Too Little in the Tank

(Boulder-CO) What can I say? I know these Nuggets and had the foresight to see that they would not be victorious tonight against the Hornets. Nuggets succumb to Orleans/Oklahoma 99-89, and as predicted didn’t have much left in the tank after two previous wins.

Allen Iverson looked tired due to playing nearly every minute of the last two games. In another marathon session 45 minutes long, AI managed to prove that he is human by scoring 21 and handing out a meager three assists. He shot 6-22 from the field, thus indicating that he didn’t have his legs underneath him.

Same goes for Earl Boykins. Earl has been playing lights-out basketball in the last few games, but appeared to be tuckered out late in this game as his jumper was repeatedly short. The Mightiest Micro finished the game with 26 points on 10-22 shooting.

Yakhouba Diawara obviously isn’t a Nugg Doctor reader because once again he went a dismal 2-7 from downtown and shot no free-throw attempts in 33 minutes. And as soon as I give DerMarr a little credit he goes and does exactly what I said he wasn’t doing! He also shot 2-7 from downtown and tried to do too much offensively for the Nuggets. Combined the pair was 9-24 from the field.

Tonight the Nuggets looked, honestly, like they should without the type of players not available to them. They were discombobulated on offense, played shoddy defense, and despite winning for most of the game were just not mentally focused in the second half as they retched out 30 points in the final 24 minutes. The good thing is that this team needed a reality check to snap them out of the Iverson honeymoon and allow them the chance to put their feet back on the ground. I have felt that the last few games have been extraordinarily fortunate, but now it is time to really assess this team and how they are going to realistically survive the next two to three weeks without J.R. and Carmelo.

The Nuggets need a couple of intense practices in the next few days to cleanse the champagne out of their system from the Iverson welcoming party and regroup as a team. Putting in some blood, sweat, and tears in the practice facility should be just what the doctor ordered before meeting up with the Mavericks on New Years Eve. It will be the last time they ever have to play with the new/extinct microfiber ball before the old/resurrected leather ball is reinstated and one more game closer to having a complete team back on the floor.

This predicted loss wraps up my victory over Nick at http://www.thefullcourtpress.wordpress.com/ in our match-up of foresight. I am 3-0 while he is 1-2 in the psychic abilities department. It’s been fun, but seeing as we both have the Nuggets losing to the Mavericks… That should just about wrap it up!