Thread: The Official Denver Nuggets Thread!

Well...that certainly wasn't the best outcome (and performance) with playoff important seedings at steak last night...

What is it with CO teams blowing late season heading into playoffs?

I found a couple of comments interesting after the game last night, especially since they were by two Spurs' players - i.e. - Julie Browman was talking with McDyess, and he stated that the calls were favorable to the Spurs, and the Nuggets got frustrated. Also, Duncan stated as much the same.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5075627

DENVER -- The Denver Nuggets have signed Coby Karl, the son of coach George Karl.

Coby Karl's signing was announced Sunday. George Karl, who survived prostate canver several years ago, is battling throat and neck cancer and hasn't been on the sideline since March 16.

Coby Karl was waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 6 and then played on 10-day contract with Golden State.

Also Sunday, the Nuggets announced the signing of center Brian Butch from the NBA's Development League.

Although I think this is a great gesture for the Nuggets to sign Coby, I am somewhat confused now. Coby is a guard. Last night, AD was ask WHY Ty Lawson did not get more playing time in the game, and AD answered that he can not play 5 guards, and Lawson had played in the previous game, so last night, it was AC's turn. So, AD feels he can not play 5 guards, and they just added another guard?????????

I, at one time felt that if Coach Karl was not the Nuggets coach at some point, that AD would be a great replacement. I am not sure about that anymore.

http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_14862171


Kiszla: Nuggets need to get mean


Where's the anger?

The Nuggets have picked a lousy time to turn into a whiny, sniveling basketball team.

Guess it's easier to grouse and moan than to hustle or rebound.

Exhibit A why your local NBA team is threatening to be one and done in the playoffs: San Antonio 104, Denver 85.

Let's face facts. The Nuggets are a professional team, but they are not a particularly passionate team.

Denver likes to keep the game free, easy and clean. The Nuggets are not naturally mean.

"This game is simple. Our style of play is to try to run and up the tempo. The style of San Antonio is the opposite. So whatever team imposes its will is going to win," point guard Chauncey Billups said Saturday.

The playoffs are seldom pretty. Playoff basketball is as much about mental toughness as swished jumpers. How much is imposing will on a game pure talent, and how much is down-and-dirty fortitude?

"I'd say it is 50-50. It might even be 55 percent mental and 45 percent physical," Billups replied. "Mental toughness is huge."

And nobody, but nobody, can destroy a foe's will or squeeze the beauty of the game into mush the way San Antonio does. There's a reason this team coached by Gregg Popovich has won four NBA championships.

OK, two reasons. Tim Duncan is No. 1. But reason No. 1A is the Spurs are nastier than you.

They certainly are meaner than Denver.

Please, let the Nuggets' first- round foe in the playoffs be Oklahoma City or Portland or any group of players who don't know how to put your heart in a vise with the sadistic glee the Spurs bring to basketball.

Popovich would destroy Adrian Dantley, whose audition as a head coach in the absence of George Karl has been so tone deaf that let's just be glad Simon Cowell isn't judging A.D.

"We told them before the game that they have to pass the ball from the strongside to the weakside and that we can't play bully ball, one-on- one ball," Dantley said.

The message apparently did not register.

Dantley certainly played with passion, but his presence on the Denver bench does not seem to inspire total attention from players, to say nothing of confidence.

How much do the Nuggets miss Karl, whose fight against throat and neck cancer makes it highly unlikely he will be on the Denver bench when the playoffs begin?

"You can just see it so many times in the last two weeks, when it has come down to close games, two or three- minute games. Those are coaching games, those are coaches' wins. Players make shots, but those are coaches' wins. They don't get enough credit for that," Billups said.

Sure, the referees stunk during a game in which Carmelo Anthony was ejected on technical fouls during the fourth quarter and the crowd of 19,155 cursed the bad calls in unison.

But one whiff of how the Nuggets played could make you wonder if the circus was in town.

From Kenyon Martin to Nene, the Nuggets desperately wanted to bash the refs for allowing San Antonio to shoot a season-high 45 free throws, but hated the idea of paying a fine to the league even worse.

Maybe that's the fatal flaw of these Nuggets.

They don't get mad until hearing the shrill sound of a bad whistle. Did the refs force the Nuggets to get outrebounded 48-31?

Denver needs Martin, who missed 18 games due to a knee injury, because he brings the mean.

We know the Nuggets have the talent to win in the playoffs.

Question is: Do they have the stomach to fight through adversity?

Adrian Dantleys rotations are a joke.

One thing I miss about Karl were the consistent line ups he put out each night, each player new their role before the injuries. Dantley is just confused out there.

Originally Posted by EMB6903

Adrian Dantley rotations are a joke.

One thing I miss about Karl were the consistent line ups he put out each night, each player new their role before the injuries. Dantley is just confused out there.

I do not understand what AD's problem is. He sat next to Coach Karl long enough that he should know what George would have done at any given time?????

