Game 22 Preview & Thread: Nuggets at Bobcats (5pm MDT)
by Nate Timmons on Dec 8, 2009 2:22 PM MST
in Denver Nuggets: Game Previews & Game Threads
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PrintDenver Nuggets at Charlotte Bobcats, Dec 8, 2009 5:00 PM MST
Denver boasts a 2-0 record on their current roadtrip with impressive second half efforts against the Spurs and 76ers. The Nuggets mission now is to continue with their impressive effort in the second-half of this four game road swing, starting tonight against an up-and-down Bobcats squad.
The particulars ...
Records:
Denver: 16-5
Charlotte: 8-11 (7-3 at home, 1-8 on the road) (key wins: vs. Atlanta and Cleveland)
Injuries:
Denver: Kenyon Martin (dislocated left little finger) is a game time decision. X-ray following the game came back negative. Malik Allen (flu) is listed as day-to-day and was inactive last night against the 76ers.
Charlotte: None to report.
Opposition's Take: Rufus on Fire
The Nuggets will be playing their 7th back-to-back match of the season tonight in Charlotte where they will look to improve their 4-2 record on the second night of the sets. The Bobcats are well rested and last played December 5th when they beat Philadelphia 106-105.
The first intriguing matchup tonight boils down to two old friends ... Larry Brown vs. George Karl: The Carolina Boys. Karl has the early advantage because he gets to use/brag/drool-over UNC alum Ty Lawson while Brown is having to play a Duke Blue Devil, rookie Gerald Henderson. I'm sure some friendly conversation will take place with the rookies being the subject.
But Henderson isn't even the best Gerald on the team, that honor belongs to Gerald Wallace. The 6'7'' Wallace is leading the NBA in rebounding with 12.2 boards per game ... just ahead of Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard (12.1). When Wallace isn't pulling down boards, he's scoring. The ultra-athletic forward is the second leading scorer for Charlotte with 15.6 point per game.
Charlotte's leading scorer? The recently acquired Stephen Jackson with 17 ppg. The "I don’t want to be a role model. Being captain was overrated to me, anyway. You don’t do anything but go out before the game and talk to the refs. I don’t want to do that, anyway," Jackson will be playing in his eleventh game with the Bobcats and after dropping his first three games with the team, Charlotte is a respectable 5-2 with Jackson on board. But it's worth mentioning that one of those losses (Dec. 4th) came in New Jersey against an 0-18 Nets squad.
Another thing the Bobcats have in common with the Nets ... they are the second lowest scoring team in the league at 89.4 ppg just ahead of New Jersey (87.6). The trade for Jackson was essential because the Bobcats needed somebody to come in and take some of the scoring load. Many people thought the scorer coming in before the season was going to be Allen Iverson, but Charlotte chose to wait and trade for Jackson and his three-years and over $27 million left on his contract after this season.
In another salary dump move the Bobcats traded for Tyson Chandler. Yes, the same Tyson Chandler who has never developed a reliable offensive move other than the alley-oop and can't seem to stay healthy. Chandler has missed two games this season, but can still be a big time rebounder when healthy and the Nuggets must not allow him to be a factor on the boards since they'll already be worrying about Wallace.
A couple other interesting names that jump out ... Boris Diaw and Raymond Felton. Diaw is a versatile forward who can go into attack mode on offense unless you play him physically and K-Mart is the perfect cover for that. Felton is Brown's UNC connection at point guard. Felton isn't going to shoot lights out, but he does possess decent basketball IQ and will try to get into the lane where he can set up teammates or get himself in the scoring column.
If this game gets out of hand then there is a chance you might think you're seeing double. Joey Graham's twin brother Stephen plays for the Bobcats, but most likely wont see any action until garbage time or if one of the wings gets into serious foul trouble early.
