Excuse me, while I gush for a bit about our Denver Nuggets. A team that just beat a highly dysfunctional (at the moment) Kings team that was on a second night of a back-to-back-to-back and in Denver, but nonetheless it was a refreshing and exhilarating win that reinforces why I believe this Nuggets team may be a serious threat in the NBA this season.
There's much to love about this team. My personal favorite player, Danilo Gallinari, had what seemed to be a very pedestrian stat line with 8 points. Yet, I think he played his most complete game of the year in the little minutes he was on the floor. Playing great team defense with 2 steals and dishing out 3 assists (could have been at least five if Kosta Koufos wasn't fouled on each attempt after the pass).
Koufos, Timofey Mozgov and fan-favorite Kenneth Faried put on a show that the whole Pepsi Center crowd enjoyed. Even Rudy Fernandez got in on the action. You know ... with a certain play I like to call:
OHMYGODDIDYOUJUSTSEETHATWOW!!
Rudy Fernandez throws over-the-head, no-look alley-oop to Kenneth Faried: Kings at Nuggets (via nbavideosnow2)
I understand that Nate had this highlight in his recap (which he stole from me in the email I sent him). I feel no shame in showing it to you again. That oop was so spectacular it made me yelp out loud while I was using the tread climber at the gym. Sick ... just sick.
I'm seeing very good things for the future of this team. IF they can stay healthy (hopefully Nene comes back) they are so deep, and so committed to defense that it's both exciting and exhilarating to watch. I was going to say something about hopefully the national media takes notice, but ... who cares? I kind of thrive off the general disrespect and I think the Nuggets do too. I say, let us stay the best secret in the NBA.
Makes it that much better when we prove them wrong, y'all!
On to the links!
Balanced, hot-shooting Denver Nuggets run record to 5-2 - Benjamin Hochman, Denver Post
For those who, gosh darn it, can't get enough recap here it is from the Denver Post. A sterling and concise recap from our friend, Hooch.
Kiszla: Nuggets are in good hands with Ty Lawson running the show - Mark Kiszla, Denver Post
Well, any time Mark Kiszla decides to not write a snarky, negative column it's a good thing. Here is a nice, positive article about the Nuggets point guard and (happily for me) aggressive new star, Ty Lawson.
Report Card: Nuggets complete amazing alley-oop - Ben Golliver, CBSsports.com
Our friend Ben Golliver from CBS/Blazers Edge grades the Rudy Fernandez and Kenneth Faried alley-oop dunk quite appropriately in my opinion. See if you agree.
George Karl talks a variety of subjects including the Nuggets depth - 1043 The fan.com
A link to the audio interview Joel Klatt and Mike Evans conducted with coach George Karl yesterday morning. Going over a variety of subjects. Well worth a listen.
NUGGETS: Faried, Fernandez put exclamation point on Nuggets' victory- Aaron Lopez, Nuggets.com
Another recap from A-Lo. Great win for the Nuggets last night.
Twitter: @jmorton78 https://twitter.com/#!/jmorton78
mortonagency@juno.com
0 recs | 366 comments
That was one of the best lob dunks I have EVER seen
And I got to see it live, AND it was Faried’s first points as a Nugget!
What a great game. Looking forward to seeing how they do @ Spurs on Saturday.
Colin Neilson - January 5, 2012
Cool for you
TakeFive - January 5, 2012
jeffrey, heres an additional link for you
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-120105/nba-five-surprise-teams
808inDenver - January 5, 2012
Thanks man. Was about to add that.
Jeffrey Morton - January 5, 2012
Oh and BIG surprise that Royce Young sold on the Nuggets
yeah Royce…you aren’t biased at ALLLL
Jeffrey Morton - January 5, 2012
haha i know
wat a hater.
808inDenver - January 5, 2012
and still the disrespect continues
sgiustra - January 5, 2012
From the above "surprise teams" article:
I can’t wait to show “Royce Young” at Daily Thunder exactly what makes this team different when we roll into OKC and paste them.
Colin Neilson - January 5, 2012
Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook is stealing Kevin Durants lunch money
and taking all his last shots.
Jeffrey Morton - January 5, 2012
LOL
Artimus Mangilord - January 5, 2012
"...what else?"
Well for starters Royce, you yourself listed Al Harrington, Afflalo and Nene. We’ve got a solid veteran backup PG in Miller, two solid maturing centers with huge potential in Mozgov and Koufos, and a raw but exciting rookie in Faried who just pulled off a sweet ass dunk from Fernandez who, hey, also is pretty good so, uh… How are we different from the team that was beaten? Seems pretty different to me Royce
Failed Twin - January 5, 2012
I've read some of Royce in the ESPN 5 on 5 over the summer
The guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He compared everything and anything to OKC, and looky here,he’s doing it again…
TyLawesome - January 5, 2012
Did he not answer his own question?
RoxWS2014 - January 5, 2012
And Afflalo has not been terrific...
RoxWS2014 - January 5, 2012
It never ceases to amaze how WRONG the pundits get teams in flyover country
It’s like they don’t do more than a cursory bit of research before they start typing. “Afflalo is terrific”?!?!? I love the guy, but even the blindfolded view from under a damn rock makes it clear that he’s got a ways to go before becoming even adequate this season.
And nobody here needs me to belabor how different this 2011-12 Nuggets squad is. How can anyone posing as a sports writer not have the self-respect to look into it a just a teensy weensy bit?
I’d love to blame the poor quality of punditry on the internet and the corresponding explosion of coverage, which of course will water things down. But it’s serious fans like Nate Timmons and Andrew Feinstein and Jeff Morton who do the best job! Even some of the casual commenters here could do better work. Hell, any of us could make Chris Webber look bad.
Rant over. Back to deep breaths and visualizing world peace.
LongWindedHank - January 5, 2012
I hope World Peace isn't nude in your visualization...but to each their own.
NC Gold - January 5, 2012
LOL, well played
Artimus Mangilord - January 5, 2012
It's still weird looking at LAL boxscores and seeing MWP instead of Artest
Artimus Mangilord - January 5, 2012
I dunno..........thinks about World Peace......
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Y'all have ruined my meditations
Poor Artest. I feel so sorry for the guy, and I’m not joshing you. He has worked so hard to make some changes, yet no matter what he does, no matter how good his intentions, he cannot help acting in ways that evidence his steadfast orientation at the very center of the known universe. Those in the know about such things would say you cannot rush—or take shortcuts in—ethical stage development. He’s a fucking mess.
Yeah, that’s more psych mumbo-jumbo than you bargained for. Must agree, though, that his game is washed up.
LongWindedHank - January 5, 2012
I still love me some New Improved Artest World Peace.
