STEVE YEATER - AP
Danilo Gallinari led the Nuggets with 23 points against the Kings.
The Nuggets completed a four-game East Coast road-trip with a 4-0 record. Tonight they headed West to face the Kings at Power Balance Pavillion and annihilated DeMarcus Cousins and Company 122-93. Denver completed their five games away from home with a 5-0 record. Quite impressive ... and George Karl played all three rookies!
This game got out of hand in a hurry. The reasons? The Nuggets just lived in the paint. The stat being repeated all over Nuggets Nation ... 92 points in the paint for Denver. Danilo Gallinari made eight shots on the night and only two of them came outside of the paint.
Gallo, who signed a $42 million extension earlier in the day, followed up that exciting news with another spectacular performance tonight. John Salmons was no match for the Italian Stallion and Gallo knew it. Instead of taking the easy way out and shooting jumpers over the shorter Salmons, Gallo took the ball time-and-again to the rim and utilized his size and speed. Gallinari finished the night with 23 points on 8-12 shooting (6-6 from the foul line), 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks in 35 minutes. Gallo's defense has been good this season and tonight he was showing off his ability to swat shots. Fantastic game from the Nuggets rising star.
Ty Lawson started things off well for Denver and had 9 points early to lead the team in the first quarter. In the second, at the 7:04 mark, Lawson suffered a left ankle sprain while taking the ball inside and would not return. He finished with 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Hopefully his ankle is okay, he walked to the locker room under his own power.
Nene turned in a powerful performance in just 26 minutes. The Brazilian finished with 16 points (6-9 shooting, 4-4 from the free throw line), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block. Nene was around the rim all night and just had his way with Cousins and whoever else tried to stay in front of him.
Staying with the big men, Timofey Mozgov missed tonight's game to be with his wife after the birth of his son Aleksey Mozgov who weighed in at 9+ pounds! Kosta Koufos started in Moz's place and was again looking to shoot when he had the ball and turned in a nice game with 10 points on 3-7 shooting (4-4 free throws) and 7 rebounds (1 offensive). I liked Koufos' energy tonight and how he was staying in the paint. K2 still has issues going strong to the rim, but he did have one nice dunk after a sweet Nene wrap-around feed.
After the first quarter the Nuggets were up just six points at 32-26. Everything changed in the second quarter. While the Denver defense started off hot and were really bringing the hustle against the Kings, the second unit sort of let up a bit. But the relentless attacking style mixed with an aggressive defense led to a 34-17 quarter and a 66-43 halftime lead for the Nuggets.
With Lawson out, Julyan Stone saw some second quarter action and Kenneth Faried even checked in with just under a minute to go in the first half. Stone would return late in the third quarter and with 2:28 to go Stone was fed by Andre Miller (10 assists on the night) on a two-on-one fastbreak and laid in his first NBA bucket on a dunk attempt where the ball was partially blocked, but Stone dropped it in anyway. Stone's defense looked great as he stuck with his man and created a few turnovers along the way.
Even with a big lead heading into the locker room, teams can have big third quarters and get back into games. The Nuggets stepped on the Kings' collective throats with a 28-22 advantage in the third and were up 94-65 heading into the final period.
The rest of this game was a laugher, but Karl did insert Stone, Faried, and Jordan Hamilton! The rookies fell into the trap of trying to make highlight plays a couple of times, but they also kept the intensity level high and Stone and Faried showed that they can be contributors any time Karl calls their numbers. Hamilton had some nice rebounds (3 total, 2 offensive) and put his first bucket in at the 1:37 mark with a little runner in the lane. All 11 Nuggets who got on the floor scored at least 2 points. It was a bench clearing effort and the Nuggets were missing two starters (Arron Afflalo and Mozgov) and a key bench player (Rudy Fernandez).
This was a fantastic win and a total team effort. The Nuggets had a nice rest after the grueling Knicks game and came out tonight and did what good teams do. They destroyed the Kings in Sacramento.
Views you can use:
As I'm writing this recap I'm watching Altitude's post-game show and Karl is being interviewed and was asked about the defensive prowess of rookie Julyan Stone. Stone, finished the night with 6 points (3-6 shooting), 5 rebounds (2 offensive), 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 4 turnovers in 20 minutes. Not to mention Stone's suffocating defense. Karl took the question, that was searching for a compliment, and started this way:
Karl on Julyan Stone, "You know Julyan, other than his mistakes ... from the standpoint of turnovers, you know ... "
I'm not sure if it's just Karl's philosophy to not praise a kid to the media or what, but to take the game Stone turned in and point out the negatives right away ... pretty disappointing. The game was out of hand and players take chances late in games. You always want to play like a professional, and Stone did that. Tough to pull a compliment from Karl, gotta keep working.
