SB Nation - Melvin Hunt

2012 NBA Summer League: Nuggets lose to Warriors, SL is Disneyland for hoops head

Nate Timmons — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 02:14:20 -0000

Before we get to the game, if you've ever considered going to Las Vegas for Summer League ... you should do it. I got a chance to catch up with Kim Hughes (a former Nuggets player from 1978-80 and assistant coach), Josh Kroenke, Masai Ujiri, George Karl, and Melvin Hunt. Sitting with Karl, Kroenke, Ujiri, and Chandler was Arron Afflalo and free agent Anthony Randolph. I asked Kroenke what Randolph was doing sitting with them and he told me, just a lot of people here.

And Kroenke is right. OJ Mayo was on hand and I witnessed former Nuggets beat reporter Marc Spears pick his brain just before he sent a Tweet saying Mayo was drawing interest from the Lakers, Bulls, Suns, and Mavericks. I've always been a big fan of Spears' work and was lucky enough to attend a game with him back when I was in college -- to see the world of an NBA beat reporter. Also on hand, former Nuggets star Nick Van Exel (who came over to talk with Hughes), Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins, Warriors coach Mark Jackson, Rockets coach Kevin McHale, Raptors coach Dwyane Casey and Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, and many more.

This NBA Nerd was at Disneyland for the day, the hoops version. I also got to hang out for a bit with Charlie from Roundball Mining Company, fun talking Nuggets with him and he alerted me to the fact that Julyan Stone wasn't on the court ... no wonder the Nuggets' offense looked so lost. I was so busy seeing NBA faces that I forgot about Stone, a key guy I was looking forward to watching ...

... on to the game after the jump.

I liked the ball pressure that rookie Evan Fournier displayed. He came up with a couple quick early steals and one led to a fast-break dunk. He didn't hesitate to shoot the ball and even buried his first three-pointer of the day, but when on to miss his next four.

His first NBA action came today and he described his performance. "It wasn't bad, of course I was disappointed we lost, but I know I can do a lot better." said Fournier.

His defense on the ball was impressive, but I wanted to know what he is going to be working to do on the offensive end. "Make a shot. I missed a couple threes and I'm not happy about that. I'm just getting used to the way we play." said Fournier. And defensively, "I can do better, I was just getting warmed up." said Fournier.

Fournier was looking to make cuts, without the ball, to the hoop and with the ball, he was looking to attack. He likes to draw contact on his drives, but was bodied a bit more than he might be used to today. He did have a pretty tear drop shot that showed people why he mirrors his game after Manu Ginobili. His ability to finish in the lane might be the way he forces his way onto the floor some day. Very interested to see more of Fours, he finished the game 3-8 shooting for 10 points.

The Nuggets' offense was sending two wings into the corners every time down the floor. Fournier, Quincy Miller, and Jordan Hamilton all took turns in that position on offense. Hamilton, one of the "veterans" on this summer squad, led the team in scoring with 18 points. He worked on his long range game, 2-5 from deep, his floaters around the paint, and had a thunderous dunk that showed off his improved leaping ability.

Being the veteran, he wasn't terribly happy about how his team played. "It was fun in the first half," said Hamilton. "The second half we kind of took a beating, we missed some shots we should have made. Once we get in the lane we got to make some better decisions. I think tomorrow will be a much better day."

Hamilton had some ice on his left wrist after the game, but nothing that should bother him the rest of the week.

Kenneth Faried wasn't available to talk to the media, he left the locker room area with trainer Steve Hess and Faried said on his way out that his back tightened up on him a little bit. He should be able to keep playing, but we'll find out tomorrow if he does. He finished 4-15 from the field for 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots. Two of his blocks came back-to-back and got the crowd on their feet.

Faried didn't take too many jumpers and was trying to beat people to the rim and explode over them, versus getting in the post and making some moves there. We'll see what he does with the next four games in Vegas.

Quincy Miller played 21 minutes and had an up-and-down performance. He finished 3-8 shooting for 6 points and displayed some nice rebounding and shooting touch. He disappeared a bit on offense, just waiting around on the outside and it'd be nice to see him mix it up inside. He also had the ball stolen from him when he attempted to drive the lane and go one on two. Still adjusting for Miller and we'll see how he responds the rest of the week.

Izzet Turkyilmaz displayed some shooting touch. The skinny rookie went 2-3 on the day and hit a long jumper. He was shooting threes before the second half and took one in the game, the crowd let out an, "Aww" when it didn't go in. He has some skills, but plays on the perimeter a bit too much right now. He also had some post moves, but the strong bodies might be discouraging him.

Got a chance to visit with Chu Chu Maduabum a bit. He said of Bismack Biyombo and his budding rivalry via Twitter, "He called me out too. He called me on the phone. I still told him I was going to go at him. When I saw him yesterday he told me, 'Get ready, it's going to be war.'" Chu Chu will wait to see how summer league plays out before deciding where to play next season.

The Players on Las Vegas:

"It has been all basketball. We haven't even got a chance to see the city yet. We're too tired, we've got two a days ... it's all running." said Maduabum.

Fournier, had this to say about not being able to gamble in Vegas, "I don't care man, I'm here for the basketball." said Evan Fournier with a laugh.

And Hamilton plans to take it easy in Vegas. "Just hang out in my room. My mom and dad get here today. I got a kitchen in there and I'm going to have them cook some food up and just hang out."

The transformation of the Nuggets' Jordan Hamilton

Nate Timmons — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:01:38 -0000

"I don't want to have happen what happened to me last year," said Jordan Hamilton. "I want to be able to get on the court."

And in order to get on the court, Hamilton had to dedicate himself to basketball this summer. He had to give up the fancy trips to Las Vegas, Miami, California, and all the other places that his peers travel.

"I figured my vacation would be in the gym, getting better every single day," Hamilton said. "I want to be in here, working hard."

And "here" is Denver, where Hamilton has stayed since the 2011-12 season ended. Jordan has been improving his game on the floor by, in part, changing his body off of it.

"We're trying to recreate his foundation," said Nuggets trainer Steve Hess.

The old foundation was one that Nuggets head coach George Karl referred to as a "pudgy body". Karl, a coach who likes to strike a certain kind of fear into his players, remembered a time when he uttered similar words to a former rookie, turned All-Star.

"I remember saying the same words to Michael Redd when I was in Milwaukee," Karl said. "I said to Michael, I'm not going to talk to you until I see you with your shirt off and you look like you know what you're doing."

Redd only appeared in six games for the Bucks in his rookie season. In those six games, he only averaged 5.8 minutes and 2.2 points. Likely statistics for a middle-of-the-road second-round pick, but Karl saw something in Redd that led him to believe he could be more.

"Michael, I think he played 50 minutes his first year," said Karl. "But we knew in that year that he'd be playing for us the next year."

