Nuggets stay in touch with, encourage Clippers Marcus Camby

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While the Nuggets talked about their first appearance in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1985, Denver forward Kenyon Martin wished current Clipper forward Marcus Camby could be along for the ride.

‘It’s unfortunate he couldn’t be a part of this,’ Martin said of Camby, whom the Nuggets traded to the Clippers last summer to clear up cap room.

The Nuggets are facing their own problems. They enter Game 2 tonight against the Lakers after losing Game 1 on Tuesday. Denver guard Chauncey Billups thought ‘we missed out on a great opportunity to steal this game.’

But that pales in comparison to the Clippers’ 19-63 record, even if it resulted in this year’s No. 1 draft pick. (Clippers General Manager and Coach Mike Dunleavy told The Times, ‘Clearly we’re taking Blake Griffin.’)

Given the Clippers’ loaded front-court, longtime NBA writer Sam Smith expects the Bulls would then trade for either Zach Randolph, Chris Kaman or Camby.

As early as the Clippers went 2-13, Camby said his former Nuggets teammates kept encouraging him through the tough times.

‘That’s always stressful and tough on a person, especially after coming from a situation we were in,’ Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony said. ‘He was thinking he would end his career here and would build with a young team like us. Coming to a Clipper team that’s trying to rebuild with what they got going on, once that trade happened to him I don’t think his mind was right.’

But Martin maintained Camby was never one to complain.

‘Of course there’s going to be frustrations, but did he ever voice it?’ Martin said. ‘He never voiced it to me, but you can tell the way a guy’s season is going that he’s used to playing a certain way, winning and making the playoffs every year. It’s a tough transition for him.’

-- Mark Medina