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The Nuggets' Anthony, of course, is an offensive workhorse. Defensively, he's a work in progress. But for Team USA, No. 15 in red, white and blue knows he must improve in order to return to Denver from the Beijing Games in August with a new gold necklace.

Asked if he can afford to slack off on defense while playing for Team USA, Anthony said: "Not at all."

"Maybe in February," he continued with a laugh, "but not right now. They aren't going to let you slack off.

http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_9731374

If he wants the Nuggets to commit and be loyal to him he has to be 100% loyal to the organization and fans too. We fans pay his salary not to see him on SportsCenter or posters, we want him to give his 100% on BOTH ends not on just one end of the court... so the Nuggets can frickin win.

Why can't the Melo of team USA show up on the Nuggets????!!!? I'm really losing respect for the guy, and no I'm not an AI fan.

You seem surprised...

jesus ...get over it.
you're taking it too far..melo was clearly having a joke around. stop taking life so seriously.
everyone here on the board knows how you feel about melo and his effort...you've beaten the horse to a bloodied pulp...now just let it go and look forward to next season..what's done is done.

^Thing is before this comment, we just observed and people go, "you can't read Melo's minds so stop accusing him of being lazy"...

Now we got the real comment from the person himself... he admitted it... he's having a joke around? Maybe the rest of his career will be just a joke around too and maybe the Nuggets will just be a joke around, no harm right?

Now we got him to say it himself that he slacked off defensively... that he didn't put effort on the defensive end. My only question is WHY? Why can he put an effort for team USA and not for the Nugz?

He's on a lineup with Kidd, Kobe, Lebron and Howard. He isn't needed as much for offensive like in Denver, of course he's gonna buckle down on D.

You also gotta look at the coaching staff, Their coach K demands more D than ours, plain and simple.

Only an idiot will take a joke seriously.. oh wait.. I forgot who the OP was.

Why can't the Melo of team USA show up on the Nuggets????!!!?

Did you actually read the article? It's the coaching.

I really wish the Nuggets would fire Karl, and heck, try to hire coach K. That guy actually knows how to coach and get the best out of Melo.

Melo has stated that he enjoys FIBA more than NBA ball, but in any case the quote doesn't really bother me. For all I know he could be talking about the All-Star game, which is in February.

Feb was also the month he averaged the most defensive rebounds for the season. That slacker.

It's just a joke.

Yeah, but Snake hates Melo.

Someone mentioned a great point on another board, the Spurs ease off in Feb and play peak ball come playoff time. Those titles they won show it works. Be ready and peeking at playoff time.

He makes it seem like a joke but the only thing thats a joke is his defensive effort. Which imo, is not a laughing matter. Defense is where the effort is. Defense is where you find out who wants it more. Cliche as it is, defense wins championships. Just look at the Celtics. Look at the Pistons. Look at the spurs. Why do you wonder why you cant get out of the 1st round?

IggyTheBEaST wrote:Why do you wonder why you cant get out of the 1st round?

No one wonders that. Denver has always been the worse team with the worse coach in the playoffs.

You mention the Spurs, a team known for taking it easy during the mid part of the season. Darn them, if only they put in more effort, they might have won a title.

Maybe I'm a little paranoid seeing he not play any D in the other 82 games and playoffs... and basically for his whole NBA career. I hope for his and our sake he was talking about the All Star game or we're doomed having him as our franchise.

What about the fact that he is playing with teammates who constantly push each other? Hell of a lot better coaching, inspired teammates who have one goal, and motivation to make his country proud all contributes to his better performance.

Karl's attitude towards defense doesn't help. He demands nothing. Never pulls Melo out in fear he might retaliate. Makes jokes to the media about how bad they suck at defense. Constantly is looking at other offensive pieces. What I don't get is why is this FO determined to let a guy, who clearly doesn't have the respect of the team, continue to coach this team? We have the team to get it done, we just don't have the coach... Why is this so hard to understand?

I hope after we lose in the first round again, and we WILL lose in the first round again, that we start fresh with a new coach and young players. Portland is creating a monster over there. Our only chance of keeping up is to start building for the future NOW.

I completely agree. Between Portland and Seattle/Oklahoma we're in a lot of trouble. Utah will have tough times, but they're always so well coached that they can come back from a lack of talent a lot easier than Denver. I've said it so many times on this board, these are some of the darkest times in Nuggets history-- we have nowhere to go but down.

Wow. The guy just really knows how to say the right things. Should be a good year...

looking at the Northwest, I think the Nuggets are absolutely screwed for the next 5-6 years, Portland and Utah will be a lot better than the nuggets and dont sleep on Seattle or Minnesota either.

legendarywalton wrote: Utah will have tough times, but they're always so well coached that they can come back from a lack of talent a lot easier than Denver.

I don't think Sloan has many years left in Utah. How much longer can he go?

SunTzuMachiavelli wrote:

legendarywalton wrote: Utah will have tough times, but they're always so well coached that they can come back from a lack of talent a lot easier than Denver.

I don't think Sloan has many years left in Utah. How much longer can he go?

Doesn't really matter, Deron Williams has as much say now as Sloan seems to. He calls the plays on offense and has started to dictate pace, and has completely soaked in Sloan's no BS attitude and preaches it wherever he goes.

Deron's going to ensure that the Jazz are never a joke when they take the floor, they are always going to compete as long as he is the leader, and honestly, they might get better after Sloan leaves.

Batronuj wrote: they might get better after Sloan leaves.

anything is possible but coaches are hard to come by.