I think he’s mellowed.
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
hahaha!
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
totally agreed
as long as the world peace you speak of is not the washup in LA
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
Keep in mind
It’s only opinion coming from a blogger – essentially the voice of a fan no different than yours or mine.
I’m selling this team for now but only because we haven’t seen road wins or particularly great games against the contenders of the league. The Nuggets took out every team they played on a back to back and that is a testament to their depth, but against the best teams they’ve played the Nuggets haven’t been particularly impressive.
I appreciate Royce’s opinion but where he definitely gets a few things glaringly wrong. The easy one is Afflalo who signed a really onerous contract and isn’t even getting consistent minutes. Then I don’t see how anyone can deny that with Kenyon, JR Smith, and Felton gone, the locker room is a lot more stable and there are basically no egos to be found on the team. Lastly replacing Kenyon Martin with two seven footers has made Denver not only a lot better on the boards but more versatile defensively where they can balance out small ball with a more conventional lineup.
So yeah, I wouldn’t curse the national media pundits over anything just yet. What we’re seeing is a spectrum of general NBA fans’ impressions based on seeing the Nuggets from a distance
runningdonut - January 5, 2012
Also consider Denver played Portland very tough at the Rose Garden and the Nuggets were on the second of a back to back. How can that not impress you a little bit? Portland has been the class of the West thus far.
Yes, the Lakers road game was a misfire, but the Nuggets still looked good in that game. Flubbed the ending, but they were in the drivers seat. Ye of little hope.
Nate Timmons - January 6, 2012
Well, Royce obviously hadn’t seen a game. If he wants to voice his general NBA opinion, he should do his homework.
Nate Timmons - January 6, 2012
Charlie and Nate: I'm not slagging Royce in particular
He just sparked a rant that had been building for a while due to, well… I guess I made my point above, and it stands. Nate restates it in two short sentences just above here.
LongWindedHank - January 6, 2012
But the Blazers have Felton
Royce sells the Nugs because they are allegedly the same team that got pounded in the playoffs, but then he “buys” the Blazers (who beat the Thunder) in part because of of Ray Felton.
bronchoratio - January 5, 2012
haha, I wasn't digging Royce's writing in the playoffs last season. Continues now.
Turn on your TV guy, watch some games!
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
Lunch Pail Time..
All the praise is great and warranted. Now it is time to take the lunch pail attitude on the road and get two winnable road games.
There are gonna be Nugget doubters until they prove it in the playoffs. Ain’t gonna be settled until the playoffs. So just keep the D rollin and get the shots to start fallin.
djyoung71 - January 5, 2012
yup
cant rely on fastbreaks in the playoffs. i also hope GK has installed a few inbounds plays…
808inDenver - January 5, 2012
Dre will make on up if needed.
I think having AC in Toronto or wherever will help ALOT.
djyoung71 - January 5, 2012
honestly, the playoff doubt is deserved until the nugs prove them wrong
hope springs eternal right now, but I promised myself after last year that no matter what happened in the regular season my guard would always be up going into the playoffs, mostly because of GK.
Rainbow skyline - January 5, 2012
my take
the Nuggets have a shot at winning the title. Mathematically, maybe a 1 /16 chance of winning it.
Thats better than just any ordinary playoff team but not at the level of Miami. But "I’d put my money on the Nugs vs the Bulls, Cs, Portland, LaLa, Dallas and Spurs.
I still have to see us solve the Thunder before I’m confident they will beat the Thunder. Being honest here. The Nugs will have to do a few things that I think they can to overtake the Thunder: make FTs, rebound with ‘em for starters. We’ll see.
sgiustra - January 5, 2012
The end of the game in LA concerned me. They should have won that game easy. But puked it away. However, with the talent they have on this team, they can’t continue to shoot so poorly on 3s, so I think they have another gear to go to. And I’m really hoping that Faried will be allowed to develop into a monster off of the bench. An inside presence like that against the Thunder would be huge.
Bob in Boulder - January 5, 2012
Manimal vs Birdman
For awhile people have been talking about Birdman having lost a step and some of his ups and still going for too many ball fakes. Which are all a big part of his game. I wouldn’t say he is completely washed up and still is able to contribute some solid minutes, especially if Mozgov and Koufas are both in foul trouble against a bigger guy 6’11+.
For a lot of situations though where Birdman was brought in for energy, to play helpside defense, and guard an opponents PF I can see Manimal (aka Bounce) doing that even better than Bird.
Do you see Manimal taking Bird’s minutes? Do you see him being more effective with them if he had them?
Jaybark7 - January 6, 2012
Bird looks good so far this season. However, I just think Faried has much more potential upside. He is already a much better rebounder than Bird. He looks like he times his blocks better and is stronger one-on-one inside on D. The kid could become the absolute steal of the draft. Which I think many of us anticipated. Weird that so many teams passed on him.
Bob in Boulder - January 6, 2012
How about Norris Cole for the Heat? That kid looks like a huge steal too. Just what Miami needed too.
Nate Timmons - January 6, 2012
There goes the neighborhood…..
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
not so good in NY
http://www.postingandtoasting.com/2012/1/5/2683158/bobcats-118-knicks-110-defense-is-terrible-just-awful-to-look-at?ref=yahoo
Who could figure? lol
http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/knicks/post/_/id/9056/melo-it-cant-get-worse-than-this
buffallo soldier - January 5, 2012
I didn't even realize how bad Melo's D was until after the trade.
I vividly remember how many times a switch-a-thon would lead to nene guarding D-Will or whoever, followed by an easy hoop. Almost feel bad for Knicks fans that they have to deal with that for the foreseeable future. Almost.
Rainbow skyline - January 5, 2012
I dont even get into Dee when I typically deride Melo
because there arent that many sophisticated stats on dee. My criticism is always re his effect on the offense, on the team.
And I’ll post this again until EVERY NBAer knows these 2 stats and confronts them:
Mello 25 ppg is based on 20 shots, one of the lowest points per shot that I’ve seen
Mellos FG% is 45% or so, which is the NBA avg and his efficiency goes down as we include effective FG% and true shooting %
Can I offer an example of why Mello is not very good? Does anyone think that Pete Rose is the great5est hitter of all time? Has the most hits of all time, no? A good player for sure but we look at his total hits with perspective: he has a lot of at bats, didnt hit for power, etc.
sgiustra - January 5, 2012
Gallo referring to Nene as his brother, love that team togetherness!
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
Wonder if that’s Mozgov’s translator back there?
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
Do the Nuggets need a translator?
I do spanish, french, portuguese, russian. Could help out like half the team and save on payroll
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
Send them your resume man!
