Chaos in the Wild, Wild West

Born a Nuggets Fan has moved to Pickaxe and Roll

What in the Wide, Wide World of Sports is going on here? 

The Northwest Division is in turmoil.  Denver remains in first place, but Portland is on a nine game winning streak and has surpassed Utah.  The Jazz are 1-8 over their previous nine games and actually out of the top eight in the west at this point.  Even though the Nuggets are in first they are only 6-7 since they hit their high point of 8-3 earlier in the season.   

Will Denver or Utah ever get their sad little acts together?  Right now it is a race between two Yugos that have had their little engines replaced with some 500 horsepower beast of an engine.  Both cars sound great when you step on the gas, but the driver’s cannot steer and rainwater is pouring in through the windows.   

I keep waiting for Utah to bounce back thinking that every loss is rock bottom, but they continue to find new low after new low.  If the Nuggets go through a stretch like that this season there would not be an unbroken piece of glass, mirror or television screen left in my house.   

There is a bright spot the size of a gnats’ jimmy for the Jazz it is that seven of those eight losses were on the road.  The losses to the Spurs, Mavs, Suns and Blazers can be explained away, but the last two defeats at the hands of the Hawks and the Bobcats must be especially disturbing to Utah.   

Once again rock bottom may be a few more rungs down as their next three games are at Orlando, at Miami, home against Dallas and then at the Lakers.  As a Nugget fan, I am enjoying every floor the Jazz crash through as they plummet to the basement.   

Portland is an amazing story.  Written off before the season started they have interrupted the exclusive meeting of western playoff contenders with some very impressive play the past three weeks.  After watching the recording of the game they had against the Nuggets the other night I believe more than ever that they earned that game.  Their shooting in the third quarter was quite impressive.  Tonight they had another strong comeback against the Raptors to keep their streak alive. 

Even with their incredible current streak it is difficult to see Portland ending up much better than .500.  They are still young and this winning streak cannot go on much longer the way they have barely eked out some of those games.  Once this momentum ends we will see what they are really made out of.  As opposed to Utah who is feeling the pain on the road, Portland has enjoyed a hoard of home games as they have won six of the nine games at home.  Their run may still have some legs to it though as their next four games are at home and they may very well have vaulted into first place by then. 

We have been over and over the Nuggets’ situation because that is what we do here.  We can now count the Nugg Doctor among the growing number of fans who believe this team will be battling inconsistency all season.  It is clear that the Nuggets can play better and I am sure they will.  The return of Nene will help, but many of you already know I believe Chucky Atkins will be about as useful as a concrete pillow.  Anthony Carter is a much better player, especially on defense, and Carter has done a great job of hitting open shots, which is all Atkins is good for.   

The inconsistent play is not just plaguing the Northwest Division.  Houston has not been anywhere near as good as advertised.  They are closer to Sacramento than they are to the eighth seed and that is not because the Kings are any good.  Phoenix is currently enduring a 2-4 stretch.  Dallas has decided not to focus so stringently on the regular season after realizing that killing yourself to win 67 games does not necessarily do much to help you get past the first round of the playoffs.  San Antonio came out of the gates red hot, but they have never placed much emphasis on the regular season.  They are not going to kill themselves to maximize their regular season win total.   

The only two teams that have been consistent from start of the season through today are the Lakers and the Hornets.  I guess the Timberwolves and SuperSonics have been very consistent as well, but not in a good way.  Neither the Lakers nor the Hornets have played a cake schedule, both have had a pretty even mix of road and home games and neither one has undergone a damaging losing streak.   

The wild card in the west has to be Golden State.  Even since Stephen Jackson, who claims to “make love to pressure,” (actual Stephen Jackson quote that makes you wonder who is responsible for the birth control in that relationship) returned from his suspension they have been sensational.  They may not be an elite team, but they have not had what I would call a “bad loss” since Jackson started suiting up.  I think they will definitely level out a bit, but they must be considered a legitimate team in the race for the fourth seed. 

In the end I am sure some combination of the Spurs, Mavs and Suns will possess the top three records in the west at season’s end, but is there any team out there who you believe is a shoe in for that fourth spot?  If I had to pick a team with my family’s life on the line I would have to try to kill all the bad guys who held them captive because even though I am a supreme wuss I would have better odds at going John McClain on them than correctly selecting the team that will end up fourth.   

This may all seem a bit uneven, but after all of this analysis I am here to deliver good news to Nuggets fans.  They are in that fourth spot right now as they are currently leading the division.  Nevermind the fact that they only have the sixth best record and they are equally close to the eighth spot as the fourth.   

That fourth spot would guarantee one thing.  The Nuggets would not have to play the Spurs, Suns or Mavs until round two.  Of course, last time they avoided one of the top teams they were embarrassed and eviscerated by the Clippers.   

That series proved that losing to the Spurs is not so bad after all.  At least there is some dignity in it.

Game 20: Denver Nuggets 122 – Dallas Mavericks 109

Born a Nuggets Fan has moved to Pickaxe and Roll

Box Score 

The Denver Nuggets have their first signature win of the 2007-2008 season.  They played with purpose and focus.  After showing the mental strength of a group of teenage boys sniffing glue in their previous few games they possessed a tremendous mental fortitude that had been sorely lacking.   

Coming into tonight’s game I said I wanted to see the Nuggets react with some backbone when the Mavericks put together a second half run.  The Mavericks run came late in the third quarter as they were able to whittle the Nuggets once plump lead down to one point on a couple occasions.  I began to wonder if the Nuggets would fold as they have on more than one occasion this season.  They most certainly did not.  From the time the Mavs got within 92-91 the Nuggets went on a 30-14 run to seal the game.    

They were constantly looking to push the ball up the floor even when they did not seem to have numbers.  By running the ball up the floor instead of walking it up opportunities can be created that would not have been there even though the defense is not outnumbered.  A true running team will can They had 22 fast break points in the first half alone and even though they only added two more in the second half, they played at a  good tempo.   

When they had to run their half court offense they took their time, were active cutting to the basket and took good shots.  They definitely played a very smart offensive game from start to finish. 

