'Melo Blog Watch

(Boulder-CO) The second blog post by Carmelo Anthony is up. Time to reach the goal.

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Sonics: Game 1 Preview

(Boulder-CO) Happy Halloween, Nuggets fans, opening night is finally upon us! Tonight the Nuggets host the Seattle Sonics at Pepsi Center in a game that is nationally televised on ESPN at 8:30 pm MST. And I can’t think of any better situation for the Nuggets to open up their season than in the spotlight of the NBA. We have some really big stories to follow this season and very high expectations out of this team.

The first thing we are all going to notice is Kenyon Martin back in the line-up. He is listed as the probable starting power forward and has had such a long and rocky road to travel to the get back to this point in his career it’s hard not to root for him. I predicted Kenyon to win the Comeback Player of the Year in my NBA Blog Preview, and although it’s only game numero uno, I think he is going turn things around this year after having to be away from the game for so long. He’ll be wearing his old number “4” to get back to his college roots too, so hopefully we will be seeing a lot of blue light specials out of one they call K-Mart.

From there you can take your pick of many old familiar favorites off of this Nuggets roster.

Carmelo is definitely going to put on a scoring exhibition. Kobe Bryant opened up the season with 45 points last night and I’m sure that ‘Melo is aware of it. Look for Carmelo to get things going early down in the blocks before opening up that jumper with the jab step.

Marcus Camby is capable of going for 20 rebounds any night. He also will be circling the bucket like a vulture all night swatting shots, hitting jumpers from the top of the key, and leading a couple of fast breaks without doubt. Look for Marcus to set the tone defensively for the Nuggets and take notice of how this team follows suit. Defensive toughness was stressed all training camp and tonight we really get our first glimpse of whether or not the concept was absorbed.

AI is also going to do his thing regardless of what position he ends up playing. It doesn’t really matter if he plays point or shooting guard because I think we would all agree that the ball is going to be in AI’s hands a good share of the time. And keep an eye on his assist total because it will be interesting to keep track of the win/loss record in games that AI does and doesn’t reach double figures in dimes all season long. If there turns out to be a direct correlation in Nuggets wins maybe he does need to adjust his game and become the full-time point guard after all. And while we’re in the backcourt, I’m also interested in seeing who steps up at the other guard position. The Nuggets have J.R. Smith trying to stay in good graces although he is supsended for tonight's game, Von Wafer looking to break through, the strong preseason finish of Bobby Jones, and Linas Kleiza all ready and available.

And the last major thing to keep in mind is an old Doug Moeism that says the first team to a hundred wins. The Nuggets should be able to get up and down the floor putting up points in bunches and should easily score at least a hundred points tonight against the Sonics. My prediction for tonight is Nuggets by eight.

Who’s with me?

Go Nuggets!

Don't Expect J.R. to be Extended

(Boulder-CO) The Denver Nuggets have until tomorrow to extend J.R. Smith's contract or choose to let the troubled young pro become a restricted free-agent after this season. And although I'm pretty sure you all know what I think about the situation here are a few of my thoughts: Let this bird fly the coop because he is way too much maintenance for a team with more serious problems and higher aspirations to occupy their time with. He always says that he is growing up and it's a learning process, but why is it that the lessons he keeps failing are those that should not have to repeat themselves? If there is a learning process going on, why do we keep hearing the same results? The answer, just like his reputation with previous coaches, is that J.R. is resistant to learning from his mistakes and taking the wisdom put in front of him. Need more proof? Just read the history of his driving record in its own section on his Wiki page. So, unless he flips a complete 180, let J.R. Smith wiggle on the hook he has created for himself. Maybe it's the kind of motivation that he needs to turn his life and career around.

The NBA Blog Previews Master List

(Boulder-CO) Huge thanks goes out to Jeff at www.celticsblog.com for putting together the most definitive source for NBA Blog Team Previews yet again for this season. Right here is the link for the Master List of all of us who contributed. Enjoy!

Backcourt Board Games

(Boulder-CO) With the news that Chucky Atkins is going to be out for at least six weeks with a severe groin strain some of my worst fears are starting to creep into my thought patterns on the eve of opening night. The Nuggets are a team that can ill-afford to have this kind of injury, (not to mention the chemistry problems and adjustment time needed afterwards), at this phase of the game. But yet the fact still remains that Denver’s only major off-season acquisition is down and the effects may be lingering.

Many of you may already know this, but I do not like Allen Iverson, with his historically one-on-one mastery, running the point. He is a creator. And like many creators from the history books before him, he is always near the top of the turnover leaders in the league. Does this diminish his contribution to the team? Absolutely not, but what it takes to be a creator in the game of basketball is not always synonymous with what it takes to be a great point guard.

A true point guard will always bring the ball down the floor and, unless he has an obvious exploitable mismatch, will immediately snap out the first pass of the offensive set and continue to carry out the rest his duties. This may include setting a screen, curling off a screen, flaring out of the paint after a short cut to position himself for an entry to a post player, or directing traffic to most advantageously put his team in a position to score.

Now, with all that being said, can Allen Iverson do this? The Answer, pardon the pun, is an emphatic “yes!” But is that what the Nuggets need him to do? My answer to that is an emphatic “no!” The Nuggets need Iverson to be on the receiving end of the ball and not distributing it. They need AI on the wing, curling off of double screens set by the bigs, stopping and popping, shaking and baking, and dribble penetrating the paint while slicing through defenses like a bird in the wind because Iverson is at his best when passing off to a man that is freed from a defensively rotating opponent after he leaves his man standing as if their feet were in concrete.

The difference, Nuggets Nation is point guards distribute to create, and therefore are not creators. Allen Iverson creates distribution and therein lies the pivotal difference.

So, what do I suggest the Nuggets do?

I suggest the Nuggets start veteran Mike Wilks at point guard and keep Allen Iverson free from having to do too much too early and see how it works. Forget about starting Yakhouba Diawara at shooting guard. Such a move will only slow the team down offensively because he doesn’t move very well off the ball and his shot selection is still in need of a little contextual work. The Yak averaged 4.4 points a game last season while shooting 28% from behind the three-point line with a combined 31.5% from the field in total. Statistically not becoming of a starting shooting guard in this league with the point being he is not ready to start in the backcourt for a team with as high of expectations as the Nuggets. It’s too much pressure for the second year player, and with so much seasoning in a guy like Wilks, why not just save ‘Khouba for defensive purposes? That is where he is going to be able to help this team the most, and in the game of NBA chess… Trying to use a rook for the job of a knight is surely going to leave you with your king wide open.

Go Nuggets!

NBA Blog Previews the Pacific

(Boulder-CO) Here are some of the best NBA previews you are going to find for those of you on the left coast who worship the sun out there in the Pacific division. Don't sleep on the competition, Nuggets Nation!

Golden St. Warriors

Golden State of Mind

Los Angeles Clippers

ClipsNation.com

Los Angeles Lakers

Forum Blue & Gold

With Malice

Phoenix Suns

Bright Side of the Sun

Sacramento Kings

Sactown Royalty

Archives

CelticsBlog NBA Page

Kleiza Exercised

(Boulder-CO) In a move that should come as no surprise to anyone, the Nuggets have exercised a fourth-year contract option on forward Linas Kleiza. LK is poised to have a tremendously positive impact for the Nuggets this season after flashes of greatness late last season. He is definitely going to surpass his previous season's averages of 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds, and I wouldn't be surprised if he moves into the starting line-up in an over-sized shooting guard role when AI is forced to run the point early this season. He is capable of beating up smaller guards down in the blocks and on the boards and he is just as adept at guarding big two guards. Bravo, Nuggets Brass, you definitely made the right move.

Go Nuggets!

New ESPN Power Rankings

(Boulder-CO) The latest ESPN Power Rankings have the Nuggets as the twelfth best team in the league. I’d be willing to bet anyone pretty much anything that Denver winds up with a better overall season record than higher ranked teams like the Celtics, Jazz, Warriors, and Magic. Any takers?

