@ Houston – protecting a 14 game win streak, hottest team in basketball playing at home, ultra motivated after losing Yao, will do anything to protect their playoff slot, have only lost 9 games at home, and none for a long time, 38-20.
Phoenix – fresh off the Shaq trade, desperate to prove it’s working, a team that has always had the Nuggets number, 39-19.
San Antonio – Second best team in the western conference, second hottest team to Houston, won their last 7, firing on all cylinders, 39-17
@ Utah – Playing excellent ball in the second half, 1.5 games ahead of the Nuggets for the division lead, they know it’s a huge game, have lost 3 games all year at home. 37-22.
@ San Antonio – see notes above, and have lost 5 games at home this year.
A murder’s row for Denver, this represents their next 5 games. If they play like they did against Chicago, the Bucks, or even the Clippers, they could easily lose all 5. The Houston and Utah games are huge, as they are against teams the Nuggets are directly battling for a playoff slot and so count double.
For the last three weeks the question has been “will the Nuggets make the playoffs?” Well, we’re about to find out. Go 1-4, and they’re pretty much done, barring a Utah or Houston collapse (and contrary to assumptions, Houston doesn’t seem to be grounded sans Yao. They’ll fall off a bit, but not completely. The Nuggets will have to win at a high clip to catch them.)
This is a biggest week and a half of the season. This is what we watch sports for. It’s do-or-die, or as Isiah used to say, “winning time.”
We all want to see how good this team can be. We find out right now.
Fasten your seatbelts, the ride’s about to begin…
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Cassell is free.
According to the Boston Globe, Our Favorite Alien has reached an agreement, and will sign the buyout by about 3 pm Pacific Time.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The Nuggets Would Terrorize Your Local Playground
Just ask Hoopshype:
"Go to any park or playground in any major city in America – from D.C. to Memphis to L.A. – and you will see pickup games with a style and rhythm of basketball unique to the outdoor run.
Or, you can watch the Denver Nuggets.
This team is super-talented and entertaining. However, their resemblance to a team getting a run on the blacktop might let them hold the court for a few hours or get regular season wins, but it won't lead to any success in the NBA playoffs.
In the tough Western Conference, it may even keep them out altogether."
Read the rest:
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=7607
"Go to any park or playground in any major city in America – from D.C. to Memphis to L.A. – and you will see pickup games with a style and rhythm of basketball unique to the outdoor run.
Or, you can watch the Denver Nuggets.
This team is super-talented and entertaining. However, their resemblance to a team getting a run on the blacktop might let them hold the court for a few hours or get regular season wins, but it won't lead to any success in the NBA playoffs.
In the tough Western Conference, it may even keep them out altogether."
Read the rest:
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=7607
Comment on Karl
From Slam magazine:
"Before today’s Houston gloom, you could sense a separation between the Top 7 out West, leaving that eighth spot to a battle between G-State and Denver. Not to evoke any images of team-brawls, but in a scrap, with Playoff Lives at stake, I’m going with the squad that has an actual Franchise Player (Baron), a dude name Jax, Monta From The Bottom and a coach that probably swigs gin from his Gatorade cup. Denver, if you can believe it, has played soft all year. And, until Yao’s season-ender, the Nuggs were soft-balling their coach right out of a job. I believe that.
Yao saved George Karl’s job — for now."
Read the whole article:
http://slamonline.com/online/2008/02/yaos-foot-saved-george-karls-job/
"Before today’s Houston gloom, you could sense a separation between the Top 7 out West, leaving that eighth spot to a battle between G-State and Denver. Not to evoke any images of team-brawls, but in a scrap, with Playoff Lives at stake, I’m going with the squad that has an actual Franchise Player (Baron), a dude name Jax, Monta From The Bottom and a coach that probably swigs gin from his Gatorade cup. Denver, if you can believe it, has played soft all year. And, until Yao’s season-ender, the Nuggs were soft-balling their coach right out of a job. I believe that.
Yao saved George Karl’s job — for now."
Read the whole article:
http://slamonline.com/online/2008/02/yaos-foot-saved-george-karls-job/
Monday, February 25, 2008
Sam-I-Am
Cassell is what we've needed all along. He's a thoroughly professional gamer who knows how to run a team, how to motivate teammates, and how to win. He has the cred.
He doesn't have to play big minutes, just start and finish. He takes the pressure off of AC and can still let JR play big minutes if he's hot.
He's no longer a great defender, but he knows how to limit his man. This guy is a master at the little things: how to grab just that little bit so your guy can't get off of screens, how to hook just less than what is called, etc. And he'll pass that on to the other guys.
He is big when it matters. The guy hits dagger shots all day long, has no fear, and plays hard. He can run a team of guys like Melo and Ai and Martin in his sleep.
On top of it all, he does his huge testicle dance when he hits a big three. You can't overestimate that.
I have this vision of Cassell lasting about 15 minutes in his first practice before he walks over to Karl, asks him to take the staff to lunch and leave the players alone, and then absolutely lays the wood into every last player. It might sound off the wall, but the man did almost EXACTLY that same thing when he went to the T-Wolves.
I want the baddest PG I can find. I want Cassell.
He doesn't have to play big minutes, just start and finish. He takes the pressure off of AC and can still let JR play big minutes if he's hot.
He's no longer a great defender, but he knows how to limit his man. This guy is a master at the little things: how to grab just that little bit so your guy can't get off of screens, how to hook just less than what is called, etc. And he'll pass that on to the other guys.
He is big when it matters. The guy hits dagger shots all day long, has no fear, and plays hard. He can run a team of guys like Melo and Ai and Martin in his sleep.
On top of it all, he does his huge testicle dance when he hits a big three. You can't overestimate that.