The best statistical proof that they were being patient and taking good shots is the fact that despite the fact they were hitting their threes early, they only took ten for the entire game making five.  The ten attempts was easily a season low.   

Other impressive stats that came out of the game are the Nuggets shot 50.5% from the field, they outscored the Mavs 64-36 in the paint and they absconded with the ball 13 times as opposed to only seven turnovers.   

The Nuggets were not just better on offense.  They scrambled much better on defense and they were intelligent with their defensive positioning.  The Mavs are very good about reversing the ball from the strong side to the weak side.  Last night against the Lakers the Nuggets weak side positioning was atrocious and it allowed the Lakers to take advantage of a bevy of wide open threes.  Tonight against the Mavs they were much more disciplined and made sure that they were able to react to any pass the Mavs made.   

They also played very little zone defense against Dallas.  I understand the need to mix it up a little from time to time, but the less zone the Nuggets play the better.   

Other Observations From Game 20: 

 - Melo had a terrible shooting night, but he did continue to attack the rim more than he had in the past.  There were a couple of situations where he probably should have gone to the line, but did not get the call.  In fact, he was great in the third quarter when the Mavs made their run.  He worked the offensive glass and hit a couple of nice jumpers.   

 - Melo started the fourth quarter on the bench and watched Iverson close the game out as the Mavs could not handle his ability to penetrate.  He drove on Devin Harris, Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse on successive possessions early in the fourth.  It seemed almost every possession he scored or made the assist.  From what I hear Phil Jackson would have called it a “Brokeback Mountain Quarter.” 

 - One of my pet peeves in basketball right now is the two for one at the end of quarters.  How often do you see a player throw up a bad shot just with the hope that they can throw up another bad shot with the clock winding down.  Notice how often a bad shot is taken and how often there end up being more than two possessions left in the quarter.  I know it makes sense on paper, but so does Communism.   

 - I do not think I am a big fan of Reggie Miller as an announcer.   

 - In the fourth quarter Iversom bumped Dirk on the elbow on a layup and the way Dirk reacted made me very concerned that he was potentially going to miss a few games.  He grimaced, yelped at the refs and waved his arm around like Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack when his drive bounced off the ball washer and hit him.  (“My arm…it’s broken!”)  Dirk has been accused of a lack of toughness and I wonder what his teammates think when they see him react like that.   

There was a kid I grew up with who always cried every day at Young America soccer practice when he was kicked in the shin.  He cried in football, even in high school.  He cried on the playground.  When we made it to high school he ended up being a state champion heavyweight wrestler.  Despite his accomplishment did I ever think of him as tough?  Absolutely not.  I remember the whining and crying. 

Dirk won the MVP last season, a tremendous accomplishment, but what are the chances his teammates think of him as tough?  I may be wrong, but I think demonstrations like the one tonight stick in their heads. 

 - Allen Iverson was absolutely amazing again tonight.  Once again he shot a high percentage from the floor, 12-19, and made it to the line continually, 11-13.  He also played 43 more minutes.  The man is a physical marvel.  After seeing him play in person over the past few months, nothing he does from here on out will surprise me.  He could be averaging 40 minutes a game in ten years and I will not be shocked.  Well, maybe a little shocked, but I am not going to put it past him.

 - I always have to complain about something so here it is.  The Mavs outrebounded the Nuggets by 12 and they grabbed 16 offensive boards.  Had the Mavs shot better the game might have turned out differently.  Of course, the Nuggets defense was a big reason why the Mavericks did not shoot better.

 For insight into tonight’s game from a Maverick centric point view check out Mavs Moneyball.

Game 19: Denver Nuggets 107 – Los Angeles Lakers 111

Born a Nuggets Fan has moved to Pickaxe and Roll

Box Score 

It is easy to dwell on how amazing Allen Iverson was tonight.  He was incendiary.  It was awesome to watch, but it is all overshadowed by the outcome of the game.   

The Nuggets tend to get a little too cute on defense coming up with schemes where they believe they can take advantage of a matchup here or there, but once again tonight they out-thought themselves.  When Chris Mihm was in the game in the first half Camby did not guard him unless he entered the paint.  (I know about the box and one with one guy playing man to man, but what is it called when four guys play man to man and the other plays zone?  The dot and four?)  This unconventional defense left the Nuggets confused on their rotations and assignments once someone had to help on a screen or drive.  Because of their confusion they gave up a bevy of wide open three point shots in the second quarter. 

Fortunately in the second half the strategy was abandoned, as far as I could tell and Mihm helped by not straying from the paint anymore, but the damage was done as the Nuggets gave up seven threes in the second quarter alone.  Iverson had his best quarter scoring 18 points, but that was negated by the threes they gave up on defense.  Instead of going into halftime with a six or eight point lead, they were down four. 

There was an aspect of Iverson’s big game that did worry me a little and that was the offense was largely stagnant as Iverson pumped in bucket after bucket.  That is very difficult to avoid when a player like Iverson is taking over the game and there is a good reason to let it happen.  Watching the game unfold you kind of dreaded the potential situation where Iverson either cools off or the rest of the Nuggets have to pick up more of the load on offense.   

The Lakers made sure Iverson did not end up beating them.  Through three quarters Iverson had 49 points.  He scored two in the fourth quarter. 

In the first half the Lakers were frequently doubling Carmelo, but in the fourth quarter the Lakers decided to aggressively double Iverson and take the ball out of his hands.  On a night when J.R. Smith was 1-10, Kenyon Martin was 2-8 and missed three of four free throws in the fourth quarter and Marcus Camby was 0-3 there was not much help to be had.  Anthony had played a decent offensive game up to that point, but went 3-9 in the fourth quarter excluding his meaningless made layup with two seconds left.   

Iverson did his part posting four of his eight assists in the fourth quarter as he tried to set up his teammates as a result of the double teams, but it was a difficult adjustment for the rest of the team to make after he had scored so much on his own for the first three quarters.  He must have felt like he was playing with the likes of Matt Geiger, Eric Snow and Aaron McKee again. 