Karl probably also thinks he threw Nuggets Nation a bone by playing Kenneth Faried for 11 minutes (and for the last minute of the second quarter), but what he really did was open a can of worms. Faried was playing on a different level than anyone else on the floor. Faried finished with 5 points (2-4 shooting), 6 rebounds (3 offensive), and 1 block. His athleticism and knack for knowing where the ball is going off the rim is quite impressive. Manimal is going to be a factor in the NBA and he looks ready to contribute right now ... I'm even more excited about him than I was before the game!
Nate_Timmons on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Nate_Timmons
ntimmons73@yahoo.com
1 recs | 162 comments
Basketball Reasons
moondoggie12 - January 25, 2012
Great win by our nugs btw
moondoggie12 - January 25, 2012
To reiterate! MISSION: 5-0 SUCCESS!!!!!
SDcat09 - January 25, 2012
Mission Complete
moondoggie12 - January 25, 2012
We need an image
Of George W. Bush in a flight suit and a “Mission Accomplished” banner!
Fly Agaric - January 25, 2012
Except that we actually completed
the mission…when we said we did. Please don’t
SDcat09 - January 25, 2012
Nah
The really mission is winning a championship. A win streak is nice. But not what really matters.
Fly Agaric - January 25, 2012
No but I don't want GWB attached to my missions
SDcat09 - January 25, 2012
Or the Nuggets
SDcat09 - January 25, 2012
^ This
TakeFive - January 26, 2012
But it is a classic imagine
to mock premature celebrations.
It transcends petty politics.
Fly Agaric - January 25, 2012
Who was prematurely mocking?
We were celebrating the 5-0 road trip….
SDcat09 - January 25, 2012
Um
Anyway:
SORRY SORRY SORRY!
Fly Agaric - January 26, 2012
No that's the war.
SDcat09 - January 26, 2012
(and that whole thing is not petty IMO
but that’s a different debate for a different place)
SDcat09 - January 25, 2012
Congrats on the 5-0 trip
You called it—or at least called for it. It has come to pass, and in fine fashion.
LongWindedHank - January 26, 2012
rec
BeefySwats - January 26, 2012
why u pluggn 4 idiot?
ice357 - January 26, 2012
Are you calling me an idiot?
I think GW Bush is hilarious. He says and does funny things. He makes me laugh. I don’t care what your political stripes, if you can’t laugh at this president, you need surgery to repair your funny bone.
Anyway. I already said I was sorry thrice.
Fly Agaric - January 26, 2012
I'll never doubt you again
What numbers should I play in the lottery?
ParkHillNative - January 26, 2012
I actually come here and watch BB as an escape and
to learn, reinforce good lessons
But if anyone wants to inject strongly held political beliefs that are debatable and posit them like they are beyond debate, OK, I understand, I did same as college freshman.
sgiustra - January 26, 2012
yes, I'm being snarky and sneaky
no apologies
sgiustra - January 26, 2012
Great win
Complete game. Seven Nuggs with double-figure scoring and everyone on the bench scored. Save the injured guys, of course.
Fly Agaric - January 25, 2012
ROLL CALL!
CloudBurst - January 25, 2012
92 points in the paint? I don't think I have seen that stat!
I missed the game but sounds like we won! Bring on the Raptors!!!
SD_Nugget_Fan - January 25, 2012
Raptors have been playing good ball on the road
Beat Phoenix and then beat Utah in 2OT.
I hope Denver is up to the challenge.
Fly Agaric - January 25, 2012
We are undefeated against the East
The only games might be trouble @ Orlando and @ Chicago…Nuggets should have a great record against Eastern conference teams!
SD_Nugget_Fan - January 26, 2012
They will probably be without Bargnani...
…and they are impressive without him. Not in positive :)
ItalianChap - January 26, 2012
He's played the last two games where they've won
So, either way, the Nuggets need to show up and not look past these guys on their schedule.
Fly Agaric - January 26, 2012
Bargnani reinjured..
his calf in the 1st OT last night. He thinks it is bad. Definitely out against Denver. Hurts Toronto.
djyoung71 - January 26, 2012
Did not know this
Thank you.
Bummer..
Fly Agaric - January 26, 2012
bad news for your fantasy squad.
good fortune for denver
Patrick KB. Nugget - January 26, 2012
Huh....I don't recall writing this recap...
