Memphis @ Denver

[corona]

Key Matchup:
v.
Play intelligent, passionate basketball.

Last Meeting: January 30th, 2008
106-102 Denver victory
Nuggets trailed by 7 points with 3 minutes to go, but rallied for a victory.
Rudy Gay talled 30 points and 10 rebounds
Carmelo was sidelined with an ankle injury
Iverson scored a game high 32 points and 12 assists

Denver: 37-26
Rank 11th in offense and 6th in defense
Have lost 6 of last 7 road games
Nene is scheduled to return to practice by the end of the week, and should return to games not long after.
Linas Kleiza has struggled with an ankle/foot strain in the past few weeks but will play.

Keys to winning:
Maintaining a consistent sense of urgency to get into the playoffs and win the division.
Making the extra pass on a consistent basis.
Staying home on shooters
Treating the game like a playoff game in every way, regardless of the opponent.

Last 5 Games:
L San Antonio
L Utah
W San Antonio
W Phoenix
L Houston

Memphis: 15-47
This will be the second night of a back to back (first in phoenix)
Have the 3rd worst record in the NBA (ahead of miami/minnesota)
Vaulted the Lakers into contender status by handing them Pau Gasol for Kwame brown

Last 5 Games:
? Phoenix
L Boston
W New Jersey
L Chicago
L Utah

Photos:




Game Chat:
http://www.nuggets.proboards1.com/index.cgi?board=nuggets&action=chat

Game Notes:
http://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/notes.pdf
http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/notes.pdf

Playoff Picture:
2.5 games behind Golden State for 8th seed
4.5 games behind Utah for the division lead (4th seed)

[corona]

anything less than a 20+ point blowout is a disappointment.

memphis is in phoenix tonight. young team, 3rd worst record in the league, denver needs to give it everything in every game for the last 19 just to get into the playoffs.

[airchibundo507]

it'll be difficult watching mike miller playing...

knowing that he should be in a nuggets jersey right now.

since the nuggets are so horrible with rotating and help defense...I'll expect miller to have a field day on us from behind the arc.

[el loco]

Memphis was getting blown out in the first half of their game against the Suns. I haven't checked on the game since it was 46-26. But, they will be on the second night of a back to back in the thin air. We need to put them away early and not let up all night long.

[pickaxe]

I know this is Memphis playing, but I'm going. This season is far from over.

[JEWELZ]

we better kill this damn team

[eathy]

I reckon JR will start this game

[JRMelo15]

I reckon JR will start this game

Better be, its time for AI to friggin play some PG and not complain, our chances are better if he plays at point for 15-20 mins and JR is in the line-up. Then Atins can come in for JR and let AI play at 2. We will most likely win this, Memphis been playing like **** all season.

[Don_eMOCION#31]

i think everyone agrees that this must be a win (like all of our next 3 games).

the jazz lost to the bulls and will face the celtics on friday. our chance to close the gap for division lead again.

[DNIsLeGiT]

Win or stay home.

[eathy]

A nice post by firegeorgekarl.com on the point guard issue.

Debunking the point guard excuse...

One of the primary excuses that my detractors and Coach Karl apologists throw at me is that the Nuggets can't possibly win because we don't have a real point guard. That somehow until Allen Iverson has a "pure point guard" playing next to him, the Nuggets aren't going anywhere, regardless of who the coach is. When the term "pure point guard" is thrown around, I assume it's referencing pass-first guards like Chris Paul, Jason Kidd, Deron Williams, Steve Nash, Andre Miller, and so on.
Well, I have this to say to my detractors, Coach George Karl and his successor, Coach Rocky (or whomever it is). To paraphrase from former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld:
You go into games with the point guard you have, not the point guard you might want or wish to have at a later time.
Here's the proof. Of the last 21 NBA Champions, only nine had pure point guards who started, garnered significant minutes and were key to their teams' victories (the Lakers twice with Magic Johnson, Pistons twice with all-time worst person in the NBA Isiah Thomas, Spurs once with former Nugget Avery Johnson and three times with Tony Parker, and the Heat once with - gulp - the combo of Jason Williams/Gary Payton). Three other teams used a hybrid guard system, where neither guard was a "pure point guard" (the Rockets twice with Kenny Smith and free weight thrower Vernon Maxwell, and the Pistons once with former Nugget Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton). The other championship teams - Michael Jordan (whom it should be noted was not a former Nugget) and Scottie Pippen's Bulls, and Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant's Lakers - didn't utilize a "pure point guard" whatsoever.
Even this season a few Western Conference Playoff teams are faring much better than the Nuggets by letting their two-guards with point guard body types play as shoot-first point guards. I'm specifically referring to the Golden State Warriors usage of Baron Davis, and the Houston Rockets usage of Rafer Alston. And no, BD is not a "pure point guard" compared to the names initially mentioned above. Not even close.
With Davis as their starting point guard for virtually the entire season, the Warriors are 2.5 games ahead of the Nuggets and 4.5 games out of first place in the West. However, the Warriors are an astonishing 0-8 without small forward/shooting guard/fan puncher Stephen Jackson. Even if they went 4-4 in those games, they'd be fighting for the top spot in the West. It should be noted that the Warriors are 11-5 in games in which Davis dishes out at least 10 assists (and three of those losses were during Jackson's absence).
The Rockets, with Alston starting at point guard, have won 19 straight and are 6 games better than the Nuggets, in spite of suffering injuries far more devastating than anything Denver has dealt with. Remarkably, during the 19 game win streak, Alston has dished out at least 10 assists just three times (five times all year), and he hasn't had more than four assists in any of their last three wins.
Referring back to my Rumsfeld-esque quote above, Coach Karl defenders should stop using the "no pure point guard" excuse for being in the Western Conference's ninth spot. Instead, we should all demand that Karl utilize A.I. as the team's full-time point guard (and start J.R. Smith beside him at two-guard). And why not? After all, the Nuggets are only 12-1 in games in which A.I. has 10 or more assists.