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
I have
and heard nothing
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
Keep picking at them. Stalk Masai if you have too.
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Maybe they did a background check and....
TakeFive - January 5, 2012
I would pass with flying colors
got the highest level of clearance with the gov’t and FBI
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
here's a question for you
do you know anything about fiber optic lines that run underground and/or the gvnmt intelligence lines that run underground?
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
yes
from both ends. i was working telcom which includes century link who has fiber optic lines
govt doesnt have too many, they rely more on satellites. but most fiber optic lines can handle about 500mb a second speed wise.
Army of Nugs - January 6, 2012
nice
i was just curious because my job, road constructioin, involves digging deep into the ground sometimes. In fact if any of you Auroran’s remember seeing on the news over the summer that Alameda was shut down for about 2 hours becsause a gas line was hit, that was my job, Aurora missed a locate. Anyways i was told the other day that if we hit a govnmt line within 15 minutes agents show up, arrest you and wait until the reason why the line was cut is figured out. I was just curious if you knew if this was gvnmt agents or FBI.
NastyNessy71 - January 6, 2012
its complete bs
thats what it is. the gov’t lines could probably survive just about anything
Army of Nugs - January 6, 2012
maybe
i was told it happened to some guy on accident when putting pipe in
NastyNessy71 - January 6, 2012
Dude, you should send them your resume, like FOR REAL!
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
Who do I send it to?
because if i could get on with the Nuggets, it would literally be a dream come true
Army of Nugs - January 6, 2012
nice headphones gallo
swmrkev - January 5, 2012
Masai got those thrown in by NYC in the Melo trade, too
Artimus Mangilord - January 5, 2012
lawl
InboundingLobPass - January 5, 2012 via mobile
that's what I was thinking
JBnuggs - January 5, 2012
Kouf hogging the DS from Mozgov.
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
That's not Kouf back there...
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
Hmm
Must’ve been a stiff.
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
Knick departing gift: team color headphones?
Or maybe he’s a Gator/Tebow fan….
margabelle - January 5, 2012
Classic Bronco Headset Colors
Now if that was the old white horse on ’em.. i am in.. where can i get ’em !
djyoung71 - January 5, 2012
why do i love Nene's smile so much?
TyLawesome - January 5, 2012
sometimes I wonder the same thing
I think it’s because he’s a genuinely awesome person
JBnuggs - January 5, 2012
Because it's a great smile!
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
true dat
JBnuggs - January 5, 2012
I always feel awkward
when random people throw up shakas.
Agaliarept - January 5, 2012
That's a 'hang loose', sir
Artimus Mangilord - January 5, 2012
This
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
How dare you both.
Agaliarept - January 6, 2012
Hang loose!
Artimus Mangilord - January 6, 2012
My life's ambition is to become a random person but it has eluded me so far
Thursty - January 5, 2012
I feel pretty random. I mean in the whole universe
wibbley wobbley timey wimey way.
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Tom Baker is still the best Dr. ever with David Tennant a close second.
Thursty - January 5, 2012
I see what you're saying.
My personal favorite order is Tennant, Ecclestone, Baker, Smith…that said, Jack Harkness is my favorite in the Whoinverse….
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Rose Tyler: Best Companion Ever
Thursty - January 5, 2012
Oh I disagree.
Sarah Jane. Followed by Donna/Martha/Rose/Jack. Dislike Amy but I like Rory.
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Sarah Jane!?!?!
I mean her return with David Tennant was excellent but…
Donna!?!? She was just annoying.
Martha was good.
Jack is a good continuing character but Torchwood was a little too gay for me.
I don’t care much for Amy either and yeah I like Rory.
Leela was way better than your choices. Jamie was a delight for the humor.
While not technically a companion, the Brigadier was a great continuing character.
I suspect I have more loyalty to the old series than most.
Did you see Dr. Who at the Proms? Judging from the British audience reaction they love John Pertwee, Tom Baker and David Tennant the best.
Thursty - January 5, 2012
Thursty'd again!!
Colin Neilson - January 5, 2012
I didn’t see all the old Doctors. I’m just saying my personal preference as indicated. And it can’t really be wrong you know?
But that’s okay…..
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Yes, I know
I just think everybody should see things the way I do. Don’t you?
“THAT, my little cherub, is a matter of opinion!”… Daffy Duck
Thursty - January 5, 2012
Your approach is too methodical
LongWindedHank - January 5, 2012
He would hate US Maple
Artimus Mangilord - January 6, 2012
Do You think he is listening to the song from that cheesy Italy band?
SD_Nugget_Fan - January 5, 2012
bah, new york knicks headphones
MZG - January 6, 2012
National Media...
So I’ve also been annoyed in the past about the lack of respect for the Nuggets. One of the biggest spots I felt like it showed up was in power rankings. The Nuggets would be 4 or 5 or 6 games better than teams 5 spots ahead of them. I just never understood it…So far though they’ve got some respect…at least from John Hollinger
http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings/_/season/2012/week/1
Jaybark7 - January 5, 2012
Hollinger rankings are purely stat driven . . but the ranking you cite
are Steiny Mo, which is the opposite of Hollinger.
Frontrange - January 5, 2012
That's Stein bro
Hollinger hasn’t released his ranking yet… I think it takes at least 10 games worth of stats for him to cumulate his rankings
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
The national media still believes Denver is cow town.
Morton is the Bronco QB. Denver Z’s are playing in Mile High. The Colorado Rockies are a hockey team.
SD_Nugget_Fan - January 5, 2012
Man, I remember all that stuff
Hell, I remember when the minor league baseball team was the Denver Bears.
ParkHillNative - January 6, 2012
Faried embraces role as Tacos last night. (revolving role)
I think the star power that pundits say we lack
has been found (even though I still believe it is a team first team and not a selfish team) in Ty Lawson, this guy is a stud, pure stud. I think he will be a better player than Carmelo Anthony when it is all said and done.
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
Thing is
What makes a star is if you have the cajones to say give me the ball in crunch time. Lawson may very well be that guy.
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
he explodes to the rim like Rose
and unlike his last 2 years, he knows when to picks his spots, I think he has only been blocked once or twice this year.
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
I think Ty can be the guy
…but he needs to create a mid-range shot or 3 in crunch time, as opposed to just charging towards the basket. He needs to have more weapons in his bag…I think he can do it, but I haven’t seen it so far.
Gallo is that guy as well.
Pusherman - January 5, 2012
he should have the ball every posession in crunch time
but doesn’t need to take every shot. He just needs to get into the paint and make things happen. And we need a 2-3 dependable guys to make the open shots he creates (looking at you AAA and Gallo).