Nuggets Individual Preseason Statistics

(Boulder-CO) Here is how the Nuggets preseason statistics shake out. Denver finished 5-3 overall with a pair of losses coming by way of the Detroit Pistons and the other loss to the Suns.

Scoring
1. Allen Iverson - 21.0 ppg
2. Carmelo Anthony - 19.0 ppg
3. J.R. Smith - 16.0 ppg
4. Linas Kleiza - 15.8 ppg

Assists
1. Allen Iverson - 6.0 apg
2. Anthony Roberson - 4.4 apg
3. Eduardo Najera - 4.0 apg
4. Carmelo Anthony 3.0 apg

Rebounds
1. Marcus Camby - 15.0 rpg
2. Eduardo Najera - 8.0 rpg
3. Carmelo Anthony- 5.6 rpg
4. Jelani McCoy - 5.5 rpg

Turnovers
1. Carmelo Anthony - 4.2 tpg
2. Allen Iverson - 2.67 tpg
3. J.R. Smith - 2.67 tpg
4. Anthony Roberson - 2.40 tpg

Steals:
1. Marcus Camby - 2.0 spg
2. Nene - 2.0 spg
3. J.R. Smith - 1.67 spg
4. Carmelo Anthony 1.6 spg

FG%
1. Jelani McCoy - 69.2%
2. Steven Hunter - 68.8%
3. Nene - 62.5%
4. Kenyon Martin - 61.9%

3-Point FG%
1. Bobby Jones - 50%
2. Anthony Roberson 45.8%
3. Allen Iverson - 44.4%
4. Von Wafer - 40%

Free-throw %
1. Eduardo Najera, Chucky Atkins, Brad Stricker, and Stacey Augmon - 100%
2. Anthony Roberson - 85.7%
3. Carmelo Anthony - 81%
4. Allen Iverson - 80%

After This... They Start to Count!

(Boulder-CO) Just a few quick notes from a game that no one could see.

First off, do you remember Linas Kleiza? You know that Lithuanian guy... Well, It was awesome to see LK break loose and score a game-high 34 points! Linas is going to have a big role this year and you might as well grab him on your http://www.protrade.com/ or fantasy team right now.

Secondly, AI gave the Nuggets 31 points and 10 assists. Big distribution nights for AI are going to be critical to the Nuggets success. Furthermore, anytime the Answer drops 30 you can expect Denver to win.

Next up is how the Nuggets put 133 points on Portland with not a lot of stars on the floor. Denver could very well improve offensively in comparison to last year as they learn to turn up the intensity on defense.

Counter point: Denver allowed Portland to score 125. Still a lot of work to do on the defensive end.

The most amusing part of the boxscore is Steve Blake's eight points. Does anyone disagree that the Nuggets were well advised to let him walk?

And finally, what is everyone wearing to the Pepsi Center on opening night?

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs Trailblazers Preseason Preview II

(Boulder-CO) Are we done with preseason yet? This is the last game for the Nuggets to try and experiment with any crazy line-ups, but I do not think that any starters will see more than enough minutes to stay fresh and break a sweat. Not much to preview for this one, so don't be broken hearted that the game isn't televised. And as long as nobody else gets injured, I could really care less who wins.

Go Nuggets!

NBA Blog Previews the Southeast

(Boulder-CO) This year's NBA Blog Previews have been fantastic and I strongly urge you to do your homework and get to know this year's competition. Here are the best Southeast links in game. Enjoy!

Washington Wizards

Bullets Forever



Orlando Magic

Believing in

Magic

Third Quarter

Collapse



Miami Heat

I Want to be a Sports Agent

Crazy from

the Heat



Atlanta Hawks

Impending

Firestorm

Atlanta Hawks

Blog



Charlotte Bobcats

Bobcat Bonfire

Archives

CelticsBlog NBA Page

Nuggets Edged by Strawberry, Suns

(AP Photo/Matt York)

(Boulder-CO) Denver had its chance late to walk away a winner tonight, but it was the high arching stroke of D.J. Strawberry that sealed the win for the Phoenix Suns, 116-113. Poor shooting percentages from both the free-throw line and three-point arch contributed tremendously in the loss, but worse than the defeat was seeing Chucky Atkins literally collapse after re-aggravating his groin in the middle of the fourth quarter. The injury was the worse case scenario for the Nuggets who now will likely have to start AI at point guard with the regular season set to start in less than a week.

Denver, with its starters in for the first half, jumped out to a twelve point lead at the break mainly due to attacking the basket early and often. Kenyon, Anthony, and Iverson all had really nice takes to the cup with the Nuggets in total scoring 22 points on either driving lay-ups or dunks. Shooting percentages were high at this point with 18 more points coming off of the charity stripe, but once the starters were summoned back to the bench all things statistically went down hill.

And so did the defense in the third quarter as the Nuggets allowed Phoenix to score 39 points in total including four three-pointers and only rebutted with 15 points of their own.

A once 12-point Nugget lead was suddenly erased and replaced with a 12-point advantage for Phoenix and George Karl had seen enough. It was time to see if the Nugget reserves could provide the courage to somehow win with a mountain to climb. And to their credit, they did fight valiantly to the end.

Denver managed to claw back slowly with a 9-0 run to tie the game at 113, but due to four missed free-throws by Von Wafer and J.R. missing his last three out of four attempts from the stripe the Nuggets opened the door for D.J. Strawberry to play the hero with just three seconds remaining after Marcus Banks drew a double team off of penetration and kicked it to him for the game-winning three. Denver finished the game by only shooting 16.7% from downtown and 61.8 from the free-throw line. Signed, sealed, and delivered. Nuggets lose.

Offensively, the Nuggets were paced by the dynamic duo of Allen Iverson (24 points and three assists) and Carmelo Anthony (22 points and five rebounds). Only two other Nuggets, (Bobby Jones and J.R. Smith), scored in double figures in comparison to seven for the Suns.

Up next for the Nuggets are the Portland Trailblazers in Portland tomorrow night. Hopefully a more favorable outcome is in store for the Nuggets Nation.

Go Nuggets!

J.R. Should Not Drink Alcohol

(Boulder-CO) Need proof of this post's title? Here is a quote pulled from the report, “Smith, 22, then told the officer ‘he was very (drunk and) doesn't remember everything’ that happened at the club.” I don’t even know how to explain what I just read, so here is the link.

If this report is true, and I mean 100% true, and it doesn’t translate into J.R. Smith being waived, traded, or anything resulting in him NOT being a Denver Nugget I will be very disappointed. And while I understand that A) J.R. Smith is a target, and B) that this kind of situation gets out of control all the time when people are drinking and acting a fool (that’s right I said acting a FOOL) … I still blame J.R. for putting himself in that kind position.

I Write for ESPN

(Boulder-CO) Ok, ok so maybe not fulltime - yet - but I have contributed a little piece to ESPN’s Denver Nuggets Preview. So, bang the link and check it out.

NBA General Managers Take Surveys

(Boulder-CO) The General Managers of nearly every team in the league have taken a survey and the results are in. Questions of note are who is going to win the Northwest Division and who will take home NBA superiority?

Surprisingly, the Nuggets are not picked to win their division, (they were last year and as we all know didn’t), but maybe this year it will be a flip-flop from last when the Jazz weren’t picked to win it either. Go check out what the real guys controlling the league think and get at me in the comments section!

Nuggets vs. Suns Preseason Preview

(Boulder-CO) Tonight the Nuggets will face the Suns in a game televised on national TV due to the fire situation in southern California. Phoenix enters this game with a stout 4-2 record so far this preseason, but tonight is going to be their first test against a Western Conference playoff foe since beating the Jazz about two weeks ago.