Joey on the other hand saw some action last night as Melo was struggling to find his rhythm against the 76ers. Several comments in the game recap last night mentioned seeing Melo in a foul mood before, during and after the game ... some readers witnessing this from their living room and a couple seeing it first hand at the game. And reader BrianD pointed out the following sentence from the game story in the Denver Post:
After the game, Anthony slipped out of the locker room without talking to reporters, a rarity for the normally cordial star.
The Nuggets will definitely need a solid effort from Melo tonight if they expect to beat a Charlotte team that is loaded with wing players and keeps their opposition right around the 90 point mark. I'm sure I wont be the only one watching the body language and effort coming from Denver's superstar and the league's leading scorer.
The Bobcats are an up-and-down team and the Nuggets must make sure the Bobcats stay down tonight.
ntimmons73@yahoo.com
Twitter: Nate_Timmons
Photo courtesy of AP Photos: Gregory Smith
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Probably Melo was embarrassed at how he...
played in the national spotlight and will come back with a triple double 33 point game tonight.
BTW
This blog has become the best Nuggets blog this season with at least one new well-written story every day, and the most commenters for discussion. Thanks, from a Nugget junkie!
Small rotation
I hope coach Karl doesn’t wait until the Nuggets are down before going with the JR-Chauncey-Ty combo. That was fun to watch last night.
And Melo will bounce back.
My big worry is that this is the second game of a back-to-back and follows what was maybe an emotionally draining game the night before.
That's a situational line up
When GK inserted that line up of 3 guards, it was because Dalembert had to sit due to foul trouble. Still it was a fun line up that killed the sixers and put the game away. Let’s hope that the Bobcat bigs get into foul trouble too.
I think this is going to be a tight one.
Nuggets by 5, 95-90.
The Bobcats are struggling to find their rhythm, but they do have talented pieces with SJax and Wallace. Denver must exploit mismatches when available and take it inside. I don’t think there’s really anyone on the Bobcats that can compete with Nene. Expect him to have a big night.
Swats.
well...u got the 95 right.
Denver Stiffs.com: Defending the sovereignty of Nuggets Nation.
by Nate Timmons on Dec 8, 2009 10:31 PM MST via mobile up reply actions
Nervous about this game because Charlotte plays D
Always tough to deal with on the second of a back to back.
Left Little Finger?
What, is pinky too effete for you? Comeon, you can say it, “His pinky has a booboo.”
ha ha ... just going off the injury report.
Denver Stiffs.com: Defending the sovereignty of Nuggets Nation.
Horace Grant
From the opposition blog, Kmart is “kind of like late-career Horace Grant, only paid way more”
Ouch.
Vegas doesn't have much faith in the Nuggets either
Spread was only -3.5 last time I checked
They could hurt us on the boards
Last night we really struggled to score until the 4th quarter, only Philly was worse. The Bobcats have played some nice games and looked terrible in others. If we get ball movement and scoring we should get this. I am interested to see how Melo plays D on Stephen Jackson, last night Melo didn’t even try on defense. Jackson could have a huge game, and Melo needs to bounce back against him.
Here is how I see the defense going:
Felton covered by CB1.
Jackson covered by Afflalo.
Gerald Wallace covered by Melo/K-Mart.
Diaw covered by K-Mart/Melo.
Chandler covered by Nene.
Melo on Diaw may be the Nuggs best option as Wallace is pretty nice on O and K-Mart could shut him down. But Wallace can shoot the three-ball a bit and that would pull K-Mart to the perimeter thus forcing Melo to play a bigger role on the boards.
Denver Stiffs.com: Defending the sovereignty of Nuggets Nation.
Tipoff in 15 minutes ... I gotta rush home in this lousy weather.
I feared that K-Mart would sit …
Denver Stiffs.com: Defending the sovereignty of Nuggets Nation.
Lawson
I’ll be looking for another blocked shot by Lawson tonight. That was almost as good as his dunk a while back.
