Sunday, December 30, 2001 - No Denver Nuggets player got hurt. No one asked to be traded. And no one was considering resigning on Friday night. All that took place for the Nuggets was a game of basketball.

And with nothing hanging over their heads but a challenge on the Pepsi Center floor, the Nuggets snapped a four-game losing streak with a 93-90 victory over the reigning Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers. The Nuggets (10-18) also ended a three-game skid at home and beat the Sixers (12-17) for the third consecutive time at home.

"It kind of felt (relaxed) coming into shootaround," Nuggets guard Avery Johnson said. "We probably didn't have anything surrounding the team for the first time in a month. It's like anything. The more weight that you carry, the more you won't be able to play to your fullest potential on the court. Whether they say we are professional athletes or not, if you got issues behind the scenes you can never reach your fullest potential. Everything felt pretty much at ease."