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...FaGwgD9F146200

DENVER — Coby Karl wants his chance with the Denver Nuggets to be more than a heartwarming tale.

The son of Nuggets coach George Karl, who is battling throat and neck cancer, was signed Sunday by Denver.

It's a generous gesture, for sure. But Coby Karl is hoping to show that he earned this spot, and it's more than just a gift to his ailing dad.

"I know that's going to be out there," Coby Karl said after working out with center Brian Butch, who was also signed. "But that's the last thing I want it to be. As a basketball player, I'd like to think my skills have gotten me here."

Still, he can't wait for the day his dad returns to coaching, and subs him into a game.

Now that will be something memorable.

"It's been one of his goals, to coach me," Coby Karl said. "If that's what helps my father recover, that's great."

George Karl has been fighting cancer for the past two months and recently completed an intense six-week regimen of chemotherapy.

It's been an arduous ordeal for George Karl, who had to have a feeding tube inserted into his stomach because the efforts to kill the tumor caused mouth and throat sores that made swallowing food too painful. He's also dropped weight.

The Nuggets coach hasn't been on the sideline since a March 16 win over Washington. Assistant Adrian Dantley has taken over the Nuggets in his absence as the team remains in the hunt for one of the top seeds in the Western Conference.

And while there's no timetable for George Karl's return, there's still the remote possibility he may be back in the postseason.

Not that his son has any inside knowledge.

"He never really shows his cards," Coby Karl said. "I know he's in a lot of pain. He'll say he's fatigued. I hope (he's back), but I don't know."

Coby Karl said it was difficult being away from his dad as he went through chemotherapy. He was playing for the Idaho Stampede of the D-League, averaging 19.3 points and six rebounds a game.

"It's a slow process and I think he was kind of shocked how much it took out of him," said Coby Karl, who had cancerous lymph nodes removed a few years ago. "He's going to get better. I'm just looking forward to when he can start seeing the improvements. I think that's when his spirits will start growing and his willpower will start to show."

Coby Karl found out last week the Nuggets had an interest in him. Yet he kept it hush-hush, finding out he was going to be added just before his father called him to deliver the news.

For the son, the excitement in his father's voice was priceless.

"He was pretty emotional about it," Coby Karl said.

Coby Karl was with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season before being waived on Jan. 6. He also signed a 10-day contract with Golden State, averaging seven points, four rebounds and 3.9 assists in four games with the Warriors.

"It was fun to get out there and prove that I can score, I can pass, I can rebound on an NBA level," he said.

As far as feel-good stories go, this one is pretty good. Yet Coby Karl is just looking at it simply as an opportunity to suit up for a playoff-bound team.

With any luck, though, his dad will be back, too, coaching him.

"It would be special and unique," he said.

I was actually very surprised by watching Coby's play during Summer league play. He was very impressive.

I dont have a problem with this signing. Theres no way he sees the rotation this year anyways so it really doesnt effect Denver.

Originally Posted by EMB6903

I was actually very surprised by watching Coby's play during Summer league play. He was very impressive.

I dont have a problem with this signing. Theres no way he sees the rotation this year anyways so it really doesnt effect Denver.

I think he might get some playing time.

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

I think he might get some playing time.

not in any meaningful minutes.

I dont see see even Dantley playing anybody else in the playoffs besides an 8 maybe 9 man rotation which would include Billups, Afflalo, Melo, Kmart, JR, Nene, Lawson, Bird, and Petro.

Also forgot to mention Afflalo being mentioned as the front canidate for a 1st team all defender this year. That is a major accomplishment.

Originally Posted by EMB6903

not in any meaningful minutes.

I dont see see even Dantley playing anybody else in the playoffs besides an 8 maybe 9 man rotation which would include Billups, Afflalo, Melo, Kmart, JR, Nene, Lawson, Bird, and Petro.

Also forgot to mention Afflalo being mentioned as the front canidate for a 1st team all defender this year. That is a major accomplishment.

This guy has picked Afflalo as First team guard.

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/feature...nse/index.html

Arron Afflalo -- Denver Nuggets (104.3)

The Nuggets are a slightly below-average defensive team. Their best defender is Kenyon Martin. But they've done a good job of keeping Bryant, James and Wade in check this season. And it's been Afflalo who's had the assignment of slowing down the opposing stars most of the time.

In what was perhaps the most underrated acquisition of last summer (and another knock on Joe Dumars), the Nuggets got Afflalo from Detroit for a second round pick. He was in and out of the Pistons' rotation last season, but he's been a starter in Denver since early November.

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/feature...s=iref:nbahpt1

Players' league, huh? Sure, but don't think for a second those pacing the sidelines in suits don't make a difference. Ask the Nuggets.

"You can just see it," point guard Chauncey Billups said Saturday night after Denver's latest loss. "So many times in the last two weeks it comes down to close games, to two or three-minute games, those are coaching games. Those are coach's wins. Players make shots, but those are coach's wins. They don't get enough credit for that."

