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.
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