THE CAUSE-FOR-CONCERN ALLOTMENT
T16. Brian Shaw
Team: Denver Nuggets
Rating: 4.0
Comment: Nuggets fans and media wanted a coach who wouldn't get eliminated in the first round by George Karl. And Brian Shaw didn't... because Denver failed to make the playoffs. That's the simple and easy joke to make about what happened in Denver last season.
Evaluating Brian Shaw is at once fascinating and incredibly difficult. Did he lose the locker room? Well, Andre Miller, the consummate pro blew up at him on the sideline, and eventually was suspended, then given leave, then traded. After the blow-up the Nuggets had an "airing of grievances," a series of meetings that took the entire day sorting through problems. After the Nuggets were waxed on national television by the Bulls in an embarrassing blowout which was proceeded by Shaw not only lambasting their effort but outright destroying their professionalism in a post-game interview, I thought that was it, there was no coming back.
But Shaw, to his credit, and the players, to their own, kept hold of the rope. The struggles were said not to be on Shaw, the veteran leaders in the locker room were adamant that Shaw was not to blame and that he hadn't lost the team. Towards the end of the year, after their playoff hopes were put to pasture, Kenneth Faried, who had battled with the coach for his confidence all year, made massive strides and looked like a real franchise player.
Personally I think this is being fair to Shaw, it is hard to put to much on him with all the injuries, but if the Nuggets have another bad season I do not see him lasting past this season,