I just wanted to second the idea that this has become the best Nuggets blog. Usually I don’t join/comment on all of the sports blogs I frequent, but this one is worth while. Thanks for all the hard work.
by buckwilliamsgoggleface on Dec 8, 2009 5:03 PM MST reply actions
um, are we just not going to play tonight?
Dear Rockies - Thank you for a wonderful rollercoaster of a season! NL Wild Card Champs. Best turnaround in MLB history for a team to win the Wild Card. Can't wait to do it again next year!
Troy Tulowitzki - MLB's BEST shortstop..nuff said
Yorvit Torrealba - Re-sign!! he's en Fuego!!
Brad Hawpe- I hope I get to see you in a Rockies uniform again!
Dexter Fowler - prowling CF, WC in his talons, leaping Utleys in a single bound!
Birdman!!! Let's fly!!
Dear Rockies - Thank you for a wonderful rollercoaster of a season! NL Wild Card Champs. Best turnaround in MLB history for a team to win the Wild Card. Can't wait to do it again next year!
Troy Tulowitzki - MLB's BEST shortstop..nuff said
Yorvit Torrealba - Re-sign!! he's en Fuego!!
Brad Hawpe- I hope I get to see you in a Rockies uniform again!
Dexter Fowler - prowling CF, WC in his talons, leaping Utleys in a single bound!
Let's Fly Lawsome!!
Dear Rockies - Thank you for a wonderful rollercoaster of a season! NL Wild Card Champs. Best turnaround in MLB history for a team to win the Wild Card. Can't wait to do it again next year!
Troy Tulowitzki - MLB's BEST shortstop..nuff said
Yorvit Torrealba - Re-sign!! he's en Fuego!!
Brad Hawpe- I hope I get to see you in a Rockies uniform again!
Dexter Fowler - prowling CF, WC in his talons, leaping Utleys in a single bound!
I miss K-Mart
The Denver Nuggets have let the second worst offense in the NBA score 29 points on them in the first quarter.
Wow, 3 straight lay-ups missed by the two teams combined
Look, it's a bird...no, it's a plane....oh never mind it's just fucking balloon boy
Oh man
Balkman making it hard to root for him
Bleed Blue and Gold
by MileHighMonsters on Dec 8, 2009 5:52 PM MST reply actions
Balkman
Has two rebounds and two steals.
Too bad he should also have two points.
Not bad. Not great, either.
He's hustling
I just meant after the broken fast break, missed FTs, and bad foul he had all in 2 minutes
Bleed Blue and Gold
by MileHighMonsters on Dec 8, 2009 6:00 PM MST up reply actions
How do we know our Graham is Joey and not Stephen? How do Bobcats know theirs is Stephen and not Joey? If you’re a millionaire and bored with your job, you can always make it interesting… let’s switch jerseys for one night, they wouldn’t know, it’s as exciting as having sex in a plane restroom.
I soooo want them to do this now.
Or at least sneak into each others locker rooms and see how long it takes their teammates to figure it out.
lol… the feeling that at anytime you can be caught… it’s the exciting feeling of consciously knowing you’re doing something ethically wrong yet still doing it anyway :D
by SnakefromHell on Dec 8, 2009 6:52 PM MST up reply actions
I'm sticking up for him
But he’s the fourth leading scorer
Been awhile...
Just haven’t been near a computer. Thanks for the multiple updates Nate/Andrew.
Chauncey’s Stat Line..Ouch:
If you're watching the Charlotte feed like I am...
…then you just heard Bobcats color commentator Dell Curry make an amazing statement while the camera was on George Karl drawing up the Nuggets baseline inbounds play to end the third quarter. When asked by the play-by-play announcer what play Karl is drawing up because Curry played for GK in Milwaukee, Curry’s exact quote in response was:
"I played for George Karl in Milwaukee. We did NOT have a baseline out of bounds play. He said: ‘You guys are professional athletes. Get the ball in. If you don’t score, then we’ll call a play. But I’m not calling [baseline out of bounds] plays for you."
