Mike Celizic

Nuggets fans would have settled for even a little bit of good news on the heels of the suspension of Carmelo Anthony for 15 games. Instead, they got great news.

They’ve added Allen Iverson, one of the greatest players in the game, for the price of point guard Andre Miller, forward Joe Smith and a couple of first-round draft choices that weren’t going to be lottery picks.

The first thing Iverson will do is carry the team while Anthony is contemplating his sin of sucker-punching Mardy Collins in Madison Square Garden last Saturday night. When Melo’s suspension was announced, Denver fans wondered how they would replace 31 points a game. With Iverson’s arrival, that question is answered.

When Anthony comes back, fans will wonder whether one ball is going to be enough for two superstars, each of whom feels he’s the center of the team’s offensive universe. After all, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal couldn’t co-exist in L.A., and isn’t this a similar situation?

It is similar, but I’ve a feeling they’ll work it out. For one thing, Iverson has no problem feeding others the ball; he’s averaging better than seven assists a game, just two fewer than Miller, whom he replaces at the point. If anything, Iverson will create more chances for Anthony with his ability to drive the lane, draw defenders, and dish off. Put another way, Iverson is not Stephon Marbury. A.I.’s been the playoffs and taken the Sixers to the NBA finals; Marbury’s never taken a team out of the first round, and has rarely taken one even that far.

It’s impossible to say whether this lifts the Nuggets into a place among the West’s elite. They’re still without a great post presence, and the competition — the Suns, Spurs, Mavs, Lakers, et al. — is formidable. But Iverson will help bridge the gap; he gives Denver a better chance than it had before he arrived.

Those who want to find fault with the trade will do so. But, really, what criticism can you possibly have of a deal that adds a 30-point scorer who is also one of the greatest floor leaders in the game? Put him on the floor with another superstar, and, believe me, both will get better, not worse. Melo will get his 30 points, or close to it. So will Iverson.

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When you add an Allen Iverson to what already is a good team, you’re not going to get worse. Some people will say he’s a thug or a bad influence or a ball hog or all of the above. On the first count, they’re stereotyping a guy with cornrows and a lot of tats; on the second, they’re uninformed; on the third, they’re simply wrong.

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Denver fans can’t fully appreciate what they just fell into. They get to see Iverson only a couple of times a year. When they see him every day and realize how ferociously he competes, they’re going to adore him.

Forget how hard he practices — none of his teammates have ever felt it’s a problem, and it’s not something that’s come up recently anyway. Iverson shows up to play — every night, in sickness and in health. For all the talk about his work ethic, he never seems to tire, rarely if ever asks for a breather, and plays harder than any two players in the game.