How not to watch a Nuggets game...

by Andrew Feinstein on Nov 6, 2008 9:08 AM MST

Was I just dreaming or did the Nuggets really lose to the Warriors playing without a legitimate point guard and sans Corey Magette and Monta Ellis?

I had two conflicts last night and wasn't able to start watching the Nuggets game until about midnight. I was able to stay awake for the first quarter (during which the Nuggets built up an impressive 18-point lead that they quickly surrendered), but kept falling asleep throughout the rest of the game. I feel like I've turned into my father, who's guaranteed to fall asleep within 15 minutes if he's sitting on the couch and watching a sporting event past 9:00PM.

Regardless of how I watched the game, each time I woke up (and please note, I was in a semi-delirious sleep state) I felt like I kept seeing one of two things: Stephen Jackson drilling jumpers in Carmelo Anthony's face and Melo taking horrific shots, as if he was a rookie again. Note to Melo: the shot clock is 24 seconds long, not 14!

Chauncey Billups can't get here soon enough.

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"and Melo taking horrific shots, as if he was a rookie again"

If he taken good shots rather than horrific ones, he wouldn't have been able to honor Woodrow Wilson...

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"Chauncey Billups can't get here soon enough."

You said it, brother. Chauncey Billups can't take his physical soon enough.

I'm already pissed off at him for ruining the Pistons/Raptors game.

by Petey on Nov 6, 2008 10:21 AM MST reply actions

I caught the second half of the game, and I'm wondering, who's the dude wearing the Linas Kleiza jersey?

Whoever it is, he's not half as good as Kleiza. The impersonator looks like he belongs in the Euroleague...

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FWIW, I think you can expect Carmelo to have a rough stretch until he adjust to the lack of cornrows. It's going to throw his balance off for a while.

by Petey on Nov 6, 2008 10:28 AM MST reply actions

Billups isn't going to help that much, he is only one player. Nuggs need to pull there heads out and start playing like the vet team they are.

by Anonymous on Nov 6, 2008 10:29 AM MST reply actions

Our bench has been scary bad this year so far. They came in and blew that 18 point lead in about two minutes.

by Anonymous on Nov 6, 2008 10:37 AM MST reply actions

I actually think you watched the game the right way. If you had stayed awake and watched all four quarters, you may well have gone to sleep angry, and confused. It makes for the worst of dreams.

It looked like a playground pick-up squad (Nuggs), against a high school varsisty team (GS). I didn't have enough beer in the fridge to make my memory of that game a blurry haze.

by joelsopinion on Nov 6, 2008 10:49 AM MST reply actions

Also, it looks like George had his medication adjusted back up.

by John S on Nov 6, 2008 11:23 AM MST reply actions

haha, these comments are hilarious, im so glad to be a Denver fan. All this negativity is terrible and the sad part is its all true. Every Denver sports team gets ripped on a consistent basis. What is going on

by LB47 on Nov 6, 2008 12:00 PM MST reply actions

The Warriors were able to score in the paint and killed the Nuggets on the glass late in the game. After the first quarter the only thing the Nuggets could do on offense was either take a bad shot (everyone but Nene is guilty here, not just Melo) or turn the ball over in the paint. It's embarrassing to turn the ball over twice as many times as a team without a point guard.
Chauncey will help a lot to calm the team down. Getting Dice would be huge so that Chris Anderson plays less - the guy has hands of stone.

And I'm with John S about Karl's meds - maybe he could give half his dosage to JR to slow him down a little bit. He appears to be trying to do everything at warp speed all the time. He's plenty athletic and talented to just take his time, maybe Billups can help him with that also.

That was the first game this season where the Nuggets have looked really bad - not an encouraging sign, especially after starting the first quarter so well.

by Eric B on Nov 6, 2008 12:45 PM MST reply actions

I agree with Petey. Kleiza has been atrocious.

You also forgot to mention (and this is the players fault, not Karl's begrudgingly) that apparently the offensive game plan was to dribble around until you managed to dribble the ball off your foot or the defenders in front of you.

But the honest to god's bottom line reason we lost was that A) GS was white hot (and that's hotter than red-hot) shooting in the 2nd half, and B) we (Kleiza, Melo, JR) were ice cold.

Everything GS put up went in. Stephen Jackson, Azubukkake, and Beidrens straight owned us.

And did anyone else notice K-Mart's "fuck this, these small guys are bullshittin with the ball, Imma shoot the goddamn thing!" shot at the top of the key that was blocked by Brendan Wright? It was the culmination of a horrendous effort by our back court (again though, I hate to say it but AC played pretty well and is not a part of last nights problem) and Kleiza.

by Eric K on Nov 6, 2008 12:51 PM MST reply actions

...meant to say "our backcourt, MELO, and Kleiza.

by Eric K on Nov 6, 2008 12:53 PM MST reply actions

Well you didn't miss much Andrew. It sucked to say the least. Everything I had thought, hoped and believed comming into this game vanished before my eyes. All I could think about was how the game would have ended up if AI was there. But what really pissed me off was the old habits of the Nuggets from last year that have carried over to this year. The lackadaisacal, practiacally no show defense where layups right in front of our big men are just ignored probably is the biggest one I saw but others like no set plays or structured offense also got under my skin. And you know what this all is a sign of? Bad coaching. I have had it with George Karl. This is a team that we should have beat, no exceptions. The Warriors were also missing their starting PG and best scorer and had Stephen Jackson playing the point which he has never done in his life and they still beat us soundly. I can't stand it. I would have been fine with loosing if we played well but we didn't. We played like shit and I am sick and tired of it. On both ends of the court it looks like we are still playing at the local YMCA. It's inexcusable. Last night we simply got outplayed and outcoached by a team we can and should have beat and I am no longer blaming it on anyone other than George Karl. Sure, Chauncy is going to help but nothing other than a coaching change is going to get us anywhere.

by Goldennugget on Nov 6, 2008 3:19 PM MST reply actions

Oh yeah, and although it said on the pregame show that JR would be starting at the 2, he didn't. Guess who did though. You know what, I can't even remember his name, I am too sick from last night.

by Goldennugget on Nov 6, 2008 3:22 PM MST reply actions

Shot selection wasn't the primary problem. At least a bad shot has some chance of turning into points, however slim, whereas the amount of wasted possessions through turnovers were a major reason the Nuggets tanked last night. There was a stretch in the third quarter where they only got one shot on the basket in eight consecutive possessions. You don't give yourself a chance to compete playing like that. Not sure why so many people are convinced that Chauncey won't help, when the primary deficiency last night was Anthony Carter. Curious.

by rauf is on fire on Nov 6, 2008 4:06 PM MST reply actions

I thought AI was holding JR and Melo back?!.. Same crap was said when AI left Philly... How he held Iggie back... Players are what they are. Chauncey although a big shot hitter, is not a game changer... Is not a great defender, contrary to what nugg fans think... He is A miller with a better Jay and NO athleticism.

by chillz on Nov 7, 2008 11:32 AM MST reply actions

Nice ending to the Dallas game. Finally. Nene Had a great steal at the right time. Of course there is drama to the last second. Damn that last attempt by Dallas was nearly in for OT

by markp on Nov 7, 2008 11:19 PM MST reply actions

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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.