So, what do we know about the Suns? Obviously, they have the little go-go Steve Nash, Amare, and the on-again, off-again disgruntle Marion, but this team has also made some moves during the off-season that are of note. First, they landed the ever so fragile, but still very capable, Grant Hill. Another player I like that they have acquired is D.J. Strawberry. I’ve watched a lot D.J.’s game last year with the fighting turtles of Maryland and I can tell you that he is an outstanding player. He has a good shooting stroke, makes smart decisions, and is very athletic despite being a slender 6’5”.

And we can pretty much expect this one to be a barn burner. The Suns led the league last year with an average scoring pitch of 108.4 points a game as a result of Mike D’Antoni’s fastbeaking attack. The Nuggets came in at fifth in overall scoring at 100.3 points per game, however, Phoenix did have a better average margin of victory (5.6 points) in comparison to the Nuggets just barely squeaking by with two tenths separating what they gave up on the other end of the floor.

Other than that, I’m not going to guess as to who is going to play and who isn’t, but the game starts at eight o’clock MST on TNT and it should be a fun one. Also, be sure to check out these great Phoenix Suns sites for more information on tonight’s opponent.

www.phoenixsunsrising.blogspot.com
www.brightsideofthesun.com
www.sunsgossip.blogspot.com

Go Nuggets!

Carmelo Anthony is Blogging!

(Boulder-CO) Check it out! Carmelo officially has his own blog. He has only written one post as of yet, but he seems pretty honest and straight forward.

Snip-Snip: Nuggets Trim Roster

(Boulder-CO) It’s never personal, but some guys just don’t end up making the final cut. And when I say, “some guys”, I mean Anthony Roberson, Mike Wilks, Jelani McCoy, Brad Stricker, and I’m afraid to say… The Plastic Man Stacey Augmon were all thanked for their services and waived after last night’s game.

Not too many surprises on this cut list, but I did think that with the point guard situation looking as banged up as it is that Anthony Roberson might have stuck around a little bit longer. Especially since the Nuggets roster now stands at 14 players and the NBA roster limit stipulates that a team must have 12 active players at any given time, but also must have at least one “inactive” player with a maximum of three.

Now the current roster looks a little something like this:

Carmelo Anthony*
Chucky Atkins*
Marcus Camby*
Anthony Carter
Yakhouba Diawara
Steven Hunter
Allen Iverson*
Bobby Jones
Linas Kleiza
Kenyon Martin
Eduardo Najera*
Nene
J.R. Smith
Von Wafer

*denotes probable starter for opening night

Blaw! Double Buck Shot!!

(Boulder-CO) For the second time this preseason the Milwaukee Bucks have been bagged by the Denver Nuggets. Tonight, it was to the tune of, 114-102, at the Pepsi Center with Michael Ruffin actually being tossed after the final buzzer sounded! Talk about taking the preseason a little bit too seriously.

Denver was led offensively by Allen Iverson’s team high 21 points and six assists. AI also added five rebounds and a steal in 34 minutes of playing time. Other Nuggets of note were Carmelo Anthony (18 points, six boards, two assists, a steal, and a block), Linas Kleiza (12 points and a team-high seven rebounds), Von Wafer (13 points on 4-4 from downtown), and Kenyon Martin who played all of 20 minutes, but gave the Nuggets 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.

However, the biggest story is the first sighting of Big Brazil this season! Although he only played 13 minutes, Nene was effective with six points, four rebounds, two steals, and an assist. And coming in a close second to the Nene story is how J.R. Smith did not play, surprise-surprise…

From what I could tell from just the play-by-play and the gamecast, Denver dominated from start to finish by leading at the half by six and never losing the lead throughout the entire rest of the game. But other than the straight facts, that’s all I got!

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Bucks Preseason Preview II

(Boulder-CO) Who knows if even a single starter is actually going to play in this one for the Nuggets. So, in all reality this game should be close. The injury report is so long with Najera (sprained left foot), Atkins (tender groin), Camby (back spasms), Carter (broken hand), Nene (strained calf), Martin (double microfracture surgery), and Kleiza (sprained ankle) all on the day-to-day list that a definitive preview would be impossible to write.

Not to mention if J.R. Smith will even need to get suited up after his three ring circus continues to stop at all the wrong places for the Nuggets!

So, my only point of emphasis is for no one else to get hurt against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight at the Pepsi Center.

Go Nuggets!

Denver Nuggets: Destiny or Disappointment?

* This is my submission to the www.hoopsblogging.com NBA Preview contest. Shall it be picked as one of the "best", I would win wild prizes and undisclosed amounts of cash! It also serves as a insightful look at what is at stake for the Denver Nuggets this season. Enjoy!

(Boulder-CO) Few teams with as rich of a basketball history as the Denver Nuggets have never won the NBA’s greatest prize. Such a fact is also why this season’s results can most accurately be evaluated at the end of the season by asking, “Were this year’s Nuggets a team of destiny or disappointment?” And by reading this preview, you’ll understand exactly what’s at stake for the Nuggets in 2007-08.

At first glance, one would venture to say that Denver’s roster is stacked! Carmelo, AI, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year-Marcus Camby, Nene, and former All-Star Kenyon Martin have all carved out their respective places in the NBA. Denver also has a budding talent in the form of Linas Kleiza, an All-World hustle player in Eduardo Najera, and a new sharp-shooting point guard in Chucky Atkins, but never has a single one of the aforementioned been able to raise the Larry O’Brien trophy. In fact, not a single player on the roster has. So, could this be the year that Denver finally brings it home?

Two things are going to dictate how far the Nuggets travel in the 2007-08 campaign. The first is team chemistry. If the Nuggets can find a way for their players to work together, while also achieving the individual accolades, they will surely go deep into the playoffs. Remember, if the spirit of the late Wilt Chamberlain doesn’t possess Kobe Bryant last March it was Carmelo Anthony who would have probably won the NBA scoring title. In addition to this, the Nuggets added a future HOFer and former scoring champion in Allen Iverson midseason, along with other less notable roster shake-ups, and the Nuggets just never really found a way to ideally mesh all their talent. Furthermore, losing Kenyon Martin for the season after the first two great games he played, and Nene needing to lose some weight after returning from his own season-ending injury and you can start to see just how pivotal this year’s team chemistry is going to be.

Equally important for this year’s Nuggets is to not get bitten by the injury bug. For too many seasons now the Nuggets have had an intricate part of their squad go down in their first handful of games. Vashon Leonard, Nene, and Kenyon Martin (twice) are just a few of the Nuggets in recent memory to become seriously hurt in the infancy of a season, not to mention names like LaPhonso Ellis and Calvin Natt come to mind from Denver rosters from further back in the history books. I’m also looking in the direction of Marcus Camby, who has always had his ups and downs with injuries, despite playing in 70 games (second highest total number of regular season games in his career) last year. In summary, Denver has historically been a hotbed for injured NBA players and the Nuggets can ill-afford this trend to continue if they are going to become a team of destiny.

So, aside from those two biggest contingents facing the Denver Nuggets, this team is a solid ten deep. The starting five of Chucky Atkins (14.2 points and 4.6 assists), Allen Iverson (24.8 points, 7.2 assists, and three rebounds), Carmelo Anthony (28.9 points, six rebounds, and 3.8 assists), Nene (12.2 points and seven rebounds), and Marcus Camby (11.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, and 3.2 assists) can match up offensively with anyone in the league. Denver then has the five of J.R. Smith, Linas Kleiza, Eduardo Najera, Kenyon Martin, and the newly acquired seven-footer Steven Hunter all ready to spring off George Karl‘s bench. Round out the roster with a young defensive specialist like Yakhouba Diawara and an offensive specialist like Von “Nilla” Wafer and you can see why the expectations are so lofty in the Mile High City.