I have this vision of Cassell lasting about 15 minutes in his first practice before he walks over to Karl, asks him to take the staff to lunch and leave the players alone, and then absolutely lays the wood into every last player. It might sound off the wall, but the man did almost EXACTLY that same thing when he went to the T-Wolves.
I want the baddest PG I can find. I want Cassell.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Trade deadline - out with a whimper.
Why standing pat was bad:
Every other team in the top 8 in the west made a serious move to improve themselves. Denver did not.
Denver has a blatant need for a quality PG to move AI off the ball and allow AC to play backup. If they play AI at point, they have a blatant need for a quality 2 guard. In any case, the backcourt needs improvement either with a creator or a shooter.
Denver looks more and more to have a front court salary dump coming up. Martin at max, Melo at max, Camby and Nene at big bucks will be hard for Stan to stomach this summer unless serious noise is made in the playoffs. Neither Camby, Martin, or Nene were moved for value. We’re not saying they should have been, but it creates an issue.
Perimeter defense was not addressed, and other than AC they don’t really have anyone to play serious backcourt man on man.
Why standing pat was good:
The Nuggets have had as much or more turmoil over the last 1 ½ seasons as any other NBA team with the AI trade, Melo and JR’s suspension, injuries, Nene’s cancer, the Atkins trade, AC as the new point, etc. Some continuity can be a beneficial thing.
Just because a team makes a move it doesn’t mean they are better. Devon Harris gave the Nuggets nightmares, and replacing him with Kidd may actually help the Nuggets in a seven game series against the Mavs. The same thing could be said about Marion and Shaq in Phoenix. The Nuggets defend poorly against the high pick and roll, but well in the block. The Suns just became a more low-block oriented team. Some of these moves may be seen as panic in hindsight, and they might have brought a couple of the west teams backwards.
Some of the options, like Artest, could have created locker room problems. Where would his shots have come from?
LK is still on the team, and he’s a great value and a good player on a team in need of value due to its salary cap excesses.
JR Smith and AC could improve in the coming months, Atkins may be back, and Nene could return. That’s a significant amount of potential help.
Also consider:
The Nuggets may not be done yet. Cassell is working on a buyout, and he’s a potential impact PG pick up. Also, Brent Barry is being bought out in Seattle, most likely, so he’s a potential 2 guard with range and accuracy. While neither is a defensive specialist, they are both total professionals who take the defensive end seriously, and could help the team. Will Stan pony up for the price tag? Hard to say.
Final say:
Trading LK for Rent-Ar-test was probably a shortsighted move that had too much backfire potential. It might have worked, but it had a huge potential for problems. We’re not sorry the move wasn’t made. Not getting Lowry or West hurts Denver quite a bit. Cassell could be a better short term replacement than those guys, but he would cost bank, and the Celtics most likely have the inside track. Miller was another guy who could have greatly impacted the team, but for reasons no one understands, the 76s wanted to keep him. He might be a trade target this summer.
In the end, not making a serious trade is not as bad as some are saying. Reports that Melo is pissed, however, are worrisome.
Every other team in the top 8 in the west made a serious move to improve themselves. Denver did not.
Denver has a blatant need for a quality PG to move AI off the ball and allow AC to play backup. If they play AI at point, they have a blatant need for a quality 2 guard. In any case, the backcourt needs improvement either with a creator or a shooter.
Denver looks more and more to have a front court salary dump coming up. Martin at max, Melo at max, Camby and Nene at big bucks will be hard for Stan to stomach this summer unless serious noise is made in the playoffs. Neither Camby, Martin, or Nene were moved for value. We’re not saying they should have been, but it creates an issue.
Perimeter defense was not addressed, and other than AC they don’t really have anyone to play serious backcourt man on man.
Why standing pat was good:
The Nuggets have had as much or more turmoil over the last 1 ½ seasons as any other NBA team with the AI trade, Melo and JR’s suspension, injuries, Nene’s cancer, the Atkins trade, AC as the new point, etc. Some continuity can be a beneficial thing.
Just because a team makes a move it doesn’t mean they are better. Devon Harris gave the Nuggets nightmares, and replacing him with Kidd may actually help the Nuggets in a seven game series against the Mavs. The same thing could be said about Marion and Shaq in Phoenix. The Nuggets defend poorly against the high pick and roll, but well in the block. The Suns just became a more low-block oriented team. Some of these moves may be seen as panic in hindsight, and they might have brought a couple of the west teams backwards.
Some of the options, like Artest, could have created locker room problems. Where would his shots have come from?
LK is still on the team, and he’s a great value and a good player on a team in need of value due to its salary cap excesses.
JR Smith and AC could improve in the coming months, Atkins may be back, and Nene could return. That’s a significant amount of potential help.
Also consider:
The Nuggets may not be done yet. Cassell is working on a buyout, and he’s a potential impact PG pick up. Also, Brent Barry is being bought out in Seattle, most likely, so he’s a potential 2 guard with range and accuracy. While neither is a defensive specialist, they are both total professionals who take the defensive end seriously, and could help the team. Will Stan pony up for the price tag? Hard to say.
Final say:
Trading LK for Rent-Ar-test was probably a shortsighted move that had too much backfire potential. It might have worked, but it had a huge potential for problems. We’re not sorry the move wasn’t made. Not getting Lowry or West hurts Denver quite a bit. Cassell could be a better short term replacement than those guys, but he would cost bank, and the Celtics most likely have the inside track. Miller was another guy who could have greatly impacted the team, but for reasons no one understands, the 76s wanted to keep him. He might be a trade target this summer.
In the end, not making a serious trade is not as bad as some are saying. Reports that Melo is pissed, however, are worrisome.
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