allen Iverson has experienced a lot over the course of his 11-year NBA career. However, he has never experienced being on a team like the one he's currently a member of. Even despite the team playing .500 basketball during Melo's absence, Iverson is digging his new Mile High City home. And Iverson believes Denver just might be the perfect situation to help him get back to the NBA Finals. When asked if he had ever been on a team with this much talent, Iverson replied: "No! No, this is the most by far. It's not even close. Just with Melo being an All Star caliber player, Marcus Camby being an All Star caliber player who can dominate a game on the defensive end and score on the offensive end and then so many other guys. Steve Blake can do a lot of things to spread the court out, J.R. obviously, L.K., Reggie Evans is as tough as it gets on both ends of the court, you know, Eddie. I can go through the whole squad and can name somebody who can impact the game, and I've never been a part of a team like that." What Iverson has been a part of in the past are teams that needed him to be spectacular every night in order to have a chance to win. Even though Iverson might be reluctant to admit it, over the years that kind of responsibility has taken its toll both physically and psychologically. "I've been on teams where I scored 50 points and lost," Iverson continued. "I've scored 47 points and lost. That's a tough thing. Not saying that I don't play 110% anyway, I'm going to do that regardless because I'd never disrespect the talent God gave me, but I don't have to do the things that I had to do when I was in Philadelphia. I don't have to put that much pressure on myself like I did night in and night out to go out there and have a big game to give us a chance to win. I don't want to, but I feel like if I struggle here we can still win a basketball game." While Iverson is grateful his teammates have helped make the game easier for him, his head coach is just as happy with what Iverson has contributed to the team -- both on the court and in the locker room. "It has a positive energy to it," George Karl said of the team's current circumstance. "There's a juice to the locker room, the practices just the hanging out. The charma last year was -- whatever you want to call it -- negative, NBA'ish, individualistic, selfish. I think now there's a hope and a passion to see what we can become." Along with the passion Iverson has brought since his arrival, he has also brought leadership to a team that as Karl noted above, was lacking in that department last season. "The leadership in our timeouts it's very obvious is much more together and there's unity there that at times we haven't had in the past," Karl added. For Iverson, though, his time in Denver won't be successful in his eyes unless the Nuggets go all the way. "If I didn't think we could win a championship there was no need for this organization to trade for me. If I didn't feel like I could win a championship I would retire. That's not fair to my teammates, that's not fair to the fans, that's not fair to the coaches or anybody who cares about Denver Nugget basketball. If I didn't think we had a shot to win a championship, I would hang my sneakers up. So obviously I believe we can win it." That belief has Iverson feeling rejuvenated both on and off the court. "I'm enjoying myself. I know it's my eleventh season, but honestly, it feels like my first. I'm just having a good time. I love my situation here. I'm love my situation as far as my family being stable. You know, everything is just good for me now. I'm just looking forward to going out and winning basketball games." But this go round, Iverson won't have to win basketball games by himself. "I feel like I can play four more quarters and usually after a game I'm done," Iverson said with a smile after Monday night's win. A rested and rejuvenated Iverson is not exactly the kind of breaking news that excites the rest of the Association. </div> Source
