Calbert Cheaney sightings used to be as frequent at Denver Nuggets games as victories are now.
The former college player of the year played in only nine games for the Nuggets last season after being acquired in a preseason trade from the Boston Celtics.

An assortment of injuries conspired to keep Cheaney off the court last season. A high ankle sprain, a torn calf muscle and a broken hand sent him to the injured list at different times, always, it seemed, when he was beginning to return to his old form.

A bad knee relegated him to the injured list to start this season, and he began to think his NBA days might be numbered.

Thursday, January 31, 2002 - Injured Denver Nuggets power forward Antonio McDyess said Wednesday he hopes to return Feb. 12 against the Boston Celtics at the Pepsi Center.

McDyess hasn't played after Oct. 12 surgery to repair the patella tendon of his left knee. McDyess, a 2001 NBA all-star, said Jan. 16 he worried he would not be able to play this season. But he became more optimistic Saturday after his first scrimmage since the surgery.

Rick Bucher writes for ESPN the Magazine.  He's a Peter Vescy wannabe and was the guy who floated the Karl Malone trade rumor earlier this year.  Here's his latest:

"Denver, Phoenix and Golden State have discussed a three-way deal moving former Nugget Rodney Rogers back to Denver, Marc Jackson to the Suns and Raef LaFrentz to the Warriors. The decision facing Nuggets GM Kiki Vandeweghe is to move LaFrentz to clear cap space (Rogers' deal is up at the end of the season) or acquire cornerstone talent. Don't look for a decision until after the All-Star weekend, at the earliest."

The only NBA All-Star at the Pepsi Center on Tuesday night wore a slick green suit and shiny black shoes and sat on the end of the Miami Heat bench.
Heat center Alonzo Mourning missed his second consecutive game because of a bad case of the flu, but he did earn a seventh trip to the All-Star Game on Feb. 10 at Philadelphia. The NBA announced the coaches' selections of reserves Tuesday.

The Denver Nuggets were shut out of the All-Star Game for the fifth time in the past six seasons. Point guard Nick Van Exel had Denver's best shot, averaging 22.3 points and eight assists a game, but playing on a team that hasn't had much success this season probably worked against him.

All-Star center Alonzo Mourning was on the bench, still feeling lethargic from a bout with the flu.
He and the Miami Heat had trudged into their hotel rooms a few hours before sunrise.

The Denver Nuggets were fresh off of a four-day break.

What seemed to be the perfect setup for victory turned into another pratfall for a Nuggets team that can't seem to embrace prosperity.

DENVER ? The Denver Nuggets came into Tuesday's game well-rested, having not played since Thursday. Their opponent, the Miami Heat, was less than 24 hours removed from a game in Utah.

All of which could mean only one thing:

Another Denver loss.

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? Box score

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The Nuggets fell to 0-10 on the season when having at least two days between games as the Heat's Eddie Jones burned Denver for a career-high 37 points in a 100-94 overtime victory for Miami at the Pepsi Center.

Wednesday, January 30, 2002 - When it comes to playing basketball, Nicholas Owens has to take a seat.

But he stays close to the game as a ball boy for the Denver Nuggets.

Today, Owens, 16, will be a part of the Olympic Torch Relay in Boulder. He will do his two-tenths of a mile in a wheelchair because he was born with spina bifida.

"I can't wait to do it," Owens said. "When I found out I was carrying it, I said to my mom, "I'm carrying the torch.' I was like in shock."

Wednesday, January 30, 2002 - Denver Nuggets guard Nick Van Exel was not named to the NBA Western Conference reserves when the squad was announced Tuesday.

Van Exel entered Tuesday's game against Miami averaging 22.3 points and 8.0 assists. But the fans voted Houston's Steve Francis the starter at point guard, and Dallas' Steve Nash and Seattle's Gary Payton were selected by the coaches as reserves. Van Exel said Monday he already had bought a plane ticket to spend all-star weekend in his offseason home of Houston and didn't expect to make the team.

Wednesday, January 30, 2002 - In the middle of a Colorado winter, the Denver Nuggets still weren't able to cool off the Heat.

Denver lost its 12th consecutive game to the Miami Heat, 100-94 in overtime Tuesday night at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets (13-30) haven't beaten the Heat (16-28) since Dec. 15, 1995. No other NBA team has as long a streak against the Nuggets.

No Alonzo Mourning. No problem. There's always Eddie Jones.

Jones scored 24 first-half points -- the most this season by a Heat player in a half -- and finished with a career-high 37 points to lead the Heat to a 100-94 overtime victory Tuesday over Denver in front of 15,492 fans at the Pepsi Center.

Jones converted a three-point play on a drive to the basket and a free throw, and center Brian Grant sank two free throws in the closing minute of overtime to lead the Heat.

Jones' 24 is the most in a half since Mourning, who sat out with the flu, scored the same in the first half against New Jersey on Feb. 23, 2000. His 37 are the most this season for a Miami player -- and he did not score in the third quarter.

The first half was a welcomed change for Jones one night after a weak 3-of-16 shooting performance for 12 points in a loss at Utah.

Jones, whom coach Pat Riley said earlier in the day was worthy of consideration as an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve, said he was not trying to make a statement about not being selected.

``I have no problems with the All-Star choices,'' Jones said. ``You can't have too many guys having All-Star years when your record is 16-28.''

Jones did not score in the second half until 4:59 remained, but his basket gave the Heat a brief 80-79 lead. His drive to the basket regained the lead 82-81 for Miami with less than four minutes to play.

Miami took possession on an Eddie House rebound and called timeout trailing 86-84 with 47.9 seconds left.

With Mourning standing and cheering, Jones drove the baseline and scored on a reverse layup on which he was fouled to tie the score 86-86 with 39.8 left. His free throw gave the Heat the an 87-86 lead.

Denver's Nick Van Exel sank an off-balance 3-pointer to give the Nuggets an 89-87 lead with 19.6 seconds left.

Jones split the middle and scored on a spin move to the basket to tie 89-89 with seconds remaining. Denver missed its final shot.

The Heat outscored the Nuggets 11-5 in overtime.

It was Miami's first game against the Nuggets this season. The victory is the 12th straight by the Heat against Denver, the current longest streak against an opponent.

Jones did not score in the third quarter but came back with 10 points, most in crucial drives in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter and in overtime.