And sure enough, Redd turned in a surprising sophomore season for the Bucks. He appeared in 67 games, played roughly four times as many minutes per game with 21.1, scored 11.4 points per game, and shot 44% from three-point land (with 3.0 attempts per game). Three seasons after his rookie campaign, Redd made the All-Star team and was on his way to a fine career (stunted by injuries since then).

Like Redd, Hamilton didn't see much playing time as a rookie. "We like to look at him as a red-shirt, like college," said Nuggets assistant coach Melvin Hunt. "He was doing an independent study on NBA basketball this year."

A star player at Dominguez High School in Compton, California, and a major scoring threat at the University of Texas - Hamilton wasn't accustomed to sitting on the bench. "It was tough for me, but I got to see basketball from a different angle. I learned a lot, watching guys with different moves and things like that."

In the 2011 draft, Hamilton was the No. 26 pick of the Dallas Mavericks and was traded to the Nuggets as part of a three-team deal involving Raymond Felton and Andre Miller. Some would consider a late first-round pick to be a throw in, but in Hamilton's case that isn't true. He was once a Top 15 high school recruit and after his time at Texas, he was slated to be a mid first-round pick. But rumors swirled that Hamilton could be difficult to coach and and a result he dropped in the draft. If he was going to be troublesome, it would be evident during his extended time on the Nuggets' bench.

"He was great," said Hunt. "It's funny, we're in a tightly contested series with the Lakers (in the 2012 playoffs) and we were still coaching him. He was not our focus at that time, but during the course of the game you would see a coach whisper in his ear or he would whisper in a coach's ear. He was watching certain players, how they were able to get free. He was watching some of their mistakes."

Hamilton did see some time on the floor as a rookie and he got a few chances to show that what he was learning was paying off both on the bench and in practice. Like the night of Feb. 22^nd when he scored 18 points in Los Angeles, his hometown, against the Clippers. The Nuggets lost that game 103-95, but Hamilton's 6-11 shooting performance (4-5 from downtown) almost brought his team back. But with success comes learning experiences. The next night in Denver (Feb. 23^rd), Hamilton played 27 minutes and missed on all seven of his shot attempts.

Hamilton wanted badly to be on the court, like fellow rookie Kenneth Faried. However, veteran Corey Brewer helped keep Hamilton glued to the bench. Karl trusted Brewer and needed guys he could count on, as the Nuggets were in a playoff push. So, how could Hamilton get on the court? He not only needed to gain the confidence of his coach; he needed to dedicate himself to being a professional in the NBA.

So, as Hamilton said, his vacation would be staying in Denver. He would work with Steve Hess in the mornings to sculpt his body, and after that, he'd turn himself over to the coaches and run countless drills on the basketball court.

"I come in every day around 8:00 a.m. until about 9:30 a.m. (with Steve Hess) and after that I work on basketball from about 9:30 a.m. until about 11:00 a.m.; I'm in here for awhile," said Hamilton.

So, what's a summer program with Hess like? Who better to explain it than the man himself!

"We're trying to get his aerobic fitness powered up and we're trying to get his anaerobic powered up as well," said Hess. "We want to work on all the different components of fitness, and because we have an extended period over the summer we're able to do that systematically. We're attacking every different system he has. For example: it's not just strength training, it's not just flexibility, it's not just explosive power, and it's not just aerobic training. It's a combination of the whole thing."

"So we do things like take him up to Red Rocks (Amphitheatre). We'll do yoga, we'll do pool work for recovery, we'll do sprint work, we'll do sled pushing and a ton of different things," said Hess.

That could get you tired from just reading about it. The temptation to skip a workout has to be on Hamilton's mind.

"He (Hamilton) hasn't missed one workout," said Hess. "He pre-prepares which is a big thing for me. When guys come in pre-prepared, they know we're going to go to work; it makes my job a thousand-percent easier. He has taken an incredibly professional role in how we're going to get this done."

And the results are stunning. "His body has changed, it's amazing to see," said Hunt.

"You got this dude lifting up his shirt and he's like, ‘Yo, I can see two abs,' when before he had a keg," said Hess. "His body fat is down to nine-percent from 13-percent and he's dropped down from 240 pounds to about 229 pounds. His standing jump is going up, his vertical is going up, his agility, and everything we've tested is slowly improving."

The potential rookies that came to Denver, for workouts leading up to the NBA draft, did not carry themselves with the confidence that Hamilton possesses. Yes, they were in an unfamiliar place and among unfamiliar faces, but they looked like children in comparison with Hamilton. His confidence has risen as his body and game have been maturing. Physically, he looks like an UFC fighter who plays basketball. Hamilton drains jumpers on the practice court with ease, his release quick and his shooting mechanics always the same.

The Nuggets opened their practice gym doors to a few former collegiate players hoping to catch on with teams overseas next season. Hamilton shared half the court with them as they participated in the same shooting drills. One former collegiate player came off a screen, received the pass from a coach, and launched his jumper ... too long and off the back of the rim. Hamilton's turn, he glides through the same drill and he sank the shot with ease.

"Every day it's repetition. I'm tightening up my jumper, mid-range game, and getting to the basket. Coach wants guys to be able to stretch the floor," Hamilton said. "I think that me, (Arron) Afflalo, Ty (Lawson), (Danilo) Gallinari, all these guys - we can all shoot the ball, we can definitely spread the defenses."

Hamilton said, though his mechanics haven't changed, that he has been watching film on Ray Allen. He is trying to learn how the veteran sharp-shooter is able to get his shots off so quickly and maintain such high accuracy. Hunt said they also have him watching film on Oklahoma City's James Harden, as they believe he, too, can attack the rim.

When asked if he has been chatting with other NBA shooters for advice, Hamilton said, "I mainly watch film. I'm a visual guy, so when I see somebody do something I'm going to try to copy it. I'm just going to come in for hours at a time and work on that."

Hamilton is preparing for a larger role in the upcoming 2012-13 season with the Nuggets. He has been putting in the time, the "sweat-equity" as Hunt calls it, to get himself ready physically and mentally. There isn't a lot of room on the Nuggets' roster to add new faces and Karl has been calling Hamilton the team's first round pick.

But Hamilton is a "first-round pick" with a chance to be a part of the regular rotation. Karl has been fond of the former rookie for quite some time. "Coach (Karl) has some big time confidence in this guy; we put him in games and ran a play for him," Hunt said. "How many rookies this year had plays run for them, other than Kyrie Irving and a couple of others?"

Always looking to motivate, Karl was more tight-lipped on his plans for Hamilton next season. "I'm not quite there to say Jordan will play for us next year, but we're excited about him," said Karl. Some may see that as a damning statement of Karl's refusal to turn his team over to younger players, but Hamilton is hopeful his hard work will pay off.

"Wherever I fit in, I'll come off the bench, whatever Coach (Karl) needs me to do," said Hamilton. "I said this year (2011-12) I was one of the better shooters on the team, but next year I plan on taking on a better role as being a better basketball player. I definitely learned a lot from last year."