Must have been while I was turned away. (Royalties Nate…Royalties)
Jeffrey Morton - January 25, 2012
Stick him big time
TakeFive - January 26, 2012
Home from the hospital!
Got to watch the recording of the game now, but am excited to see it!
Army of Nugs - January 25, 2012
Have you ever felt better about our Nuggets?
http://www.denverstiffs.com/2012/1/25/2735879/have-you-ever-felt-better-about-our-nuggets
Hmmm?
Fly Agaric - January 25, 2012
of course I have. after they beat dallas to go to the Western Conference finals.
river-z - January 25, 2012
and then took game 2 in LA
I really thought we were going to the finals then.
Rainbow skyline - January 25, 2012
Should have had game 1 too.
I was there and the refereeing was so incredibly homerific.
love4nuggets - January 26, 2012
winning against seattle as 8th v 1st seed. Still get a smile remembering mutombo on the ground hugging the ball
newsman35 - January 27, 2012
I'm going to post this again, because I can and it's that kind of awesome day
Phil H. - January 25, 2012
Yo, you made this off the link I posted earlier today? Big ups if so man!!!
Nate Timmons - January 25, 2012
Yep
Phil H. - January 25, 2012
Nice.
Pusherman - January 26, 2012
is there a link to this gif?
nuggzfan - January 26, 2012
http://gifsoup.com/view6/3356289/gallo-dance-o.gif
Phil H. - January 26, 2012
just found this link
“the association: denver nuggets” for those without nba TV:
http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2012/01/25/20120125_the_association_full_show.nba/?cid=nba_12_twitter_L
Rainbow skyline - January 25, 2012
awesome, thanks!
ParkHillNative - January 26, 2012
That was great... Had not seen it, loved it.
TakeFive - January 26, 2012
That was an awesome
way to waste 23 minutes of my workday.
Purple Row Troll - January 26, 2012
and by waste I mean enjoy
Purple Row Troll - January 26, 2012
BEST SHOW EVER IN HISTORY OF TELEVISION
nuggzfan - January 26, 2012
Was at the game tonight
and I just can’t over how well the Nuggs moved the ball. Sacto looked like a freshman team trying to keep up with the varsity. Great win. Looking forward to the game in Oakland.
coach_bach - January 25, 2012
Thanks for the post!
If you snapped any pics, feel free to post them here!
Nate Timmons - January 25, 2012
Well put.... it's always more fun when they win, expecially if you're there.
TakeFive - January 26, 2012
Didn't take any pics, but
I said what’s up to Chad Iske at a local Sacramento Chipolte this afternoon after I finished my lunch. He was there with two other guys who I believe are part of the assistants that sit in the back row at games. Not Bowen.
coach_bach - January 26, 2012
Easy on Faried
Guy seems a classic tweener to me. He looks too small for a power forward and not enough skill for a small forward. An energizer but really, really raw. I could see him replace Bird in the near future. But getting extended minutes… yikes.
Think GK is doing the right thing. Baby steps for him.
djyoung71 - January 26, 2012
he's dennis rodman
who also played 2 or 3. Faried is actually a bit taller.
Rainbow skyline - January 26, 2012
I gotta say, I agree with djyoung on this
ParkHillNative - January 26, 2012
To this point, agree
I could see him ultimately get minutes at the 3.
TakeFive - January 26, 2012
When he had to duck in mid-air after admittedly goaltending...
to avoid hitting his head on the rim…. WOW!
margabelle - January 26, 2012
Loved Faried's Energy
But did anyone else notice how…skinny he looked compared to Nene when they were on the floor together? Awesome win though loved the rooks getting burn!!
NotPinkFloyd - January 26, 2012
Yes I noticed that too.
TakeFive - January 26, 2012
the dude is small but tough and bounces like a bunny
Plea for Intelligence - January 26, 2012
Nuggets got their work in
Not much to say about this game. Sactown kinda gave up in the 3rd. Blowout wins on the road are impressive. Seems like the biggest problem for the Nuggets right now is going to be to manage injuries. I am sure most teams in the NBA have the same issue right now.
