The halftime ceremony for Adrian Dantley was neat. He's one former Jazz player I like a lot. It's a shame it took so long for them to retire his jersey. On the game, the Jazz just aren't hustling and trying their hardest. It shows mostly on defense. Boozer's defense is atrocious. His stats are good but he gives much of it back on the other end. Watching Sloan put up with it is weird. It seems to me he is way too calm about things and so is the team. If Harpring didn't go off tonight the Nuggets would have blown them out.
It's never dull. Every game, I can come up with good reasons on why the team will win and why they'll lose. Doesn't matter who we play. That said, I'd really really REALLY like the Spurs to go on a streak and Phoenix to suck for the next week and a half so we can get the Suns in the first round. We're going to lose no matter what, but San Antonio will destroy us. We'll lose four games by the score of 103-88 or something, and steal one victory with a 107-106 win. At least against the Suns we might win TWO games and it won't be a methodical beatdown.
Oh well, Rockets can be quite frustrating at times too, but we just don't have ANY depth to speak of beyond the starting five. You guys have a deeper roster but the team just doesn't strike me as the 'disciplined' type; I firmly believe that's what Denver lacks: discipline and a leader (player, coach...doesn't matter) that would give them an identity, something to rally around. As for your first round matchup, I completely agree: you have zero chance against a healthy Spurs team, but you can give the Suns a run for their money and MAY BE, just may be, pull an upset. With AI and Melo and mobile big men in Camby and Nene, I wouldn't count you guys out. That's precisely why I am dying to see the Nuggets match up with the Suns, but it's obvious the Lakers are gunning for them.
I don't know. Does the Denver defense have a better chance to slowing the Suns than the Denver offense making some hey against SA's defense? I'd go with the latter. Melo and AI may be able to put up points on anyone, including Denver. But Denver's defensive chemistry look futher away--and the Suns will chew it up. Against the Spurs the Nugs have a chance to win games they keep close. The Spurs are more likely to be tight--TD or Parker missing FTs, Bowen missing 3s or FTs. etc. Meangwhile AI and Melo are pretty clutch and can get decent shots for them anytime. But an up and down affair with not much defense--the Suns kill you on shooting efficiency once more and more shots are taken. I see Denver giving either team trouble, but more likely to take the Spurs to the max.
The Lakers are not gunning for anyone, they are trying to just stay in the playoff picutre at all. Besides, the Suns are a terrible team for them to play.
yeah i think they have a better chance against the spurs also. i know the spurs are playing great. but i think they are on there last legs, and AI and Melo would give them trouble because there both great players. and then you have Nene and Camby being decent players. i think they would wear the spurs out. the suns would just have a better chance at killing them, unless of course they go into a big shooting slump but i think the former is likely to happen.
The Nuggets totally would rather play the Suns, because against the Suns, you don't really have to worry about playing defense or scoring points, because you will naturally score alot of points anyway. The Nuggets could totally give the Spurs some trouble, but S.A. is way too discipline on defense to give up alot points, and the series will go at most 6 games. What team in their right mind would want to play Spurs over the Suns? The Lakers are totally in good position, instead of playing Mavs or Spurs right off the bat and getting a Suns team that could give some trouble.
Explain again why you don't have to worry about scoring points and playing defense against the Suns. Hadn't heard that one before. Last time I checked, playing defense is the ONLY way to beat the Suns, otherwise they will blow you out. They obliterate soft defensive teams and their efficiency on offense declines quite a bit against tough defensive teams.