And as much as Hamilton needs his place with the Denver Nuggets, it's the Nuggets' team that also needs Hamilton. There will be minutes available on the wing for Karl's squad. A scorer and consistent shooter are what Karl has been begging for, to anyone who will listen. Hamilton has put in the work to be Karl's answer - both a scorer and a consistent shooter.

"The summer time is a time when you overhaul a guy," said Hunt. "You break him down and you rebuild him."

Hamilton, with the help of the training staff and coaching staff, has been rebuilt. And he's ready to show the NBA world what all of his hard work has done for his game.

Nate_Timmons on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Nate_Timmons
ntimmons73@yahoo.com

Quincy Miller poses interesting dilemma for Nuggets

Nate Timmons — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 22:35:46 -0000

There are two ways you can view the Nuggets upcoming first-round pick. One, take the player you think has the best shot to become something special with a little seasoning. Two, draft a player that might fit into your team right now. Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated doesn't have Quincy Miller going in the first round in his latest Mock Draft. Could the Nuggets get lucky and snag Miller with the No. 38 pick? Not likely.

So, the dilemma ... draft Miller at No. 20 and hope that his potential is real or ... go a different route. Whatever the Nuggets decide to do (and the smokescreen they are creating is a fantastic one), Quincy Miller will be hard to pass up.

If have yet to watch some Miller highlights, you should take a moment and watch the ones on Draft Express here. At first you'll fall in love with his game. He has that silky shooting motion, a plethora of moves around the paint, and the length to be a solid rebounder and shot blocker. One could draw quick comparisons to Kevin Durant, even Miller himself says that he mirrors his game after the man he calls "KD".

But later in the "highlights", Miller's low-lights are also shown. His body doesn't yet have the strength to battle the big guys down low, his shooting form can lead to inconsistent nights, and he isn't totally comfortable with his own body, yet. Do the Nuggets have the luxury to take a gamble on a guy with a team in need of a little more? Would the Detroit Pistons have been better off taking Carmelo Anthony over Darko Milicic? Potential can be a dangerous temptation.

Miller played his part for the media, answering questions about his knee (he tore his ACL his Senior year of high school), and saying he wanted to be a Denver Nugget. Miller didn't wear any sort of knee brace at his workout today and he did seem very sincere when he said he hopes he winds up in the powder blue.

Quincy was kind enough to field some questions from me. My questions are bold below.

Nate: Where are you going to watch the NBA Draft and who are you going to be with?

Quincy: I'm not sure, I haven't decided yet. I might go to New York or I might just stay home.

Nate: Where do you learn your post moves, you have that nice up and under?

Quincy: I watch a lot of KD (Kevin Durant) because that's one of KD's signature moves. It was in college (at Texas), his double step up-and-under. I watch a lot of different post moves, so if I do one post move I have the counter to it. I know a lot of counters and a lot of post moves.

Nate: On an off day, if you do come to Denver, what can your fans find you doing?

Quincy: Probably playing a game or I'd probably be at a water park, like Six Flags, or playing videogames, or going out to eat.

Nate: Favorite TV show or movie growing up?

Quincy: Favorite movie growing up was ... this is a good one, Lion King. And now my favorite movie is 300. And my favorite show is Family Guy. I love watching Family Guy, it's funny to me.

Nate: Do you plan on wearing a certain number in the NBA?

Quincy: Whatever number I get drafted. Either that or I'll wear my sister's number that passed away. She wore No. 22.

I thought it was a great tribute for Miller to wear his sister's number. He had on No. 22 today at the workout in honor of Keisha Miller, who passed away in a car accident in 2005 at the age of 17.

Miller grew up in Chicago, Illinois, but wound up moving to North Carolina to get away from some bad influences in his life and to pursue basketball. He said he talked with George Karl about Carolina and joked that Ty Lawson was putting a bug in Masai Ujiri's ear for the Nuggets to draft the Baylor kid.

I got a good feeling from Miller. He was very gracious, honest, and happy to chat with whoever wanted to speak with him. One can't help but to think where he would be drafted if he went back to Baylor for a Sophomore season and I'm sure that's a question the Nuggets brass are thinking about. This kid has his pick of colleges, Duke among them, and could be a real steal for the Nuggets. The major sticking point is that with Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Jordan Hamilton, and Corey Brewer looking for minutes - where would Miller play? Luckily for us, we don't have to make those tough calls.

If Ujiri can figure out a way to keep the No. 20 pick and get Quincy Miller with perhaps a late first-round pick (a la Kenneth Faried No. 22 and Jordan Hamilton No. 26), then the Nuggets might be walking away with another brilliant draft.

Quincy Miller (center) showed he's healthy and talented.

Ujiri now knows he's Batman:

I was talking with Nuggets assistant coach Melvin Hunt when this exchange occurred. Masai Ujiri was walking over towards us, I told Hunt that our readers (you!) at Denver Stiffs call him, "Batman". When he asked why I told him it's because he is secretive and strikes when nobody is looking. When Ujiri came over, Hunt relayed that nickname to the GM and Masai acted shocked and said he wasn't secretive and that, "I'm right here." Hunt told him, "That's just your Bruce Wayne!"

2012 NBA Draft: Nuggets workout six prospects

Nate Timmons — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:22:51 -0000

This morning the Denver Nuggets worked out Will Barton from Memphis, Austin Dufault from Colorado, Kevin Murphy from Tennessee Tech, Andrew Nicholson from St. Bonaventure, Tyshawn Taylor from Kansas, and Marquis Teague from Kentucky.

Royce White's (Iowa State) workout has been rescheduled.

Upon entering the practice court at the Pepsi Center, the six prospects were just finishing up a little scrimmage - all decked out in the powder blue, gold, and white. Sitting across the floor in a row of folding chairs, acting as court-side seats, sat Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke, general manager Masai Ujiri, and head coach George Karl.

It'll be up to the three men, and perhaps a few others, to decide which players the Nuggets will select with the Nos. 20, 38, and 50 picks in the June 28th NBA Draft. Certainly not an easy decision and a nearly impossible one with the current Nuggets roster.

With Ty Lawson and Julyan Stone under contract and manning the point guard postion, could the Nuggets really select Marquis Teague or Tyshawn Taylor? Where would Will Barton fit into the wing rotation that is loaded with Arron Afflalo, Jordan Hamilton, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and Corey Brewer? It would seem to make the most sense for the Nuggets to go after a big man, perhaps a versatile and intelligent player like Andrew Nicholson - who could stretch the floor a bit for Kenneth Faried, JaVale McGee, and the Nuggets' attacking style.