Finally, building off their regular season record of 45-37 last year and their frustrating/familiar first round exit in the playoffs, the Nuggets need to take the good and separate the bad to take this franchise further than ever before. Individually speaking, George Karl needs to stop coaching through the media, Carmelo needs to rebound more, AI would benefit this team greatly by having less turnovers, Camby, Nene, and Martin all need to stay healthy, J.R. Smith needs to improve his shot selection, Atkins needs to act as a supercharged motor on the fast break, and Linas, Eduardo, and Steven Hunter all need to find their niche for this team to improve. Otherwise, the team with the third highest payroll in the league, a team of destiny if you will, could become a team of disappointment real quick! And by disappointment I mean just barely being better than .500, limping into the playoff picture with a low seed, and consequentially being bounced in the first round yet again while having to suspend one of their pivotal players.

Destiny or disappointment, Denver. What is it going to be?

Go Nuggets!

Najera Hurt… At Home?

(Boulder-CO) I just couldn’t believe the report in Today’s Rocky Mountain News. Allegedly, Eduardo “The Grout” Najera slipped on some stairs in his home and sprained his left foot!

Had this happened to anyone else but Eduardo and I would be calling this questionable, but still, how are you going to get hurt on some stairs in your own home? Sounds a little bit like some other Denver athletes who have also been injured in bizarre home instances... Good grief!

NBA Blog Previews the Northwest

(Boulder-CO) This thing is like a runaway train! The NBA Blog Previews keep on keeping on and today's offering is the Northwest Division. Enjoy!

Northwest Previews:

Utah Jazz

Daily Basketball

Taking it to the Rack

Basketball John



Seattle Supersonics

Sonics Central



Portland Trail Blazers

TrueHoop

The Inferno



Timberwolves

TWolves Blog



Denver Nuggets

Nugg Doctor



Blog Previews Archives

CelticsBlog NBA Section

Welcome to the J.R. Smith Circus

(Boulder-CO)The Denver Post is finally reporting why J.R. Smith has been suspended for three games and it is not at all what I first suspected. The real reason why J.R. is going to serve a three game suspension is, “Smith allegedly tore up a club and caused someone injuries which required an ambulance,” at the popular DC-10 lounge in Denver on Saturday, October 13.

And while I was initially upset that a suspension had been handed down by Nuggets brass because I assumed it was a late consequence for his first flare up, I could really care less at this point knowing that J.R. himself is 100% to blame for this one.

So, my feelings are if he wants to be out and doing his thing during the twilight of the night where nothing but malarkey goes down so be it, but then don’t issue a statement saying you don’t want to be a, “team cancer”, if that’s where you want to be the night before traveling to Michigan to play the Pistons the same day. And although it was a measly, meaningless preseason game don’t be surprised when the box score reads 4-14 from the field, (including 0-4 with the long ball), with a game-high four turnovers.

Tom Ziller of the AOL Fanhouse thinks J.R. is on thin ice, but I think a more accurate metaphor would be J.R. has broken through the ice and is now treading the icy water of the Denver Nuggets and their patience.

Let Me Count the Ways

(Boulder-CO) I am so tired of hearing about J.R. Smith for all the wrong reasons! Car accidents, spats with the team and coaching staff, trade rumors, and now a suspension (and this time it isn't even for body slamming Nate Robinson)! I could go on and on about all the reasons, and players, that should make this problem go away, but I would rather hear what you all have to say. Get at me!

Nuggets Sign Another Small Point Guard

(Boulder-CO)The Denver Nuggets official home page has announced that the Nuggets have signed yet another small point guard in Mike Wilks. Wilks is a five-year NBA veteran who has played with six different teams.

Why they would sign another man under six feet tall is totally beyond me. We already have Chucky Atkins who is all of 5'11", Allen Iverson at maybe an inch taller than that, and both Anthony Roberson and Anthony Carter who are 6'2" each.

Furthermore, I don't expect Wilks to do much than give the other guys a break in the last three preseason games.

Nuggets Downed Again by Pistons

(AP Photo/Adam Bird)

(Boulder-CO) "Sloppy" is the only way that I can describe what I just watched on NBATV. It's a good thing the Nuggets didn’t play any of their presumed starting five because if ‘Melo, AI, Camby, Nene, or Martin played in this game I might have to just reevaluate everything I've been thinking as of late! Ok, I may be overacting a little bit, but honestly, this was about as ugly a basketball game as I have seen played in a really long time. Not to mention the Nuggets lost to the Pistons, 119-110, for the second time this preseason.

As if typed bright gecko green, the box score illustrates that the Nuggets were abused on the offensive glass. Detroit hit the O-boards to the tune of 22 offensive rebounds because Jelani McCoy was the only Nugget of any size to enter the game. Plus, Denver didn’t do too good of a job rebounding on the other end either as the Pistons finished with 55 total boards-18 more than Denver overall.

About the only bright spots for the Nuggets were J.R. Smith and Eduardo “The Grout“ Najera. Smith finished with a game-high 33 points on 10-19 from the field, three rebounds, two steals, and an assist. It was the first good shooting night of the season for J.R., but he started slow and only began heating up after a few good takes to the hole. The Grout had another great game by giving the Nuggets a double-double of 12 points, eleven rebounds, and six assists.

I do have to say one thing about Detroit’s Jason Maxiel and it’s that J-Max played like an absolute animal. Maxiel finished with tonight’s most impressive stat line of 25 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and a steal. More than that was how he made countless hustle plays like tapping out loose balls, bodying up Denver’s post players, and altering nearly ever shot from about five feet from the basket all night long. ‘Sheed may be the starting big man for the Pistons, but Detroit should be counting their blessings that they have a guy like Maxiel coming off their bench.

The Nuggets now have a five day break until their next preseason rematch with the Bucks in the friendly confines of the Pepsi Center. This duration should be good for the banged up Nuggets to rest and for the healthy Nuggets to regroup and refocus. These five days should also give the Nuggets coaching staff a few more practices to make some roster decisions and work on the team’s chemistry. Five days is a long time to wait after a game like this, but it just may be what I need to forget that this one ever happened.

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Pistons Preseason Preview II

(Boulder-CO) Last week these two teams met and Coach George Karl decided to rest his starters. That game ended up being the Nuggets first loss. This week, I don’t think the Pistons are going to be as lucky. The probable starters for tonight’s game, via the Denver Nuggets media notes available at www.nuggets.com, are Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Yakhouba Diawara, Jelani McCoy, and Eduardo Najera. And I believe the addition of the Nuggets All-Star duo is going to be enough to deliver the win this time around at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

With preseason minutes being monitored closely by the Nuggets coaching staff, Carmelo Anthony is averaging a team-high 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. AI is also having a fine preseason with averages of 16.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 2.3 rebounds. Both men didn’t play in the first meeting against the Pistons.

The injury report on tonight’s game lists Linas Kleiza, Chucky Atkins, and Kenyon Martin all as questionable, but I would be very surprised to see Kenyon make an appearance in tonight’s contest simply because the Nuggets training staff will probably give him a day off to rest his knees after such a great performance last night. However, I would be surprised if Chucky Atkins doesn’t see some burn tonight as he has not played now in almost a week after re-tweaking his groin against the Pistons the first time around. Nene is also listed as “out” for tonight’s game and there is no definitive word right now as to when Big Brazil will make his preseason debut.

The Nuggets are 22-6 during the preseason since 2004 and have won 15 of their last 19 preseason contests. Including the 2003 preseason, the Nuggets have an impressive .750 winning percentage (27-9) over the last four-plus years.

I’m putting the line at five tonight and am predicting a Nuggets “revenge” victory. In whatever minutes the Nuggets big guns do play, expect a spirited effort as the preseason is now officially halfway finished.

The game is on NBATV and starts five o’clock MST. Be sure to check out these fine Detroit Pistons sites for more on tonight’s opponent.

www.need4sheed.com
www.detroitbadboys.com
www.pistonsnationblog.com

Go Nuggets!

