Watching the same thing expecting different results, the definition of being a Nuggets fan
Watching the Nuggets post Melo trade has been fun, exciting, and frustrating at times. We are finally playing team ball, but we were once again unable to make a deep playoff push last year, and I fear the same for this year.
In the 9 losses this year, 6 have been close until the last minute or two. These 6 games (@Blazzers, @Lakers, @Spurs, Clippers, @Grizzlies, Lakers) have been lost in similar fashion. We have lacked both purpose, and continuity on the offensive and defensive ends of the court under 3:00 in the fourth. In the end, the players are responsible for the play on the court, but the coaches are responsible for setting the players up for success. We've gotten crappy play, and bad coaching in these six losses.
The Nuggets lack a late game floor general, and a late game coach. These two deficiencies will once again equal an early playoff exit, and another year of frustration. The Nuggets seem to have no guiding force at the end of games. Sure Harington went off against the Lakers to keep it close, but when we needed a bucket to tie, Afflalo missed a mid-range shot early in the clock, followed by a gun shy Lawson who passed on the best matchup on the floor (against ancient Fisher) to Harrington who was being covered by one of the better defenders in the league (Metta). The fact that the play was drawn up for Lawson to take Fisher to the hole, and he didn't raises HUGE concerns. Ty has shown that he can take over games, but hasn't done it when it matters most. I want my point guard to be able to diagnose the situation, identify the best matchup, and execute. I don't see Ty Lawson ever being the starting point guard on a championship team. If this is the case, we need find someone who is. Not saying we have to get ride of Lawson, but if he can't take us to the promise land, then what are we doing?
The coaching in the Grizzlies game was laughable. After the game, Karl said that we just needed to rebound the ball better and we would have won the game. HMMMMM. Well when you put out a line up that features three guards, and two power forwards who don't rebound well, I wonder why we didn't rebound? Karl's small ball line is idiotic, and should be grounds for termination when you have two 7 foot centers. Why would Josh and Masai go out and get multiple big men for the coach to play midget ball? It doesn't make sense. Karl will never be a championship coach!!! Never!!! Our problem is that we don't have anyone better to replace him. Championship coaches don't grow on trees. I know we can't do this, but if I could I would trade Ty Lawson, and George Karl + 5 million dollars to the Spurs for Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich. This would instantly make the Nuggets a contender.
The Nuggets will continue to beat bad teams handedly, and struggle against good teams. We will continue to lose early in the playoffs, and talk about how close the 5 game series could have been. We will continue to play small ball and shrink in crunch time. We will continue to root for and support the team, and we will continue to watch the same thing expecting different results.
Write respectfully of your SB Nation community and yourself.
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i agree
your assessment is mostly dead on. however i would disagree with you on ty. i was at the lakers game and ty saw bynum and gasol rotate ove and fisher was also backing off. ty really needs to work on his jumper so that he will take that shot instead of just relying on driving all the time… also the lack of a closer will hurt us, but not having gallo in there hurts us as well. of anyone on the team gallo is probably the best bet as a closer.
also i am very tired of the small ball…we have height and we dont use it. nene couldnt stop bynum and harrington could not stop gasol. where was kk? karl is too stubborn and will drive us fans nuts with his crappy decisions…he just doesnt get it…when teams slow it down, unless you are really running small ball gets you killed on the boards. look at the memphis loss and the lakers loss…both could have been wins if we used our bigs…love the nuggets but i can no longer tolerate karl
by LEEDS on Feb 5, 2012 1:45 PM MST via Android app reply actions
i think we need to go out and trade for steve nash or Rajon Rondo
i would perfer rondo because hes yonger but nash would be the best fit for this type of team. i would give up miller and the birdman and 1st round pick for steve nash and i would give up miller birdman and 2 1st rounds for rondo something around those lines what you guys think
i got laughed at
when i said nash would great here. basically same trade but bunch of ppl here laughed at bringing nash in
by LEEDS on Feb 5, 2012 3:23 PM MST via Android app up reply actions
i kno hes old but i think he would be a really good fit soo i dont see why not
his D is not the best but i think hes still worth it he pushes the ball like GK likes and he knows how to get the ball where players want it
You don't see why not?
I bet you do. I bet you can consider it for about a minute and come up with the answer. If you can’t, you haven’t been paying attention to how the GM has built this roster, not to mention how many other contenders have done same of late.