This game reinforces what I said after the encounter in Los Angeles last week.  The Lakers are simply a better team than the Nuggets at this point in the season.   In several ways the Nuggets outplayed the Lakers tonight.  They ran pretty well putting up 23 fast break points.  They had a slight lead in points in the paint.  They both shot and made 11 more free throws than the Lakers and they outrebounded them as well.  But the big difference in three point shooting was the clincher for the Lakers.   

Thus we see another game go down the tubes that the Nuggets really needed to have.  The Nuggets travel to Dallas tomorrow night (back to back and injury excuse warning!) and if they drop that game they will finish up the first quarter of the season at 11-9. 

In case you were wondering, but even if you were not, the Nuggets have lost six of the seven games they have played in Dallas since Carmelo joined the team.  They usually do not play very well there, but hey who does?   

I will be very interested to see how they respond if Dallas puts a run on them in the second half.   

Other Observations From Game 19:

 - Eduardo Najera is the best cutter on the team.  He has a great sense of timing for when to make his move. 

 - Melo put forth more effort on defense tonight, but it was actually frustrating to watch.  He will play close to his man, denying the ball and staying close to him for a while, but if he gets picked off or if his man moves out to the perimeter after Melo covers him on a cut he will just stop playing.  It almost seems like he is content with what he did and he considers his job to be done.  On a few occasions he just completely stopped.  He was not going for rebounds and he plays absolutely no help defense.  He even stops paying attention to his man.  That is not quiet a commitment to defense.  He is in a relationship with Defense, but he is still seeing his old lady friend Apathy on the side.  I hope Apathy has something going for her and is worth it, because I hate to see Defense treated that way.     

 - I got a kick out of Chris Marlowe pointing out that Melo was taking on the challenge of guarding Kobe at one point in the second quarter.  Melo guarded him for two possessions one of which he was rubbed off by a screen and switched off of Kobe almost immediately.  He was relieved of that duty when Anthony Carter checked back into the game. 

 - The Lakers were playing on the second half of a back to back set and on the road no less, yet somehow they won.  How could that be possible?  Any thoughts on that Marcus? 

 - Again, I do not like just reciting stats out of the box score, but Camby had another 20 rebound game.  He is pouring his heart out on the glass every night, but he still just plays pick and rolls like the ball handler has cooties.  During a key sequence in the last couple of minutes he did not step up to slow down Kobe when all J.R. needed to get back in front was a little help.  Camby just watched him go by and score a layup.  At least he tried to remedy that mistake on the next pick and roll, but Kobe did such a great job of quickly getting away from the screen Smith had too much ground to make up and Kobe was able to shake Marcus and hit a big jumper.  I do not expect Marcus to stop Kobe in that situation, but I do wish he would have put forth the same effort during the play that he could have made a difference. 

 - Don’t you just wish you could watch film with the Nuggets sometime with the remote in one hand and a pointer in the other?  I would probably get jumped afterwards by a lynch mob of posse members and beaten to a pulp, but if I get my message though it might be worth it.  I have enough life insurance to pay off the house.   

 - Lamar Odom had been struggling big time and it was only a matter of time before he had a good game.  He played very well scoring all 17 of his points, in the first two and a half quarters. 

 - I absolutely hate hearing cheers over the television when the Lakers score during games in Denver.  It grates on me like a braggart foisting his silly pathetic stories on a fair maiden. 

 - The Nuggets keep playing zone here and there and it makes me nuts.  They play sloppy defense when they are in a zone and the do not rebound well at all.  They have the potential to build the foundation of being a very good man to man defensive team.  After all, Melo is in a quasi-serious relationship with Defense for the first time in his career.   

 - I think it is safe to say that George Karl has lost faith in Bobby Jones and Kuba Diawara, who is back to being the Nuggets leading three point shooter after the 0-5 night J.R. Smith threw up.   

 - I thought it was interesting watching Iverson heading towards the bench after the third quarter, being met on the court by Karl and then emphatically telling him that he did not need a rest and would prefer not to be taken out of the game.  They guy had 49 points through three quarters in a close game.  You might as well be asking a pitcher in the middle of a no hitter if he wanted to let someone else take care of the last three outs or asking Drew Carey to date someone who does not take their clothes off for a living. 

 - I just hit my funny bone so I am going to wrap things up. 

Again, for some thoughts from the Lakers’ perspective on tonight’s game and to see what a high quality blog actually looks like as opposed to this slop check out Forum Blue and Gold.

An Open Letter to More Optimistic Nuggets Fans Than Me

Born a Nuggets Fan has moved to Pickaxe and Roll

Disco left a comment after my post for the Miami game.  He brings up some good points and I wanted to make sure that everyone saw it because it displays a more optimistic side of things for the Nuggets and may very well prove to be accurate when contrasted to my more pessimistic view of what may transpire for the rest of the season.  It is definitely a good conversation starter and I think we could have some good discussion regarding these issues.   

Here is Disco’s comment:

Assuming GK/AI/Melo/Camby are ok with losing anything is silly. These are some of the most competitive guys in the NBA we are talking about. Most people assume Karl is fine with losing because he made this comment… but what would you have him do? Call out Melo/AI in the press? Right…thats gonna make the team better. I think you have greatly misjudged the psychological makeup of this team. This team thinks they can beat any team on any night…which is why they get lazy. They do not think its ‘OK to lose this one’.

In addition, its silly to extrapolate a season worth of games from the first month ESPECIALLY with this team. I think we all agree this team has not hit its stride yet.

These are all good points, but I tend to disagree with what he said so here is an open letter to optimistic Nuggets fans everywhere addressing the comment left by Disco: 

I can see and appreciate where you are coming from.  It is possible that I am being too hard on the Nuggets, or further still, completely wrong.  But it is obvious to me that this team is not making the obvious changes that are necessary to succeed consistently on the court.  That is a mental issue that this team has.  You are right that they are not in the locker room before a game saying to one another, “We can afford to lose tonight.”  It is a more subtle subconscious process that is allowed to fester by Karl himself using the excuse of injuries or Camby using the excuse of playing five back to back sets of games to rationalize poor performances.   