Denver Bags the Bucks

(AP Photo/Patrick Ferron)

(Boulder-CO) Tonight’s efforts in Green Bay featured some of the most positive signs the Nuggets could have hoped to see thus far in the preseason. Kenyon Martin made his return and played great. Eduardo Najera also made his preseason debut and looked as if in mid-season form. Plus, Allen Iverson is finding the open man and the bottom of the net, and Carmelo Anthony continues to improve on the glass and defensively. Simply stated, the Nuggets couldn’t have asked for much more from their individuals as they collectively blew the Bucks out of the gym, 104-78.

The first half ended with the Nuggets up by six, 49-43, but it was the third quarter when the Nuggets really started to pull away. With a combination of defensive intensity and offensive explosion the Nuggets limited the Bucks to a measly 15 points and notched 33 of their own. What I really liked about this stretch of the game was Denver totally dictated the speed of the game in the third and from that point on coasted to the easy victory.

Right off the bat you have to love the way that Kenyon Martin gets the nod from George Karl to start in his first game back from microfracture surgery almost a year ago. Martin only played 15 minutes in the game, but when he was in he was effective. Sporting his familiar college number "4", Kenyon scored eleven points, cleared five boards, dished out an assists, and stole a ball. K-Mart also played some solid defense on Yi Jianlian in the first half and disrupted the rookie’s low post attempts by out muscling him.

And if you love the way Kenyon made his debut, you have to be elated to see the hustle play of Eduardo Najera available to the Nuggets now too!

He isn’t going to make the highlight reel very much, but Eduardo Najera’s overall effort is second to none. Tonight, Najera gave the Nuggets a game-high nine rebounds (four on the offensive glass), six points, four assists, three steals, and a block in a very utilitarian effort. I could go on and on about how much I love the game of Eduardo Najera, but instead I think I’ll just give him a new nickname. From here on out, I’m going to refer to Eduardo as, “The Grout”, because the guy just fills in all the cracks!

Then you add in the one-two punch of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson and you can start to see how the Nuggets beat the Bucks by 26 points. AI finished tonight’s contest with a game-high 22 points, six assists, two rebounds, and a steal while absolutely giving the Bucks fits on defense. And his Western Conference All-Star counterpart was just as deadly. ‘Melo gave the Nuggets 16 points, eight big boards, three steals, two assists, and a block in a mere 26 minutes of game time.

Up next for the Nuggets is a preseason rematch with the Pistons tomorrow night. The game is on NBATV and starts five o’clock MST. A game preview chalked full of links and insight will be up tomorrow in the AM. The Nuggets now rest at 3-1 with just 14 days until Halloween’s opening night. You with me, Nuggets Nation?

Go Nuggets!

Protrade.com Opens NBA Team IPO's

(Boulder-CO) At four o'clock MST www.protrade.com opened up the NBA Team IPO's for the 2007-08 season. The Nuggets opened at just a shade under $120, and will without a doubt earn far more than that! Email me at scallywg31@aol.com to request an invite to my Protrade community and enjoy the sports stock market madness all season long!

Nuggets vs. Bucks Preseason Preview

(Boulder-CO) Tonight the Nuggets travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin to face the Bucks. Milwaukee is solid team with some new faces, but if the Nuggets play their stars for any substantial minutes they should be able to earn their third W of the preseason.

The NBA Draft’s sixth overall pick, Yi Jianlian, is the newest Buck and is showing some good things to the Milwaukee faithful. Just last game he scored 13 points and grabbed three rebounds, but didn’t do too good handling the ball. Yi turned it over a team-high eight times and also finished with five fouls. Marcus Camby, if active, should have a field day with the similarly sized Yi down in the blocks and on the boards.

The Bucks are usually led offensively by Michael Redd. Last year, Redd finished with a career-high scoring average of 26.7 points, but has been struggling a bit this preseason to come back to his old form after a season-ending injury sidelined him in early April of last season. His scoring average so far in the 2007-08 preseason is 11.3 points in 26.3 minutes per game.

All in all though this is the type of game that the Nuggets must win come regular season and I would really like to see them finish strong in the fourth quarter. My final line is Nuggets by six. Tip off is set for six o’clock MST.

Go Nuggets!

NBA Blog Previews: Central Division

(Boulder-CO) The NBA Blog Previews continue to roll on and today's offering is the Central Division. Do your homework, Nuggets Nation.

Chicago Bulls

Cobra Brigade

Bull Riding

Cleveland Cavaliers

YAYSports!

The POJO Dojo

Cavalier Attitude

Truth in a Bullet Fedora

Detroit Pistons

PistonsNationBlog

Empty The Bench

Need4Sheed

Motoring

Indiana Pacers

Indy Cornrows

Pacers Pulse

Milwaukee Bucks

Bango's Bunch

Archives

CelticsBlog NBA Page

Also see: Southwest Previews Atlantic Previews

Denver Nuggets NBA Blog Preview

Team Name: Denver Nuggets

Last Year's Record: 45-37

Key Losses: Steve Blake and Reggie Evans

Key Additions: Von Wafer, Chucky Atkins, Steven Hunter, and the return of Kenyon Martin

1. What significant moves were made during the off-season? The Nuggets decided to not resign Steve Blake in a move that I agreed 100% with. He was not the kind of point guard that could take this team any further in the post season than he did and he was looking to make way more than the Nuggets should have considered paying him. Denver needed a shooter and speedier fast break general and I think that Chucky gives them that.

Denver also traded Reggie Evans to the Philadelphia 76ers and in return received center Steven Hunter and guard Bobby Jones. The Nuggets had a log jam at the four spot with Nene, the return of Kenyon Martin, and Eduardo Najera, so it was good for both Reggie and the Nuggets to make the move. Steven Hunter serves as a good, inexpensive back up for Marcus Camby in the middle and Bobby Jones is definitely competing for a roster spot.

But the best move the Nuggets made this off-season was signing Von Wafer from the NBDL Colorado 14ers. Von is a shooting guard that I believe is going to really surprise some people this year because he has proven to be an offensive force at every stop on his way to the NBA. Don’t know much about Wafer? Here’s a crash course! “Nilla”, as he likes to be called, averaged 32 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists his junior season while in Lisbon, La playing for Pineview High School. His senior year, he transferred to Heritage Christian Academy in Cleveland, Texas where he averaged 26 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, and 4 blocks per game. And for his achievements on the basketball court, Wafer earned All-America third-team honors from USA Today Newspaper following his senior season. Von also was named a McDonalds All-American and scored 29 points on 13 of 20 shooting from the field while clearing 8 rebounds. He matched up well with King James for much of the game and finished second to James in the slam dunk contest.

He then played two years of college hoop at Florida State University before becoming an early entry in the 2005 NBA Draft. His freshman year at FSU Wafer averaged 7.9 points in 17.5 minutes a game. He ranked third among all ACC freshmen with 43 three-point field goals made and scored in double figures 12 times. As a sophomore, he led the team in scoring with an average of 12.5 points per game and made 65 bombs from long range. He made more than one three-point field goal in 14 games and surpassed the 20-point mark on six occasions.

Many people at this point in Wafer’s career thought it was a mistake for him to enter the draft early and some experts didn’t expect him to be drafted at all. In fact, during one of the only pre-draft workouts he could arrange with the Phoenix Suns, Wafer reportedly was frustrated by the physical play from Jan Jagla and responded by swinging an intentional elbow to Jagla’s nose, walked off the court, and ended the workout at that point. Things at this point were not looking good for Wafer’s NBA chances.

However, Von proved all the pessimists wrong by becoming the 39th overall pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2005 NBA Draft. He was later waived, but then did some serious work in the NBDL while playing for the Colorado 14ers. Wafer finished last season as the D-League’s second highest overall scorer at a pitch of 21 points a game while grabbing 2.9 rebounds and dishing 3.3 assists.