92 points in the paint. What a layup drill. Hope we have the players back for the Toronto game. Raptors did us a solid beating Jazz in 2OT, but time to come back to earth for them.
djyoung71 - January 26, 2012
i was also at the game tonight
i live in the bay area but have a conflict later in the season when the nuggets play the warriors, so i got tickets for tonights kings game and drove up to sacramento with a friend of mine. on the way up, i told my friend, “there’s a rookie on our team named faried. he is awesome. my prediction is that we will get to see him play towards the end of the game tonight because we will be dominating by so many points.” then faried checked in during the first half. yup.
a few observations:
— the team looked cool, calm, collected, confident…i think they knew it was going to be a blowout
— miller is really vocal on the floor…makes me think he is more into the game that i had originally thought
— got concerned when ty got hurt, hopefully it’s nothing serious
— brewer has toothpick legs, i cannot believe how someone who works out every day could have legs that thin. i like the guy, but he is a bit out of control sometimes with the ball and he goofed the open dunk.
— it was exciting to see stone on the floor. he looked a little nervous, but is pretty tenacious and got more comfortable as the game went on…he’s got some good skills and is much bigger than i expected
—hamilton played! (was this is first game?) he definitely looked nervous and deferred a lot to other players…eventually he started getting more aggressive and had a few nice plays, and a basket! it was fun seeing him, stone and faried on the court together.
the highlight for me was making my way towards the tunnel after the game and giving A HIGH FIVE TO EVERY NUGGETS PLAYER as they exited the court. that was sooo cool. after following them so closely for so long, to be able to see them in person and congratulate them on the win was so sweet.
GO NUGGZ!!!!
nuggzfan - January 26, 2012
Many jealous Stiffs here
including me! Sounds like you had a blast. Thanks for the report. It looked pretty much the same seeing the game on the boob tube.
LongWindedHank - January 26, 2012
Haha... great comment and feedback.
TakeFive - January 26, 2012
Maybe you can bottle and sell the sweat
newsman35 - January 27, 2012
George Karl isn't stupid
This might help to explain his thinking
InboundingLobPass - January 26, 2012 via mobile
You slipped in a gem there, inbound. Thanks for that.
Plea for Intelligence - January 26, 2012
I saw the final score but I've ignored everything else and haven't read the comments
Whew!
I’m watching the 2nd airing of Altitude. Here is my LIVE recap! Haha.
Shout out to Beefy Swats and Combat Chuck whom I had the pleasure of watching the Nuggets whomp the Knicks with at Jake’s last weekend. What a game!
-6 min left 1st quarter, Gallinari looks good on a driving layup. He is learning to measure his steps better.
-9 min left 1st quarter, Nuggets are firing on all cylinders. I was just reminiscing on the Kings of Olde (Vlade, and in their prime Bibby, Webber, and paja vs. Shaq, Kobe, Horry & Phil lakers Era). Anyways, the Nuggets are reminding me of them beating up on the Junior Harrington era Nuggets.
Missing Lynx - January 26, 2012
Nice meeting you too Lynx :)
BeefySwats - January 26, 2012
- 10:26 2nd Quarter – Birdman with the block! I know a lot of people badmouth him, but I think Bird is a lot smarter player than he was even 3 or 4 years ago. He will age better than a lot of us think. I hope.
- 8:33 2nd Quarter – Yes, as many of you know, TNT and ESPN have chimed in on Lawson’s speed and have gotten on his bandwagon. Maybe Gallinari is next? If our record is good enough, they have to talk about them, right? Right?
Missing Lynx - January 26, 2012
Birdman
I’m not a Bird fanatic, but I think Bird has been playing better the last couple of weeks. I never found any word on why he didn’t play at msg. I think he’s knees are older now, but not a lot of stupid fouls, and seems to be in the right place a lot. Very effective minutes against sacto. Just sayin….
Namklak - January 26, 2012
- 7:04 2nd Quarter – Ty walks off clutching his ankle. This image feels like watching a slasher film happening to this team.
- 5:55 2nd Quarter – Al Harrington has clearly adopted the “layups are better than 3-pointers” philosophy and is attacking like a madman. Luckily he can make both 2s and 3s. Same with Corey Brewer. Come to think of it, nearly all our rotation players save Koufos, Mozgov, Miller, and Nene are legitimate 3pt. Threats. With Andre, if he misses his first 1 or 2 from 3 for a game,
-5.35 2nd Quarter – Bit with Karl and Gallinari commenting on Timo’s baby shows how close this team is. This is the most cohesive unit I’ve seen as far as a team… We’ve got talent and chemistry 12 deep.
3:45 2nd Quarter – Chris Marlo: “Il Gallo means ‘The Rooster’ in Italian.”
Missing Lynx - January 26, 2012
-3:04 2nd Quarter: The Nuggets Defense looks even better than their offense. Sacramento is taking far more desperation shots than I am sure
-1:34 2nd Quarter: Gallo nails a 3, for a total of 21 points in the 1st half. Now Kenneth Faried is entering the game. rubs eyes Did Gallinari just get another coaches vote for the All-Star game?