Rainbow skyline - January 5, 2012
I think his three point shooting selection is perfect
He is a career 40% 3 point shooter, which is well above average, I just think he knows he shouldn’t chuck it, which is why he only attempts 2.6 a game this year (2.1 last year).
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
he seems to have added a nice mid range jumper this year
now lets see him knock it down in crunch time. I think he’s capable.
JBnuggs - January 5, 2012
Not saying he doesn't have these weapons
But I haven’t seen them in the crunch. The most effective “closers” have all options at their disposal and make that big shot no matter who is guarding them. I’m not saying Ty needs to chuck, but other teams need to fear his game in the last minute. Driving and dishing is great but it doesn’t create that fear and doesn’t build a ton of confidence in the “closer”. I would like to see him in the role time after time and use good decisions to create a shot for himself or others (Gallo or AAA in the corners).
Pusherman - January 5, 2012
Agree that Ty needs to diversify his game
but he’s on his way and looking fantastic. As others have noted, his early-season stats are off the charts, and he’s far from a selfish player.
For my money, it’s actually the presence of Andre Miller that will make it tougher for Lawson to become the guy for the Nuggets this year. And that’s not a bad problem to have, you know? Miller takes more minutes than would otherwise go to the backup PG, and when they’re on the floor together, Miller deserves the ball some of the time.
Nice to have such issues, but this will affect Lawson’s further development.
LongWindedHank - January 5, 2012
btw, Rainbow Skyline addresses this just below
And he notes correctly that Miller is playing well within the flow and not detracting too much from Lawson’s game or anything else. Ty simply needs to be much more aggressive when he’s on the court, whether or not Miller is there, too. The coaching staff is on him about it. Yes!
LongWindedHank - January 5, 2012
yep
and my fear of Miller taking over in crunch time (like felton did) have been proven wrong so far. Miller seems to understand exactly what he needs to do to help the team win.
Whether Law is ready to lead a team deep into the playoffs this year is the question.
Rainbow skyline - January 5, 2012
Gotta love this team
Every player is a two way player, they are all unselfish, and its a great blend of youth and veterans.
CCH - January 5, 2012
Watching all these guys
give 100% on D all the time is a joy to watch. Once our 3’s start falling….watch out!
JBnuggs - January 5, 2012
look who we got fired
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7428725/sacramento-kings-fire-paul-westphal
TyLawesome - January 5, 2012
See above
Pusherman - January 5, 2012
It's like no one reads....
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Second coach the Nuggets have gotten fired!
Colin Neilson - January 5, 2012
Who was the first?
Fly Agaric - January 5, 2012
Byron Scott of NO
After we drubbed the Hornets in the playoffs by 58 points, the Hornets went 3-6 to start the next season and promptly fired him
Colin Neilson - January 6, 2012
who has insider? I have a feeling the nuggets are mentioned here
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story?page=PERDiem-120105&slug=nba-teams-real-let-investigate&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2fstory%3fpage%3dPERDiem-120105%26_slug_%3dnba-teams-real-let-investigate
TyLawesome - January 5, 2012
here ya go
Welcome back to the NBA, Minnesota. We missed you.
Although the Timberwolves lost a tight one to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, one of the takeaways from these opening days of the season is that Minnesota once again has a legitimate professional basketball team. Kevin Love has come back in better shape and looks like a bona fide superstar, nailing step-back 3s and ranking fourth in the NBA in PER. Rookie Derrick Williams looks like a long-term keeper, too; in fact, he has outplayed starter Michael Beasley and could get his job at some point.
And then there’s Ricky. Point guard Ricky Rubio has given new meaning to the term “Rickrolled,” wowing fans and critics alike with his supernatural passing skills. He’s averaging 10.1 dimes per 40 minutes and assisting on more than 40 percent of the possessions he uses; he’s also playing solid defense and is helping on the boards.
None of that comes as a big surprise, but this last, most important item is: He’s making shots. Rubio is at 52.6 percent from the field with a 63.4 TS%, nearly double what his translated European stats led us to expect from him. And this is the part that bears watching. Two years ago, a rookie with poor shooting numbers in Europe took the NBA by storm, raining a torrent of 3s on unsuspecting opponents. His name was Brandon Jennings, and he regressed to his previous baseline pretty quickly.
So let’s not proclaim Ricky’s shooting woes over based on 38 field goal attempts. But he doesn’t have to shoot like this to be a star; he just has to be non-awful. The rest of his game is that good. So far, the signs in that department are really encouraging.
As they are for the Wolves. Minnesota won only 17 games a year ago, but, if the Wolves ever stop playing Draft Failure Roulette at shooting guard, they might be a playoff team. They are a shocking 11th in defensive efficiency against a fairly difficult early schedule, and they have a positive scoring margin to boot.
In fact, don’t let that 2-4 record fool you; between their strong schedule and solid scoring margin, the Wolves rank 10th in my yet-be-released Power Rankings. I don’t think they’ll hold such a lofty perch all season, but just the fact they aren’t in the bottom five has to have Wolves fans singing hallelujah (and New Orleans Hornets fans crying into their chicory coffee).
As a result, Minnesota tops my list of early-season surprises — teams with results we might not take fully at face value just yet but that have strong starts that deserve more scrutiny going forward.
Here are six more:
Philadelphia 76ers:
Hint: When we launch the Power Rankings next week, don’t be surprised if the Sixers are a lot higher than you might expect. They might be only 3-2, but the Sixers have the league’s third-best scoring margin even though they have yet to play a home game.
Moreover, Philly is hearing positive answers to most of it preseason questions. Can Evan Turner take a step forward in Year 2? Apparently so, after he carved up the Hornets for 21 off the bench Wednesday night. Can the Sixers establish a perimeter game? They are shooting 40 percent on 3s even though their best shooter, Jodie Meeks, can’t buy a bucket right now. OK, it’s only 85 attempts as a team, but thus far Andre Iguodala and Louis Williams are flashing much better long-range games.
And finally, there’s the big question: Can Spencer Hawes be stopped? Actually, that wasn’t a preseason question many had, but Hawes seems intent on getting a big payday after signing for the qualifying offer this past summer. The 7-footer has been the Sixers’ best player thus far, averaging 13.0 points and filling his line with 11.4 boards, 3.6 dimes and 2.2 blocks.
Atlanta Hawks :
It appears I should have been more bullish on Atlanta entering this season. The Hawks are 4-2 with a road win in Miami already, and they were a free throw gag away from pulling off a near-impossible back-to-back road sweep of the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat. The schedule has been friendly, we should note — opening stretches don’t get any easier than the Hawks’ New Jersey Nets-Washington Wizards-New Jersey slate, and the gods are throwing them another bone tonight because it appears LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will be out.
