The streak's alive! Nuggets remain winless in exceptionally important road games...
by Andrew Feinstein on Mar 20, 2008 1:35 AM MDT
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While every game during the long NBA season is in theory equally important, there are certain games that are actually more important than others (as I alluded to in yesterday's post about "road revenge" games). These are games where pride and reputation are on the line. These are games where - if won - can propel a team on to a lengthy win streak, or a burst of unbridled confidence going into the postseason.Last night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers was one of these games. In fact, Coach Karl even admitted so yesterday when he said "I know as a coach, those games are always a little more important."
And yet, the Nuggets haven't won one of these games all season - NOT ONE - culminating with a heartbreaking loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, inarguably the Nuggets biggest non-conference road game of the season. Stealing a line from the Passover Seder: "Why was this game more important than all other games?" I'll tell you why.
Allen Iverson - the Nuggets best player and leader - was literally run out of Philadelphia last year. Due to internal fighting between Iverson and the Sixers organization in December 2006, the Sixers banished Iverson from participating with the team and openly shopped him around the league. Regardless of who was at fault in that situation, the Nuggets should have served up an ass-whipping over the Sixers on behalf of their friend and teammate who was facing his old team in Philadelphia for the first time ever.
Instead, the Nuggets ceded the better, more emotional, hard fought effort to their opponent (and gave up 60+ points at halftime to boot), just as they've done in all the big road games they've played this season...
-November 6th, at New York: in their first match up since the Madison Square Garden Melee, the Nuggets blow a 10-point lead and lose to the bottom-feeding Knicks, the worst-coached team in the league.
-January 22nd, at Los Angeles Lakers: the Nuggets wasted an NBA season high 51-point effort from Iverson in Denver several weeks earlier in a loss to the Lakers, and couldn't exact any revenge whatsoever in their final meeting of the season.
-March 2nd, at Houston: with an opportunity to end the Rockets 14-game win streak and climb up in the Western Conference standings, the Nuggets don't even show up.
-March 8th, at Utah: after losing in OT at home to the Jazz in their previous meeting, the Nuggets give up 77 points at halftime and lose by 27.
-March 18th, at Detroit: as detailed yesterday, the Nuggets couldn't avenge a bizarre and almost undeserved loss to the Pistons from the previous season.
-March 19th, at Philadelphia: the dagger through the heart as the Nuggets didn't saddle up on behalf of their best player, going up against his former team for the first time.
You're not going to win all these games, but a well-coached, playoff-caliber team sure as hell shouldn't lose them all, either.
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Sometimes it's good to take a step back to take two steps forward.
We have allocated the problem and we have to get rid of the problem. If it takes this season to prove to the management and owner that Karl isn't the coach then so be it. The season is almost over anyway.
It's just too bad the team is too good to have any good chance to luck out on the lottery.
by Anonymous on Mar 20, 2008 2:01 AM MDT reply actions
by Young on Mar 20, 2008 2:13 AM MDT reply actions
by andrew fisher on Mar 20, 2008 5:43 AM MDT reply actions
I agree with anonymous, it is sad that it too often requires a crisis to effect any change.
Fire George Karl. Now.
by COPioneer on Mar 20, 2008 8:50 AM MDT reply actions
They have the best record they've had in years… They are in 9th place…. He has 2 great defenders in Camby and Kmart yet have horrible Defense… Nene has great season things look bright for the year with him and KMART back…. He catches Cancer… WTF is going on!
-The only win streak they had this season was a 6 game win streak when AI was at PG and AC was hurt
-The Team is 23-3 When AI gets 10+ Assists or something like that.
-Since AI moved to SG and AC started they haven's got over 3 wins in a row.
-The best combination of players on the nuggets According to Lenovo Stats is:
A. Iverson M. Camby K. Martin C. Anthony Y. Diawara +60
… Diawara get absolutly no tick
-2nd best:
A. Iverson M. Camby E. Najera C. Anthony J. Smith
Its interesting how this team does exactly the opposite of what they need to do to win.
by chillz on Mar 20, 2008 9:21 AM MDT reply actions
At least motivate them to play some D.