Missing Lynx - January 26, 2012
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nba/1497/ty-lawson
Phil H. - January 26, 2012
whew
ParkHillNative - January 26, 2012
This is one scary team, and the sky's the limit
Tonight’s game showcased a self-assured group of players (except for Stone and Hamilton, and they get a pass for obvious reasons). It would be easy to minimize this victory by saying, “Nothing like a game with the Kings to look like champions.” Yet Sacramento is something of an enigma, with wins against the Lakers, Pacers, and Spurs (that last one on the road). The Nuggets just plain embarrassed them with stifling defense and a relentless offense that attacked the paint at will. How the hell does anybody score 92 points in the paint?!
In addition to the obvious stars of the game, Al Harrington impressed the hell out of me. He has turned the clock back to when he could post up most anybody and get to the basket. He looks so strong and confident, and though it’s been said a gazillion times, the contrast with last year is just plain astounding. Congratulations to Al—and to the Nuggets.
Speaking of confidence, this looked to be Gallo’s coming-out party, a celebration of his new status as the Nuggets man at the 3 for years to come. Sure, he’s scored more points (and could have poured in 40 tonight), but his comfort level was off the charts tonight. Once he had established that he could score at will, he moved right on to showcase his nifty passing game. Also, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen his footwork look so smooth and effective. And we can drool over the fact that this 23 year old is still developing his NBA chops. This after plenty of observers had given up on him reaching the potential they once saw in him.
Two starters out? No Rudy Fernandez? Lawson down midway through the second quarter? This is one scary team. If they continue to believe and execute like they did tonight, look out NBA.
LongWindedHank - January 26, 2012
Excellent
TakeFive - January 26, 2012
I never thought I'd say something like this, but...
George Karl is the best thing to ever happen to Gallinari. I strongly believe that if New York had kept him, Danilo’s career would be dieing a slow death from beyond the arc, with him forever being labelled as a bust.
NuggetsFan99 - January 26, 2012
I wonder
Actually, a player like Gallo benefits from the running style of game, like both D’Antoni’s and Karl’s systems. But who knows? I’m just glad he’s in Denver, feeling good about it and playing better and better.
LongWindedHank - January 26, 2012
Karl has forced him to attack and penetrate
Whereas D’Antoni had him shooting 3s for the most part. Now the 3 isn’t really his first look; he’s putting the ball on the floor, looking to attack the rim, or create for others with penetration. He’s gotten to the line much more frequently since arriving in Denver.
Yes, Karl & D’Antoni both run on offense. But they also have almost completely different philosophies. Karl wants to attack the rim; D’Antoni wants to fire up shots from distance. Karl wants his offense to come from his defense; D’Antoni couldn’t care less about defense if he tried.
And Gallinari’s defense has immensely improved, as well, since being under Karl.
NuggetsFan99 - January 26, 2012
Yes, and sorry for my cursory reply
I generally agree with you, and I’m a D’Antoni detractor from way back. Just ask my womanfriend, who has to put up with my ranting that escalates with every day the Knicks don’t fire the guy. (Luckily for her, Paul Westphal and Flip Saunders, my other recent targets, have gotten the axe.)
Tonight I watched part of the Knicks loss to the Cavs, and they looked like beaten dogs. How much longer can Dolan let this carnage go on? They don’t have a system that makes sense with the roster they’ve put together. Of course, that’s mostly Dolan’s fault, but even he can figure it out, can’t he? What do you think? Yeah, it’s not our problem, but I can’t stand to see NBA teams managed so poorly.
LongWindedHank - January 26, 2012
They're a mess.
I believe D’Antoni should be fired because he’s a terrible coach, but then the obvious question, where do you go from there?
It’s an ugly roster—that’s clear. You hear people clamoring for Phil Jackson to go coach the Knicks, but what’s he really going to do? Sure, they’d be better, but they still won’t be near the level of a team like Miami.
Who could be successful coaching this roster?
The franchise has put itself in a terrible position with Anthony’s & Stoudemire’s contracts, combined with how brutal their style of plays compliment one another. Then you add Tyson’s contract on top of that, and there’s basically no room to add any decent player who would be able to compliment Amar’e or Carmelo.
Fire D’Antoni, move Stoudemire, shed some salary. Of course, that’s much easier said then done.
D’Antoni sucks, yes, but it will be interesting to see what happens when somebody else takes the reigns and still isn’t as successful as they were built up to be prior to the start of the season.