Fast forward to this summer’s Las Vegas NBA Summer League.

Von “Nilla” Wafer led the Nuggets in scoring with an average of 24.2 points, plus three assists, and 1.9 rebounds while coming in third overall in the mid-summer classic's scoring race. Not to mention he capped off his summer showcase with a record-tying 42 points against the New York Knicks in only a mere 26 minutes of playing time.

There, now you have no excuse for not knowing about Von Wafer!

2. What are the team's biggest strengths? Obviously, the Nuggets are an offensive juggernaut. ‘Melo, AI, and the rest of the fast-breaking Nuggets are going to put up major numbers on most teams. I’m also looking for ’Melo to once again be among the league’s leading scorers.

3. What are the team's biggest weaknesses? Defense and chemistry are going to be equally challenging for the Nuggets. Even with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Marcus Camby, the Nuggets biggest area to improve is defense. They gave up way too many points to teams that struggled offensively last year and lost too many games because of it. Chemistry is also going to be an obstacle to overcome in Denver. AI and Carmelo need to learn how to bring out the best in each other. Plus, the return of Kenyon Martin is going to provide another wrinkle in the roster that George Karl is going to have to manage. Who plays well with who is going to be just as important as who steps up and plays well this year for the Nuggets, and George Karl is going to have his hands full shuffling the full deck of talented players the Nuggets have on their roster.

4. What are the goals for this team? The Nuggets first goal should be to finish in the top four seeds in the Western Conference Playoff picture. This is going to take at least 50 wins in the regular season and would prevent them from running into a buzz saw like San Antonio in the first round. This should also help them in accomplishing what I feel is their second goal of getting out of the first round of the playoffs. From there I feel like the sky is the limit for this year’s Denver Nuggets.

5. Any wild predictions for this upcoming season? Actually, I’m glad you asked that! I think that Kenyon Martin is going to have a big year and win Comeback Player of the Year. He is attempting to be one of the only players ever to come back from microfracture surgery on both knees and he is really refocused on returning to the level formerly expected out of him.

Predicted Record: 53-29 and the Nuggets will march all the way to the Western Conference Finals!

Go Nuggets!

Mainstream Reports on Smith’s Incident

(Boulder-CO) Rocky Mountain News reporter Chris Tomasson writes in his article today, “Smith apologized to his teammates after practice Thursday. He told them, ‘I’m not trying to be a team cancer.’ Smith declined comment after the game Friday but said after the morning shootaround he disagrees with there being, ‘a lot of speculation and stuff going around about me being an individual player.’ Regarding his apology, Smith said, ‘something between me and the team happened Thursday’, but he wouldn’t elaborate. ‘I just want to let my teammates know I’m here to win,’ he said. ‘It’s not necessarily about me. It’s about the team.’”

Tomasson also gets Coach George Karl’s take on the incident. Chris writes, “Asked if Smith not playing had anything to do with the week’s events, Karl said, ‘I don’t think so, but you can write whatever you want.’”

Sure, George… We all believe you, but at least you’re not going to talk about it in the media after two preseason games! But just to reassure you that George Karl isn’t a completely changed man he goes on to elaborate on J.R.’s performance in the Nuggets loss to the Pistons and said, "I don't remember (the points) as much as I remember his mistakes."

So what can we take from all this convoluted mixed messaging? I think that while George Karl isn’t going to make a mountain out of a mole hill, J.R. Smith is really toeing a thin line with Karl. It is clear to see in the box scores of the first three games that J.R. has some serious heat on him from Wafer and Linas Kleiza. There has even been more and more serious talk about “finding” a position to utilize Linas in because of the high number of minutes ‘Melo is set to most likely play at the small forward position. And if any one is keeping track of Wafer’s performances in a head-to-head capacity with J.R. Smith. Wafer’s averages for the first three preseason games are 14 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and less than one turnover a game. J.R.’s averages for both games that he has appeared in are 14 points, two rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 3.5 turnovers a game. Oh, and are you wondering how George feels about Wafer’s defense? In the same article, George comments, “I thought Von was awful defensively in the first half and pretty damn good in the second half.”

Right Spread-Wrong Team

(AP Photo/Gary Malerba)

(Boulder-CO) It was disappointing to watch the Nuggets not execute like I mentioned in my preview because this one was there for the taking. Like I predicted, the game was extremely tight down the stretch, but due to poor decision making, lack of execution, and too many fouls led to the Nuggets losing tonight by three, 109-106.

Both teams played well in spurts and equaled each other’s output in the first three quarters. In the first, Denver came out lethargic and only managed to score 20 points as the Pistons put 29 on them in return. George Karl started an unorthodox line-up of Yakhouba Diawara, Linas Kleiza, Marcus Camby, and Stacey Augmon with point guard Chucky Atkins seeing his first preseason action and the Nuggets looked out of sync. On the other hand, the Pistons started their usual five of Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Antonio McDyess, Tayshaun Prince, and Rasheed Wallace and had no trouble getting into a rhythm early. However, Denver did managed to put together a better second quarter, matching the Piston’s 34 points in the period, and in doing so kept things reasonable going into the second half.

In the third, Denver managed to make up the nine points they fell behind by in the first quarter by outscoring the Pistons, 25-16, largely in part to a tremendous turnaround on the defensive end. Marcus Camby’s impact on the boards,(he had ten huge rebounds alone in the quarter), started it all and the rest of the Nuggets really turned the heat up on the Pistons to tie things at 79 going into the final quarter of play.

The final minutes in the fourth were where the game was decided and it was a lack of execution and poor decisions that resulted in the Nuggets taking the L. For instance, with 90 seconds remaining and the Pistons leading, 103-102, J.R. Smith had a lay-up swatted by Jason Maxiel, an offensive foul resulting in a turnover, and a loose ball frustration foul all in the matter of about 30 seconds. Now J.R. isn’t solely to blame for the Nuggets loss, but this terrible stretch was the straw that broke the camel’s back and it allowed the Pistons to take control of the game because it gave them two free-throws, (which they made good on), and put the Nuggets in an immediate foul situation. And credit has to be given to the Pistons for stepping up to the line and knocking down their final four free-throws to ice the game in the final 20 seconds.

Offensive leaders for the Nuggets were Anthony Roberson with 22 points, Bobby Jones with 17 points, and Von Wafer with 16 points, respectively. Both Roberson and Jones also each passed out four assists and Marcus Camby grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds. It should also be noted that J.R. Smith, while finishing with 13 points, missed all four of his three-point attempts and in doing so has missed the last 23 threes he has attempted carrying over to last season’s playoffs.

The DNP list for the Nuggets was long with Carmelo, Kenyon, Eduardo, Nene, and AI all not entering the game. Denver is now 2-1 in preseason play and faces the Bucks in Milwaukee on Tuesday night.

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Pistons Preseason Preview

(Boulder-CO) The 2-0 Nuggets will face the 1-2 Pistons tonight at the Palace in Auburn Hills. The big stories tonight will be if J.R. Smith plays or if the feud between he and George Karl continues, Von Wafer’s play both offensively and defensively, and how many assists Allen Iverson finishes with.

The J.R. situation intrigues me in so many ways. First, you would think that after the kind of off-season that J.R. had he would want to just focus on basketball and nothing else, but somehow he has found a way to lock horns with Karl again. Only this time, the Nuggets have far more mature options as far as who they can play at the reserve shooting guard position and because of so J.R. could easily find himself sitting at the end of the bench if he is not careful.

Related to this is the pleasantly surprising play of Von Wafer. Von scored 17 in the Nuggets first outing and followed that up with a ten-point showing against the Trailblazers. While neither game was statistically monstrous, Von showed that he can help this team quite nicely in a reserve role and if his defense can continue to improve he will almost certainly lock himself into the good graces of Karl and the coaching staff. A tremendous opportunity is in front of Wafer and I hope he can seize it.