Nonetheless, several aspects seem legit. Marvin Williams looks a thousand percent better at both ends; Jeff Teague has answered any lingering questions about his ability to be a full-time starter; and Atlanta’s piecemeal bench is unexpectedly killing it. Meanwhile, the Hawks are fourth in the NBA in defensive efficiency and have yet to surrender 100 points to an opponent; in particular, their increased use of zones left Miami befuddled.
Does this add up to a legit contender in the East? Not ready to go there yet; we’ve seen this group’s shortcomings before, and many of them came to the fore in the late collapse in Chicago. But Atlanta remains more relevant to the discussion than it seemed before the season.
Portland Trail Blazers:
I sung the Blazers’ praises a few days ago, and certainly their impressive 103-93 win in Oklahoma City did nothing to diminish their luster. As I mentioned, Portland has managed to up its tempo and improve its defense without sacrificing much offensively. Gerald Wallace has been a two-way force; Nic Batum appears to be adjusting to life as a sixth man; and LaMarcus Aldridge continues to play at an All-Star level.
There are warning sings lurking beneath the surface — Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas can’t possibly play this well all year, especially under this brutal schedule, and their guards need to make some more shots — but the Blazers have shown that, even without Brandon Roy and Greg Oden, they have a pretty potent squad. With expected contenders such as Dallas and Memphis looking a bit down, the door is open for Portland to snag a top-four seed.
Denver Nuggets:
The Nuggies showed off their depth Wednesday night, blowing away Sacramento even with Nene sitting out. As expected, the Mozgov-Koufos frontcourt proved unstoppable.
All kidding aside, the truly impressive part of Denver’s season has been its ability to play elite defense despite a frenetic pace. The Nuggets lead the league in pace factor and defensive efficiency, a combination that seems virtually impossible. But their depth and speed have left opponents flustered, and they’ve owned the glass, as well.
I’ve already spoken at length about the Nuggies, so I’ll keep this one brief, as well, but suffice it to say they’ve done nothing to diminish my expectation that they’ll be among the West’s top seeds.
Orlando Magic:
I’m not quite as bullish about Orlando as about the teams above, but it must be mentioned that the Dwight Howard distraction doesn’t seem to be affecting Howard’s play much, nor that of his team. Orlando is quietly 5-2, even though the Glen Davis trade looks disastrous and the Jason Richardson contract not much better.
Ready for the punch line? Howard doesn’t lead the team in PER. Newly instated power forward Ryan Anderson does; in fact he’s also the team’s leading scorer at 19.7 per game even though he plays only 31.1 minutes. Anderson is winging nearly eight 3-point attempts a game and converting 45.5 percent of them, making him a perfect frontcourt complement to Howard’s brute force on the interior.
One caveat is that Orlando’s defense is not where it’s been in past seasons, at least not yet. Despite a soft early slate, the Magic are tied for ninth in defensive efficiency. They’ve been a top-5 defense throughout the Dwight Howard-Stan Van Gundy era and aren’t well-equipped to win with just offense, especially if the guards keep firing blanks. Nonetheless, the solid start and Anderson’s breakout have to have the Magic a bit more encouraged about keeping their franchise center beyond this season. A bit.
Toronto Raptors:
Unlike the five previous teams on this list, Toronto will not be in the playoffs. Nonetheless, the Raptors’ reign as the league’s most permissive defense appears to be over. Operating with basically the same players who finished last in defensive efficiency a season ago, new coach Dwane Casey has them in the middle of the pack at 15th. Yes, the early schedule has been soft, but for the Raptors to show any spine at all on D is hugely newsworthy — and obviously speaks well for Casey.
The Raps have one other big surprise for us: the 3-point shooting of DeMar DeRozan. He made five triples all last season; he matched that total Wednesday night alone. For the season, he’s 10-of-16 from long range, after going an abysmal 5-for-52 in 2010-11. Using the 3 to add some efficiency to his high-volume game increases his value dramatically; we’ll be watching to see whether this is a fluke or something longer lived.
As with Minnesota, there is a giant chink in the armor — the fact Rasual Butler has started six games at small forward says all you need to know about that position in Toronto. Nonetheless, the Jose Calderon-Andrea Bargnani pick-and-roll combo is clicking and the Raps are a surprising 3-3 with a positive scoring margin. Consider this the first baby step on the road back to respectability.
swmrkev - January 5, 2012
we've owned the glass?
news to me.
Rainbow skyline - January 5, 2012
me too.
Patrick KB. Nugget - January 5, 2012
were 3rd in the league in DRR (defensive rebounding rate)
but 2nd to last in ORR. averages out to tied for 13th in the league
swmrkev - January 5, 2012
The low ORR is also due to the fact that we take and make a lot of shots at 5th in the league FG%, .505
Colin Neilson - January 5, 2012
also, play at the fastest pace and have the best defensive efficiency
if we could get shots to fall, this team will start blowing out very good teams
swmrkev - January 5, 2012
wow that was really long
swmrkev - January 5, 2012
thnx man
TyLawesome - January 5, 2012
i'm at the gym working out.
just thought you all desperately need to know this :)
Patrick KB. Nugget - January 5, 2012
Keep us posted on your diet and sleep regimen, too
We’re all on pins and needles here.
LongWindedHank - January 5, 2012
I'm making an entry in my log book now, thanks for the update.
NC Gold - January 5, 2012
Packed?
My gym was stuffed full of women on the cardio machines and doing aerobics classes yesterday. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds…
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
Who needs tomorrow when you have today!
Artimus Mangilord - January 6, 2012
Needed some rest yesterday.
Nate Timmons - January 6, 2012
Sup stiffs
I just when my soccer match 9-0 (Indoor) I got 4 goals and 3 dimes:) Now im sitting in the car while mom shops at costco!
One Nation
NUGGETNATION
United Nugget Nations - January 5, 2012 via mobile
just outta curiosity
how old are ya my man?
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
15 years young;)
United Nugget Nations - January 5, 2012 via mobile
Is that even allowed?
Guys. We need to stop with the swearing. And be way more subtle with the Gallo jokes.
Make this place PG all the way.
Fly Agaric - January 5, 2012
Hey
do you know how young I was when I discovered Max at night? Do you KNOW?!
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
Skinemax?
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
The Max network
they aired soft pornos back when I was a teenager, actually I asked my mom what lesbian sex was when I was 11.
Okay, you know what.. let us just.. forget it.
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
Yeah
That’s Skin-a-Max.
Man. I remember watching the scrambled porna channel when I was 13. Every now and then it’d clear up just enough to see some boob. Those were the days.
To this day, I’m still oddly aroused by scrambled signals.
