Nugg Life

To this point in the NBA playoffs, I have come across something that I couldn’t pass up writing about. The Denver Nuggets have had quite a run to this point and I think the season can best be described through song. I know, I know... This is kind of weird but I can describe the Nuggets to you through the songs of Tupac Shakur or as the kids call him "2Pac".

"Keep Ya Head Up" is over DJ Daryl’s rendition of Zapp & Roger’s "Be Alright". The message in the song is about staying ahead of the struggle. The Nuggets came into this season with a rather large chip on their shoulder having failed to get past the first round of the playoffs since Dikembe Mutumbo’s era. They came in with a very questionable lineup which was missing Marcus Camby and still held onto Allen Iverson. Nevertheless, The Nuggets soldiered on like the Tupac preached and held on, waiting for a change.

"My Block" is a jam that hears 2Pac say, "Cause all these little babies goin’ crazy and they suffering in the game." It wasn’t long before the trade was made and Chauncey Billups was able to come home and represent for his block. Out were the babies which 2Pac spoke of (Allen Iverson) and in was a point guard with the ability to disperse the ball to teammates.

"Trapped" by 2Pac describes the Nuggets in the Western Conference. With all but one team (the Lakers) being so tight and anybody who loses a couple of games going from 3rd in the conference all the way to 9th, the Nuggets knew there was nowhere to go. As 2Pac screams, "I’d rather die than be trapped in a living hell, they got me trapped!"

"Brenda’s Got a Baby" which was written about a young mother forced to raise a child on her own because the father ran away. I just used this as an example because I guarantee that someone on the Nuggets has done this at some point. JR Smith, I’m looking at you.

"Dear Mama" by 2Pac is an apologetic piece to his own mother for being so wild and out of control. On the other hand, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban felt that since Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin hadn’t written the song, he would tell Kenyon’s Mother for him. He berated Mrs. Martin saying, "Your son is a thug!" No, uhh Mark... Her son is a Nug. Get it straight.

"Me Against The World" 2Pac sums up what everyone outside of the 303 believed about the Nuggets. No one gave them a chance. Sure, they were the #2 seed in the Western Conference but the Lakeshow won the season by almost 10 games. The world believed they could not and should not win. It was the Nuggets against the world.

"To Live and Die in L.A." fully encapsulates the Western Conference Finals to me. The Nuggets have shown they can live by beating the Lakers at the Staples Center but they have also shown they can play utterly sloppy and uninspired basketball while "California Dreamin’and hearing hoochies screamin’". Those aren’t my words. Those are 2Pac’s words.

Finally, I hope the series is summed up by brighter songs than "So Many Tears" or "Life Goes On" but rather by the song "Changes" which states that, "Some things will never change" but even 2Pac might agree that the Nuggets in the NBA Finals would be a pleasant change. Another song that might work would be "Picture Me Rollin’" which would be a good summary of what the Nuggets could do all the way to the Finals.
Who will prevail can be anyone’s guess but That is the final song in 2Pac’s repertoire, "Lord Knows".

Lastly, Since I am like every other white Nuggets fan... here is a picture of my favorite Balla...