I wrote that I did not want to hear one player or coach use injuries, or anything else, as an excuse for why they lose because it fosters that defeatist mindset.  As soon as someone allows themselves to think that they lost because of injuries, it becomes an acceptable reason for the team as a whole to underperform.  The Nuggets, specifically Karl, let that happen. 

As far as their competitiveness, I agree that Camby and especially Iverson are competitive.  Melo is competitive, but he is no where near the level of Iverson.  I actually think Melo is a frontrunner where he is great when they are scoring a lot of points and things are going his way, but when things start to go bad, he gets frustrated and if that frustration festers for too long he becomes a detriment to the team.  His shot selection becomes atrocious and he starts pouting.   

Karl is much more difficult to read.  I know he was a very passionate player and coach when he was younger, but we do not see that much anymore.  I wrote a couple of days ago that he is clearly trying not to grate on his players as he used to.  He definitely makes a point of not calling his guys out in the papers, but none of us have any idea what he says to them behind closed doors.  He may be doing all he can, but I do not get the sense from him that every loss just eats him up inside.   

Ultimately with this team the problem is not having enough competitors who do not want to lose, but how that competitiveness manifests itself when the other team makes a run and how they react when they are not playing well.  I think Iverson is by far the most competitive player on the team.  I believe every loss hurts him and more than anything he wants to win a championship.  He gives it his all every night and will never stop fighting, but he is only one guy. 

I have also seen a downside of that super competitive nature that Iverson possesses in how it impacts the way he plays.  We all know that this team is at its best when they are playing some semblance of defense, running the floor and moving without the ball on offense.  When Iverson senses things are going bad and that hatred of losing boils to the surface, he becomes even more of a one on one player.  Ultimately, he relies on himself to carry the team out of it and usually that only exacerbates the issues on offense.   

When a game starts slipping away I want to see AI, Camby and Melo call everyone together and get on the same page.  Demand that everyone shares the ball and moves on offense.  Demand that they all start gritting it out on defense.  Remember together that they play their best when they play as a team and not as individuals.    

Instead, when things start to go bad we see Melo jacking up more and more contested jumpers and AI over dribbling.  The result of which is things seem to go downhill even more quickly.  At this point that attitude I wrote about comes in where the excuses they use to dismiss poor play impact their acceptance of what is happening on the court.  Again, I am not saying it is a purposeful decision, but a reason to let the flood of momentum overwhelm them.  Their effort becomes hollow.   

The best example of this was the game against the Clippers in Los Angeles.  On several occasions they were only down four in the second half, but they never gave me the slightest inkling of belief that they would get any closer.  After the game I wrote that it was the most insurmountable small third quarter lead I had ever seen.   

That game happened to be the second half of a back to back and they were playing without Nene, Chucky Atkins, Anthony Carter and Steven Hunter.  To top it off Linas Kleiza was injured in the second half as well.  Mentally they completely mailed in the second half.  It was pathetic.  Is it a coincidence that those excuses they site so readily were present in that game?  I do not think so.  Somewhere in their minds they decided that with all the obstacles they were facing that game was one that they could let go of.   

Instead of pulling together and fighting back when things get tight, they let a 17 point lead against the Lakers turn into a 28 point blowout, a nine point lead against an undermanned Clipper team turn into an inexplicable 11 point loss.  They have had one game all year where things were not going their way and yet they fought back to win against a decent team and that was the game in Indiana where we know Karl gave them a good thrashing at halftime.  They have come back to win games against Seattle and twice against Minnesota, but those were against the two worst teams in the league.  I do not think that is much to get excited about, but to be fair it does merit mentioning. 

Based on what I have seen, I have to question this team’s mindset and attitude heading into games.  I have to wonder why they allow themselves to play four horrible games in a row without showing the slightest interest in changing the things that they know they need to do better in order to win.  The very fact that they make excuses about injuries and schedules when those things do not prevent them from moving without the ball or taking good shots or rallying their teammates to change how they are playing shows where there mind is.  How else can you explain what we have seen the first month of the season?  This is a veteran team that should not have to keep learning the same lessons over and over again. 

You bring up another good point that has bugged me for the past three years.  They have a very arrogant attitude about themselves.  They do get lazy against poor teams and they lose important games because of it.  I do not believe the reason is because they know that they can beat anyone at anytime.  I believe it is because they think they are good enough to just show up and win.  That is a ridiculous attitude to have for a team that has not accomplished anything together. 

Concerning the projected record I put together, I was merely working with what they have done this season and their performance in previous seasons to develop what kind of pace they were on.  I am not saying it is etched in stone that they will be 50-32.  I think I used sound arguments for how I came up with that number.  Can they win 55 games?  Sure, but it seems unlikely.  Have they hit their stride yet?  You are correct in saying they have not.  One of the points I have tried to drive home though is that the schedule gets much more difficult.  Look at what they have in store for them in March.  They will have to play much better than they have to this point just to win seven or eight games that month. 

I do have very strong reservations about this team.  I may be wrong and I may be misreading their mindset, but I do not know how else to interpret the indifference, inconsistency and lack of urgency I see from them.  I hope I am wrong and they can begin playing consistently great basketball.  They definitely have the ability to do so.   

It really makes me worry that they know they need home court advantage and a favorable playoff matchup to have a good chance to advance in the playoffs, but their play has not reflected that belief.  November was a month to prove that they were a team to be taken seriously and get a lead on many of their competitors and they failed to do that.   

I would like to thank Disco for posting his comment as well as all of you who take the time to share you thoughts.  I truly appreciate all of you who chose to read this blog.   

I think this can be a good starting point for more discussion so please leave your thoughts below.  Am I completely wrong?  Do we need to give the Nuggets more time?  I am looking forward to what everyone thinks about the state of the Nuggets at this point in the season. 

Game 17: Denver Nuggets 123 – Los Angeles Clippers 107

Born a Nuggets Fan has moved to Pickaxe and Roll

Box Score

What I saw from the Nuggets tonight made me even more disappointed in the results last night in Los Angeles against the Lakers.   

They did many of the things tonight that they failed to do last night.  They pushed the pace for more than a few minutes, even after makes, they had much better movement on offense resulting in a plethora of easy shots in the paint and they played good defense for a majority of the game.   