There will be more workouts to come this week as the Nuggets brass seeks to find the best fits for their team. It'll be hard to imagine that they'll bring in a better bunch of characters than the ones on hand today. These rookies have been traveling from city-to-city, answering boring question after boring questions about how their game will translate, how much they want to win, and if they could see themselves playing for Team X, Y, or Z. Surely these guys have been studying how to handle the media, so why not lob out some (hopefully) off the wall questions and see if these guys are ready ... (my questions are bolded below, I didn't get a chance to chat with Kevin Murphy or Austin Dufault)

Tyshawn Taylor: The Senior point guard out of Kansas seems like more of a thinker than he probably gets credit for. He, like me, grew up in a house full of women and was the older brother to two sisters. Responsibility is something he has known from a young age and basketball was a place for him to escape the burdens of his childhood.

When asked if playing for the Nuggets was a good fit, Taylor said, "For sure, they get up and down. They play fast. Coach (George) Karl let's them guard and make plays. I would love to be in a position like that, where the ball is in my hands and I can create for my teammates."

When Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post asked Taylor what position he could see himself playing in the NBA, he didn't hesitate when he called out "point guard". Taylor is a kid who is used to being in charge and relishes the opportunity to prove himself in the NBA.

He's thinking he'll be selected between No. 20 - No. 40. Could the Nuggets get a little lucky and grab Taylor at No. 38? And Taylor doesn't think his moves on the court will be the deciding factor on where he is selected as much as who he is, "I think they want to see what kind of person I am, what kind of character I have."

And for The_NGUYENNER, Taylor sees himself like a Ty Lawson, "I watched Ty, at (North) Carolina. The way he gets up and forces the tempo, that's kind of how I want to play. To be in a program like this (Nuggets) where they get up and down, I think that would fit my abilities really well."

Tyshawn talked at length after the workout with assistant coach Melvin Hunt, showed off some outside shooting for the cameras, and was still waiting to have a chat with coach Karl - which was scheduled after the workout. I was impressed with the way Taylor spoke and the confidence he has, he may not have scouts drooling over his potential because he was a Senior, but he seems destined for success.

Marquis Teague: You can't help but to see the youth in Teague's face. He has those soft Allen Iverson eyes and hasn't been beaten down by the media quite yet, as he was only a Freshman at Kentucky last season. Teague knows that stressing his defense is his biggest asset at the moment - defense and potential. It didn't take his brother long (Jeff Teague) to take over the starting gig with the Atlanta Hawks, and some think this younger brother has a brighter future.

I don't think anyone would come to Denver and claim they didn't like to play a fast-paced style. Teague was no different. He stressed his quick play ability and defensive prowess. He also stated that he probably needs to show people that he can hit shots from the outside on a consistent basis.

George Karl would probably deny it, but he has reputation of not playing rookies a lot. Ty Lawson of course from North Carolina, you're from rival Kentucky - what could you do to get on Karl's good side and get playing time on this team? "Come in and try to defend. Put pressure on the ball full-court and try to make good plays for my teammates. Be a coach on the floor basically."

Are you familiar with MTV Cribs? "Yeah." If we opened up your refrigerator, what would we find in there? "A lot of juices, Gatorade, fruits ... things like that."

Teague gauges that he'll be drafted, "Anywhere between 15 and 25." And when he was asked why he chose to leave school and if winning the NCAA title had anything to do with that, "Winning a National championship and I just felt like I did enough after this season where I could just come out. I was just ready to play on this level."

Has your brother given you any advice upon entering the NBA? "Yeah, he just told me just to be ready and stay focused everyday. It's your job. Come out and compete at a high level. Come into these workouts and show these guys what you can do."

The Tough Mudder, a 10-mile obstacle course, was just here, Cross-Fit is sweeping the nation - what do you do to change up your workout routine? "We like to do boxing. My trainer, we do a little boxing to stay in shape." I asked him about the Manny Pacquaio vs. Tim Bradley fight, he said he didn't watch it. His favorite boxer is Floyd Mayweather, he said he likes Manny, but that he just likes Floyd a little more.

Will Barton: One of our readers mentioned that Barton might be too much like Corey Brewer. They are both tall and slender players. After the workout, Barton showed off his athleticism by doing a couple different dunks - one an alley-oop pass from behind the hoop and another where he was bouncing the ball off the floor to himself. The kid has a ton of athleticism and plays the game with a hard-nosed and scrappy style that he thinks lends himself to being a good fit for the Nuggets.

Barton believes he'll be drafted between the 17-25 range - which would fit right into the Nuggets at No. 20. He has done nine to 11 workouts and has three more left for different teams. This kid seems like he has already been put through the pre-draft workout ringer. I wouldn't blame him for being tired, but he was alert and gracious to those firing questions at him.

Where will you be watching the NBA Draft and who will you be with? "I'm going to be home, in Baltimore, Maryland, that's where I'm from. I'm going to watch the draft with my family. The ones who have coached me and been there all my life."

I know you're from Baltimore, so I have to ask ... Avon Barksdale or Stringer Bell? "Ahh (a laugh) Barksdale. Barksdale."

Barksdale and Bell were both villains or heroes on HBO's hit series The Wire. Bell liked to do things by the book and was, at times, a backstabber and a snake. Barksdale was a working man, a tough guy, wore his emotions on his sleeve, and you always knew where you stood with him. The ultimate villain. Sometimes when you play basketball, you have to play with that villain chip on your shoulder and Barton seems to carry a chip with him and he wants nothing more than to prove that he belongs in the NBA.

Andrew Nicholson: A very intriguing prospect and person. He majored in Physics in college ... another Stephen Hawking? Perhaps someday, but for now he's focusing on basketball and is one of the more complete players in this draft. The knock could be that he didn't play against big time talent all the time, but that was also the knock on Kenneth Faried and he's turned out just fine. Nicholson is quiet and probably a private person, he's only going to let you in so far, but he has real NBA talent.

You're from Ontario, why aren't you playing hockey? You could literally block the entire net! "I'm not sure there are skates that will fit my size." Nicholson said that one with a bit of a laugh.

You were a Physics major ... so, would you rather discover time travel or win an NBA title? Again I got a slight smile from the big man, "Definitely an NBA title, physics is just something I do."

I see some Rasheed Wallace in your game. Am I correct in saying that or who do you mirror your game after? You can stretch the floor, play inside, and you're a fierce defender. "I'm pretty versatile. I play good defense that just makes the game a little easier for me."

The 6'9'' Nicholson has worked out for about nine other teams. You could tell he was getting a little taxed from all the airports, hotels, and workouts that he has been doing. It was his first time ever in Denver, CO ... but he didn't really get a chance to look around.

Let's say you wind up in Denver. We have skiing, snowboarding, white water rafting, and more. Where could your fans find you on an off day or night? "I don't do any of that, so on an off night I'll just be in my place. Just relaxing. I'm not that exciting."

Nicholson has that "all business" approach. Like I said, he seems like a bit of a private person, but you can tell he has a lot to talk about. Discovering what he likes to talk about might prove to be a greater task than this knucklehead (me) had first thought.

The feel of what these players have to go through is a bit torturous. Airplanes, shaking hands, hotels, questions from the teams, questions from the media, workouts, tests, and on and on. It'll be over soon for them, so I hope they enjoy some aspects of this experience.

