When will the Nuggets realize that their shtick doesn't work against good teams?...

by Andrew Feinstein on Dec 29, 2008 7:33 PM MST

As mentioned in yesterday's column, if George Karl wants to take it easy for three-and-a-half quarters, if the Nuggets don't want to run any plays, if the substitution patterns are to remain erratic and the team keeps winning at a .645 clip, I can live with it. But this shtick clearly doesn't work against good teams and I'm starting to wonder when Karl and the Nuggets players are going to realize this.

Tonight's loss was not against the Atlanta Hawks of yesteryear, and yet the Nuggets played them as if they had New York Knicks jerseys on: taking the first half off, lolly gagging through the second half and then, at the halfway mark of the fourth quarter, Karl finally stood up and started "coaching."And I won't pin this entire loss on Karl, either. Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith's shot selection was atrocious and Melo's turnovers were even worse - he actually dribbled the ball out of bounds early in the game because he was unaware of where he was on the floor.

When will this Nuggets team start beating good teams already?

For those scoring at home, the Nuggets are now 6-11 (.353 winning percentage) against teams with a +.500 record and 3-4 at home against such teams. So it's not like it's a road thing.

As I've stated on this blog since its inception, we as fans don't expect the Nuggets to win every game. We might whine like we do, but we're not that stupid! What we do expect is for the team to give a competitive effort on a nightly basis. And all too often against the NBA's elite, it seems as though the Nuggets are content with taking a loss knowing that a bad team is around the corner to pad their win column.

Fortunately for the Nuggets, that next bad team is Toronto on New Year's Eve. I'll give Karl and the Nuggets credit for not dropping a game to a bad team yet, but at some point they will. All teams do. And unless Karl and the Nuggets build some consistency with their rotation and play calling (or, check that, start actually calling plays) soon, the way in which they are navigating their way through this season is going to bite them in the ass.

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Sometimes Melo shows he wants to be the franchise player, "this is my team! I want to be a superstar that carries this team on my back every night, I want to be here for a long time!!"

At other times, he appears like he couldn't care less, like a franchise player that just requested a trade the day before.

I think he was so lackadaisical that in the 4th quarter, Billups stared at him, and you can tell from Melo's body language, there's no sense of urgency at all! Maybe he was supposed to think he was 4-15 at that point, or his team was down by 9 points... but no he was playing like he was on the street and the score is meaningless. I think Billups slammed the ball in his direction in frustration.

If only we had drafted 1st pick, LeBron, we would not go back and forth in a circle... "oh Melo is a headache, let's trade him" then "oh he's improving, he wants to be a better player" and then "he's still the same immature player that doesn't want to win"... or we could have drafted Dwyane Wade... we wouldn't have this headache... and we can focus on moving forward by each game.

- Snake -

by Anonymous on Dec 29, 2008 8:46 PM MST reply actions

And I cannot believe this idiot is at it again:

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/56260/20081229/knicks_almost_traded_lee_to_nuggets/

"The Knicks and Nuggets had serious enough discussions about a David Lee-for-Linas Kleiza trade earlier this month that Lee got word something was possible.

Denver coach George Karl reportedly persuaded Nuggets' management to hang on to Kleiza because of his versatility.

Both Kleiza and Lee will be restricted free agents this summer."

First Artest? Now David Lee? Are you kidding me? David Lee would be GREAT for us. He's a rebounding machine and can score no doubt with Billups giving him the ball and how unselfish Nene is. Wow...

Fire this guy already! Does he want to destroy the Nuggets??

- Snake -

by Anonymous on Dec 29, 2008 10:00 PM MST reply actions

On the bright side, the Pistons are finally starting to put it together.

Tonight, Mike Curry realized (about three weeks after the rest of world did) that having Rip Hamilton come off the bench in the Manu role was the answer to many, many problems.