Fly Agaric - January 5, 2012
Bahahahahaha
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
LOL!
love4nuggets - January 6, 2012
Yeah that's Cinemax = Skinemax
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
I didn't know it had a name
I just knew that if my mom walked in on me doing the thing, I’d have to pretend I was dead, because she knew what I would be up to if I pretended I was sleeping, she wouldn’t buy it.
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
Cinemax is a part of Showtime I think
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
PG-13 at minimum...
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
i know
i just realized that
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
UNN. Have you ever seen a grown man naked?
Or been to a Turkish prison?
margabelle - January 5, 2012
margabelle - January 5, 2012
nice my man
i was about 14 when i first started bloggin about the Nuggs… keep it up
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
Reppin da Nuggets all day errryydday!
United Nugget Nations - January 5, 2012 via mobile
Jeffery is a huge turn around
I remember he was a debbie downer, and now he is happier about this team than a bag of potato chips…
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
Wait, how can potato chips be
coming out of a Tostitos bag?
/mind blown
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Don't think about it
it will be best if you don’t think about it.
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
How can I not? It's like a universal paradox!
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Yes, I think Jeff's Optimism Warrior status is back.
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
So will we expect a weekly Optimism article?
I think Jeffery got lost amongst all the trade drama. Those Weekly Optimism’s were Jefferys best works in my opinion.
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
I'm sure he'll be getting some up soon.
He wont be able to contain his fandom!
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
Just showing that Melo can pass!
newsman35 - January 5, 2012
he threw an alley oop last night
decent one too
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
What excuses will they give if they lose to the Wizards
I used to hear those same excuses when Melo was on the Nuggets and Chauncey wasn’t here.
Its amazing that these new Nuggets don’t use any excuses. The transformation has been remarkable.
What team loses a “superstar” and not only gets better, but becomes borderline elite??? Utah, Phoenix, Cleveland, Toronto, and probably New Orleans are blowing chunks and it will be a while before they are even contending/ in the playoffs.
Somehow that magnificent bastard Masai Ujiri not only made the Nuggets competitive, but found a way to create a unselfish team that is fast paced and defensively oriented. We can also go big, small, fast, slow or any lineup a coach could dream of with good players at every position. I believe what Ujiri is doing is unprecedented. Can anyone else tell me a team that got better immediately after losing a “superstar”.
Even when the Lakers lost Shaq, it took them a while to get Gasol.
JR15 - January 5, 2012
Absolutely agree that Ujiri has been a HUGE factor in the team's success
newsman35 - January 5, 2012
the lakers became elite this year after they trade Odom....>.>
InboundingLobPass - January 5, 2012 via mobile
Odom aint a superstar and they have gotten worse for sure.
JR15 - January 6, 2012
The Blazers.
amlmart1 - January 6, 2012
Blazers lost Roy a while ago
I still think they are a good reg season team, but if your bigs are Camby and Kurt Thomas next to LMA you aren’t going far.
Lets be honest, good running team, but they will get destroyed inside. Plus Camby or Thomas just has to get out of bed the wrong way and they are down for the count.
JR15 - January 6, 2012
I don´t think they´ll get destroyed inside.
It´s the lack of a star what may kill both the Blazers and the Nuggets in playoffs. Star treatment is the signature of the NBA referees.
amlmart1 - January 6, 2012
Nuggets have future stars in Gallo and Ty
Blazers have LMA who will be a star too.
I just think Portland is too small to be taken seriously. Especially with Felton at the helm in the playoffs…I would rather have a veteran like Dre Miller 10/10 times in that situation.
Even if Moz/ Kouf reach half their potential we already have size, not to mention Nene, Faried, and Gallo.
JR15 - January 6, 2012
Andre Miller has never got his team out of the first round of the playoffs
The NBA es full of potencial but the’re only a short number of stars. The Blazers are thin at center, that’s right, but i still think its biggest problem is the lack of star status. Ty attacking the rim, getting fouled, no wistle, all against SA Spurs was the last example.
amlmart1 - January 8, 2012
Denver is holding its opponents to the lowest 3P% in the league - 24%
So even if we’re shooting a nauseating 26% from 3, we’re making our opponents shoot the 3 ball even worse.
Colin Neilson - January 5, 2012
How can we be making our opponents shoot poorly?
I mean our opponents have not be great thus far, even the Mavs stunk it up. I hate to think we are banking our future on the opponents shooting worse than we do.
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Solid defense? Closing out on the 3s?
Seriously, I can count on one hand how many times I’ve seen an opposing 3 shooter that didn’t have a Nugget flying at him or with a hand in his face.
Colin Neilson - January 5, 2012
Also, what?
That’s how you win. Make your opponent shoot worse than you do.
Colin Neilson - January 5, 2012
But my point is that sometimes
the shots don’t fall…I mean isn’t that what we’ve been saying about Rudy?
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
I'm not concerned about our shot not falling
As long as we keep up the excellent defense.
Colin Neilson - January 5, 2012
I feel like this is a chicken and egg debate...
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
But is that a matter of us making them miss, or them just being crappy 3 pt shooters?
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
see my reply above
JBnuggs - January 5, 2012
Lets see
Dallas – .315
Utah – .270
Portland – .345
Lakers – .248
Milwaukee – .253
Sacramento – .319
So they haven’t faced an “elite” 3p shooting team really, but they are still playing excellent perimeter defense.
Colin Neilson - January 5, 2012
I'm not discounting what you are saying.
I’m just trying to not get too excited that we are really affecting the 3pt shooting as much as your comment alluded to.
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Is this the Cat's way of saying
small sample size?
NC Gold - January 5, 2012
Not entirely SSS but maybe more
correlation is not causation?
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
you sound like my statistics professor
All Day Jay - January 5, 2012
we're running
It’s hard to shoot well when you’re fuckin tired.
InboundingLobPass - January 5, 2012 via mobile
I think its the pace of the game, and that by the middle of the second quarter the other team legs start to go which affects their outside shooting
newsman35 - January 5, 2012
Banking? I'm banking on denver to continue shutting down the opposition on the perimeter
NuGgEtBloOd - January 5, 2012
shoddy 3pt shooting must be contagious
JBnuggs - January 5, 2012
Gah
no sports games on tonight at all. Nor any good shows and im sick ughhhhhhhhhhhhh guess its Stiffs all night with a few breaks for some NHL12 =)
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
Anybody down for nba 2k12?
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
don't have it
but if ya got NHL12 ill play ya… or you can try to play me at least ;) kidding im not that good.
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
had it
til my puppy got ahold of it. I got nba, madden, mw3, battlefield 3, and a couple others
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
damn
i woulda been extremely pissed. did you like the game?