Another bright spot for the Nuggets has been the unselfish play of Allen Iverson. His first showing was a seven assist, eleven point outing and in his second showing he went for 17 points, four rebounds, and four assists. AI is getting the Nuggets started early in the shot clock and his penetration is leading to a lot of buckets both on the dish and the drive. I’m loving the way Iverson is meshing with ’Melo, Camby, and Linas Kleiza because he isn’t trying to individually force things, but instead is allowing his teammates to get involved and they are rising to the occasion. Major kudos are due to AI so far in this preseason.

As far as a prediction on tonight’s game, I’m thinking that the Nuggets probably have not forgotten about Rasheed Wallace’s 60-foot heave that forced overtime the last time the Nuggets were in Motown. And while I think the game will be close, (which the Nuggets need at this point to work on their fourth quarter execution), I’m calling a victory by three over the Pistons.

Be sure to check out these fantastic Pistons sites for an in-depth look at tonight’s opposition.

Need4Sheed
Detroit Bad Boys

Go Nuggets!

More on the J.R. Smith Situation

(Boulder-CO) According to one of my inside sources, there was indeed a, “difference of opinions” between Coach George Karl and guard J.R. Smith during a Nuggets practice and said incident led to J.R. being benched for Friday’s game against the Trail Blazers.

Now, I’m sure that there will soon be more to this story from the mainstream media, but the main question that I have is how long will J.R. and Coach George Karl continue to be at odds? Other less important inquiries are will J.R. play against the Pistons on Sunday and will George Karl speak through the media on the matter in the next few days to come?

Only time will tell, but I have a feeling this story is just in its infancy.

Nuggets Roll Portland in Boulder

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

(Boulder-CO) The Denver Nuggets start their preseason off 2-0 after tonight’s, 118-102, victory over the Portland Trailblazers. In a game that I knew the Blazers were offensively outmatched in, at one point in the fourth quarter Denver led by as many as 27 points after the starters had long been put away. Important to also keep in mind was how Denver was without the services of forwards Nene, Martin, and Najera or guards Chucky Atkins and Anthony Carter.

The big story though is how J.R. Smith did not log a single minute of play in tonight’s game. I talked with a few Nuggets insiders this morning and not a single one of them mentioned any kind of injury J.R. might have sustained in practice or in the last contest, so I’m wondering if there may be something else going on behind the scenes, but more on that later…

The big offensive story from my area of emphasis tonight was the play of Linas Kleiza. LK scored 19 points on 6-11 shooting including 6 of 7 from the free-throw line, passed out three assists, and grabbed two boards in 26 minutes of action. Linas also played some pretty solid defense both on and off the ball. His counter part, Von Wafer, while not playing as effectively as Kleiza or scoring as much played as good if not better than on Tuesday night against the Clippers. ‘Nila started tonight’s game and finished with ten points, two assists, two rebounds, and no turnovers in 22 total minutes played. I think that this game was just as solid as Wafer’s first game because his defense was much better despite still committing four fouls. And in his defense he did pick up a couple of those fouls helping out teammates on penetration and did so in a fashion that prevented easy Portland scores.

Another area that I really like for the Nuggets so far is the high percentage they are shooting from the free-throw line. Denver has started this preseason shooting 80.4% from the charity stripe, including tonight’s collective, 35-42, including no player missing more than two attempts. This is just another area in which the Nuggets can improve on from last season because in many cases this is an area that can also translate into a few more regular season wins from tight games here and there that are won and lost at the line.

And as with no effort at all, Carmelo once again led the Nuggets in scoring with 22 points to go along nicely with his seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Sometimes it seems like ‘Melo is pretty much unstoppable offensively, but it is his passing and willingness to hit the boards that proves there is a continued maturation process still going on with the Nuggets fifth year star. More and more, even ranging back to this past summer’s FIBA games, ‘Melo has been rebounding with an increased regularity.

The next Nuggets preseason game is on Sunday in Detroit against the Pistons, but until then I’ll be keeping my ear to the streets and talking to some people who might be able to shed some light on the situation as to why J.R. didn’t play tonight.

Go Nuggets!

Nuggets vs. Blazers Preseason Preview

(Boulder-CO) The game will be a little bit different due to being in the smaller confines of the Coors Event center in Boulder, but I do not expect the Nuggets to have any problems with the Trailblazers. Even though they will be without Nene, Martin, Carter, and Najera, I feel that the core of AI, Anthony, Marcus, Wafer, and Smith are too much offense for the young Blazers to handle.

But, the Blazers are a team in rebuilding (put on a 12 month hold by the injury to Greg Oden). They have talent at all their positions. LaMarcus Aldridge is an athletic big man with promise, Portland recently acquired Channing Frye from New York in the Z-Ran trade, reigning Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy is set to have another great year, and the ex-Nugget Steve Blake should feel right at home in his second stint with Portland. And, they too beat the injury depleted Clippers on Wednesday, 111-102.

My players to watch in tonight’s game are Von Wafer, Chucky Atkins (if he plays), Linas Kleiza, and J.R. Smith. We all know that the big three, (that’s right Boston- we have a big three too- and they are just as potent), are going to do their work, but there is a crazy little situation developing at the reserve shooting guard spot between J.R., LK, and ‘Nila. ‘Melo is going to play so many minutes this year that I’m now throwing LK into the shuffle for who is going to be the first guard off the bench for George Karl because he is too valuable of a player to collect cobwebs as he waits for Anthony to need a breather.

And the good thing about playing the Blazers tonight is we will be able to evaluate how all three players defend on Roy. Brandon was the Blazers leading scorer last year at a clip of 16.8 points per game and he is equally capable of shooting the lights out of the gym or challenging defenders at the rack. I suspect he will try to drive on Linas and J.R., but will try to test Wafer’s closing speed with his jumper. Remember, George Karl wants to stress defense this year and I think how each one of these three illustrates their commitment to stopping their delegated match-up is going to play a huge role in how the reserve minutes get divided.

My final prediction is Denver by six.

Go Nuggets.

Six Weeks for Carter's Return

(Boulder-CO) The AP is reporting that it will take Anthony Carter six weeks to recover from surgery that put three screws in his broken right hand. I had originally only heard reports that it would be one screw, but the end result of the surgery was three.

Chucky Atkins can not get healthy soon enough.

Karl Not Taking Any Crap

(Boulder-CO) When it comes to J.R. Smith, sometimes you have to understand that he just doesn’t have that fundamental of a game. He didn’t go to college. He is the product of a streetball culture. He is often times more style than substance. But does that make him a bad player? Certainly not. Does that mean that George Karl is going to put up with less than intelligent play and allow any of the aforementioned excuses to glaze over bad play? Don’t bet on it.

In today’s Rocky Mountain News Nuggets report George Karl says in regards to Smith‘s often times less than cerebral approach to the game, “Last year, we tolerated it. This year, it probably won't be tolerated.”

And why should he?

J.R. is now 0-19 from the three-point line dating back to last season’s playoffs, and if it weren’t for all of his aggressive drives to the basket late in the Nuggets first preseason game against the Clippers- plus foul shooting- his box score would have been even uglier than the 4-15 shooting night he finished with.

And let me also tell you that J.R. has some damn stiff competition in Von Wafer. ‘Nila may be entering his first full year of NBA basketball, but he has proven to be a solid ball player at every level of competition up to this point. Furthermore, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: the one thing that remains constant when the opposition gets bigger, more skilled, cagier, and smarter is the goal’s height, size, and the ability to shoot the basketball. It doesn’t matter if it is the Harlem Globetrotters in different color jerseys just as long as you can put the ball in the basket. The rest of a player’s game may have to change due to the level of competition, but if you can shoot in one league, you can shoot in any.