For starters, how about the Rockets for sure and probably the Mavs as well. Nobody is going to beat the Suns in an offensive, up tempo, series, with the possible exception of the Mavs. The key to beating the Suns in a series is great half court perimeter defense and running a deliberate interior oriented offense (interior player causing havok and doubles). The team most tailored made to beat them is SA (not that Phx couldn't beat them). Houston would seem well designed to beat them, but our defense is better at shutting down the interior than the perimeter, so we have never quite been able to slow them. Maybe we can make the right defense adjustments down the line. Dallas and Det also would seem to have the right components in that they can be long and quick and real solid perimeter defense, and also have some offensive staples they can go to in the half court. IMO the Suns would dispose of either LAL or Denver by 6--neither have near disciplined enough defense and you are not going to beat Phx in a free wheeling offensive affair in a series because their shooters are better than yours. I think either fairs better against SA because SA is more likely to go into scoring droughts than Phx, and players like Kobe, AI, and Melo can make the difference if games are close in the 4th quarter. Denver also has some good guys to make Duncan work and make interior scoring difficult. I think Denver could really give the Spurs a run.
Some good points in this thread. First of all though, I want to make something clear. The Nugs aren't winning in the first round. Period. If we play Phoenix, we have a 10% chance of winning. If we play San Antonio, we have a 1% chance. At least in my opinion. We're not GREAT defensively. But very few teams in the league are. You guys are. Detroit is. San Antonio is. That's about it (at least off of the top of my head). We give up more points because we have more possessions. That said, we're a decent defensive team. People talk about us like we have the plague on defense. At times, it appears we do, but most of the time we're a middle of the pack defensive team. I'll take that. This is where I disagree with you big time. The key to beating the Nugs is to slow it down. Make it a halfcourt possession game. Keep it low scoring. Stat of the playoffs -- The Nugs have won 2 games in which they've scored under 100 points. TWO. I believe we're 2-23. The two wins were a win at New Jersey in which we scored 99 and the heart attack inducing 75-71 victory over Dallas (which I'd like to point out we had at least ONE game this year where we had 71 at the half). That's it. San Antonio is disciplened, they will slow it down, they will pick us apart. With Phoenix, we're running no matter what. The Nugs big downfall is that they don't always run when they should. Against Phoenix, they won't have a choice. That plays to our advantage. When it comes down to defense, I like ours over Phoenix's. Their offense is better, but with Phoenix there's the chance of a shocker. Plus, against Phoenix, we can go low. Nene and Melo are great in the post (yes Nene...I've been pimping him for a few months now here and he's living up to it now). Camby, when motivated, can give you 10 and 18. The team is starting to click. People are figuring their roles out and the team seems to actually like each other. Then again, when Karl first got here we went 32-8, won the first game against SA and then got swept the next 4. This team is insane. *THIS PARAGRAPH IS ABOUT NEXT SEASON, IF NOT INTERESTED, JUST SKIP IT* Now that said, that gives me more hope for next year. Nene should stay in shape, AI and Melo's chemistry will improve, JR will know his role. The big thing that could help the Nugs next year is K-Mart. I've been hard on him before, and I probably will again soon, but latest news is that he's down to 5% bodyfat and has been telling the team "If I'm on the trade block, take me off. I want to play with AI." If he's healthy and not being a jackass, he makes us scary. Plus, the team just signed Von Wafer from the NBDL and they feel that he is the equivilent of a late first, early second round pick. Good outside shooter.
Nuggets4, you know my feelings when the Nene contract was signed. I have to admit what he's been doing the last few games must make Nugs fans salivate. If he can bring it up another notch and put 2-3 seasons together, he would be a GREAT compliment to Melo. But he must bring consistency over an 82 game season. I've got to give Nene props because he is one tough hombre when he plays "big", if you know what I mean. I still need more convincing on K-Mart and J.R. Smith. I think both of them are teasers & losers and will break your heart.
Understandable on K-Mart, but JR's been great for us this year. Here was a guy who was tearing the league up pretty well and scoring around 18 ppg and took his demotion to the bench when we traded for AI and didn't complain once. We got him for a 2nd rounder as well. There is NO downside to JR being on the team IMO.
JR has shown flashes of talent that make you drool and flashes of immaturity and boneheadedness that give room for pause. I can't forget the Orlando and Knicks incidents this season and his past before joining the Nuggets. The downside to JR is he becomes a key starter on your team, you rely on him and then he does something stupid to let you down at the wrong time. My advice to the Nugs would be make sure the team is built to survive without him if he starts flaking off again. Nuggets4, I have a feeling we'll be discussing this guy more next season. I don't question his talent, just his grey matter.