I’m not sure if this is funny or infuriating given the Nuggets problems with out of bounds plays during the Conference Finals last season…
Andrew Feinstein | DenverStiffs.com | denverstiffs@gmail.com
by Andrew Feinstein on Dec 8, 2009 7:07 PM MST reply actions
There's that lineup I was hoping for...
And it’s not getting it done. I’d like to see Ty Lawson pushing the pace.
man I ll be pissed if we lose this one...
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
abdersen is such a D hole tonight
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
a gigantic one
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
by Lucas Navarrete on Dec 8, 2009 7:21 PM MST up reply actions
we got SHIT tonight, I know that much
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
by Lucas Navarrete on Dec 8, 2009 7:22 PM MST up reply actions
I guess thats why we are not considered a legit contender
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
by Lucas Navarrete on Dec 8, 2009 7:23 PM MST up reply actions
6 pts down?
Dear Rockies - Thank you for a wonderful rollercoaster of a season! NL Wild Card Champs. Best turnaround in MLB history for a team to win the Wild Card. Can't wait to do it again next year!
Troy Tulowitzki - MLB's BEST shortstop..nuff said
Yorvit Torrealba - Re-sign!! he's en Fuego!!
Brad Hawpe- I hope I get to see you in a Rockies uniform again!
Dexter Fowler - prowling CF, WC in his talons, leaping Utleys in a single bound!
some nights................................................
the other shoe is never far from dropping once again.
we better play some F deffense...
abd get to the FT line…
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
wow…did Charlotte find their cheerleaders on Colfax?
"C" is for Championship...that's good enough for meeeee!!!
game over
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
+1
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
by Lucas Navarrete on Dec 8, 2009 7:31 PM MST up reply actions
we aint doing shit this year, thats for sure
not losing to LAC, MIN, CHARLOTTE and so many more to come
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
by Lucas Navarrete on Dec 8, 2009 7:34 PM MST up reply actions
Melo was going to get his tonight
He had two assist. Kind of selfish
DAMN, WHY THE HELL DO YOU FOUL
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
this team CANNOT BE A CONTENDER playing this shit
see ya later
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
Gave up 100 pts easy
To the second worst offense in the L.
We don’t have K-Mart but I don;t want to hear that shit. We suck again
man I feel you, we cannot give away games like this in the West... fuck, Im disappointed
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
by Lucas Navarrete on Dec 8, 2009 7:36 PM MST up reply actions
Relax fellas. It’s the second night of road back-to-back games with no Kmart. You never want to lose games like this, but it doesn’t mean we’re not a championship caliber team. We still have the 2nd best record in the West. We’re still of to the best start in Nuggets history. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
"C" is for Championship...that's good enough for meeeee!!!
thank you!!!
Dear Rockies - Thank you for a wonderful rollercoaster of a season! NL Wild Card Champs. Best turnaround in MLB history for a team to win the Wild Card. Can't wait to do it again next year!
Troy Tulowitzki - MLB's BEST shortstop..nuff said
Yorvit Torrealba - Re-sign!! he's en Fuego!!
Brad Hawpe- I hope I get to see you in a Rockies uniform again!
Dexter Fowler - prowling CF, WC in his talons, leaping Utleys in a single bound!
Im sorry, but I just dont buy it against Charlotte...
Not after LAC and MIN
"Do not rest in defense. You can spend 24 seconds in offense on resting. If you do good enough on defense, you will be able to rest on offense."
by Lucas Navarrete on Dec 8, 2009 7:35 PM MST up reply actions
It’s a consistency issue rather than a talent issue. We beat all the good teams and sometimes have a hard time bringing the necessary energy and intensity against the lesser teams. I’m really not too worried about it at this point in the season.
"C" is for Championship...that's good enough for meeeee!!!
I agree for the most part
But you have to admit it’s pretty frustrating watching the nuggets lose games they shouldn’t.