NuggetsFan99 - January 26, 2012
I'm pretty sure the Knicks would trade their entire team, except Melo, Chandler and Amare for GK right now.
Pusherman - January 26, 2012
Makes everyone who bashes Karl
not look so bright. Karl’s philosophies are actually pretty good. When you compare his offensive strategies to another supposed offensive coach in D’Antoni, you can see just how good a coach Karl is. He teaches the game the right way. D’Antoni has made Melo worse. Karl is making Gallo better. Glad Karl is our coach.
NugzJunkie - January 26, 2012
Rec
love4nuggets - January 26, 2012
I'll definitely take GK over D'Antoni any day, no question
But I still maintain that the run-run-run strategy, and no good half-court sets, is ultimately doomed to failure in the playoffs.
ParkHillNative - January 26, 2012
Agreed
LongWindedHank - January 26, 2012
meh,
if this is a comment purely based on the game from yesterday then I would agree with you. but there are many times when Karl and his rotations don’t make sense. I still think he is a great coach, but not every game will be like last night
Mancar - January 26, 2012
Agreed
Though I’m not sure about the “great coach” portion of your comment.
LongWindedHank - January 26, 2012
Excellent comment
GK is bringing more out him than anyone else did. By the way, don’t know if anyone has realized that GK won with two players that other coaches apparently can’t win with: Iverson and Melo. I can’t believe how he melded all those selfish head cases he had. Finally he has a team without all that crap, if you ignore Dre’s ego thing.
Last night was a thing of beauty: Good coach beats bad coach. Similar talent level on teams but the passing and defense team shredded the selfish bunch of hurlers. Can we beat the “elite” teams? Yes we can. Play tough defense and work together on that, pass the ball and we can beat Miami, LA, Dallas, et al, if our guys believe that they can and don’t get timid in the playoffs. All of them can make shots. The hell with stars.
Also we might have executive of the year with Masai. He’s matching the players with the coach. And yeah, “Fuck all you fuckers who didn’t think we’d be any good.”
Plea for Intelligence - January 26, 2012
Correction:
see below :)
love4nuggets - January 27, 2012
That was a crazy win.
92 points in the paint
20 points from the stripe
6 points from beyond the arc
If my math is correct, then that leaves 4 points from mid-range to make the Nuggets’ 122 point total. How insane is that?
Also,
NuggetsFan99 - January 26, 2012
Quote source:
http://www.nba.com/games/20120125/DENSAC/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100267#nbaGIlive
NuggetsFan99 - January 26, 2012
Nuggets lead the NBA by a mile in shots in the paint
As someone on RMC pointed out the other day, quoting John Schuhmann, “Denver has attempted 44.6% of its shots from the restricted area. League avg. is 32.7% & no other team is above 37.9%.”
Yowza.
LongWindedHank - January 26, 2012
not only that
but the Nuggets are also in the top 10 in 3 pointers attempted, so they are shooting the least mid-range shots in the league by a lot. That means they have by far the most efficient shot selection profile.
atomiccafe - January 26, 2012
smart basketball
they must know that the closer you are to the basket, the higher the probability you make the shot. plus, you can draw fouls when go aggressive to the hole. wonder how we rank in terms of and-ones?
nuggzfan - January 26, 2012
Butterfingers had me fooled
Corey Brewer’s shooting stats: 484 overall .478 3 point .611 free throw. It’s really not that bad but how come I am always yelling at the screen: “Corey, quit flinging it, you’re not on the Timberwolves any more!”
Plea for Intelligence - January 26, 2012
Oh yes indeed ! Great win and two signings, a good one and a fantastic one
With a score of games under their belt, these Nuggs are starting to understand what their “A” game is. Yesterday’s game is the ideal example – it won’t usually be that easy to sustain, but that’s where they must head in every contest.
If K2 gets just a little better, his contract may end up being a swell deal. Wait for Nene to miss a few games and we’ll see how many minutes he can cover. I understand K2 is a hustler in practice – he and Moz push each other. A little hunger on the bench keeps everyone sharp.
I disagree with all this talk about needing to clear for a max signing. If we make a move it should be for a good young player who fits this team’s philosophy at whatever position looks weakest. And we have plenty of cap room and pieces to make a deal at need.
Anyway, it looks to me like we just signed a near-max player for half-max money in Gallo, so we are ahead of the game. Oh yes indeed.
slader - January 26, 2012
Does Faried have more Rodman in him....
