Amy Weis
Sports Reporter

In the midst of a heated race, the Denver Nuggets currently sit as the number two seed in the Western Conference playoff picture. With only eight of the 82 regular season games remaining, the city of Denver is gearing up for the postseason. Securing a Nuggets playoff berth will mark the seventh straight postseason appearance for the blue and yellow.
As an extremely competitive Nuggets fan, follower, ticket buyer, sports reporter, and even a jersey wearer, the big question is: when will the Nuggets advance to a NBA Championship series? The answer may lie in the hands of one of our own: Chauncey Billups.
For the Nuggets to advance past the first round, conference semi-finals, and the conference finals in an exceptionally talented conference, ideal play from Billups is vital.
Just as the former NBA Finals MVP led his former team, the Detroit Pistons, to the big show twice in six years, the Denver Nuggets are leaning on the experience and elusive play of Billups to guide the lineup.
In his first full season as the Nuggets starting point guard, Billups is averaging 34 minutes, 19.8 points, and a team high 5.7 assists-per-game. These are not only great individual numbers, but the team is playing exceptionally solid behind him.
Carmelo Anthony is easily having the best season of his young career, averaging just under 30 points-per-game. Not only has Nene’s defensive footwork improved drastically since last season, but he is also making his mark as one of the top field goal shooters in the league. Streaky J.R. Smith has matured into a dominate sixth man role who is deadly from the floor.
And when healthy, Kenyon Martin has brought an electric defensive presence and a contagious emotional aspect to the team.
There is not a smarter player on the team than Chauncey Billups. Billups knows when to push for the fast break, when to pull up for a quick three pointer, and when to slow it down and work the shot clock. Billups is a surprisingly dominate post player for a point guard and spreads the defense with his jump-shot ability. He is solid not only at drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line, but also in making 90 percent of his free throws count against the opposition.
Give the credit to the Nuggets as a unit for working hard and putting the pieces together this season, but give Billups the credit for being the leader and facilitator. Chauncey’s nature of putting the team before himself is making dividends in the record book with Nuggets wins. Billups has developed through 12 years in the league and now holds the key to the Nuggets playoff success.
Chauncey Billups is the one who needs the ball in his hands the final minute of a close playoff game. He will make the right play for the Nuggets team, the coaching staff, the city of Denver, and the state of Colorado. Anyone who calls themselves a Nuggets fan has something to look forward to this postseason. Welcome back to playoff basketball Mr. Big Shot, we’re looking forward to a successful Nuggets run and a new NBA Championship banner being hung in the rafters at the Pepsi Center.