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Healthier than he had been in years, Camby played in a career-high 72 games last season and ranked fifth in the league in blocked shots. John W. McDonough/SI FAST FACTS Record: 43-39 (8th in West) Points Scored: 97.2 (5th in NBA) Points Allowed: 96.1 (19th) Coach: Jeff Bzdelik (third season with the Nuggets) 2004 Schedule | 2004 Draft Picks | 2003 Stats Carmelo Anthony became the first rookie to be the leading scorer on a team that went to the playoffs since the Spurs' David Robinson in 1989-90. PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP With 2003-04 statistics MARCUS CAMBY POS. PVR PPG RPG APG BPG SPG FG% FT% C 59 8.6 10.1 1.8 2.60 1.19 47.7 72.1 KENYON MARTIN POS. PVR PPG RPG APG BPG SPG FG% FT% PF 28 16.7 9.5 2.5 1.26 1.46 48.8 68.4 VOSHON LENARD POS. PVR PPG RPG APG SPG FG% 3FG% FT% SG 131 14.2 2.7 2.1 0.84 42.2 36.7 79.1 ANDRE MILLER POS. PVR PPG RPG APG SPG FG% 3FG% FT% PG 46 14.8 4.5 6.1 1.73 45.7 18.5 83.2 CARMELO ANTHONY POS. PVR PPG RPG APG SPG FG% 3FG% FT% SF 15 21.0 6.1 2.8 1.18 42.6 32.2 77.7  BENCH PVR 2003-04 Stats F-C NENÊ 76 11.8 ppg 6.5 rpg 0.53 bpg 1.51 spg 53.0 FG% G EARL BOYKINS 173 10.2 ppg 1.7 rpg 3.6 apg 0.62 spg 41.9 FG% F RODNEY WHITE 202 7.5 ppg 2.3 rpg 0.44 spg 45.9 FG% 37.9 3FG% C FRANCISCO ELSON 238 3.5 ppg 3.3 rpg 0.63 bpg 0.56 spg 47.2 FG% G-F GREG BUCKNER 293 3.1 ppg 1.9 rpg 0.40 spg 74.1 FT% 37.7 FG%

The new tough guy on the block will push this club back into the playoffs

After eight years of sub-.500 win totals that looked like one long lock combination, the Nuggets finally gained entrance to the playoffs last season. The excitement of winning 43 games and the eighth seed in the West was short-lived, however, when Denver was bullied by a more physical Minnesota team and ousted in four games.

Enter Kenyon Martin. Acquired in a sign-and-trade from the Nets during the summer, the All-Star power forward got the contract he wanted (seven years, $92.5 million), and the Nuggets got the enforcer and all-around badass they needed to go toe-to-toe with the big bruisers in their conference. "We want to be the nastiest, meanest, best-conditioned, most unselfish team in the league," says coach Jeff Bzdelik. "Kenyon Martin gives us all of those things."

It didn't take Martin long to make an impression on his new teammates -- a scuffle with former starter Nenê during an informal workout resulted in a puffy red eye for the Brazilian forward -- and it shouldn't take him long to make an impact on the Denver season either. After three years of playing run-and-gun with the Nets and Jason Kidd, Martin landed on a team with a similar wide-open style. The Nuggets led the league in fast-break points last season, scoring 19.9 per game.

With Martin joining veteran center Marcus Camby and second-year forward Carmelo Anthony, an All-Star in the making, the Nuggets boast one of the most formidable frontcourts in the NBA. "I'm a guy who knows what it takes to win," says Martin, who went to the Finals twice during his four seasons in New Jersey. "With all the young guys we have here, if I can bring some leadership, some toughness, I'll have done my job." -- C.M.