Of course, that has been the way they have done things for years.  When you can claim that you played the champions as well as anyone, or that you did really well for having to fight through injuries, why change anything?  As long as players keep getting injured, you can keep that line of crap going for years. 

Getting back to the game, the Nuggets played well enough that I was surprised when looking at the box score that some individual numbers were not better. 

I was very impressed with the play of Kenyon Martin.  He played very tough defense on Chris Kaman.  He was constantly working to push him away from the block when Kaman was trying to establish position and he met Kaman in the lane and began working him over instead of letting him come across the floor and then start fighting him.   

Martin was also aggressive on offense as he drove and cut to the rim frequently resulting in at least three dunks.  He was also very determined on the glass fighting everyone, even Marcus Camby on a couple of occasions, for rebounds.  Martin ended up with nine points and five rebounds, but I would have guessed he had 15 points and eight or nine rebounds from the way he played. 

When Martin was out of the game, Eduardo Najera did a very good job on Kaman as well frustrating him on more than one occasion. 

Carmelo Anthony made a concerted effort to get to the basket in the first half and I do not recall an instance where he forced a shot over a double team.  He also brought some effort on defense once again although only in spurts.  Most of all I was impressed with Melo’s effort on the defensive glass, especially in the second half when he recorded all of his rebounds.  He was so aggressive that, as with Martin, I thought he ended up with eight or nine boards.  He actually only grabbed four, but he kept some other rebounds alive by tipping them until a teammate could get to it. 

Tonight it was obvious that they knew what they had to change in order for them to succeed.  My question is why did they wait until tonight to make those changes?  Why don’t they approach every game the same way? 

I believe that they go into some games with the idea it is OK for them to lose.   

I have written previously about how important it is for the Nuggets not to site the injuries that they have endured as an excuse for underachieving.  Unfortunately not only are they using injuries as an excuse, it is coming directly from the head coach.  Successful teams and coaches do not give any excuses for loses.   

I think they went into the Laker game last night with the idea that they could lose the game and not feel bad about it because of the “rash” of injuries they have experienced.   

When you add that defeatist attitude they bring into some games because of the ready made excuse of injuries with the arrogant attitude that they think that they can just show up and win in other games they are approaching a large portion of their games with a very poor frame of mind. 

The Nuggets are like the teenager who is happy to get a ‘D’ because it is a passing grade when they are capable of getting an ‘A.’  Anyone who cares about them is upset that they are happy with the results and ultimately, they are hurting only themselves by settling for less than they are capable of.   

What makes things even worse is that the Nuggets achieved their goal for the month of November, which was established by none other than Coach George Karl, to win ten games.  For the Nuggets to proclaim this month a success for posting a 10-7 record is nothing short of preposterous. 

Maybe it is not quite a ‘D’ it sure as heck isn’t much better.  And there is Karl standing in front of the cameras telling everyone how pleased he is with it. Well, congratulations you are going to graduate from high school George, but do not expect to get into any good colleges, or to get any further than the first round of the playoffs. 

I had stated that in order for the Nuggets to make me believe that they are capable of winning 55 to 60 games they would have to end November with a 14-3 record.  Well, as the calendar turns to December they find themselves four games off of that pace and there were some ugly games mixed throughout for such a veteran team with lofty goals.   

Other Observations From Game 17:

 - I am still not sure what to think of Anthony Carter.  He has proven to be an adequate shooter from 20 feet and in.  He has put up some nice assist numbers.  However, he does not seem to run the team very well.  Many of his passes are off the mark and do not allow the recipient to take a shot in rhythm.  I think that is the first time I have ever spelled the word rythym correctly on my first try.  Dang it, I guess I could not do it twice in a row though. 

 - Looking at the stats the Nuggets did much better in all the areas they struggled in when the lost to the Clippers just over a week ago.  They outrebounded the Clippers by one, outscored them in the paint by six and even though they lost the fast break battle 20-14, they did a good job of pushing the pace. 

 - Just yesterday I wrote that the Nuggets might be better off starting AI at point and J.R. Smith at shooting guard, but I can certainly see the merits in having Carter and AI on the floor at the same time.  While playing Iverson at shooting guard is certainly a defensive liability, they run the floor much better when they have two options to take the outlet pass and run the fast break.   

 - Diawara is the only Nugget who has not gone through a slump from long distance.  He made two tonight, the second one killed any hopes of a Clipper rally.  Kuba is 14-31 on the season which equates to over 45%.  He is constantly compared to Bruce Bowen as a defender by George Karl my question is, if he really believes that, with his three point shooting why is he not playing more?   

 - Corey Maggette is by far the best offensive player the Clippers have, but I get the feeling they think he gets more than his fair share of shots up.  There were several occasions where his teammates chose not to pass to him even though he was set up in what seemed to be good scoring positions. 

 - Karl has been taking a lot of heat from fans regarding his lack of fire on the bench and his overly supportive comments in the press.  Everyone wants him to rant and rave along the sideline and call out his players in the papers and on television, but there are two problems with expecting those types of behavior from him.   

Karl is a Carolina guy and reveres Dean Smith as a coach and a person.  Smith was, for the most part, stoic on the sideline and Karl is trying to emulate that style.   

As far as speaking ill of his players to the media, that was one of the issues his players had with him in the past.  By the time his tenure was up in Milwaukee he had seriously hurt his relationship with his players, Ray Allen in particular, because he was hard on them openly with the media.  I think he is talking the way he is now to avoid some of those old problems.   

I am not supporting Karl in his decisions in how to conduct himself during games or with the press.  I am just saying this to give some background to why he may do what he does.

For a perspective on tonight’s game from the Clippers point of view check out Clipper Blog or Clips Nation.

Update:

J.R. Smith deserves a mention as he hit his first four or five threes he took.  They were all quality shots until he took a shady heat check three that ended up being his first miss.  He closed the game going 6-9 from long distance.  His lack of effort on defense and quasi psychotic shot selection made it difficult to keep him on the floor in the past.  Now that he is making an effort to correct those shortcomings, he can be a tremendous asset to the Nuggets.

