(My Sportsbook) - A lot has changed in a year for the Denver Nuggets.

Last spring, Allen Iverson was getting ready to hurl 10 to 15 bad shots a game and star forward Carmelo Anthony created a distraction after being arrested on suspicion of drunk driving shortly before George Karl's team played roadkill with the skill of Academy Award winning actors to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference quarterfinals.

Now, Iverson is in Detroit, being banned from Motor City casinos and Anthony has kept his nose clean while "Mr. Big Shot" himself, Chauncey Billups, is on hand to lead the Nuggets.

Denver, fresh off winning the Northwest Division, gained the No. 2 seed and will meet Chris Paul and New Orleans in the first round, starting Sunday at 10:30 p.m. (et).

The Nuggets have home-court advantage in the playoffs for the first time since 1988 and also tied a franchise record for most wins in a season (54-28), but will now try to win a playoff series for the first time since 1994. They've lost six straight first-round series.

"We couldn't have asked for more than we got out of this season," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "How we play in the playoffs, how we take confidence into the playoffs...there are a lot of matchups that I think if we play the right way, we're the best team. I haven't been able to say that since I've been in Denver to be honest. We've always played the conference champions or the first seed. I think if we play the right way, we have some good things that can happen."

As for the Hornets, they're also getting healthy at the right time. Center Tyson Chandler missed the team's last 15 games with a balky left ankle before coming back to play in the season finale, an overtime loss at eventual Southwest Division champion San Antonio.

The Hornets let the sixth seed slip through their fingers, having lost four of their last five games in the regular season.

These two teams split the four-game season series with each winning once on the opposition's home floor. The Nuggets were missing Anthony for one of their losses, while the Hornets never had Chandler against Denver and were also without sharp-shooter Peja Stojakovic in one of their losses.

MATCHUPS:

POINT GUARD: When you talk MVP candidates, you usually think of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade or Paul. But, Billups deserves consideration. His unselfishness and ability to get everyone involved can't be underestimated. Chauncey averaged 17.7 points and 6.4 assists per game this season but numbers don't begin to tell the story. Billups' floor game is unparalleled. He rarely turns the ball over and shoots a mind-number 91.3 percent from the free throw line making him the ultimate ball-handler in late game situations.

As good as Billups is, he's not Paul. "CP3" is one of the top five players in the NBA and can take over any game at any time. Paul averaged 22.8 ppg, 11.0 apg and 5.5 rpg and is one of the few daily triple-double threats in the NBA.

Paul, who beat out Billups for the backup point guard spot on the U.S. Olympic team last summer, has struggled with turnovers against Denver, however, averaging more than five miscues per game to go with his 20.8 points and 11.0 assists.

EDGE: HORNETS

SHOOTING GUARD: Dahntay Jones is the starter in name only for the Nuggets as J.R. Smith comes off the bench to provide instant offense and play the majority of minutes. Jones averages just 5.4 points per game but does shoot the ball pretty well at 45.8 percent.

His counterpart, Rasual Butler, makes his bones on the defensive end. The former La Salle star isn't much of a shooter and has made less than half of his shots in 11 of his past 12 games. Butler scored 11.2 ppg on the season and is just a 43.3 percent shooter overall.

EDGE: HORNETS until Smith hits the floor.

CENTER: The Hornets received a big boost last week when Chandler returned to the floor after missing 16 consecutive games with an inflamed left ankle. The 7-footer missed a total of 37 games this season and was dealt to Oklahoma City at the trading deadline but the Thunder nixed the trade due to medical concerns. That was a bless blessing in disguise for New Orleans. While Chandler is clearly not a favorite of Byron Scott, the Hornets are a much better team when he is on the floor.

Denver counters with Brazilian pivot Nene. The Nuggets big man isn't thought of as an elite center but put up some nice numbers this season, averaging 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting a robust 60.4 percent from the floor. Nene doesn't offer a particularly threatening presence on the defensive end but has improved that aspect of his game as well.

EDGE: NUGGETS

SMALL FORWARD: Although snubbed for the All-Star game this year, Anthony is one of the top 10 players in the league. The former Syracuse standout's numbers weren't as big as normal, netting 22.8 ppg and 6.8 rpg but he will be the toughest matchup for the Hornets in the series.

Stojakovic wasn't his normal self this year. He missed 21 games and shot just 39.9 percent from the floor. He can still light it up from three, however, when he gets hot. Obviously, Stojakovic can't even begin to slow Anthony down, however, and that should affect his minutes in the series.

EDGE: NUGGETS

POWER FORWARD: Denver's Kenyon Martin plays as hard as ever and recently avoided a suspension for a flagrant foul against the Kings earlier in the week. Sacramento co-owner Joe Maloof accused Martin of "thuggery" but that's just the way he plays, hard. Martin showed no ill effects Wednesday at Portland, playing in just his second game after missing four straight contest with a left rib cartilage strain. Overall, Martin averaged 11.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game on the year.

Martin will match up with Hornets All-Star David West, who is a brilliant scorer on the blocks and a double-double threat on a nightly basis. West was second to Paul in scoring on New Orleans at 21.0 ppg and added 8.5 boards per contest.

EDGE: HORNETS

BENCH: Karl has one star coming off the bench and a number of nice role players. Smith has developed into one of the game's dominant three-point specialists and rang up a career-high 45 points after shooting 11-of-18 from beyond the arc last Monday against Sacramento. For the year, Smith has averaged 15.2 ppg and shot 39.7 percent from long range, nailing 180 total threes.

If Karl needs extra scoring, he can look to Linas Kleiza, who averaged 9.9 points and knocked down 87 threes on the year. Chris Andersen brings shot- blocking and rebounding while Anthony Carter can spell Billups in the backcourt.

Depth has been the Hornets biggest problem all year. Super-sub James Posey is the only consistent player Scott can turn to on the bench. Center Hilton Armstrong and guard Antonio Daniels have gotten plenty of minutes out of necessity but won't scare anyone.

EDGE: NUGGETS

PREDICTION: Billups has been the difference in the Rocky Mountains but as good as "Mr. Big Shot" has been this season, he's no match for the Hornets' Paul. Unfortunately for CP3, a lack of depth hurt New Orleans all year and don't expect that to turn around in the postseason. Anthony, the red-hot Smith and the Pepsi Center will be the difference in this series.

NUGGETS in 7