I went over the Knicks thing when that went down. Personally, I don't hold that one against him. We'll just agree to disagree on that one. As for his grey matter, I think having a team with AI on it will keep him in line. Reportedly, the Nugs have been following his lead more and more lately. Question AI off the court as much as you want, but on it he's a warrior. I think he'll keep JR in line.
Well here is where we disagree somewhat. I agree with you Denver's defense is not bad. But the strength of the defense is Camby (probably DPY) and protecting the interior. On the other hand Denver's perimeter defense to me looks much more vulnearable and often small (Blake, AI). I think they also don't seem to have their perimeter rotations down (which take a lot of chemistry among the players). So in short I think Denver's defensive strength much better fits SA. Also, I think SA is going to have to stilt their more defensive oriented role players (Bowen, Elson, Oberto, Vaughn) a lot more than their offensive oriented role players (Barry, Finley, Bonner, Udriah) to match up with AI and Melo. If we remember last year Sac gave SA fits because of big swingmen (Wells, Artest) wearing out their forwards, and Melo is a even bigger problem. Now maybe Horry can show a resurgence--show he can still play quality defense and hit the spot up 3, but I think hear is where his dovetail in skills and effectiveness is going to be sorely missed. And on the other end Sac doesn't have the interior defenders Denver can throw at Duncan. Denver should be able to make Duncan work, and not have to use such early doubles. And even when they do double--with weary Bowens, Horrys, Obertos, Elsons having to make shots--Denver has a chance to win those battles. I think you should have way more optimism about Denvers chances versus the Spurs--particularly in light of what we saw last with with Sac giving them fits. But Phx I don't see it for Denver. Marion would be one of the best in the league to cover Melo, and Bell is a heck of good guy to throw at Iverson (probably knows some tendencies too, I think Bell used to play for Phily early in his career). After that I suppose Diaw and Barbosa are not bad covers either, and Bell could guard Melo at times too (though like Bowen and Manu he is giving up some size). Also, if the game is reduced to role players shooting open perimeter shots, which I think it will be, Denver will be crushed, Phx is the best outside shooting team and Denver is tied for the worst. For Denver to beat Phx they would have to slow it down, hold there own defensively, and make isos with AI and Melo efficient. Just seems real unlikely. Now I know you made you point Denver is better running and gunning. And this might mostly be true, versus most teams. But the Suns are a different animal. Over the course of a series you won't knock down more open shots than than will knock down open shots--their shooters are just better. Maybe a game or two, but not a series. I think only the Mavs or Spurs (who can load up with their shooters like Barry, Manu, Bonner in a small line-up versus the Suns) have a chance versus them in a real uptempo series, though the Mavs or Spurs increase their odds of losing by playing this way too. So if you can't take away the Suns open shots, and I don't think Denver as a defense is ready to in an up and down style, I don't think you can stay with them.
Great post Scar. I disagree with you about a few things, but unfortunately work is demanding that I actually, you know, work right now. The one thing I want to point out right now though is that Camby's defense is a little exaggerated. He's a risk taker. He'll go for the block, which often will leave his guy wide open. That said, that actually helps prove your point that San Antonio would be a better matchup than Phoenix, but I'll post more sometime soon.
Well, it's a moot point now as it's official that it's Denver vs San Antonio. I hope you're right Scar. The thing that scares me is that SA ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS, takes Denver out of it's game. The Spurs control the speed. They control the feel. Finally, they just choke the life out of us. With the Suns, there was always the chance that we get hot and take the game over. I respect the Spurs and I love Tim Duncan. I just hate the fact that we're playing them AGAIN in the playoffs. I'm not real optimistic right now, but I'll probably convince myself that we'll win in the next 5 days. Just ignore me at that point. Oh, and you guys better beat Utah.