Game 16: Denver Nuggets 99 – Los Angeles Lakers 127

Born a Nuggets Fan has moved to Pickaxe and Roll

Box Score 

Tonight’s game against the Lakers was not a total loss.  Yes the end result was a whitewashing of our Nuggets by the Fancy Lakers, but the Nuggets finally came out with an intense, hard working attitude to start the game tonight.   

Too bad it lasted about as long as I would in Compton. 

Even as the Nuggets built up that 17 point first half lead it all seemed a little fluky.  They had a game’s worth of steals in the first 18 minutes.  Once the Lakers started taking care of the ball things dried up for the Nuggets quickly. 

I have come to the conclusion that the Lakers are a better team than the Nuggets at this point in the season.  It is that simple.  I do not like admitting it, but it is true.   

As of now, all the preseason hype is long gone.  The 55 to 60 win aspirations are now no longer worth mentioning.  There are nine playoff caliber teams in the Western Conference.  It is now time to hope the Nuggets do not end up number nine out of that group.   

However, the Nuggets did show some progress as they made a concerted effort to run the floor in the first half even after made baskets, which is a key indicator of whether or not a team has a desire to run the floor.  Anyone can run after a steal at the three point line.  The swing in the score in the Lakers favor was more a result of the Lakers waking up than the Nuggets getting a lead and then settling back into their old habits.  

I guess at this point, with this team about all we can hope for is progress.    

 And we can also be glad we are not Knicks fans.  Dang, now that was a woopin’. 

Other Observations From Game 16: 

 - We must talk about Carmelo Anthony’s night mustn’t we?  He was ejected for the first time this season in what would appear to be his first “losing his head” moment.  I looked back at the replay and I do not think that is the case.  He had his hand up to feel where Vujacic was and was looking away at the ball.  Vujacic started to cut and Melo’s hand just happened to be up around his neck.  Melo then did show some frustration by simply pushing back against Vujacic after he started to exert some force on Melo’s arm.  Melo did not look at Vujacic and in a fit of xenophobia decide that he was going to try to choke him.  He just had his hand up too high.  If his hand was on Vujacic’s chest it would not have been a big deal. 

By the way, with the level of pain Sasha exhibited was truly fitting of a European who grew up watching and playing soccer.  I can see him sitting at the locker after the game rubbing his scrawny little neck with that pouty look on his face while his teammates giggle hiding behind towels.  What a sissy.  Actually, I do not think the other Lakers would even bother hiding.  I am pretty sure it is safe to openly mock Sasha. 

I hope it is not too late to mention this, but look at the word mustn’t.  I do not think I have ever seen it written down before.  It just looks like there is something wrong with it.  It could be the team word for the Nuggets because there looks like there is something wrong with them. 

Getting back to Melo, by looking at the box score, it would seem like he had a pretty solid game, but I do not completely agree with the box score.  He did shoot a very high percentage, but he is just so content to settle for that midrange jumper.  I do not think he drove to the basket more than twice all game long.  After he has hit a couple of those midrange jumpers, which he almost always seems to do starting off games, he can get to the basket at will using a pump fake and his awesome first step. 

Why won’t he do that?   

On some occasions the other team brings a second defender to the ball side of the lane when Melo is on the wing, but unless Melo makes that defender commit to cover him by driving there is no real offensive advantage to be gained from it.  The true sign of his complete dependence on the jumper is the fact that he only took one free throw.  That free throw capped a three point play in one of the two or three instances Melo did drive to the hoop. 

If I could make one other observation on what Melo has been doing on offense, notice where he posts up.  He rarely actually posts up on the block.  He is always posting up twelve feet from the hoop or further.  This just makes it easier for him to continue to shoot that midrange jumper.  He is so quick and so strong he can spin off the block and get either a great shot or set up a teammate.  He used to use that drop step/spin move all the time on the block.  I have not seen it in a while. 

The other change in Melo’s game from the beginning of the season that should be noted is his newfound desire to be a good defender is long gone.  He is not even pretending to play solid defense anymore.   

The bottom line is Melo is not putting forth the necessary effort, especially mentally, on offense or defense. 

 - It will not be long before Andrew Bynum is mentioned among the other top centers in the league.  Since he entered the league he showed good athleticism, nice hands and good touch.  The rest is work ethic and it sounds like after some early concerns he is learning how to be a professional. 

 - Allen Iverson had another decent game, but it was a tale of two styles for AI tonight.  When the Nuggets went on their run to push the lead up to 17 points Iverson had four assists in that sequence.  He ended up with six assists for the game.  I still contend that the Nuggets are a better team when Iverson is playing the set up man, than the primary scorer.  In the second half he went into scorer mode, as he usually does when he senses things are turning against him, and the Nuggets suffered for it.   

Doug Collins commented that AI is better as a shooting guard, but I do not think that is true.  Has anyone noticed a difference in his style of Iverson’s play whether or not he is playing the one or the two?  I never have.  The only difference is how early in the possession he starts dribbling. 

 - Along the same lines, I am starting to think the Nuggets need to start playing Iverson at the point and J.R. Smith at shooting guard.  That gets their five most talented players on the court at the same time and can be a deadly offensive lineup, especially if they dedicate themselves to running.   

 - I thought J.R. played smarter against the Pacers and even more so against the Lakers.  He did a great job of driving instead of settling for the three.  He did take a very bad three at one point in the third quarter as he was off balance on the baseline and chucked up an airball, but overall he is trying to make better decisions.  He will take bad shots, but with his nice offensive package and definite increased effort on defense, I think it is time to see how well he can help this team. 

 - I know George Karl has come out and admitted that the first 20 games or so are like an extended training camp where he is still trying to figure out who to play, where to play them and how much to play them.  Well, he is still fiddling.   Diawara has gone from starting to the DNP – CD.  The small scrappy lineup of Klieza, Najera, Bobby Jones and Smith have gone from being a game changing force during the six game winning streak, doesn’t it seem like that was several weeks ago, to not even being on the floor together.  As I mentioned Diawara did not play a second tonight.  Jones only played in garbage time. 