[MHZ]

Go team. Nuggets better start a nice little run with this one.

[el loco]

Go team. Nuggets better start a nice little run with this one.

What no babe picture followed by a positive prediction? That can't be a good sign. Don't go changing your routine now.

[MHZ]

I haven't been behind the posting of the ladies recently. I have been making correct predictions for the last four games, however.

I will personally guarantee you this win.

[el loco]

I will personally guarantee you this win.

That's more like it

[big123]

A nice post by firegeorgekarl.com on the point guard issue.

Debunking the point guard excuse...

One of the primary excuses that my detractors and Coach Karl apologists throw at me is that the Nuggets can't possibly win because we don't have a real point guard. That somehow until Allen Iverson has a "pure point guard" playing next to him, the Nuggets aren't going anywhere, regardless of who the coach is. When the term "pure point guard" is thrown around, I assume it's referencing pass-first guards like Chris Paul, Jason Kidd, Deron Williams, Steve Nash, Andre Miller, and so on.
Well, I have this to say to my detractors, Coach George Karl and his successor, Coach Rocky (or whomever it is). To paraphrase from former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld:
You go into games with the point guard you have, not the point guard you might want or wish to have at a later time.
Here's the proof. Of the last 21 NBA Champions, only nine had pure point guards who started, garnered significant minutes and were key to their teams' victories (the Lakers twice with Magic Johnson, Pistons twice with all-time worst person in the NBA Isiah Thomas, Spurs once with former Nugget Avery Johnson and three times with Tony Parker, and the Heat once with - gulp - the combo of Jason Williams/Gary Payton). Three other teams used a hybrid guard system, where neither guard was a "pure point guard" (the Rockets twice with Kenny Smith and free weight thrower Vernon Maxwell, and the Pistons once with former Nugget Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton). The other championship teams - Michael Jordan (whom it should be noted was not a former Nugget) and Scottie Pippen's Bulls, and Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant's Lakers - didn't utilize a "pure point guard" whatsoever.
Even this season a few Western Conference Playoff teams are faring much better than the Nuggets by letting their two-guards with point guard body types play as shoot-first point guards. I'm specifically referring to the Golden State Warriors usage of Baron Davis, and the Houston Rockets usage of Rafer Alston. And no, BD is not a "pure point guard" compared to the names initially mentioned above. Not even close.
With Davis as their starting point guard for virtually the entire season, the Warriors are 2.5 games ahead of the Nuggets and 4.5 games out of first place in the West. However, the Warriors are an astonishing 0-8 without small forward/shooting guard/fan puncher Stephen Jackson. Even if they went 4-4 in those games, they'd be fighting for the top spot in the West. It should be noted that the Warriors are 11-5 in games in which Davis dishes out at least 10 assists (and three of those losses were during Jackson's absence).
The Rockets, with Alston starting at point guard, have won 19 straight and are 6 games better than the Nuggets, in spite of suffering injuries far more devastating than anything Denver has dealt with. Remarkably, during the 19 game win streak, Alston has dished out at least 10 assists just three times (five times all year), and he hasn't had more than four assists in any of their last three wins.
Referring back to my Rumsfeld-esque quote above, Coach Karl defenders should stop using the "no pure point guard" excuse for being in the Western Conference's ninth spot. Instead, we should all demand that Karl utilize A.I. as the team's full-time point guard (and start J.R. Smith beside him at two-guard). And why not? After all, the Nuggets are only 12-1 in games in which A.I. has 10 or more assists.

I don't know about a true PG. The Nuggets just need someone better than Carter and that's not asking a whole lot.

[Powder Blue]

I think i'm gonna try a "Babe of the Game" post for these last 19 games, in which I will enlist a shorty who's looks will help us win the game.

An old school babe like Mariah was needed to beat the spurs but since I forgot to post in her in the second game thread we lost. The nuggets shouldn't require much help to come away with a victory tonight so for the Babe of the Game i'll go with the rustic but still classy.....

[el loco]

We have a chance to possibly gain some ground on a few teams tonight.

McGrady pretty much guaranteed a win in Atlanta

Utah is on the road 2nd night of a back to back against Milwaukee who also played and lost last night. Utah should win, but I hope not.

Spurs at Hornets The spurs aren't the best road team, but they have taken 13 of the last 15 from the Hornets who aren't the greatest home team either. Toss up, but we gain a game on the loser if we take care of business.

Bobcats at Mavs The mavs should take this but you never know

Raptors at Warriors The Raptors gave the Lakers a game last night, will the legs be there tonight?

[Shady08]

No excuses tonight, let's get it done!

[noone]

My league pass isn't working. Does anybody have another link for this game?