Credit is relative. Top NBA coaches are certainly well compensated. Phil Jackson rakes in seven figures per season and several of his peers pull down at least $5 million. The average salary for NBA coaches this season, however, is $3.4 million and has gone down 10 percent over the last two years, according to a report in the Newark Star-Ledger.

The average player salary is $5.9 million, meaning the majority of coaches make less than those they're paid to lead. Does that mean a coach's impact on a team's success is less than someone sitting at the end of the bench? Hardly.

Of the last 28 championships, 19 are in the hands of Jackson, Pat Riley and Gregg Popovich. Most objective circles recognize those three as among the best coaches of all-time. Among the other title winners over the last three decades are Chuck Daly, Larry Brown, Rudy Tomjanovich, K.C. Jones and Doc Rivers.

Each of those skippers had talent. You don't win without Magic, Kareem, Bird, Jordan, Pippen, Dream, Shaq, Kobe, Duncan, D-Wade, KG, Pierce and on down the Hall of Fame line. You also likely don't win without the guys holding the whistles.

"You have to have the right fit," Phoenix veteran Grant Hill said. "You have to have the right coach, the right personnel, the right players. Obviously, there's a lot of talent in this league, and people think we just roll the ball out and play. But you need players and you need the right person, the right voice, the philosophy.

"We lived that a little last year. It's not like you can just get anybody off the street."

Hill has played for 10 coaches over his 15 years in the league, and current coach Alvin Gentry twice. The Suns sputtered to start last season under Terry Porter, prompting the change to Gentry. Not only was Gentry well-received within the locker room, he brought back much of the Mike D'Antoni system that many of the current Suns thrived under.

Gentry has Phoenix back in the playoffs after missing last season and heads into the final week with a shot at a top-four seed in the Western Conference. Hill also referenced the Lakers of the last 10 years, who had loads of talent but didn't win it all until Jackson arrived. It's not always about highest profile and top dollar.

Scott Brooks is the Coach of the Year favorite because of his fit with the Thunder. Among the lowest paid in the league, Brooks has guided the NBA's youngest team into the playoffs after a four-year franchise drought. Sure, he has Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green to work with, and Brooks is the first to heap praise on his players.

But those in Oklahoma City cite Brooks' demeanor, style and consistency as just as valuable to the Thunder's growth. Brooks understands the front office's long-term vision while focusing on daily improvement. OKC has more than doubled its win total from last season and figures to be a tough out in the postseason.

Brooks' impact has gone beyond running practice or calling the right play out of a timeout.

"Teams take on the personality of their coaches, just like us with Coach Brooks," said Thunder vet Kevin Ollie, who's played for 17 NBA coaches. "He's a fiery guy, he's up in your face, he's a competitor and we take that on from him. It's like a sports car. KD is the All-Star engine, Russ is the wheels and all of us need to be part of making that car go. But ultimately somebody's got to start the ignition and drive the car, and that's Coach Brooks."

As much as Kenyon Martin's knee injury (he returned Saturday) had to do with the Nuggets' slide over the last three weeks, not having George Karl can't be underestimated. Adrian Dantley has assumed the reins in the interim and admitted the learning curve has been steep.

"Adrian has done a great job, but he's the assistant," Hill said. "This is his first opportunity as a head coach with a veteran team. Karl is a great coach and he's the voice they're used to hearing out there. As an assistant you may do things a little differently and you have that opportunity when you're filling in like, so it's difficult.

"Karl is the right guy. That team is built to fit around Carmelo, and fit with Karl and his personality. He's had a lot of success there and throughout his career. Dantley may end up being a great coach in this league, but to just get thrown into the fire due to unfortunate circumstances goes to show you it's a fine line."

Saturday's blowout loss to the Spurs in Denver may have cost the Nuggets the Northwest Division title and any realistic shot at the second or third seed in the West. Denver is 10-7 in games Karl has missed for his recently-completed cancer treatments, including 5-6 since March 20.

"Adrian and his crew have done a great job of keeping things together," said Popovich, a four-time champion with San Antonio. "George is such a commanding figure. People are just going to look to him for guidance, for leadership, how to react after a win, how to react after a loss, what do we need to do, what's the schedule, do we need to rest, do we need to bust our ass, what do we need to do in a variety of situations.

"You just turn that over to people and he's not there, it's a big change. People look at each other differently. The chemistry is different between players, between coaches and players, situations on the court, it's hard to describe, but it's chemistry that goes beyond just players having chemistry. You have to do it all over again."

man, the nugs are BLASTING memphis. . . .

Yeah they blasted Memphis. It was a much needed win. Now if we can get JR to pull his head out..... He has the basketball IQ of a fishstick. Jacking up 3's with 20 seconds left on the shot clock, and a 20 something point lead with about 2 minutes left in the game. If that kid had 1 ounce of class on the basketball court I could get to like him.

I was really hoping (still do) Karl's situation would be an inspiration to the team and make them that much better...

...down the stretch, though, it sure doesn't look like that was the outcome.

Hopefully for the playoffs, it will be...