How much longer is this shuffling going to continue?   

The only reason for it I can think of is if the fall off in three point accuracy by Jones, Kleiza and Diawara have made Karl gun shy to throw those guys out there together. 

For some thoughts from the Lakers’ perspective on tonight’s game check out Forum Blue and Gold.

Contenders? That is a First for Me

Born a Nuggets Fan has moved to Pickaxe and Roll

I have been a die hard Nuggets fan since the mid 1980s (maybe not quite from the time I was out of the womb) and during that time the Nuggets have never been trumpeted as potential world champs heading into the season.  There have been a few nice teams over the years, and a lot of poor ones, but at no time have the Nuggets been considered anything more than a potential playoff team.   

That is until now. 

I have already gone on record to say that this team will have to show me that they are going to produce at an exceptional level before I believe they actually will.  However, they do have the talent to compete with anyone in the league.  That is a fact.  In the Carmelo Era they have not been able to run with the Suns nor have they been able to plod it out against the Spurs or Mavs.  This year may be different and here is why: 

Healthy Bigs – The Nuggets have not had both Kenyon Martin and Nene available at the same time for the past two seasons.  Both can run the floor, both can guard Tim Duncan, both can pass and both can play at the same time.  Obviously, there is no guarantee that these two will stay healthy and both of them will have their minutes monitored to start the season.  As long they can stay healthy they will make for a strong and versatile front court along with Marcus Camby who can also run the floor and pass very well. 

Melo Still Surging – Carmelo Anthony made another leap forward in his development as a player the first part of last season.  That was derailed by the suspension for the brawl with the pathetic Knicks.  Melo has become more and more efficient as a scorer and he continues to develop as evidenced by his performance in the Tournament of the Americas.   

He is a very complete offensive player, but he has three weaknesses.  He settles for too many midrange jumpers.  He can make them though and if he can make them at the rate he did in Las Vegas this summer, this may not be a weakness after all.  Second, he gets his shot blocked frequently in the paint.  Melo is an explosive leaper when he is on the move move, but when it comes to launching himself at the rim after being flat footed in the paint, he is not so dynamic.  Lastly, he insists on shooting threes.  Melo cranked them up at a rate of 2.3 three point attempts a game last season.  That is ridiculous considering he is barely more than a 25% shooter from there.  Perhaps there is a silver lining to this cloud as well.  Over the last month of the season and against the Spurs in the playoffs Melo starting hitting his threes.  He shot 21-46 from behind the arc.  Do the math and that is a rate of 46%.  Melo is not going to become Jason Kapono, but if he can hit threes at a 35% rate, or better, he can help answer some of the constant concerns that follow the Nuggets regarding outside shooting.  He has the form to be a good shooter so this is not an unlikely scenario. 

There is no reason not to believe Melo will not make another stride ahead in his development this season which is great news for the Nuggets. 

Road Warriors – The Nuggets set a franchise record for road wins last season and finished with better than a .500 record at 22-19.  This is a team of veterans and they should be tough to rattle on the road.  There is no reason not to expect this group to build on last season’s success. 

Roll out the Role Player – Another area the Nuggets have fallen short the past few seasons of the Melo Era is they have not had that one role player who is capable of driving the stake in Dracula’s heart.  The Spurs have Horry who is always ready to make a big block or hit the big shot.  The Nuggets need a player like that, but is just such a performer on this roster?  The most likely player to grow into that role is Linas Kleiza.  He is developing a solid three point shot and has a knack for being at the right place ar the right time.  A secondary candidate may be Bobby Jones who has been running some with the first team in practices and has shown a quality three point stroke in the preseason.   

No Cruising – The Nuggets have not put a great deal of emphasis on the regular season.  They do want to win their division, but that is no longer a guarantee of having a playoff series with home court advantage against a lesser team.  They realize that a big key to getting out of the first round is avoiding the Spurs.  In order to do that they know they cannot cruise through stretches in the schedule.  Teams that earn home court advantage and the right to play the Lakers and Grizzlies of the world in the first round do not take games off.  I think the Nuggets recognize this and will put a new sense of urgency into the regular season. 

What does it all mean though?  Again, I have heard all the right things coming from Nuggets’ players the past two or three seasons in training camp, but when the season starts expectations are rarely met.  If the Nuggets have truly learned from the past few seasons and they are ready to validate that potential NBA champion label that some have affixed on them, we should know right off the bat.   

This team has been plagued by slow starts the past three seasons.  I believe we will know if the Nuggets are for real by the end of November.  This team has a legitimate shot to start off in the 13-4 or even 14-3 range.  They do not play San Antonio, Phoenix, Dallas or Utah and only play the Rockets once during that stretch.  However, if we are looking at another 10-7 start, I am afraid that it will be more of the same for Nuggets fans in 2007-2008.    

That would be very disappointing for the first season in my life where the Nuggets are considered to be championship contenders. 

Thumbs Up for the 2007 NBA Draft

Born a Nuggets Fan has moved to Pickaxe and Roll

 Lots of spare thoughts about the draft…

- How could the Blazers have traded Randolph to the Knicks without forcing them to take on Darius Miles as part of the deal?

My concerns about Randolph playing alongside of Oden will are still valid with Randolph playing alongside of Eddy Curry.  What I said in a previous post was Nate McMillen hounded Randolph to play inside instead of setting for 18 footers.  With Oden on the block would Zach be happy to settle for jumpers?  Now with him playing alongside of Curry, will he be happy to settle for jumpers in New York? 

I have more thoughts about the Steve Francis aspect of this deal, but I doubt many people are interested so I have moved it to the end of the blog.

- The Sports Guy stole my thunder in his draft diary, but the trade of Jason Richardson to Charlotte for Brandan Wright seems like the first step in acquiring Yi Jianlian from the Bucks.  Rumors had it that they were shopping Richardson to get a pick high enough to land Yi.  Since Milwaukee drafted Yi, they did the trade anyway hoping that he will refuse to play for the Bucks.  If the Bucks are right and they are able to get Yi to play for them, this was a horrible trade for Golden State.  They should have waited to pull the trigger until they knew Yi was available. 

