interview.

Chauncey Billups came to Denver mid-season in a trade from Detroit for Allen Iverson. Billups brought with him to his hometown Nuggets the experience of winning a title with the Pistons. Denver fans hope their local hero can lead them to the Promised Land.

In this interview with FIVE, Billups talks about the Nuggets’ chances of winning the NBA crown and what it’s like to remember the old Nuggets teams and wear Denver on his jersey.

Has the trade for AI worked out beyond what you expected when it happened?

To this point. But it’s still early. We still have some season left and the playoffs. And most teams are remembered for what they do in the post-season. So we won’t know. But I am happy with where I’m at and where our team is at. But we’ll see.

A lot of people credit you for the turn-around. What do you see as the main factors?

I probably had something to do with it. But they had some good players already. They maybe could have been on the same run without me with what they had in place. ‘Melo’s been awesome. He’s really taken a leadership role. Nene’s been unbelievable. We have a lot of guys who are playing really well. So I can’t really take credit for that. I think I’m just one of the pieces to the puzzle. We just want to take it one game at a time. I think we have great pieces in place. But our main thing is to try our best to get home court advantage and build from there.

How much is the game gonna change come playoff time when you have to adapt?

The playoffs are all about adapting to changes – all about adjustments, during the game, at the half. You gotta be able to do that or you will be left behind. That’s one thing I think I can bring to our team is the knowledge of that, knowing how to do that and knowing what it takes to do that. Not only being able to preach that but going out and doing that. That’s one of the things I’m looking forward to coming down the road is seeing how we can adapt.

The team had its best start in franchise and people in Denver are starting to get excited. Do you remember watching those teams of the 1980s or the last team to make it to the Western Conference Finals back when the Nuggets were always good?

I remember watching Alex English’s teams. Kiki (Vandeweghe). Of course I grew up a Nuggets fan and watching basketball every day I could. I even remember when they were the eighth seed and they beat George Karl (and the Seattle SuperSonics in 1994) in the first round. I remember all that. I watched and studied a lot of those players and a lot of those teams. I’m happy that we have generated some excitement in the city for basketball. And hopefully we can continue to get better.

You made the All-Star team in the Western Conference even though there are a lot of great playmakers out West. How much is that a testament to how good the Nuggets are playing?

My stats are never really glaring or people think, man how does he do that. All of my individual accolades have come through winning and playing the right way and doing what’s best for my team. And people appreciate that. It was a direct correlation to us being a good basketball team.

How good can this team be this season?

I think we can be on the same level with the Lakers and Spurs. I think those are the two best teams. And we’re trying to creep into that elite group.

You’ve been with the team for quite some time now. Can you tell us what you think about Nene?

I’m really impressed with Nene. He’s getting better all the time. One-on-one, I don’t think people can cover him on the post. He’s got great moves down low, left and right handed. He’s just skilled. You can just tell that he’s been taught well.

What do you guys have to do to win the West and the title?

I think it’s really just our mental focus. We have the players and the athletes, a good coach. We have all those things. It’s just the mental focus and to prepare for all the small details and being able to execute those things. If we can be good at that every game, we can be super dangerous.

You talked about winning being so important for you. How much more does it mean now with Denver – your hometown – on your jersey?

I’ve been an All-Star a few times and one time they had us wearing our normal jerseys. And I was really hoping this year’s All-Star Game would have been one of those years and I could wear Denver on my chest as an All-Star.

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