On my way out of the practice gym I ran over and said hello to Ujiri. He asked me if everything went well today, always thinking of others. I told him that he had a good group of players in and then I wished him luck. Ujiri and the Nuggets will need a little bit of luck, just like they got last year as Faried fell to them at No. 22 and Jordan Hamilton as well (No. 26).

As Ujiri walked away I found myself not too envious of his upcoming decisions ...

ntimmons73@yahoo.com
Nate_Timmons on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/i/connect

Nuggets host Special Olympics Colorado Basketball Skills Clinic

Nate Timmons — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:18:05 -0000

Coming off a thrilling overtime victory against the Atlanta Hawks on March 13th, the Nuggets did not just get back to business at the Pepsi Center today. The team did practice earlier in the day, but after that the players and coaches were fortunate enough to get to spend a little time with some athletes with big hearts and some pretty good basketball skills too. The Pepsi Center's main floor played host to the Special Olympics Colorado Basketball Skills Clinic and it was great to see the players, coaches, and campers (over 100 of them) all having fun in the name of the game we all love.

"(This) has been something that we have done every year. I think it's really special. To see these kids so happy and sometimes I can almost say, they don't care about the players - it's about the fun of it. And you see the players, how happy they are and this year it's unbelievable, the spirit. Whatever way we can give back to kids like this, I think it's great." said Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri.

"I think it's a great event, especially to build and continue to build a relationship with the fans. Especially with the Special Olympics." said Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari.

Arron Afflalo (far left in white), Jordan Hamilton, Julyan Stone, Ty Lawson, and assistant coach John Welch worked with the athletes on their ball handling skills. Welch wasted little time letting his enthusiasm take over and getting right in front of the campers in a defensive stance and challenging them as they tried to dribble past him, like Lawson or Andre Miller have to do time-after-time during games.

The players quickly followed their coach's lead and started to really mix it up with the dribblers.

If you can get around Stone, you have some undeniable skills. Julyan is a great defender who wasn't going to be outdone by Hamilton, both rookies were giving the campers all they could handle and some high fives from Lawson after the first group was done were well deserved. It didn't seem that these guys knew how hard to push the campers at first, but once Welch got them started it was a pretty interactive drill as you can see.

I wasn't too sure what this group was doing. Rudy and Gallo tried to stay out of assistant coach Melvin Hunt's way. Hunt was really drilling the campers and went all out. Earlier, up in the practice gym, Hunt was working after practice with Timofey Mozgov and the two got into a couple competitive arguments as they played a little one-on-one. Hunt is a very hands on coach and somebody, along with the other assistants, the Nuggets should keep around for as long as they can.

Assistant coach Chad Iske (far left in white t-shirt), Kosta Koufos, Player Development Coordinator Patrick Mutombo (powder blue long sleeve), Timofey Mozgov, and Corey Brewer (not pictured) worked with the campers in front of the visitors bench on shooting over a defender. Lucky for these athletes, they got to pick which Nugget to go against and they were not afraid to hoist shots up over K2 or Mozgov. After one camper made a shot over Brewer, he pounded his chest and hollered in excitement ... he definitely watches too many NBA games!

I couldn't tell if Mozgov was happy when shots went in or if he wanted to swat a few ... joking aside, he along with his teammates were excited when a ball found its home in the net and shots often went in - just like they do for opponents in real games! Ahh!

It was pretty sweet to see some of the shorter athletes take it right to the big NBA players, Brewer was picked a few times in a row after campers saw their peers having success scoring against him.

The final station for the athletes was to work on their fitness and pick up some times from the Nuggets strength and conditioning coach Steve Hess. Kenneth Faried, Chris Andersen, assistant coach Ryan Bowen, and Nene (hugging the camper) helped Hess run this station. Nene's, a fairly new father, face lit up around the campers, he truly enjoyed interacting with them and helping out with the workout station.

Nene was all smiles during the clinic and was one of the last players to leave the floor as he took time to sign autographs and pose for photos with just about every athlete that wanted his attention.

Chris Andersen, Kenneth Faried, and Al Harrington (far right in the long sleeve black shirt) and the rest of their teammates took the time after the clinic to sign autographs, pose for photos, and share some laughs with the athletes from the Colorado Special Olympics.

I didn't know this event was going on until I arrived at the Pepsi Center today to attend the Nuggets' practice. I planned on getting some quotes about the Oklahoma City Thunder game that takes place tomorrow night, but wound up getting to witness something even better. This is a good bunch of guys folks. Ujiri told me during the event how great it has been seeing Harrington embrace his role as a mentor of sorts to the younger players and how much effort he gives on a daily basis. Ujiri marveled at how far Faried has come in such a short time, think about it, Manimal went from playing in the NCAA tournament around this same time last year (for a nobody school with a somewhat nobody name himself) to becoming a starter for the Nuggets right now.

This Nuggets team may not be the most consistent one around at the moment, as injuries and youth have played a role, but it sure is nice rooting for this team and these players and coaches. George Karl was on hand doing what head coaches do ... overseeing the event, traveling around to each group of campers, and even mixing it up with Rocky by exchanging some smacks to the super mascot's nose.

Perhaps the best line of the afternoon came from a camper named Garrett, "Chris Marlowe! What's up? Can I get the autograph of my favorite sports announcer?"

A smiling Marlowe was more than willing to accommodate the request and signed the camper's Nuggets t-shirt. Garrett was onto something, I sure could go for more excited Marlowe broadcasts where he's describing Gallo hitting big shots.

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Tomasson: Adrian Dantley not coming back

Andrew Feinstein — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 19:42:12 -0000

Courtesy of our friend Chris Tomasson, Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley’s eight-year run as a Nuggets assistant coach appears to be over.

By Chris Tomasson

Adrian Dantley on Sunday confirmed a New York Post report that he has been let go. His contract, expiring at the end of this month, won’t be renewed for next season.

"Oh, yeah, I’m done,’’ Dantley said. "(Nuggets coach George Karl) fired me Friday.’’

Messages left Sunday for Karl and Nuggets executive vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri were not immediately returned.

"I got fired because I didn’t rotate on the bench,’’ said Dantley, who was regarded as Karl’s lead assistant and filled in for Karl for the final 1 ½ months of the 2009-10 season when the head man was battling a form of throat cancer.

NBA teams are allowed to have three assistants sit on the bench, with others having to sit behind it. Dantley, who always had sat on the bench, said Karl approached him early last season and requested he rotate along with other assistants either sitting on or behind the bench.

Dantley said he sat behind the bench for the final 67 games of the regular season and during the playoffs and wouldn’t rotate to the front of the bench. Nuggets assistants Chad Iske, John Welch and Melvin Hunt sat on the bench for those games.