However, even if they do acquire Yi, they just traded their second best player away for a project the year after making the playoffs for the first time in 12 or 13 years.  I love Monta Ellis and he can more than replace Richardson’s scoring, but he will not provide the all around game and presence that Richardson gave them.  Say hello to the lottery again next season Warrior fans. 

- The other big trade of the night was Ray Allen to Boston for the fifth pick, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West.  There are a number of issues here so lets take a look at them. 

First, Boston was obviously really shopping that pick hard.  Ainge knew that the fans were tired of the youth movement and his career termination warning light was flashing.  He had to get a veteran for that pick and he did. 

Second, is Allen the right veteran?  Ray Allen will make any team better.  He is a great shooter and a smart player.  With Rajon Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Al Jefferson and Perkins, they have a very solid playoff quality starting five, but before they start printing playoff tickets in Boston, there is an age and injury question though.  Over the previous four seasons Allen has missed 26 games in 03-04 and 27 games last season.  He will turn 32 in July.  Pierce has been healthy over the previous seven seasons, but missed 35 games last season and will turn 30 before next season starts.  With both of these guys playing on the perimeter, there is a chance that one or both will break down soon.  However, Boston did land a quality veteran without giving up any of their young talent such as Rondo, Gerald Green, Sebastien Telfair or Al Jefferson.  Add in Glen Davis who they acquired in the trade, Ryan Gomes, and a healthy Tony Allen and this team is at least ten deep.

There are also interesting issues from Seattle’s standpoint.  Trading Ray Allen kicks off a youth movement that should create a quick return to respectability.  The first question that comes up is was Jeff Green the best pick at #5?  It certainly was not a bad pick, but there were players with more potential there.  They have a sure thing in Durant, the chance to gamble a little with the fifth pick was there.  A player with big time potential such as Yi or Brandan Wright may have given the Sonics a better shot at having a great team in three years instead of a very good one.  On the other hand, Green has a wide range of skills and will be a very good wingman for Durant.  Their skills do complement each other very well.  Ultimately, I do not have a problem with Jeff Green, but at some point in the future they may be kicking themselves for not nabbing either Yi or Wright.

The other big question surrounding Seattle is what does the drafting of two small forward/power forward combo players mean for the future of Rashard Lewis?  Reports were the Sonics want to try to retain him.  I do not think he will want to stay with the current makeup of the team.  I still believe that a sign and trade for him is the best course of action for Seattle. 

- Sacramento will rue the day they drafted Spencer Hawes.  He may be able to toss in some jump hooks around the basket and hit 18 footers, but he cannot rebound or defend and that seems unlikely to ever change.  I am not saying he is Rafael Araujo, but they passed on players with some serious star potential for an average center at best.

- The talent level that available towards the end of the first round and early in the second was very impressive.  We knew this going in, but it is amazing how many late first round picks will not only be on rosters, but contributing next season.  The depth of the draft is why picks such as Aaron Brooks to Houston and Alando Tucker to Phoenix were so bad.  Brooks is too small and Houston now has a glut of point guards, but none of them are very tradeable.  Who wants Alston?  (Silence…crickets chirping…)  Tucker was a strange pick because he cannot shoot.  He is a good player though and with the tempo in Phoenix, he will be a contributor.  The Tucker pick is not nearly as bad as the Brooks selection, but I still thought it was strange.

- Once again Phoenix has just given away a pick thinking that they are saving money.  Someone needs to tell Robert Sarver that another way to save money is to draft good players and then replace your more expensive players with the cheaper player you have drafted.  Would they have had to pay Diaw if they had Deng on the roster?  Would they have had to give Marcus Banks that ridiculous contract if they had drafted Rajon Rondo?

The Suns are going to hit a wall in a couple of years where they fall off the map for two reasons.  Age will eventually catch up with Nash and they have no young players in the pipeline because of their insistence on selling off their draft picks.

- All in all, last night’s draft was about as good of draft as I could remember.  Between the interesting picks, exciting trades and depth of talent the only thing it was lacking was decent commentary.  Can we please give the draft back to TNT?  Give me Hubie, Charles, Kenny and EJ any day of the week over the jokers from ESPN.

- Now the aforementioned Steve Francis commentary…

The reports are the Portland will buy Steve Francis out of his contract and he will never play a game for them.  That raises the question, where will he end up?  I think there are a couple of good options for him if he can play the point unselfishly.

Cleveland needs a guard who can take the pressure off of LeBron, but Francis dominates the ball too much to be a good fit there. Miami is in the market for a point guard too and Francis could help take the pressure off of Wade.  Washington just added Nick Young last night to play the two, but Francis is from the Maryland side of DC, he was drafted in the MCI Center (or whatever it is called now) and hit a big game winner there last late in the season for the Knicks.  Francis could help ease the transition for Young, but are he and Arenas too similar?  I think so. 

What about the Lakers?  If they keep Kobe, which they certainly want to, Francis could be of assistance in upgrading the talent there, but he is more of an iso player than a player who would fit in the triangle.  Would Phoenix want him to help backup Nash?  Francis can definitely excel in that open style, but he would not be a starter and probably would not want to sign there if he could start somewhere else. 

Perhaps a return to Houston is in the cards.  The Rockets have Mike James, Rafer Alston and the recently drafted Aaron Brooks at the point, but they may be interested in Francis at shooting guard.  Would the Nuggets want Francis?  Kiki tried to trade for him a few years ago.  Are there still people in the organization that would like to have him?  If Minnesota fails to trade KG, Francis and Foye would make a dynamic back court combo.  Add in Ricky Davis and Corey Brewer and the Wolves have a more talented team, but would they make the playoffs?  My guess is no.

Several teams are kicking off youth movements such as Philly, Seattle, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Memphis, New Orleans, to a lesser extent Toronto is in a youth movement and Indiana and Sacramento appear prepared to embark on a youth movement. 

I do not see any team that really makes sense for Steve Francis.  I realize that no one probably really cares about where Francis ends up, but I took a flyer in him at the end of the season in my fantasy basketball keeper league with the hope that he would be moved before next season.  So far, so good.