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
i loved it
and i was pissed. but my puppy put on this inoocent little face and i couldnt be mad. i hate him!
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
What kind of puppy?
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
6 month old
chocolate lab
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
Awwwwwwww
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
he is soooo adorable
but such an asshole!
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
Labs cannot be assholes
What are you doing wrong?
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
he pissed on my bed at 6am
and he thinks my ears are his chew toys. I love him though because he was downright mean to my ex
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
hahaha
i know the feeling. I won Madden 11 on 104.3 the Fan and about the 4th time i played it i knocked my xbox over and ringed it. But yes NHL12 is probably my favorite game of all time.
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
2k12 is mine
Create a legend with JR Smith. then i have create a player and got MVP my rookie year with the magic
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
I need to get that
I’m still rockin 2K11 with MJ on the Nuggs….pretty awesome except AAA never gets any PT!
JBnuggs - January 5, 2012
when you do
let me know
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
will do
JBnuggs - January 5, 2012
hell yea
did the same with NHL created my own pro. Got him from a 68 to start up to an 85 in about 3 seasons. It was time consuming but well worth it
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
nhl
got my guy from a 62 to 79 in 2 seasons. NBA, i got my created guy from a 59 to 88 in a season and a half. averaging 49 and 19 with him in my second season playing alongside Howard
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
hahaha dayum
thats prettty good
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
I am a beast in the post
but dont ask me to play point. I can play 2 guard with JR and SF with a couple, but not point
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
all i can play is the Guard position on that game
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
see
Now we just gotta team up. you play 1 or 2 guard? I got a buddy who cant play anything but point
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
sounds good to me
if i ever get the game =)
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
what are you waiting for?
get to gamestop. I think its still $35 this week. my gamertag is the same as my screen name here
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
hmmmmmm
possibly wait 2k11 or 2k12?
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
2k12
still on sale from after christmas
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
word ill check it out
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
Manimal is a beast in 2k12 btw
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
WE WANT MANIMAL!!!!.....oh...wait...
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
his rating went from 61 yesterday morning
to 66 today. Gotta love him getting minutes
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
Heat v Hawks then Lakers and Blazers on TNT
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
I can only watch TNT basketball
if its the Nuggets.
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
Just saying there are some sporting events on:)
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
gracias
can’t stand lookin at Bron or Kobe unless i really hafta =) NHL will suffice
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
I'm excited for that Lakers vs Portland game.
Not sure why. Wouldn’t mind seeing the Knicks get beat either…
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
I would be more excited for it
if there was a way for both of them to lose.
NC Gold - January 5, 2012
Meteor....just sayin'
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Why is Batman and Robin sitting out vs the Hawks tonight?
The U.N. Fab Five - January 5, 2012
see bottom on thread
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
Thanks hadn't got that far yet
I like to go thru the comments as I join the party. Some stiffs crack me up. I also forgot how much Ive missed chatting with every one here
The U.N. Fab Five - January 5, 2012
haha
i know what you mean JR2.
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
Man,
I’m going to the bar. My favorite bar in all of Denver is getting shut down because of new owners.
Such BS.
Fly Agaric - January 5, 2012
Which bar is that?
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
which bar?
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
I'm watching the LeBron/Wade-less Heat play the Hawks on TNT. Not a bad game. Heat looking ok, for now.
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
Do you think the Pacers or Hawks end up with a better record this year?
I think the Pacers get the 3 seed.
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
Hawks
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
Bulls
Hawks might slide into the 2nd seed. They are playing well
REAPtheThird - January 5, 2012
REAP
whats up brotha! How ya been? Anyways I bet the East finishes like this:
Bulls
Heat
Hawks
Magic
Pacers
Celtics
Sixers
Knicks
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
Yo yo
Not the Duncan kind either.
Umm…3 kids and 3 jobs = little time for Stiffs blog. However, I did find time to go to the game last night. 6 rows up, center court. Boom.
I was up in the Fort today for work. I love that place.
REAPtheThird - January 5, 2012
wow, busy man
great steal on the tix last night though
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
It was nice
Packaging sales/Pastor/Used car broker/Husband and father of 3 kids under 5
By the way, I just got my dealer’s license if you need a sweet deal from the auctions. OR, just let me know what you want, and I’ll let you know what you should pay for it. My buddy was going to buy a 2010 Kia for 13,500, I told him it was going for 8,500 at auction, they sold it to him for 9k. I only asked for a bottle of Scotch in return for saving him $4,500
Anyways, yeah Nuugets!
REAPtheThird - January 5, 2012
I would man
but im going to be out of country on business for most of february and when im done, I might relocate to Peru. Will keep you in mind for family and friends though
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
Ya I just got a HHR for work
Offered 7500 for it. It was listed at 11500 but the seller was “widowed” and getting rid of everything she no longer needed. I guess it was an estate sale of sort. She took my offer after no one else even looked at it for a week. It blue booked at 11700.
The U.N. Fab Five - January 5, 2012
damn im near Denver now
But we need to stop at cafe mexicali again. GL with all your stuff my man
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
Hawks are pretty deep. So are the Pacers, but Indy has some young parts at key spots.
I think the East goes:
1.) Miami
2.) Bulls
3.) Hawks
Not sure after that…
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
Actually, I could see the Hawks in the 4, 5 too...they are an odd team.
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
I expect the hawks at 4
1.) Heat
2.) Bulls
3.) Magic
4.) Hawks
5.) Pacers
6.) Knicks
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
I think
this year, the Hawks could challenge the Bulls and Heat at the top. The Magic…er, not that impressed this year.
REAPtheThird - January 5, 2012
Minus Ryan anderson
guy has really stepped up since getting the starting nod
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
I love his game
So does Hollinger, btw
REAPtheThird - January 5, 2012
I liked him last year
I knew he would be damn good if he got minutes. I like how he developed an inside game too
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
Pacers
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
whats wrong with PrimaBron and
Wade?
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
Ankle for LeBron, twisted it last night.
Not sure about Wade, likely same thing?
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
Bruised foot
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
word thanks
If i missed a hockey game for a twisted ankle my coach would bench me for 2 more. These players need to learn to suck it up a bit.
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
Barkley is actually doing commentary with Reggie Miller and the usual pro doing play by play.
It’s pretty good.
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
I just noticed that lol
never knew he did color commentary
moondoggie12 - January 5, 2012
Barkley's a smart fellow he follows the three R's
Reading, Writing and ’Rithmetic.