"I didn’t rotate,’’ said Dantley, an NBA star forward from 1976-2001 who was named in 2008 to the Hall of Fame. "I wasn’t going to rotate. If they (other assistants) want the publicity to sit up front, I don’t need the publicity… I got no problem not being seen on TV and sitting at the back of the bench.’’

Dantley would not single out any specific assistants. The New York Post reported "one or lower-level assistants’’ suggested the rotation to Karl.

"This had to do with a whole lot of backstabbing,’’ Dantley said. "I got fired because I wouldn’t rotate. And people felt uncomfortable (about that).’’

Dantley went 11-8 in games Karl missed late in the 2009-10 season due to cancer. With Dantley at the helm, the Nuggets were upset 4-2 in the first round of the playoffs to Utah.

The Jazz won despite not having injured starters Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur. Dantley said he didn’t believe his ouster had anything to do with the job he did in then leading the Nuggets. Dantley is in the process of packing and leaving Denver.

He was asked if he was disappointed about the timing of Karl’s decision, which came the day after the draft (Dantley had been helping work out prospects) and a week before the NBA is expected to go on what could be a long lockout.

"What upset me is the loyalty you show to someone and you get screwed,’’ Dantley said.

Andrew's Take:

George Karl "inherited" Adrian Dantley from the Kiki Vandeweghe Era, and Dantley never seemed like the right fit on the Nuggets bench alongside younger (read: cheaper) and hungrier assistants like John Welch, Chad Iske, Jamahl Mosley and now Melvin Hunt.

Given Dantley's seniority, by default Dantley was the "lead assistant" after Scott Brooks left. But Dantley was clearly in over his head when taking over the head coaching reigns for a cancer-stricken Karl for the remainder of the 2010 regular season and the playoffs that came thereafter. For the Nuggets to lose to an injury-depleted Jazz team while their head coach was battling cancer was inexcusable. Just read any of the comments left by the readers of this site during that series to see how much confidence the fans had in Dantley.

That being said, Dantley was loyal and did the best job he was capable of doing, and was rewarded as such by remaining with the Nuggets last season. But to suggest that Dantley should have remained on board for the 2011-12 season is a bit of a stretch from my vantage point.

I don't know if any of our readers caught Peter Vecsey's New York Post story on the Dantley issue earlier today, but Vecsey insists that no coach could have handled that 2010 Nuggets playoff team and I fundamentally disagree with that premise. Lest we forget that before Karl got sick and Kenyon Martin got hurt, the Nuggets were within a few games of the conference-leading Lakers and were still just one season removed from a Western Conference Finals run.

Knowing the NBA and the Nuggets as I do, I'm sure Vandeweghe gave his friend and fellow player Dantley a juicy contract to be an assistant for Jeff Bzdelik back when owner Stan Kroenke would spend, spend, spend to make the Nuggets better. But in this era of financial austerity among NBA teams (especially including the Nuggets) where every nickel now has to be better accounted for, Dantley is hardly a surprising casualty.

We should all collectively thank Dantley for his years of loyal service on the Nuggets bench. But Dantley was probably expensive as far as assistant coaches go, the Nuggets have way too many assistant coaches to begin with and when given the opportunity to showcase his head coaching abilities, Dantley was unable to deliver.

Heat vs. Nuggets recap: Melo Era winding down with a yawn...

Andrew Feinstein — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:21:54 -0000

I thought the Carmelo Anthony Era would end with a bang or a whimper. I never thought it would end with a yawn.

I guess Nuggets fans can thank Miami Heat superstar LeBron James twice now. First, for hijacking the entire city of Cleveland, serving as a wake up call to the Nuggets organization to move Carmelo Anthony elsewhere should he not sign the contract extension offered to him to stay in Denver. And second, for sitting Thursday night's game out with a sprained ankle, ensuring that a sold-out Pepsi Center would be deprived of it's only chance to see James in person...and, of course, boo that talented jerk.

James sitting out, combined with the Heat arriving early on Thursday morning after a dogfight with the Clippers in Los Angeles the night before, ended up with the Nuggets being on the right side of a blowout for the second game in a row. The Nuggets 130-102 blowout was a yawner almost from the start, and once again the Nuggets faithful were teased and tantalized by what this team could and should be, were it not for you-know-who insisting on playing elsewhere.

And thus, despite the elation that should come from every Nuggets victory, the gloomy shadow of Anthony's imminent departure - and possibly Chauncey Billups' too - lords over this franchise. Entering Thursday night's action, I thought the matchup against the Heat could be Melo's last in a Nuggets uniform. But while speaking with the press in the locker room post-game, Melo guaranteed that he'd be in uniform for the Nuggets' Saturday game against the dreadful Cavaliers and again when the Nuggets visit San Antonio on Sunday evening. Beyond that, no guarantees were issued.

Being your trusted Nuggets blogger, I've been deluged with text messages, phone calls and - on Thursday - by passers-by at Pepsi Center all claiming that they have the inside scoop on this Melo deal. All second, third and, sometimes, fourth-hand information, I've "heard" everything from Melo and Chauncey being shipped to New Jersey on Friday morning to the deal consummating after the Nuggets visit the Nets on January 31st and everything in-between. One text-er insisted that the deal is going down after next Wednesday's Thunder game at the latest. Another swore that the deal will be done after the Lakers game on the 21st.

Regardless of when the deal is finally completed, it's apparent that a deal will be completed. And, ultimately, it will be to send Melo (and Chauncey) to the New Jersey Nets.

Hearing all this - and being lucky enough to sit just two rows behind the Nuggets bench tonight - I tried to study the body language between Melo and his teammates to deduce just how imminent this deal is. And while I have nothing revolutionary to share with my fellow Stiffs, I must use the same analogy I used previously regarding this Melodrama. Watching Anthony play and his body language throughout these games, I can't help but think of the high school kid who knows where he's going to college before his spring semester begins, so he just goes through the motions throughout his final high school semester. That's Melo right now: going through the motions but not playing particularly hard or with the acute sense of concentration required to be a champion in the NBA. Melo is still missing chip shots around the rim at an alarmingly bad rate and settling for too many jump shots.

Luckily for Melo and his Nugget teammates, the Heat stink against decent teams (now 8-9 against plus-.500 teams) and clearly suck against decent teams if one of their "big three" is absent. Talk about going through the motions...the Heat were like the walking dead on the Pepsi Center floor Thursday night and had waved the white surrender flag midway through the second quarter.

For me, the highlight of the game was meeting Denver Nuggets legend David Thompson, thanks to an introduction made by my good friend and Nuggets broadcasting legend Al Albert (pictured with Thompson and me below). Thompson was on hand because he was honored before tipoff, proving that maybe the Nuggets marketing brass are finally listening to my rants about this franchise having no connection to its history. Once Melo and Chauncey get shipped out, I suspect the Nuggets will have only their history to hang their hat on for a while.

