Its offical http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...N0bQ--?slug=ap-nuggets-karl&prov=ap&type=lgns Karl back in the NBA, this time in Denver By JOHN MARSHALL, AP Sports Writer January 27, 2005 DENVER (AP) -- George Karl was hired as head coach of the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, returning to the NBA after nearly two years to take over a team that has failed to live up to lofty expectations. The deal was finalized Thursday morning and announced in Milwaukee, where the Nuggets play the Bucks on Friday night. Karl is expected to be on the bench for that game, making his debut with the Nuggets against the team that fired him in 2003. Interim coach Michael Cooper will stay on as an assistant. ``We are very excited to be adding a coach of George's stature to our organization,'' Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said in a statement. ``He has won everywhere he has been and his track record speaks for itself. We also want to commend Michael for the job he did under difficult circumstances.'' Denver started the season as a favorite in the Western Conference after adding All-Star power forward Kenyon Martin to a team that was coming off its first playoff appearance in nine years. The Nuggets still haven't lived up to that potential, entering Friday's game 17-25 and 12 1/2 games out of first place in the Northwest Division. Hit hard by injuries and inconsistency, Denver got off to horrible start and never really recovered, costing coach Jeff Bzdelik his job on Dec. 28. The Nuggets have shown some improvement under Cooper, particularly on defense, but still only seem to play well in spurts, winning just four of 14 games since Bzdelik was fired. Karl brings plenty of credibility with him. He has won 708 games in 16 NBA seasons -- 13th in league history -- and helped Seattle reach the playoffs in 1991-92 after a 20-20 start. Karl also took the Sonics to the NBA Finals in 1996 and led them to at least 60 wins three times in five years. Karl has clashed with some of his players, but an in-your-face style might be what the underachieving Nuggets need to break out of their doldrums. Karl also has previous ties with the Nuggets. He has personal and business relationships with owner Stan Kroenke, and Nuggets coaching consultant Doug Moe was his coach with the San Antonio Spurs. Karl served as an analyst for ESPN after the Bucks fired him in 2003, and his coaching career includes stops in Golden State, Cleveland, Spain and the CBA.
I respect George Karl. I still remember his team beating us at least 13 straight times in the 1990s with freaks like Detlef, Kemp, Payton, Hawkins, Mcmillan, Payton and big Sam. We just couldn't figure them out for some reason and Hakeem could not recognize and pass out of their illegal double team schemes. The George Karl those great Sonics team is what Denver is hoping to get with this deal but the flip side is the waaaay too blunt and leprose Georgy. He could get on the nerves of his players because of his I-don't-give-a-damn attitude. Dadakota I hear but I am not sure I agree. I accept that George is a great basketball mind and respectable when it comes to Xs and Os but he is not a great managers of players if what his ace Garry Payton hinted a while ago is true. Hopefully he has learnt from his mistakes like JVG has. But in all I do not agree that he is better than Jeff of Gundy - at best I will say it is a "wash" when it comes to comparing both coaches.
He's a good/bad choice. Or a bad/good choice. I can't tell. I wrote something on it for today, but I'm still not sure what to think.
I thought the Nugs should have kept Bzdelik. Karl was innovative with the Sonics, but subpar with the Bucks other than one magical season. No idea who would have been a better candidate out there, since there's no way Jackson would have been interested.
I'm on the Karl bandwagon. 2-0 is nice, but it's a completely different team. We're playing with intensity, we're fired up, we're cohesive. Was it a wake up call or can Karl just motivate them? Who knows? Either way, I'm actually enjoying watching the team now. Completely different Melo as well the last two games. Not as strong tonight (15-5-1) as he was last night (25-4-1). He's playing better though. Driving more, being more aggressive.
N4, I think what we are seeing here with the Nuggets the last two games is there is some "stability" here. Karl is the coach. The players know this, the buck stops with him. He isnt lame duck like Bedzelik and Cooper. Sometimes little chemistry things like that will make a difference to a team with their play and demenor. I agree that the Nuggets have played with A LOT more intensity. I couldnt believe all of those back door cuts they did against the Pacers to start the game. Great win. I think in the short term Karl will help in many ways. But I am not a Karl fan at all. And I think in the long term he will wear out his welcome. Nevertheless, it will be better than what the Nuggets had before so that is a start.
