The Nuggets best lineup?...

by Andrew Feinstein on Mar 1, 2009 10:32 AM MST

We learned a lot of things from the Nuggets stellar victory over the Lakers on Friday night. But perhaps most importantly, I believe we learned what the Nuggets best lineup is: Chauncey Billups at point guard, J.R. Smith at shooting guard, Carmelo Anthony at small forward, Nene at power forward and Chris Andersen at center.

This is not to say that the Nuggets shouldn't keep their starting five of Billups, Dahntay Jones at shooting guard, Anthony, Kenyon Martin at power forward and Nene playing center in-tact. The Nuggets are 39-20 sticking with that lineup for the most part, and at this point in the season they should keep that rhythm going.

Nor am I saying that K-Mart hasn't been an effective player, because I'm as impressed with K-Mart as about any other Nuggets player this season. He could have taken his guaranteed money and called it a career, but instead he got himself back in shape, re-focused and has given the Nuggets a terrific effort this season.

What I am saying is that Chauncey, J.R., Melo, Nene and Birdman should finish games and/or be given the bulk of the minutes when the game gets tight rather than the Chauncey, Anthony Carter, Melo, Nene and K-Mart lineup head coach George Karl insists on using. That lineup isn't nearly as effective against large guards and/or tall front lines.

I'm sure the Nuggets coaches have stats on their most efficient/effective lineups, similar to the data presented at www.82games.com, but bear with me as I go by instinct on this. After all, 82games.com (which I frankly don't understand that well to begin with) claims that the Nuggets win % is highest when Billups, AC, J.R., Martin and Nene are on the floor together. Pardon my naivete, but I'll take Melo over AC if I have a game on the line. Moreover, that website doesn't even present data for the Chauncey, J.R., Melo, Nene and Birdman lineup I'm advocating for. Probably because Birdman and Nene rarely play together.

But watching that game Friday, it was clear that Birdman and Nene make a lethal combination (and of course I couldn't help but wonder how good the Nuggets might have been with a healthy Nene and a healthy Marcus Camby for the six seasons they played together). For all of K-Mart's physical gifts and much needed toughness, he's still severely limited offensively and simply put, he's not that tall and doesn't have long arms. And frankly, Birdman is probably an underrated offensive threat whereas K-Mart is an overrated one. Did you see how Birdman can maneuver his body on offense around the basket on Friday? Those weren't just dunks he was making.

Forgetting for a moment that Birdman makes 1/14th of what K-Mart makes in salary, by having Birdman on the floor the Nuggets have an Energizer Bunny-type player on defense who guarantees you a blocked shot every 10 minutes. And for every shot he blocks, I'd bet he alters two or three more. Furthermore, Birdman's presence makes Nene even better than he already is. With Birdman beside him, Nene can play his natural position at power forward where he's basically unguardable, and it keeps him away from those silly fouls he piles up night after night playing center.

Looking to the backcourt, it's indisputable at this point in the season that the Nuggets need to play J.R. down the stretch and NOT Anthony Carter. Carter is to turnovers what Vice President Joe Biden is to verbal gaffes: you're guaranteed one every three minutes. Additionally, with Chauncey having to be on the floor in all clutch situations, by including Carter beside him the Nuggets are assured of having a defensive mismatch while getting nothing out of Carter offensively. And as three-point shooting threats who can also drive to the basket, Chauncey and J.R. spread the floor while AC just clogs things up.

Simply put, a lineup featuring Chauncey Billups, J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Nene and Chris Andersen forces opposing teams to play the Nuggets five-on-five and respect them at all five positions. We in Nuggets Nation who were watching Friday's game know this to be true. The question going forward is, does George Karl?

Tweet Comment 5 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

If Carter is to turnovers what Vice President Joe Biden is to verbal gaffes; then where does GW Bush stand on verbal gaffes. I guess everyone is trying to forget him.

The best lineup depends on match ups. Until Bird got in the game against the Lakers, the Lakers were killing the Nuggets on the boards. The Nuggs definitely needed size against the Lakers. That may not be true against other teams that might like to go small. If you really wanted to go big,how about CB, Melo, KMart, Bird, Nene? For small, how about CB, JR, Kleiza, Melo and KMart?
All season long when the rare occasion happened that Bird and Nene were in at the same time, I always thought "Good those guys are in together" but it never seemed to last very long. Karl has had the annoying habit of taking Bird out just after he's made a real good play, as if a timer went off limiting Bird's time. Fortunately he didn't do that against the Lakers or that game would have been lost.
During the Laker game it semed to me that the Nuggets weren't beating the Lakers. It seemed that Bird and JR were beating the Lakers.

by Anonymous on Mar 1, 2009 11:41 AM MST reply actions

I respectfully disagree on the lineup change. I wouldn't mind JR starting now that he is playing great defense but Birdman is such a great spark off the bench I think he should stay there as spark is what you need out of your bench and not your starters. K-Mart wouldn't be much of a spark and he is the best defensive player on the team so he deserves to start. I do agree Nene's natural position is PF but I would keep what we have now.

by Goldennugget on Mar 1, 2009 5:06 PM MST reply actions

Goldennugget -

To clarify, I wasn't suggesting these guys start and wrote that the starting lineup should remain as-is. I agree that Birdman should come off the bench and JR, too. I was suggesting that when a game gets tight and/or down the stretch, this is the fivesome the Nuggets should deploy. I think they're out best lineup on the floor, not necessarily starting the game.

As always - thanks for your lengthy and thoughtful comments. It really helps the blog!

All best,

Andrew

by Andrew on Mar 1, 2009 5:11 PM MST reply actions

Would a small opposing line-up hurt that 5 too much though? Surely Nenê and Bird are quick enough to not look really slow out there AND then we'd have a height advantage.

I don't like the idea of playing small simply because the other team is. They will have advantages, but so will you.

by Julian from Australia on Mar 1, 2009 7:35 PM MST reply actions

Oh, ok. Yeah, well then I totally agree, good post haha. I am adding Bird to both my fantasy teams now, screw Brad Miller.

by Goldennugget on Mar 1, 2009 10:56 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.