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
I liked what I saw in Demarre Carroll last night
Don’t know too much about him. He’s a bit raw, but seems like he got some good ball sense and decent upside potential
newsman35 - January 5, 2012
DC is the best tacos we have ever had
That should be his upside at this point
JR15 - January 5, 2012 via mobile
not including chipotles
i haven’t even seen a taco bell here so don’t know what i’d do at 110
newsman35 - January 5, 2012
Lotta BS'ing here tonight...
Perfect.
CombatChuk - January 5, 2012
This is what happens
when there is no game :(.
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Yup
The only Nuggets related thing I’ve done tonight is trying to workout a way that I can make it to “Stiffs Night Out” in a couple of weeks…
CombatChuk - January 5, 2012
these are the best threads though!
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
I agree
Golden Nuggets thread are so much more laid back then they were a year ago…
CombatChuk - January 5, 2012
Melo is a selfish diva!
Sorry, just got nostalgic….
margabelle - January 5, 2012
for all those interested....
if anybody has ever wanted to dunk a basketball or get just a couple extra inches of vert, try this. I could dunk before but now its much easier and I just started the third week.
Complete 40 jump squats 3 days a week, resting for 3 seconds between each rep. In week 2, increase to 70 jump squats. During the third week, add 5 pounds of weight and continue to complete 70 reps.
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
I want to start dunking again!
Can’t dunk a regular ball really, dumb hands. But I will be doing these. Thanks.
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
you are welcome
since dec 20, i was doing these and running 4 miles 4 times a week. Got to get back into fighting shape! might attempt a run from where i am down to around albertsons and back tomorrow
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
I'll do this.
For a second, I though you were going to recommend shoes or a nutritional product.
I double checked the handle even. Ha ha.
So if I start now, I’ll be dunking again by February? It’s been years.
Fly Agaric - January 5, 2012
I CAN STILL DUNK!
Sorry, just really hanging on to my pride with this one. Won’t be long now… maybe these exercises will prolong my youth!! Haha
love4nuggets - January 6, 2012
So I got a Nuggets outfit for my daughter...
She’s totally into the Nuggets, especially when she waited for a game to be over (by 2 minutes) before she sent my wife into labor…
CombatChuk - January 5, 2012
Does your wife have Nugs gear?
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Indeed she does (Just a shirt)
CombatChuk - January 5, 2012
Bank on it she’ll be dancing in the can at halftime in the future?
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
OT: I'm watching Restaurant Impossible (recorded last night)
Love this show. They re-did Sullivan’s Grill in Fruita, CO – pretty good thus far. Food network is the bomb.com!
Nate Timmons - January 5, 2012
I watch a lot chef Ramsey's he's hilarious.
I always feel like chef Irvine should/could just tear someone’s arms out of their sockets…. but he never does :( dude must bench 500+
InboundingLobPass - January 6, 2012 via mobile
Ya, he's a big dude. Really nice though...it's funny.
Nate Timmons - January 6, 2012
barkley just stopped short of making a prediction
but sounds like he’s on the nuggies bandwagon again.
Rainbow skyline - January 5, 2012
He’s been with us since the trade went down.
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
I always noticed that he slights Melo indirectly A Lot...
I think he likes the fact that this Nuggets “team” is more “team” then before
The U.N. Fab Five - January 5, 2012
he also likes teams
that are hard, tough, and play defense.
moondoggie12 - January 6, 2012
He jumps on and off the bandwagon
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
He back peddles, but glad to see him on our side.
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
I think hedging
Is totally understandable. Circumstances change. Some things you don’t know. I had a good sense about this team from the get-go. But anything can happen.
I change my mind about everything all of the time.
Fly Agaric - January 5, 2012
Are you sure?
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Of course not
Fly Agaric - January 5, 2012
Are you sure about that?
SDcat09 - January 5, 2012
Wow did you'll just see the non end to the Heat -Hawks game
bosh just hit a 3 with a half second left to tie the game
The U.N. Fab Five - January 5, 2012
Bosh and the Miami Raptors.
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
and the toronto nuggets
Army of Nugs - January 5, 2012
sac town getting crushed by the bucks
looks like firing westphal didnt do a whole lot
swmrkev - January 5, 2012
Check the score one more time.
Mr. Rockie - January 6, 2012
i stand corrected
they were down 20 in the first half though
swmrkev - January 6, 2012
Portland and Us at the 1 and 2.
Media can’t handle it.
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
portland looks a little too good
I don’t like it.
Rainbow skyline - January 5, 2012
I don’t wanna sound messed up, so I’ll avoid any “arrow to the knees” references here.
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
Little known NBA secret
Greg Monroe of the Detroit Pistons as a center is posting 15-9 numbers, with a 24.3 PER…
I wouldn’t mind him as our starting 5 for the right price.
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
detroit has been exceptionally charitable to us over the years.
Rainbow skyline - January 5, 2012
God Bless Joe Dumars, but he’s a keeper for them.
Kevin L - January 5, 2012
isnt he only like
6’9 tho?
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
he is listed at 6'11 according to Espn
and by Yahoo
CloudBurst - January 5, 2012
interesting
i thought out of college he was listed at 6’9… i’d be down to add him but have no idea what we’d hafta give up
NastyNessy71 - January 5, 2012
It could be that
He’s listed at 6’11" but really only 6’9". This happens sometimes.
>_cough_< Nene >_cough_<
Not that I even really know. But we’ve all heard things.
Fly Agaric - January 5, 2012
formatting fail.
I quit.
Fly Agaric - January 5, 2012
Still a Georgetown Big.
He’s legit good.
Kevin L - January 6, 2012
i can't believe the Heat still won the game without their stars
In triple OT no less.
InboundingLobPass - January 6, 2012 via mobile
Still had this guy.
Kevin L - January 6, 2012
ATL
Is turrible as Chuck says.
JR15 - January 6, 2012 via mobile
When Nene is back
Who think K2 ought to start at center?
I do.
Fly Agaric - January 6, 2012
Debatable, but I'd still go with Mozgov
Koufos is more of a feel-good story, but Mozgov has more potential to be a consistently effective big man. Some of these random floaters and runners Koufos is putting up don’t give me enough hope for his development long-term. He’ll always be a hustler and definitely has value, but I think I agree with the Nuggets organization that Moz has the higher ceiling. That being said, Moz has got to get some confidence on both sides of the court. He’s not going to develop into anything if he can’t stay on for at least 25 min. per game.
RoxWS2014 - January 6, 2012
Even when Nene is back, I'd like to see Kouf and Moz in....
…. at the same time at times. There was one play in particular where, I think it was Thornton, drove and met a soccer wall of Moz and Kouf with their arms straight in the air, and when he tried to bail, he threw the ball to a Nugget for a fast break basket. That was an impressive defensive presence in the lane.
margabelle - January 6, 2012
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