Because it really feels like there have already been three or four “wake-up call” games. Games they lost or played poorly in, and were supposed to turn it around for them.
by Uh on Dec 8, 2009 7:47 PM MST up reply actions
It’s really frustrating. However, I think it’s sort of ‘expected’ at this time of year. If we’re still having these kind of slip ups after the break then I’ll be worried.
"C" is for Championship...that's good enough for meeeee!!!
I knew a loss was coming
But I thought the Nuggets were becoming a better road team. They are just not that good away from home. We are still on track though but every loss like this hurts
thank you!!!
Dear Rockies - Thank you for a wonderful rollercoaster of a season! NL Wild Card Champs. Best turnaround in MLB history for a team to win the Wild Card. Can't wait to do it again next year!
Troy Tulowitzki - MLB's BEST shortstop..nuff said
Yorvit Torrealba - Re-sign!! he's en Fuego!!
Brad Hawpe- I hope I get to see you in a Rockies uniform again!
Dexter Fowler - prowling CF, WC in his talons, leaping Utleys in a single bound!
Want to believe it...
We are the 2nd best team in the west and maybe the 4th best team in the league. I just can’t see this team winning the championship.
You guys be tripping
Always ready to give a flipping pass for poor performance
Injury is part of the game. All teams have them.
Well, they did get their asses kicked by a lesser team.
Shouldn’t happen
We need a big
When any one of our bigs are out we are lottery team. Maybe not quite but it’s debatable.
okay everyone step back from the ledge and take a breath
Yes once again i think this game shows that we need another big. I mean why have Petro and Allen on your roster if they arent even gonna play when one of your bigs is hurt? If they are that bad then address the situation, or make them towel boys or something, get something for the money your spending on them. So if we want to be a championship team we need another big. I agree melo needs more assists, but i didnt see the game, home many times did he pass the ball and people not make shots? He only had 2 assists, but chauncy only had 1. .. and 2 assists was tied for second most on the team. SO everyone needs to do better at that. And i know charlotte is incosistent, but they were 7-3 at home.. so they play well there. Lets learn from it, convince stan to cough up money for a big man, and then shut up, ruck up, and go take the freaking hill.
You'd think the season was over...
listening to some of you. I mean MY GOD can you people over-react anymore to a single meaningless loss? It was a back-to-back game, on the road, after an emotional win in Philly, their 3rd game in 4 nights (all on the road), and their starting power forward a game-day scratch. Throw in Chauncey laying an egg and its a miracle they were even in this game at the end.
But you guys are right… When does baseball season start?
I bet
chauncey, melo, JR and Kmart all went out last night and partied after shutting down Iverson…
not enough sleep and no D means a loss to an inferior team…
by InboundingLobPass on Dec 8, 2009 8:06 PM MST reply actions
I was thinking about that however
didn’t the team fly to Charlotte right after the game…
Iverson wouldn’t have even been in the same city…
by InboundingLobPass on Dec 9, 2009 6:29 PM MST up reply actions
While we're on the subject of game-fixing...
Are we sure the players aren’t in it either? Nuggets could have easily won this one, but decided they didn’t want to… like they were told to do so…
Charlotte won this one because the Nuggets decided not to hustle for rebounds, and posessions and didn’t bother making a move towards the basket in the second half. I didn’t see Lawson make a single entry pass.
Lame…
All things considered
I’ll take being able to beat the big boys (Lakers, Jazz, Spurs, Blazers) on a regular basis and dropping a few games to poor teams over cleaning up house against the sub .500 and having a rough time with playoff teams.
Oh Well
Kind of a predictable loss, but still disappointing I get missing shots, but I struggle with why the Nuggs don’t move the ball on the road Melo, in particular, becomes a one-on-one player on the road at times, and I believe it just deflates the whole team, knowing they won’t see the ball once it is in Melo’s hands. It’s quite simple, when Melo is passing and moving, the other players seem to pass and move Like it or not, this team goes as Melo goes….
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