Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Nuggets are definitely ready for the All-Star break.

Last Sunday, the Nuggets were holding onto a nine-game winning streak. But they’ve lost their last three games, all on the road, and are ready for a break.

The last thing coach George Karl wants to do is follow the long win streak with a long losing streak. But the team did have four games in a five-day stretch which is brutal, even by NBA standards

Give Andre Miller credit, however.  In Wednesday’s 119-108 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Miller put on a clinic to keep the fans occupied with 10 assists including some lob passes into Javale McGee.

But Miller deserves plenty of credit in how he’s helped the Nuggets to a prominent place in the Western Conference. The 13-year pro is as crafty as ever and Denver is making use of his craftiness.

He’s averaging, nine points, three rebounds and six assists a game.

But has he lost his effectiveness as a playmaker?

A quick look at the stat sheet would indicate that he has slipped a little bit this season. His career points per game average of 13.8 is five  points higher than his season average. He’s down in assists per game average of 7.1 to 5.8. His rebound figures are also down.

But one stat especially indicates that Miller is still an effective player. One stat that’s up compared to                                                                                                                                   his career figure are his shooting  percentage from the floor, 3-point arc and free throws. That’s encouraging because if  he can keep his steady influence on the court, the Nuggets will prosper and provide a sense of direction on what they’re doing.