Some games just aren't meant to be...

by Andrew Feinstein on Dec 17, 2008 1:05 AM MST

Watching the Nuggets lose to the Rockets tonight, I couldn't pinpoint any one thing that really did the Nuggets in. If you look at the starters' +/- line in the box score it's pretty ghastly, but I didn't think they played that badly.

In addition, the refs seemingly gave the Nuggets every close call throughout the game. And considering it was the second game of a road back-to-back, I was pleased with the Nuggets effort - especially in the second quarter when they controlled the flow of the game on both ends of the floor.

The second half was a different story, however. And even though the Nuggets hung within six to eight points through much of the third quarter, you just never got a sense that they were going to pull this game off.

Kudos to J.R. Smith, Chris Andersen, Anthony Carter and Linas Kleiza for a spirited effort off the bench. Unfortunately, some games just aren't meant to be.

On a side note, for those of you who didn't catch the game, be sure to watch the highlights for Nene's thunderous dunk on Yao Ming. It was ridiculous!

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were we watching the same game. The nugs did not get a single call in the second half. not one.

by Anonymous on Dec 17, 2008 1:29 AM MST reply actions

Coach thought we didn't get any calls either.

Karl is looking at JR starting, and also Balkman getting more minutes by "stealing" 5 a game at SF. But not until Jan or Feb. Is that when Kleiza will be traded? Interesting comment I thought.

by Julian from Australia on Dec 17, 2008 5:00 AM MST reply actions

too bad they could not carry the 2nd quarter success thruout the entire game

by markp on Dec 17, 2008 7:02 AM MST reply actions

Going in I expected a loss... But somewhat frustrating when they built up a big lead and then lost it.

Solid game on the road though, I thought. Nuggets just need to keep on playing hard. 3 Huge games coming up. Cavs, Suns, Blazers.

by Chris C. on Dec 17, 2008 7:15 AM MST reply actions

I think I have seen carter throw up more air balls this year than any player previously on the Nuggets. Its down right annoying to watch him shoot. Give me Smith on the floor over this dunce.

Yao should of fouled out, there was at least 3-4 calls where there was no call but should of been an easy foul on Yao. Like when Smith drove it and yao jumped into him, hit his arm/hand, nothing called.

They didnt push the ball at the end like they needed and I
m tired of Melo taking stupid ass shots 4-7 seconds into the shot clock, we have guards for a reason.

by Anonymous on Dec 17, 2008 7:21 AM MST reply actions

Nasty DUNK Nene! The last time I saw a full grown man that helpless was in one of those prison movies. NASTY!

by joelsopinion on Dec 17, 2008 8:48 AM MST reply actions

Forget the officials and forget the second half. This game was lost in the first few minutes. It was obvious that they had come out flat, and Karl allowed them to get behind by 11 before he woke up from his knap and called a timeout. At that point, I wrote "Game Over" in my notebook. They spent so much energy getting the lead back that they were worn out by the fourth quarter. Can I be the coach on the sidelines responsible for timeouts? That way Karl can keep sleeping and the nuggets will win 5 to 10 games more.

This game also reinforces the need for another big man. Like the Lakers, the Rockets are too big for the Nuggets to handle consistently. Birdman played as well as he could, but is a limited player, and not big enough to be playing center.

by KarlSucks on Dec 17, 2008 8:59 AM MST reply actions

Nuggets had two problems last night: No defense on Yao early in possessions meaning that every time he touched the ball he was within 5 feet of the basket and he killed the Nugs from in there. Second, after shooting the lights out from deep in Dallas and again in the 2nd Q of this game the Nugs figured they could do the same in the fourth to close a 7-12 point gap. Unfortunately, the percentages on the rushed out of rhythm 3s by CB, JR and Melo caught up with them, they went 5 straight possession in the mid-4th Q when the game was still in reach taking shots wihtout passes early in the clock, made none of them and the Rockets iced the game from there. Not too much to complain about in all, splitting a Dallas Houston road back to back isn't such a bad thing, but there was a noticeable difference in effort on the defensive end in Houston and Dallas which is more worrisome than the outcome of the games.

by Eric B on Dec 17, 2008 10:35 AM MST reply actions

I agree with Andrew here and with Karl Sucks as well. This wasn't a bad loss, just one of those 82 games where you don't quite have it when playing a good team on the road. But I have to agree with Karl Sucks here as well. I knew we were in trouble in the first 2 minutes when it was clear that Houston came to play and the Nuggets did not. Karl let the lead extend to 11 or 12 before he even called a time out! Sometimes I wonder if Karl just so desperately wants to be Phil Jackson. But not calling timeouts until a lead is established by the other team is one strategy I cannot agree with Phil on. Like Pop, if he was coaching our team last night he would have noticed how energetic Houston was and how flat we were and he would have immediatly called a T and jumped right on everyones asses. But, we don't have Pop or Phil as our coach and I will just have to live with Karl for a little while longer. But the real question you have to ask yourself after you play a playoff team in the West is "Can we beat this team in a 7 game series?" I think we could beat Houston but it would be a really good series. We are going to have to ask this question when we play Phoenix and when we play Portland too. Hopefully the answer is yes as well.

