The Nuggets do something the Lakers couldn't...

by Andrew Feinstein on Jan 30, 2009 5:26 PM MST

Nuggets/Bobcats Recap...

The only downside I see with Carmelo Anthony's return is J.R. Smith going back to the bench and thus, his numbers will go down (and thus, my fantasy team suffers). The Bobcats were pretty awful last night, but when the Nuggets serve up a balanced attack on offense, give a great defensive effort throughout the game and get to the free throw line 35 times, they might even be able to beat the Lakers (like the Bobcats did last Tuesday).

This was the perfect game for Melo to return for. A weak opponent. At home. The rest of the Nuggets were rested. Etc. I'm sure Melo will be a bit rusty in the games to come, but with a home date against San Antonio looming in the near future, it sure was nice to see all our Nuggets on the floor for the first time in a month.

Nuggets/Bobcats Preview...

If only Bernie Bickerstaff were still coaching the Robertcats, then I could guarantee a Nuggets victory tonight. Instead, the 'Cats and their unsightly uniforms come to town led by former Nuggets coach (and one time Denver Stiffs' choice to take over for George Karl) Larry Brown.

Inarguably, the 'Cats are better off with Brown than they were with Bernie and then Sam Vincent (whose coaching career will be as forgettable as Mike Evans' was in Denver). After all, they beat the Lakers in Los Angeles this week.

But as all NBA fans know, the 'Cats best player - Gerald Wallace - took a blow to the ribs against the Lakers and he's done indefinitely. And of course, Carmelo Anthony returns for the Nuggets tonight. So if I were one of the two 'Cats fans that exist in this world, I wouldn't be optimistic about them pulling off a second huge road win in the same week.

Tweet Comment 6 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I'm excited to watch the Bobcats play, but even more excited to see Melo go off for 50 to prove the coaches wrong!

by Goldennugget on Jan 30, 2009 6:38 PM MST reply actions

Man, Nene plays really well against guys his size or smaller. It's against the long bigs that he really struggles. We still need a big who can make some jumpers to pull the other west centers away from the basket.

by Anonymous on Jan 30, 2009 8:01 PM MST reply actions

Melo doesn't seem to understand the flow of the game concept. I don't think he is selfish all the time, most of the time he is, but I think he thinks he has to do everything. It is kind of like Kobe a couple of years ago, then last year he finally realized he can trust his teammates. Melo needs to realize that because this is probably the first time he can heavily rely on his teammates to get the job done. Look at the way Wade plays too, he doesn't have the greatest weapons around him yet he uses his teammates to open the spread the floor thus creating more opportunities for himself. Melo, almost every time he gets the ball puts his head down and goes to the hoop. Hopefully he will learn sometime.

by Goldennugget on Jan 30, 2009 8:16 PM MST reply actions

I agree, it's like someone has told him too often to just take it to the hole. But the rest of the team needs to make Melo more of a priority also. He needs to know that when he gives it up guys are going to make good decisions and that often times is not the case. JR, Kenyon, even you Chauncey.

by Anonymous on Jan 30, 2009 9:20 PM MST reply actions

Lol, Hastings has some classic one liners. They just showed Marlowe and Hastings wearing the Taco Bell taco hats and when they took them off Marlowe starts fixing his hair, all worried about it, and then when he sees the replay of it goes "The hats...not good for the hair" and Hastings goes "Yea, thank god you put so much of it on". Then silence. Man, funny stuff. As for the game, pretty much what I expected. I have got to say though, Balkman has got to be the most productive player on the team for how many minutes he gets. In the first 30 seconds he scores and gets a rebound. I wonder what he would be like given 20 minutes a game.

by Goldennugget on Jan 30, 2009 9:28 PM MST reply actions

I agree with the flow of the game comment. When Melo went down the only bright spot i could see would be improved ball movement and player movement. I was hoping that would carry over in his return, but when he gets the ball, everything stops and the defense has a chance to set up.

Of course, we scored only 80 vs. New Orleans, so maybe my theory is crap.

by john on Jan 31, 2009 4:47 AM 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.