The Nuggets have taken us on this roller coaster ride before. We’ve barfed when the ride was over (see: embarrassing loss to the Indiana Pacers) and we’ve gotten back in the front seat and giddily screamed as we rolled over the highest peak (see: triumphant victory over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers). This week isn’t the first ride Denver faithful have been taken on, and it certainly won’t be the last.
Unfortunately, the Nuggets are adept at playing down to their competition, and the loss to the Pacers highlights a continuing trend that has made the David and Goliath cliché get old fast. Perhaps it had something to do with injuries. Maybe it had something to do with playing on the road. Possibly it was playing four games in five days. Excuses are always made for losses, but reasons are never clear for the Nuggets' propensity to let opposing players like Mike Dunleavy Jr. look like classy stars and not this: http://drunkathlete.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/mike-dunleavy-indiana-pacers-9-drunk-pictures1.jpg. There there, Mike, there there.
While playing in Denver has made the Nuggets nearly invincible in recent years, it is frustrating that it appears to be a different team when donning the baby blue road jerseys (maybe they need to wear the dark blue alternate road uniforms more). Nevertheless, a Nuggets fan cannot help but be ecstatic after a gutsy come-from-behind win against the undefeated Lakers on national television.
After losing to Kobe and crew in the playoffs two years ago, it was apparent that the Nuggets had a good core of players that could get a boost from key additions. While the front office hasn’t added a plethora of big men to contend with the Lakers since then, it was great to see the contributions of the acquisitions we have made during that span, notably Ty Lawson, Al Harrington, Gary Forbes, and Arron Afflalo.
The NBA season has many ups and downs for any squad, but the Nuggets have been making every couple weeks feel like a ride on the Twister at Elitch’s for years now. The right centripetal force could give Denver the turnaround they need against the NBA’s bottom-feeders.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Head Shaking
Nuggets, Nuggets, Nuggets…… what to do with thee? You thrill me, you chill me. You win, you lose, you win, again. If only Melo weren’t so good. I wouldn’t have that sense of impending doom or simply disappointment hanging over my head all day. I suppose for now I’ll just enjoy his presence and the improved abilities of the other active players. Yet, two players keep me at wit’s end and preclude me from settling into a dull, blissful ignorance.
After almost two weeks of the NBA season it is clear to see the Nuggets will continue to have their ups and downs and drama per the usual. What would the Nuggets be if not “interesting”? As usual, J.R. Smith is causing headaches and Nene is bitching out. Both of these players have never reached their full potential. J.R. is constantly trying to live out some sort of Michael Jordan fantasy on the court while in real life looking more like some lost toddler trying in vain to be like Mike. After another “great camp”, our perpetual child has reverted back to his old ways. It is at least nice to see Karl taking more of a hard line stance on his behavior. J.R. is getting less playing time and I’m very happy about it. My man Arron Afflalo is playing much better and deserves to get starter’s minutes. You might think Young Rich would be worried about his status in the NBA being he is in a contract year, but he is a knucklehead who has never been given a dose of reality by those around him he might actually listen to. I’m sorry, I just wish J.R. would come to and be the player we all know he can be. I’ll shut up about him and go on to my other head scratcher, Nene.
Nene is a god fearing and center fearing Brazilian who doesn’t feel the need to compete at the appropriate level for his team on a nightly basis. Now I understand the tendency for a giant to be gentle, but if you can only bring yourself to pass, don’t accept an NBA contact for millions of dollars which could be used much more effectively on someone willing to bang inside. I wonder if the Kroenkes are all too aware of their personnel problems like Nene and are secretly hoping Melo leaves so they can blow up the team and get rid of guys like Nene and J.R. just to stop pulling their hair out in the box seats. Now don’t get me wrong, Nene does have flashes of dominance and true contribution. Against Houston he pulled down twelve rebounds and achieved double digit scoring. Still, he seems to have good games against Yao Ming, possibly because Yao is not a dominant personality either. Anyway, I hate Nene, just kidding, maybe.
So, if the Nuggets can overcome nonexistent and detrimental players, massive injury trouble, and a superstar understandably ready to bolt somewhere a little more sane and grandiose, they should be fine. I guess all I can hope for in the immediate future is for my Nugs to return the favor for my Hated Mavs. Until then……………….. BE AGGRESSIVE! BE, BE AGGRESSIVE! B-E-A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E! BE AGGRESSIVE!
