Meet your 7th-seeded Denver Nuggets?...

by Andrew Feinstein on Mar 24, 2008 12:58 AM MDT

As detailed here last week, I predicted that the Nuggets would win 51 games and end up tied with the Golden State Warriors for the 8th playoff seed. I must admit I've only been half paying attention to the demise of the Dallas Mavericks since trading for the poor man's Fat Lever, Jason Kidd. Because as bad as they've been with Kidd, I never once considered that the Western Conference powerhouse team to miss the playoffs whose city name begins in "D" would be Dallas, and not Denver.

While Coach Karl and the Nuggets pulled off a gutty matinee victory against the Toronto Raptors (at least it seemed gutty - I was trying to watch the game in a post-Vegas recovery state and thus wasn't fully lucid), the Mavericks lost their best player and current MVP, Dirk Nowitzki, for the next two weeks during a loss to the San Antonio Spurs. In looking at their remaining schedule, my guesswork puts the Mavericks at 50-32 at season's end. Therefore, if anyone out there actually thought the Nuggets still had an excuse or two left to justify not making the playoffs, they officially have NO excuses now.

The Nuggets coaches and players must have followed through on their Lent commitments, because the loss of Nowitzki is a gift sent from the heavens (albeit an undeserved one).

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A good coach will have no excuses just so he can save his own job. Period.

He will care about the welfare and development of his team, players and organization. It's where coaches take their passion and love for the game from.

- Snake -

by Anonymous on Mar 24, 2008 2:37 AM MDT reply actions

I love little boys

- Snake -

by Anonymous on Mar 24, 2008 6:45 AM MDT reply actions

^Just want to clarify, I didn't say that

- Snake -

* back to topic

by Anonymous on Mar 24, 2008 9:01 AM MDT reply actions

Karl made the "subpar" list on ESPN for coaches this season...so the word is getting out on the street

by blue on Mar 24, 2008 10:01 AM MDT reply actions

Backers of this website must be torn. Even if the Nuggets are swept in the first round, just making the playoffs is enough for one of the worst front offices in sports. Karl will be locked in. I'd rather miss that embarrassment, Karl be fired and draft Kevin Love.

by Anonymous on Mar 24, 2008 10:29 AM MDT reply actions

Y'know folks, the odds are long, but if Nene can pull a Willis Reed here, this team has a shot at making a real playoff run.

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The Toronto win was a pretty satisfying game. The Raptors are weak right now, but it's nice to see the Powder Blues get back to winning the final 3 minutes the way they did at the start of the season.

I liked Iverson's attitude in the end of the game interview. You could see in his eyes that he's focused deep right now.

If he would only break a finger in his other hand too, he'd be hitting 50% on his threes.

by Petey on Mar 24, 2008 12:04 PM MDT reply actions

And everyone was (justifiable) raving about K-Mart's strip of Bosh, but how about 'Melo on the offensive end on the ensuing play?

All season long, 'Melo has had trouble passing out of the double well. But on that play, he did it absolutely perfectly. He waited patiently for the double, went into his move, made 3 different Raptors commit on him, and passed to Iverson on the 3 point line at the final possible second.

It was perfect basketball.

by Petey on Mar 24, 2008 12:08 PM MDT reply actions

def leppard

by Justin on Mar 24, 2008 11:02 PM MDT reply actions

Finally I realize why the NBA created the new slogan "Where Amazing Happens".
No more excuse.

by joanna on Mar 24, 2008 11:32 PM MDT reply actions

checking the ther teams schedules, denver has a pretty good shot at 7th now and not have to play the lakers who swept the season series with them.

Also if they play at a higher level then now, they have a small shot at catching utah for the division. But its really small.

by Anonymous on Mar 25, 2008 4:58 PM MDT reply actions

Comments For This Post Are Closed

STIFF LIST (as of 4/26 by Andrew Feinstein)

1. METTA WORLD PEACE

Metta resorted back to Ron Ron last Sunday by clubbing James Hardenwith an "inadvertent celebratory elbow", landing him a 7-game suspension. Apparently, changing his name didn't prevent NBA commissioner David Stern from overlooking Metta's past behavior problems.

2. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

The 'Cats are on the verge of securing the worst winning percentage in NBA history. Given that the guy who runs the team - Michael Jordan - had previously drafted Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison, should this really be a shock?

3. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
The team that was supposedly built to overcome the lockout-shortened season managed to lose 7 of its last 14 games, ceding the Western Conference's 1-seed to the Spurs in the process. Their reward might be a first round matchup with defending champion Dallas.

4. BILLY HUNTER AND DEREK FISHER

With report after report coming out about NBPA union head Hunter's shady, nepotistic dealings and questions arising about Fisher's own role in dealing with NBA owners behind Hunter's back during the lockout, this off-the-court scandal could prove to be more exciting than the playoffs themselves!

5. STEVE NASH AND THE PHOENIX SUNS
The Suns are on this list for squandering the last few great seasons from Nash. Nash is on this list for his stupidly stubborn loyalty to a franchise as awful as the Suns.