January 9th, baby. January 9th.

by Petey on Dec 30, 2008 12:34 AM MST reply actions

It's become almost acceptable to lose against teams that have a better record than the Nuggets. The team was in it most of the game, right up to the last 8 minutes or so.
Both teams played well but also gave the other team chances to run with it. Our D was agressive but too many rebounds went to Atlanta for 2/3 more shots.
JR tossed up 5 or 6 bricks before landing his first two.
It's too bad we still could have pulled a win even though we were playing flat.
I have a hard read on D.J.
The first 3 minutes of the first and third quarters he is on fire ,playing with passion, then he kind of gets routine, sometimes when I realized he has subbed out I'm not even sure when it happened.

by markp on Dec 30, 2008 1:01 AM MST reply actions

Snake, that first post was pretty pointless. Why go on about 'if only'. It's pointless. Yes, we wouldn't have those problems, but if Melo does finally mature and give a consistent effort on a nightly basis, he can be a way better franchise player than Dwyane Wade. Keep in mind he is only 24.

by Jack on Dec 30, 2008 1:22 AM MST reply actions

Andrew, Do you think Nene not playing hurt denver??? They would have won if he played. You guys complain even with us being in 4th in the west. You guys are pretty sad grumpy old men. lol

by Anonymous on Dec 30, 2008 3:32 AM MST reply actions

was nene making a statement?

by Anonymous on Dec 30, 2008 8:13 AM MST reply actions

I have to pin this one on the front office. We lost an average, at best, rebounder in Nene and we didn't have anyone else on the team who could pick up the slack. Hopefully, this loss will send a message to the FO that you cannot win in the NBA without froncourt depth. Especially if you are counting on KMart and Nene to stay healthy.

If only the Nuggets could get a player like Antonio McDyess, who can knock down a jumpshot, rebound and play some defense. Wait...never mind.

by Matthew on Dec 30, 2008 10:13 AM MST reply actions

" If if and but's were candy and nuts, we would all have a Merry Christmas".

Happy New Year to all of us Sad Grumpy, Old Men.
Here's to us bitching about Our Denver Nuggets thru 2009.

by markp on Dec 30, 2008 1:49 PM MST reply actions

Let's face it, Melo is looking more and more like a very good roll player rather than an elite all-star that can carry a team. If he were on the Celts or the Lakers, he would be a melowave off the bench.

by P-Man on Dec 30, 2008 3:29 PM MST reply actions

Although it would be nice to have a "roll player" on our team we would also need a "butter player" and possibly a "jelly player" to make it all work.

by Anonymous on Dec 30, 2008 3:38 PM MST reply actions

Well, no more need to start the "FireMikeShanahan.com" site. Now if we can get Bowlen to talk with Kroenke, may he can explain the procedure for firing a coach. The way things look currently, we should all take the rest of the season off, already knowing the outcome on the court. Then we can start paying attention again after the Nuggets are drummed out of the playoffs and hope that Karl finally has his fat ass surgically removed from the coaches seat.

by KarlSucks on Dec 30, 2008 4:32 PM MST reply actions

Mmmm... Melowave the roll player. Sounds delicious.

It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside knowing I'm not alone. Melo is not a superstar, and I don't think he ever will be. I liked the way it was put a while back: He lacks the Hero quality. An offense that utilized his strengths would raise his profile and effectiveness, but that would require effort from the "coaching" staff, so it ain't gonna happen this season.

Plays would indeed be a big step up from the street ballin', which isn't as much fun to watch this season as it was last season.

by Do We Have Any Plays? on Dec 30, 2008 7:45 PM MST reply actions

They are 4th in the Western Conference! And our whole division sucks. So if we win our division we are in the top 4 no matter what. Then we face all the shitty teams at the bottom of the conference. We might have to face the Rockets or the Hornets or the Mavericks. And we get home floor advantage. Im not saying that we will win the finals. But we may get deeper than the first round

by Anonymous on Dec 30, 2008 8:08 PM MST reply actions

We lost again. Time for the perenial Melo bashing. The kid's not perfect, but part of me would love to trade him. Why? Because then all you amateur Red Auerbach's, who somehow have a better grasp of basketball knowledge than those who get paid to do it, would get your comeuppance. This so reminds me of the Donovan McNabb situation in Philly. Nothing's ever good enough, & any faltering is failure! Pathetic.

by Anonymous on Jan 2, 2009 1:57 PM MST reply actions

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

1. METTA WORLD PEACE

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2. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

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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.