After almost two weeks of the NBA season it is clear to see the Nuggets will continue to have their ups and downs and drama per the usual. What would the Nuggets be if not “interesting”? As usual, J.R. Smith is causing headaches and Nene is bitching out. Both of these players have never reached their full potential. J.R. is constantly trying to live out some sort of Michael Jordan fantasy on the court while in real life looking more like some lost toddler trying in vain to be like Mike. After another “great camp”, our perpetual child has reverted back to his old ways. It is at least nice to see Karl taking more of a hard line stance on his behavior. J.R. is getting less playing time and I’m very happy about it. My man Arron Afflalo is playing much better and deserves to get starter’s minutes. You might think Young Rich would be worried about his status in the NBA being he is in a contract year, but he is a knucklehead who has never been given a dose of reality by those around him he might actually listen to. I’m sorry, I just wish J.R. would come to and be the player we all know he can be. I’ll shut up about him and go on to my other head scratcher, Nene.
Nene is a god fearing and center fearing Brazilian who doesn’t feel the need to compete at the appropriate level for his team on a nightly basis. Now I understand the tendency for a giant to be gentle, but if you can only bring yourself to pass, don’t accept an NBA contact for millions of dollars which could be used much more effectively on someone willing to bang inside. I wonder if the Kroenkes are all too aware of their personnel problems like Nene and are secretly hoping Melo leaves so they can blow up the team and get rid of guys like Nene and J.R. just to stop pulling their hair out in the box seats. Now don’t get me wrong, Nene does have flashes of dominance and true contribution. Against Houston he pulled down twelve rebounds and achieved double digit scoring. Still, he seems to have good games against Yao Ming, possibly because Yao is not a dominant personality either. Anyway, I hate Nene, just kidding, maybe.
So, if the Nuggets can overcome nonexistent and detrimental players, massive injury trouble, and a superstar understandably ready to bolt somewhere a little more sane and grandiose, they should be fine. I guess all I can hope for in the immediate future is for my Nugs to return the favor for my Hated Mavs. Until then……………….. BE AGGRESSIVE! BE, BE AGGRESSIVE! B-E-A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E! BE AGGRESSIVE!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Nuggets Still Lacking in the Frontcourt
Nuggets followers know that the team’s lack of size has contributed to their playoff exits in the last couple of years. Last night’s home court loss to the Dallas Mavericks highlighted the same glaring need on the squad, and that need still needs to be addressed.
Nenê is an integral part of the Nuggets’ frontcourt, or it could certainly be said, the only part of the frontcourt. The Birdman and K-Mart and their respective nicknames will be sitting out due to injuries for much of the first portion of the season. The problem is not only that they are injured, but that Nuggets’ brass (or in this case tin) failed to adequately fill out the roster with proven post players, especially in the event that Nenê, who has had his fair share of ailments himself, must sit out because of an injury as well.
Alas, Nenê did have to miss last night’s contest due to a groin strain, and the Nuggets had to start rookie Gary Forbes and newcomer Sheldon Williams at the power forward and center positions. While both players played admirably, neither has gained the experience necessary to bump butts down low with the likes of Tyson Chandler or Brendan Haywood with consistently positive results. Al Harrington also played well, but his game is more suited to the perimeter than down low despite his size.
The moral of this story is that the Nuggets are in big trouble if the trio of Nenê, Birdman Andersen, and Kenyon Martin do not get healthy by 2011. Even so, the three couldn’t contend with an unremarkable Utah Jazz squad in the playoffs last year, so who’s to say that they would be able to suddenly handle the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers without an experienced addition. We’ve all heard/read this story before, but when the issue is brought to the forefront this early in the season, it becomes apparent that some kind of a move will eventually need to be made.
Nenê is an integral part of the Nuggets’ frontcourt, or it could certainly be said, the only part of the frontcourt. The Birdman and K-Mart and their respective nicknames will be sitting out due to injuries for much of the first portion of the season. The problem is not only that they are injured, but that Nuggets’ brass (or in this case tin) failed to adequately fill out the roster with proven post players, especially in the event that Nenê, who has had his fair share of ailments himself, must sit out because of an injury as well.
Alas, Nenê did have to miss last night’s contest due to a groin strain, and the Nuggets had to start rookie Gary Forbes and newcomer Sheldon Williams at the power forward and center positions. While both players played admirably, neither has gained the experience necessary to bump butts down low with the likes of Tyson Chandler or Brendan Haywood with consistently positive results. Al Harrington also played well, but his game is more suited to the perimeter than down low despite his size.
The moral of this story is that the Nuggets are in big trouble if the trio of Nenê, Birdman Andersen, and Kenyon Martin do not get healthy by 2011. Even so, the three couldn’t contend with an unremarkable Utah Jazz squad in the playoffs last year, so who’s to say that they would be able to suddenly handle the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers without an experienced addition. We’ve all heard/read this story before, but when the issue is brought to the forefront this early in the season, it becomes apparent that some kind of a move will eventually need to be made.
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