Thompson's best seasons came before I was old enough to remember watching him play, but his presence at Pepsi Center Thursday night was a reminder that the Nuggets have had Golden Eras before and will have Golden Eras again. Most unfortunately, the Golden Era we're experiencing now is about to be ended prematurely.

Your trusty blogger hanging out with Nuggets legends David Thompson and Al Albert.

The View From Behind the Nuggets Bench...

...when Carmelo Anthony was introduced, 30% of the Pepsi Center crowd booed him and 70% cheered him.

...the crowd was louder than normal when Chauncey Billups was introduced.

...Miami's Chris Bosh has an amazing touch from long range and embarrassed the normally decent defending Kenyon Martin.

...the word was that the Nuggets didn't sell the game out until just before tipoff, so it wasn't surprising that LeBron James' absence wasn't announced until the last possible moment. Nate fired off a text to me well before tipoff guaranteeing that LeWuss wouldn't play.

...Nuggets assistant coach Melvin Hunt does all the talking and pep talk during timeouts prior to George Karl addressing the team.

...Al Harrington is clearly the team's funny side and never seems to take himself - or anything - seriously while sitting on the bench. Gotta love Big Al.

...the second quarter was all Ty Lawson, and the Nuggets never looked back.

...Chauncey spent most of the game standing up and cheering his teammates. Melo spent most of the game sitting quietly on the bench.

...when Melo missed an errant three-point attempt near the end of the third quarter, the crowd booed him.

...near the five-minute mark in the fourth quarter, Karl called for Anthony Carter to go into the game. Carter declined and it didn't seem to bother the coaches.

...many fans in our area begged for Shelden Williams to get inserted into the game, and Karl eventually obliged.

...Renaldo Balkman was nowhere to be found until I saw him (and I'm not joking here) wearing street clothes and hiding behind a black curtain on my way out of the arena towards the Blue Sky Grill.

Non-Stiff(s) of the Night

-Ty Lawson and J.R. Smith: J.R. had all the highlights in this game, but it was Lawson who spearheaded the Nuggets second-quarter run that proved to be the catalyst for the Nuggets blowout victory.

Stiff of the Night

-The entire Heat roster not named Wade or Bosh: The Heat proved Thursday evening why they're not winning a championship until better role players are added to the team.

Nuggets/Clippers recap: A short-handed victory...

Andrew Feinstein — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 08:00:42 -0000

For the second game in a row, the diminutive Denver Nuggets put forth a hard-fought, gutty effort. Except this time, their efforts were rewarded with a victory.

Facing an ugly back-to-back weekend and another team that's bigger than his, Nuggets head coach George Karl made a few gambles entering Friday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers...and they paid off. First, Karl (I'm guessing here) elected to rest Nene for a second-straight game rather than rush the Nuggets lone center back. And second, Karl started journeyman Melvin Ely, a tall but super thin option at power forward.

Karl must have calculated that the Nuggets could beat the Clippers while being severely short-handed in order to have a fighting chance against a rested Dallas Mavericks team on Saturday night in Big D. His calculation proved correct when the game ended with a 111-104 Nuggets victory, an ending that was never really in doubt for much of the fourth quarter.

Granted, the Clippers are now a 1-5 basketball team. But to think that the Nuggets can win games when two-fifths of their starting lineup are Melvin Ely and Shelden Williams is a testament to how good this team can be when all the horses are in the barn, so to speak. And I hate to pick on Ely and Williams, both of whom played hard for each of their 30-minute performances, but there's a reason why these guys are on one-year, essentially minimum contracts.

Regardless of who starts and who finishes games for the Nuggets, it's clear that this team is willing to play hard and do the dirty work to win games while not allowing size to be an excuse. This is a team worth rooting for.

The view from the not-so-cheap-seats...

...I got into Pepsi Center early and got to see Chris Andersen warming up. The Birdman was shooting jump shots and doing some light drills. Maybe he's coming back in December after all?

...attendance was listed at 15,559 but there's no way that's possible. At least a third of the Pepsi Center seats were empty and I was able to slide down to the end of my row (more towards the center of the court) for a better view for the entire second half. I think the 8:30 starts - which really mean 8:45 - turn a lot of Denver fans away. Denver simply isn't a late-night city.

...I was glad to see Nene in a suit before tipoff. Better to save the big fella for Dallas tomorrow night...assuming he can play.

...since this was a weekend game, the male cheerleaders were back. This is a complete waste of money.

...I must confess that I cringed when I saw Melvin Ely starting instead of Gary Forbes (who had a curious DNP-CD after a yeoman's effort against Dallas on Wednesday) but kudos to Ely for playing hard.

...Blake Griffin is much more muscular than I realized. He's huge. But there's no way the guy is 6'10" as listed. He's more like 6'7" and change. Regardless, Griffin is already an imposing physical force and had his way with Ely and Williams all night on both ends of the floor. Griffin also has a surprisingly soft shooting touch from outside. As soon as Griffin's game matures, we're looking at the NBA's next great power forward.

...I'm convinced that Renaldo Balkman has become the Nuggets version of Rade Butcher from the movie Hoosiers. Remember when coach Norman Dale (played brilliantly by Gene Hackman) elects to play four-on-five rather than bring Rade back into a game after everyone else has fouled out? I guarantee Karl would do the same thing had the Nuggets roster been depleted by foul trouble on Friday night. For Balkman to get zero minutes when the Nuggets are as thin as ever on the front line says it all.

...I may have witnessed the best sequence of Carmelo Anthony's career early in the first quarter when Melo zipped that amazing pass to Ely for an easy layup followed immediately by a Melo steal on the other end and drive to the basket. I would name Friday's game Melo's "assist game" with Wednesday's game being his "rebounding game." If Melo continues to contribute in all aspects of the game as he has been, the prospect of losing him becomes even more depressing.

...new assistant coach Melvin Hunt (lots of Melvins around here!) was seated in the front row two seats down from Karl tonight, with longtime assistant Chad Iske moving to the back bench. As I've written before, Hunt is a fantastic assistant and don't be surprised if he becomes the Nuggets #1 assistant over Adrian Dantley eventually.

...Al Harrington is getting into game shape and the results are speaking for themselves. He looks better and better with each game.

...speaking of getting into shape, Chris Kaman looks terrific physically. The Clippers center has lost probably 15 pounds and I've never seen him more agile. Unfortunately for Kaman and the Clips, he couldn't make a shot on Friday night.

...Williams may have trouble corralling rebounds and can't make a layup to save his life, but he's automatic with the mid-range jump shot from the side of the basket.

...it was good to see former Nugget Robert Pack on the Clippers bench as one of head coach Vinny Del Negro's assistants. If Del Negro's players keep quitting on him as they did tonight, maybe Pack will be a head coach sooner than later.

...I sound like a broken record, but it's remarkable how improved Arron Afflalo and Ty Lawson's games are this season. Both routinely missed easy buckets last season and yet this season, when driving to the basket they've become exceptional finishers.

...J.R. Smith doesn't look comfortable and is borderline lost out there...his amazing first-half dunk notwithstanding.