….or Reggie Evans? I think when this kid figures out the NBA game he can get 15 boards a night. He can chip in some points….can he be the lock-down defender Rodman was?
bonaire - January 26, 2012
Please not Reggie Evans
Manimal plays taller than he is and has plenty of lateral quickness – hard to know if he is bulky enough to cover the 4. If he’s on the floor with Gallo, he can cover the 3 which might work great, while the bigger Danilo takes the 4. I still have hopes for a rotation-level contribution later this season.
Faried already shoots much better than Evans – but then, so did my gramma.
slader - January 26, 2012
This team has bought into the system in a BIG way.
When you have shooters like Gallo and Harrington actively looking to either get to the paint or pass, when wide open at the arc, you have something big brewing.
I believe this road trip really signified the START of something big.
Here’s how I think of it:
Teams that create dynasties have had an image. Think the triangle of LA, or the big three down in San Antonio. I believe we are watching the beginning of something REAL in Denver, and after 8 years of Melo, we now have our image.
roxintober - January 26, 2012
And to add:
I think the post-Melo Nuggets of last year and early this season were playing with a chip on their shoulder. Which is why I think they were a bit shocked when it came to the post-season.
At some point in the last week or two, they’ve gotten rid of that chip, and know they belong, rather than trying to prove it.
roxintober - January 26, 2012
9+ lbs?!?!
Could Timofey Mozgov’s child be the next Aleksandr Karelin?
ch3cooh1 - January 26, 2012
That's a big kid
Mine were both around 51/2 pds. Of course, I’m 5’11", 152….not 7’0".
Little known fact…kids are born smaller at altitude. True story.
Pusherman - January 26, 2012
Hmm..
I was 6 lbs and 22" long. Am now 6’5" or so and 205. I think it has a lot to do with skeletal mass and the size of your noggin.
love4nuggets - January 26, 2012
I was 9 lbs. 9 oz.
My sister was 10 lbs. 3 oz.
My brother born at altitude was a little under 8 lbs.
My other brothers were just under 9 lbs.
Thursty - January 26, 2012
another little know fact
infants have more bones in their bodies then adults
Mancar - January 26, 2012
That's cuz they haven't fused yet
JR15 - January 26, 2012
I was 9.5lbs as a baby
and I’m 5’11’’ at 205lbs…
CombatChuk - January 26, 2012
10lbs, 11oz here
I was big. Today, I’m 6’5", approx. 210lbs.
BeefySwats - January 26, 2012
damn.
no wonder your name is beefy swats
Mancar - January 26, 2012
8 lbs 4 oz
I am 6’2" and currently 255. Working on getting to 225 again
Army of Nugs - January 26, 2012
Yeah, 9 lbs 12 oz
6’2" and 200. It don’t mean a thing.
LongWindedHank - January 26, 2012
As much as we killed the Kings in the paint
It’ll be scary what they can do if they can get Anthony Davis or Andre Drummond.
Agaliarept - January 26, 2012 via mobile
As long as they have Tyreke Evans
that team will stink. Evans looks terrible to me. He is a one on one player, who isn’t all that effective at one on one.
NugzJunkie - January 26, 2012
I like how the coach kept the starters in
And they still couldn’t get a lead on our rooks.
I like Keith Smart’s explanation…he didn’t want them to cower away from the way they played.
Nugz need to rack up the Ws. I don’t think they will have as bad a Feb as people think, but it won’t be easy either.
JR15 - January 26, 2012
if the Nuggets go just over .500 in Feb and pick it back up again in March I'll be pretty content
river-z - January 26, 2012
I was just looking at the remaining schedule
I think somewhere around .500 for Feb looks about right, but who knows? I sure didn’t think they’d go 5-0 on this last road trip.
I’m guessing they end the season with a win total in the mid-40’s, as long as enough guys stay healthy.
ParkHillNative - January 26, 2012
50 wins. Gotta do it.
It’s a tradition.
love4nuggets - January 27, 2012
What's the word on Ty's ankle?
My favorite Nugget
Nuggburg - January 26, 2012
as far as i know
no official word yet, but you can probably bet he will be out Friday
Mancar - January 26, 2012
Yeah, I'd keep him out, especially since the Raptors....
…will be playing without their best player (Bergnani). I think we should play with the same team we played with after Ty went out. Except, Mozgov should be back. In other words, rest all of our injured guys.
bonaire - January 26, 2012
any word on Rudy and AAA?