He needs to go.
Everyone is motivated to score. That's (for the most part) where they think the glory is.
Someone needs to light a fire under there a$$ and its been proven time and time again it isn't GK.
by Anonymous on Mar 20, 2008 11:17 AM MDT reply actions
by Anonymous on Mar 20, 2008 11:59 AM MDT reply actions
Gib tradecarmelaanthony.com, i can't stand whatching this looser anymore, like i can't stand karl and camby.
A.I needs to opt out, i swear on god if he stays either with karl or anthony next year i stop whatching this freaking sport.
by Iverson Warrior on Mar 20, 2008 12:51 PM MDT reply actions
The December 6th game in Dallas on the second night of a back-to-back is probably their best road win of the season.
by Petey on Mar 20, 2008 1:01 PM MDT reply actions
That's probably one game out of the other hundred we lost for the past two-three years.
by Anonymous on Mar 20, 2008 3:33 PM MDT reply actions
Melo is zero-conscious defender.Every one who matches up with him would be just more than happy,and so as with Anthony Carter.I don't know whether they were just feeling guilty of trading Andre Miller or would like to give hime a big B.D. present.Go Andre,score whenver u want!It was so unreasonable why Karl just kept AC(or Chuky)on the court when they had nothing to do at guiding Andre.Maybe if he could spare some time on J.R. and the effect could be (at least) better.
Also Marcus Camby,perhaps he has injure or something.I can't believe he disappeared the whole night in the 76er game and grabbed a season-low 3 rebounds!(or maybe career-low?)
And the stupid Kleiza who made a few stupid mistakes on court.Not trading him for Artest in the mid-season is a failure.
So much to say.Everything is so messy and I just can not count on the team this season.Hope everything would be fine next year and more importantly,DON'T DISAPPOINT A.I. AGAIN!
by joanna on Mar 20, 2008 10:59 PM MDT reply actions
After 6er game.
:banghead:
SO, why has the perimeter NOT helped the bigs? Why have we NOT focused on good rebounding teams?
It's like an employee who's late going to work saying, "I have not been able to wake up earlier than usual. I have not been able to fix the car."
SO when WILL YOU?
This has been happening for the last two years. EXCUSES!!!!
- Snake -
by Anonymous on Mar 21, 2008 2:19 AM MDT reply actions
Plus, they're in the playoffs, and we're not! Even though our record is way better...
by Anonymous on Mar 21, 2008 8:30 AM MDT reply actions
That was utter Bull cause i saw on many occasions our Bigs standing around and not defending. Camby especiially. How many times is Jason Smith gonna get a wide open 15 footer? How many times is dalembert gonna get free? And Karl is full of it. His teams Defense makes it far to hard to stay in front of your man because its predicated on playing one side guarding pick-n-roll but makes it easier to drive on because your already on one side so they can just run right by you. and when the defense collapses (IF IT COLLAPSES) they can kick it out for an uncontested jumper! On top of all that! when all that goes down it makes it also easier to lose your man on D, because your constantly watching the ball!
If the Nuggets played in front of thier man as normal man to man defense they'd play better defense!
Also you 2-3 Zone sux Karl! Especially when you use it so much against hot shooting teams! There's no excuse for using any zone these last 2 games with both teams shooting 60% on us?!? The 2-3Zone is for Good for defending the paint, but extremely bad for perimeter shots and Rebounding! And when you have to sub 6 footers on the perimeter running to contest a shot it puts no fear in the opponents! They will shoot right over them. AI plays good defense but many times taller defenders will shoot right over him.
by chillz on Mar 21, 2008 9:35 AM MDT reply actions
Camby cares so much about his rebounding totals that he's willing to snatch the ball from a teammate even it's to the detriment of the fast break.
His block total speaks to his defensive ability as much as AI's steal total does (I love AI). And when he plays against the top-tier (even the second tier) centers in the NBA, we get housed on the boards.
Honestly, I'm convinced that Nene, Martin and Melo is a better rebounding front court.
by Nadum on Mar 23, 2008 10:20 AM MDT reply actions
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