No. More. Stickyball.
by LongWindedHank on Feb 5, 2012 3:49 PM MST up reply actions
I'll stop being a didactic jerk
The point is that Ujiri probably isn’t building a team to win right this minute. He’s unlikely to make a big trade to get a starter who plays a position the Nuggets are already developing someone for. That means he probably doesn’t want a starting point guard or small or power forward. (That’s not to say he wouldn’t draft or trade for a young player who could fill those roles in the future.)
I don’t think he wants rentals of late-career guys like Nash or Garnett. Rondo is a different story, but we have a starting PG. smoil says Ty won’t work, but most people don’t agree.
I’m excited to see if the FO has a trade up its sleeve before the deadline, but I won’t be disappointed if it doesn’t happen. I’m also fascinated to see how they use Wilson Chandler, whether it’s locking him up or using him to get the piece we need.
My point is that if people think the Nuggets are gonna make a major trade that costs us Lawson (or Nene or Gallinari), they’re not paying attention to how Ujiri is building the roster. Afflalo seems like he could be the exception, though if he can even begin to resemble his old self, he can start or come off the bench and be very effective for this team.
Do people think a trade for a serious post up scoring center could happen? Mozgov is much more of a project than those other three, so maybe? The Nuggets need solid scoring inside.
No. More. Stickyball.
by LongWindedHank on Feb 5, 2012 4:38 PM MST up reply actions
no karl fan
i dont think any ttade will happen…i like nash here if we want to win now…but ty os NOT developing if miller is here..running the show in crunch time…i’d to see ty take more leadership role but with miller here i dont see ty developing that
by LEEDS on Feb 5, 2012 4:58 PM MST via Android app up reply actions
I agree that Lawson needs the car keys
The plan is not to win this year. Wouldn’t be realistic (even with a Nash type) considering how young and inexperienced some key players are. The plan is to develop those young players and turn this into a team that can win it all. And soon.
I agree 100% that Karl’s use of Miller is hindering Lawson’s development. Having Andre in a more traditional backup role would take advantage of his brilliant play and allow Ty to take over and build more confidence.
No. More. Stickyball.
by LongWindedHank on Feb 5, 2012 5:36 PM MST up reply actions
I think that we should try to win every year
i do not want to trade any of are young guys i would much rather trade miller birdman.. and some draft picks for nash or rondo or some other PG i dont not think miller plays that great and ty isnt up to par yet. i just think ty needs some more time but miller is not the guy
Trying to win every year
would mean you couldn’t build a team that could last. It’s just not how it’s done, and it’s certainly not how Ujiri is doing it. I’m done with this exchange, since you just keep saying the same thing without addressing the objections.
No. More. Stickyball.
by LongWindedHank on Feb 6, 2012 10:42 AM MST up reply actions
Damn . . . .
I go out of the country for a week and the attitude round here has changed greatly. I guess the games have been bad.
JR and Chandler info from China....
American guard J.R. Smith (198-G-85) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Zhejiang C., receiving a Asia-basket.com Player of the Week award for round 28.
The 26-year old player was the main contributor (60 points, eight rebounds and two assists) to his team’s victory, helping them to beat Qingdao DS (#11, 12-15) 122-110. Zhejiang C. is placed at 7th position in Chinese CBA. They would have been even better if they hadn’t lost a few games earlier this season. Zhejiang C. will need more victories to improve their 14-11 record. In the team’s last game Smith had a remarkable fourteen three-pointers out of 18 attempts. He turned to be Zhejiang C.‘s top player in his first season with the team. J.R. Smith has solid league stats. He is league’s best scorer averaging so far 35.0ppg. Smith is in league’s top in and averages impressive 2.8spg,50.8% FGP and 51.2% from behind 3-point line.
Third on the list of top players last round was American forward Wilson Chandler (203-F-87) of Guangsha L. (#4). Chandler got into 30-points club by scoring 36 points in the last round. He went also for twenty one rebounds and six assists. Despite Chandler’s great performance Guangsha L. lost 125-132in overtime to slightly lower-ranked Fujian XX (#5, 15-12). But his team cannot count on just a single shooter as he also needs help of the other teammates. The last thing Guangsha L. needs is to lose another game like this one. They lose more and more distance to the top teams. Their record is 15 victories and 11 lost games. Chandler has a great season in China. After 26 games, he made it on the list of the league’s leaders in points with 26.7ppg (8th best).

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