Mancar - January 26, 2012
Rudy - Achilles, AAA - groin
I think it would be wise to sit them until they’re fully healed.
moondoggie12 - January 26, 2012
espn recap said out vs. toronto, maybe back the next game
Rainbow skyline - January 26, 2012
Anyone in the mood for a laugh
From posting and toasting a member talking about what it would take to get Eric Gordon:
Mancar - January 26, 2012
Prob the same guy that started the rumor of
Melo for Cory Brewer and Eddy Curry… poor guy
NastyNessy71 - January 26, 2012
Funny comment from sac town royalty
JR15 - January 26, 2012
LOL that's awesome...
Missing Lynx - January 26, 2012
Hilarious
But the credit goes to Ujiri for taking the lemons he was dealt upon taking over and making lemonade. Dude makes some fuckin sweet lemonade, doesn’t he?
Ski Bum - January 26, 2012
Ujiri took the lemons he got and traded them to the knicks for gold.
moondoggie12 - January 26, 2012
nuggets!
newsman35 - January 27, 2012
I just had a thought
If for some reason the Knicks or Lakers do not get into the playoffs I wonder which one of those teams Stern will have to give the first pick to.
Mancar - January 26, 2012
Haha Knicks don't have a pick this year
So it’s got to be la
TyLawesome - January 26, 2012
if the top prospect is a forward or center he'll choose the Lakers,
if a point guard or shooting guard, its the knicks.
moondoggie12 - January 26, 2012
We are running very short on healthy guards
I’d rather sit these guys and let then get healthy, then have then play and extend their injuries.
This could be a big chance for Stone, I don’t know if coaches will try Hamilton. Would not be surprised to see a guard signed to a 10 day soon.
Nuggburg - January 26, 2012 via mobile
How did Ham look last night?
I stopped watching after the first half
NastyNessy71 - January 26, 2012
Nervous.
Especially on offense, he looked to be pressing a bit, unsurprisingly. He moved well on D, and rebounded solidly.
Russscot - January 26, 2012
howd his shot look?
NastyNessy71 - January 26, 2012
Like he can shoot, but that he was feeling pressure to perform
Russscot - January 26, 2012
awww i see
hopefully just the first game jitters
NastyNessy71 - January 26, 2012
pretty much my thoughts.
He might see some serious run against the Raptors if AAA and Fernandez are still out, considering Ty has already said he’s not playing.
Russscot - January 26, 2012
yea
i liked Stone’s game.. he looked good
NastyNessy71 - January 26, 2012
I think it was first game jitters
SDcat09 - January 26, 2012
re Ham
SDcat09 - January 26, 2012
ah okay
Cuz Stone looked sharp, smooth and quick
NastyNessy71 - January 26, 2012
for Stone
or Ham?
NastyNessy71 - January 26, 2012
I thought Ham looked okay
At least he didn’t get in there and start chucking threes in order to get on the scoreboard. I liked that he didn’t force it and tried to play within the flow, if you could call it that, during the 4th.
Pusherman - January 26, 2012
good
i like what I am hearing.. for the most part
NastyNessy71 - January 26, 2012
yep, wasn't chucking like Jimmer at the end
he made them, but was no factor earlier in the game and looked like he didn’t belong on the floor. good to see the rooks get some run, but they are definitely not ready to play against a real team which is any good.
jd80229 - January 26, 2012
His make was a really hard shot
Like a layup from 6 ft away without using the backboard.
margabelle - January 26, 2012
dayum
i wanna see his range tho… specifically his three point range
NastyNessy71 - January 26, 2012
he can hit to around 30 feet
got that from watching his d league games.
Army of Nugs - January 26, 2012
Fantastic article on SI
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/sam_amick/01/26/denver.nuggets/index.html?eref=twitter_feed
CombatChuk - January 26, 2012
"You've got to have superstar"....
….sadly, I probably agree with the MSM here. Don’t get me wrong, I actually watched very few games the last couple of years of Melo because isolation basketball makes me sick….I’d rather watch Disney with my kids. But I still fear the refs call playoff games for the superstars.
bonaire - January 26, 2012
well, when you have been one and done in all but one of the past seven playoff series you get labeled
What’s so ludicrous about that? He needs to realize that he’s been a better regular season COACH than he has been in the playoffs since leaving Seattle. He may want to keep quiet about this one, look inward, and prove them wrong. Talking about it now serves no purpose other than put addition pressure on a still developing team
jd80229 - January 26, 2012
In the Recap
Nate writes, “And George Karl played all three rookies!”. And I was thinking what a totally unusual and alien configuration of words that was. I’m pretty sure that is the First time in history anyone has said or written that sentence. George?…Three rookies? Weird.
Nuggburg - January 26, 2012 via mobile
hahaha! Yet highly enjoyable!
Nate Timmons - January 27, 2012
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