by Goldennugget on Dec 17, 2008 11:53 AM MST reply actions

The team looked collectively gassed in the 2nd half. It was the effort in the 2nd quarter, albeit impressive, was all they had for the night. If Chauncey could have gotten things going with his outside shot, then it might have been a different story. It's hard to take it to the rack with a 7'6 300 lb freak that actually has some mobility. Denver also looked like they were too tired to run this game. We have the talent to be a solid half-court team. But we need a solid plan of attack in the half-court offense. Our defense looks surprisingly solid. Overall, I agree with Andrew's assessment that you could just get the feeling that we would just "hang around" and never get another run. Hard to watch those types of games.

by trasoul82 on Dec 17, 2008 1:34 PM MST reply actions

Geez, Nene got ripped by Yao last night. I don't know why everybody is so exited about some dunk that Nene did. For the most of the game he looked absolutely helpless against on both ends of the court. I hope that the Nuggs will regroup and and play the next game.
LLcoolV

by Anonymous on Dec 17, 2008 2:58 PM MST reply actions

"Geez, Nene got ripped by Yao last night."

Looks like Yao's mother found her way onto DenverStiffs!!!

by Anonymous on Dec 17, 2008 4:12 PM MST reply actions

The Nuggets couldn't get a call going to the basket. It wasn't so noticable because they didn't stand around complaining to the refs while the other team scored at the other end. That's the way it's been the last several years. I don't know if it is Melo maturing, KMart maturing, CB taking charge or what it is, but I'm glad to see that they don't spend half the game complaining to the refs when they should be palying defense the way they used to.

by Anonymous on Dec 17, 2008 4:26 PM MST reply actions

Is it just me or are the better teams we've lost to recently, doing their utmost to shut down/limit CB? It seems they're willing to give leeway to JR, Nene, & everyone else, except Melo of course. I notice the attention they place on CB, AND, force him to expend energy on the defensive end. Parker, Fisher, and other quick small guards, don't allow CB to orchestrate as much as usual. Overall, when he's contained, the Nuggs halfcourt O slows down considerably! This is the formula that we can expect to see in the playoffs. Unless he gets some relief, we're gonna struggle against the better teams.

by KaiserSoze on Dec 17, 2008 4:26 PM MST reply actions

Karl was quoted in the Post today that the Nuggets effectively lacked energy and quickness during the Rockets game. I noticed that one of the high energy player, Ronaldo Balkman, got a DNP. Chucky Atkins didn't get off the bench either. And Balkman didn't even play on Monday night.

This is so typical of Karl. He simply cannot understand the need to use the entire bench or adjust player match-ups at critical times in a game. No matter how hard that the team plays, Karl's limitations wlll always be exposed against the league's top coaches.

by Anonymous on Dec 17, 2008 9:00 PM MST reply actions

I don't agree with the title of this article. If you're gonna be elite then you get a coach that's gonna make you elite. I'm incline to agree with the person who said the game was lost in the first two minutes. Why the fuck did asshole let the score mount, when he knew the team was sluggished. Why didn't Balkman or Atkins play. I don't think Atkins would have shot an airball and Balkman would have given much needed energy. FIRE GEORGE KARL.

by samiam on Dec 18, 2008 7:22 PM MST reply actions

I agree with the Anonymous post that the Nuggets are not staring down the refs like they used to. Melo was a classic with the extended stare. Now Nene still does it and it is comedy all the way. Chauncy chums with the refs even in the worst of moments. Kill em with kindness goes a long way when emotions are on the sleeve

by markp on Dec 18, 2008 9:42 PM MST reply actions

Anonymous at 6:21: Melo shoots better than most of the guards in this league. And can't you see the people on here saying they are sick of AC shooting? Me too. Man AC SUCKS! Why is he still getting like 4 3 pointers a game?

by Jack on Dec 19, 2008 12:29 AM MST reply actions

You'd think that phoning in a game would be the equivalent of falling back on fundamental basketball, and we'd be bored silly with standard pick and rolls and backdoor plays. But sadly we revert back to standing around without any ball movement and begin hoisting jumpers or turning over the ball. It's times like this that I miss Iverson, because he can create for himself. We should be revisiting fundamental basketball, but Billups is playing like a new man... and not in a good way. I think Karl is to blame.

by Do We Have Any Plays? on Dec 21, 2008 5:48 PM MST 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.