With all that being said, I do not want to diminish what J.R. Smith could mean to the Denver Nuggets. If he can play headier basketball, make the right pass at the right time, and still incorporate all that flashy streetball stuff into the game than I am all for it. He is a player that can put people in the seats because they know that on any given night at the arena J.R. Smith may blow their mind with an incredible play. And it is sometimes those incredible plays that really boost a team’s morale and sway momentum in the favor of the Nuggets, but the key for J.R. is to learn when and where that kind of play is prudent and when it is not. Because this year if he doesn’t… The Nuggets have far better options than last year and he will find his way back into the dog house of one furious George Karl.

NBA 2K8 is Here!

(Boulder-CO) I just received a copy of NBA 2K8 for the PS3 in the mail and let's just say that it was a long night last night. First let me say that the graphics are hot! The PS3 is known for having the best graphics in the biz right now, and NBA 2K8 does not disappoint in this regard. Furthermore, the new foot planting technology makes old games feel like, well, old games. In this new edition to the 2KSports line the players actually move, dribble, and jump much more realistically than before creating a feeling as close to actually playing basketball as I have ever experienced in a video game.

The other aspects of the game that I really liked are all of the subtle details that have been absent in previous releases. From the way coaches get in the way on the sidelines to all the ways different players, in reality and in the game, translate to the game play really add to the excitement. For instance, if you are playing with Carmelo, (And I don't understand why you wouldn't be), try working that jab step from the wing and letting the jumper fly. Just like in real life, the defender usually gets shook back just enough for you to raise up over their outstretched hand and put the rock in the bottom of the net. Then try playing with AI and slashing into the lane before fading back and dropping that little jumper that we have all become so familiar with. The move is so real and the feel is so fluid that I have to hand it to NBA 2K8 in this regard for being very realistic.

And overall there are some typical type bugs that all video games usually have, but they are not annoying enough to detract from the game. For instance, the shorts on the players sometimes look like they are inside out, but the new Slam Dunk mode, the always popular Association mode, graphics, and the online capabilities of this new release are more than enough for me endorse NBA 2k8 with The Nugg Doctor seal of approval. Now if you don't mind, I have a match up with the Jazz that I need to get back to.

Go Nuggets!

NBA Blog Previews of the Southwest

(Boulder-CO) Get your knowledge here! The NBA Blog Previews are the premiere source for all the inside analysis of your favorite team or most hated opponent. Today's offering is the entire Southwest Division. Enjoy!

San Antonio Spurs
Spur of the Moment

Pounding the Rock

New Orleans
Hornets 24/7

The New Orleans Hornets Fan

Memphis
Shades of Blue

Houston
HoopsBlogging

Dallas
Showboating

Archives
CelticsBlog NBA Page

Nuggets Start with a Preseason Gem

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

(Boulder-CO) Hot damn, here we go again! It sure feels good to be writing up the first game recap of the year and it makes things even sweeter that it is in a winning capacity for the Denver Nuggets. Tonight, at the Pepsi Center the Nuggets beat the Clippers, 119-107, without even playing Nene, Kenyon Martin, Eduardo Najera, Chucky Atkins, or Anthony Carter.

Offensively, the Nuggets were led by ‘Melo who managed to score 17 points, dish six assists, and grab two rebounds in a limited 25 minutes of action. The good news for Nuggets fans is Anthony didn’t look as if he has skipped a beat after leading Team USA Basketball to the gold medal in the FIBA Americas Games. Especially considering recent mention in the local papers that he was, “a little tired”, from the continuous basketball he’s been playing. Overall, ‘Melo continues to abuse defenders at will , both inside and out, and just watching him for a few minutes gave me goose bumps.

Now, speaking of not skipping a beat, or a rebound for that matter, I have to go off the handle for a second about the performance Marcus Camby put on. Camby grabbed 23 humungous boards in 24 minutes, swatted three shots, dimed four assists, and pitched in 13 points. For the last two seasons Marcus Camby has been the defensive backbone of the Denver Nuggets, and if George Karl wants to improve defensively, it shouldn’t be too long before the rest of the Nuggets become inspired by nights like this by the Cambyman. Marcus was crazy good tonight and while his box score is impressive in its own right, his impact on this game went so much deeper. The man flat out owns the area around the goal and I would even go as far as to say the Clippers, at times, looked intimidated when driving the lane knowing that Camby was lurking somewhere on the week side. And if tonight was any kind of a teaser for the season to come for Camby… Let’s just say defending his Defensive Player of the Year title should be no problem.

Other offensive bright spots for the Nuggets were Von Wafer, J.R. Smith, and Linas Kleiza. The big three off the bench all played well in one capacity or another, but I do not feel that any of them had that great of a showing for differing reasons. Von Wafer matched the 17-point team-high set by ‘Melo and grabbed six boards, but fouled a lot on defense and gave up numerous drives to the cup. J.R. Smith started the game and managed to finish with 15 points, but did so on a dreadful 5-14 shooting night which included a 0-7 showing from long range. Linas Kleiza, who probably played the most well rounded game, finished with 12 points on 5-10 from the field while nabbing three rebounds. Linas didn’t really get a chance to do much attacking of the rim and I feel that for him to establish an early confidence that can carry over the entire length of the season. He has to get things going to the basket so defenders have to respect his drive; thus opening up his outside shooting.

Oh, and I almost forgot… Allen Iverson also plays for this team!

The Answer finished tonight’s game with eleven points, seven assists, and a rebound. AI looked very assertive driving the ball into the Clipper defense, willing to dish to the open man, and still capable of finishing at the rim. The Nuggets will benefit tremendously, (not to mention the kind of flexibility Denver will have substituting for different line-ups), if Allen Iverson is concentrating on getting others involved as a point guard instead of a score-first shooting guard. And it is no secret that Denver is light at the point, but if they would be as fortunate as to have a guy like Allen Iverson transform his game into one that serves the situation around him. I truly believe that there are great things in store for the Nuggets Nation this year.

Up next for the Mile High crew is the Portland Trailblazers on Friday night. I slacked off big time today and didn’t post a game preview article, but swear to you that there will be one for Friday’s game.

Go Nuggets!

Welcome Back Better Basketball

(Boulder-CO) After an extended break from the headline spot, Better Basketball is back on The Nugg Doctor! Broken jumper? Weak crossover? No clue how to support your teammate defending the pick and roll? Better get Better Basketball quick!

‘Melo Loves Cameo Appearances

(Boulder-CO) We all remember Carmelo Anthony’s first cameo role in the underground DVD, Stop Snitchin, but did you know that ‘Melo may also be making an appearance in the new Eddie Murphy movie, Nowhereland ? Whether or not Carmelo, AI, and George Karl actually make the final cut is still up in the air, but while Nowhereland is being shot in downtown Denver the film crew made a point to stop by the Pepsi Center.

But for all of you who forgot about ‘Melo’s legendary screen presence, here is a short snippet from the infamous Stop Snitchin video. I wonder how Larry Brown feels about the “big penny” comment?

A Five-Piece of Nuggets to Sit Tonight

(Boulder-CO) It is being reported by the Rocky Mountain News that at least five Nuggets will not see any playing time in tonight’s preseason game against the Clippers. Nene will not play due to a calf strain that has been bothering him since the FIBA Americas Games, Kenyon Martin will not play due to a groin strain suffered in practice in addition to precautionary measures stemming from his second microfracture surgery, Chucky Atkins will also sit due to a tender groin, Eduardo Najera will not play due to a strained back, and Anthony Carter will undergo surgery in his right hand to put in a stabilizing screw that will sideline him for at least another four weeks.

I would also be surprised to see much of Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby, or Allen Iverson once the second half kicks off.

Nuggets fans should pay special attention to the shooting guard position because Von Wafer, J.R. Smith, and Linas Kleiza are all competing for minutes coming off of George Karl’s bench. All three players should see considerable amounts of opportunity throughout preseason, but it will be the more defensive minded between J.R. and Von that ends up getting the lion’s share of the minutes at shooting guard.