Non-Stiff of the Game

-Carmelo Anthony: When I saw the lineup the Nuggets trotted out, I said to my seat-mate that Melo needs to go for 50 in order for the Nuggets to win. Instead, Melo opted for an all-around game, paced himself and let the game come to him, resulting in a 30 points, five rebounds and six assists performance.

Stiff of the Game

-Chris Kaman: As mentioned above, Kaman looks great physically but had an awful night basketball-wise. 5-18 shooting and just eight rebounds (only one offensive) against an undersized team starting journeymen on the front line is unacceptable for a player of Kaman's ability.

Parting Shot

Given Ely's performance, Nene's rest and Melo's ability to pace himself, the Nuggets now have a fighting chance to win in Dallas on Saturday night. I look forward to watching the game with our fellow Stiffs during our second annual "STIFFS NIGHT OUT"!

Watching a victory from five feet away... (Nuggets/Jazz recap)

Andrew Feinstein — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:46:25 -0000

The last time we saw the Utah Jazz face off against our Denver Nuggets a short-handed Jazz squad ran circles around us and walked away with a playoff series victory. What a difference a little coaching makes.

Of all the things I discussed with Nuggets head coach George Karl on the eve of the team's opening night game, the one that jumped out at me most was when Karl referenced the Nuggets 144-106 beat-down of the Phoenix Suns - sans any of the Nuggets key players, mind you. Karl said that that performance would be an indicator of things to come this season and boy was he right after witnessing Wednesday's 110-88 walloping of the Jazz.

I was fortunate enough to watch the home opener from a courtside seat thanks to an invitation from my friend Kevin Preblud, the publisher of InDenverTimes.com and a great photographer as you'll see below. Not only was it special to sit so close for the first time in my life, but it was even more special to high-five Coach Karl and pat him on the back as he made his way onto the court for pre-game introductions. Karl gave me a wink and a smile - he was confidently ready for this one.

The game turned out to be a snoozer, but the night was unforgettable.

The View from the Not-Even-Close-to-Being-Cheap Seats (with photos courtesy of Kevin Preblud)...

...before lineups were announced, Chauncey Billups was honored for helping to bring home the gold medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championships.

...not surprisingly, the biggest cheers from the crowd came when Carmelo Anthony and George Karl's names were announced. Denver basketball fans - at least those in the Pepsi Center audience - clearly want Melo to stay for good.

...former Nugget and NBA great Dikembe Mutombo presented the game ball before tip-off. The mere sight of Mutombo brought a raucous cheer from the crowd.

...in addition to Mutombo, the crowd consisted of a "who's who" in Denver, including Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow, wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, running back Laurence Maroney and cornerback Champ Bailey. Also spotted was former British Open champion David Duval and former Colorado governor Bill Owens, a regular at Pepsi Center for Nuggets games.

...the new Jazz uniforms, like the new Golden State Warriors jerseys, are awesome - a great blend of the 1980s style with a modern twist. The Nuggets should consider doing something similar and incorporate the rainbow/skyline pattern from yesteryear.

...Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke and GM Masai Ujiri watched the entire first half from seats set up by the home locker room entry way. For the second half, I didn't see Kroenke but Mutombo joined Ujiri. While seated, Kroenke and Ujiri engaged with the fans sitting around them and that was good to see.

...the Nuggets new assistant coach, Melvin Hunt, has been relegated to the "second row" of assistant coaches behind the staff brought back from last season. I understand that where assistants sit is somewhat political, but I saw Hunt do a masterful job with the Cleveland Cavaliers last season and wish he was Karl's number two on the bench.

...Ty Lawson came in early for Billups who sustained a nasty cut on his lower lip. Billups was bleeding so much that he had to be tended to in the locker room, but he looked fine as soon as he returned.

...Al Jefferson is no Carlos Boozer and I may have been foolishly too bullish on the Jazz this year.

...Jazz rookie Gordon Hayward has surprisingly long arms and big hands. Hayward looks to have a good NBA body but he couldn't shoot straight in his debut game.

...Melo had a very pedestrian first quarter-and-a-half, letting the refs and the Jazz's physical style of play get to him. But when he finally got into the groove late in the first half, the trademark smile was back, he let the game come to him and ended up having a productive evening.

...Karl worked the refs in defense of Melo earlier than I've seen in years. Karl was also up on his feet and barking orders at the players a lot. It was as if he had been storing all this energy for months and was just waiting to unleash it on opening night.

...Jazz rookie Jeremy Evans is a skinny kid but has tremendous leaping ability and I believe big upside. He had a nose for the ball and seemed to fit into Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's system early, in addition to crashing the boards well.

...Pepsi Center's in-game scoreboard entertainment remains atrocious. They showed a poor resemblance toFunniest Home Videos when instead they should be showing NBA bloopers (in addition to highlights, "this night in Nuggets history" and the endless other ideas I've given them for free over the years). I'm convinced whomever picks the in-game entertainment has no idea what he or she is doing.

...seeing Renaldo Balkman sulking on the bench early and often, I turned to Kevin and said: "Karl will never play Renaldo." Then Balkman got into the game, but Karl started yelling at him right away for not being in the right place on the court. It was pretty comical.

...Jazz backup center - and former Nugget - Francisco Elson fell victim to the NBA's new "no tolerance" policy. He got tee'd up for saying "Come on now!" to one of the officials after a play in which he thought he had been fouled.

...I couldn't tell what happened to Nene in the first half that caused him to miss some action and be attended to by trainer Jim Gillen, who was honored for kicking off his 20th season with the organization.

...Arron Afflalo's to-the-basket game has improved dramatically. And I mean dramatically. Last season, Afflalo would routinely miss chip shots around the rim on breakaways or cuts to the rack. Not tonight. Afflalo looks like a new player and this bodes well for Denver.

...maybe it was his very stylish suit, but Kenyon Martin looked super thin to me tonight. Not necessarily a bad thing, but he looks more like a small forward than a power forward from a few feet away.

...cognizant of the new "no tolerance" policy, a number of players consciously caught themselves before ranting too much to the refs. Maybe this could be a good thing for the NBA after all?

...Lawson's spacing when taking the ball to the basket has improved greatly. We should all be excited about the season he's going to have.

...I think six of Shelden Williams' seven offensive rebounds came on the same play in the first half as he was tipping the ball up-and-down to himself trying to get a hold of it...and never did. Kudos to Williams, however, for playing hard all night and being very productive on the glass and on defense.

...Melo was all business coming in and off the court. Never smiling and looking as serious as possible.

Non-Stiff of the Night

-George Karl: After battling cancer for the second time in his life, a thinned-out Karl had his team much better prepared than his opposing coach's team. Moreover, Karl was energetic throughout the game, supported his players against the refs and never sat still. Could "Fiery George" be back?

Stiff of the Night

-Al Jefferson: My third round fantasy "steal" laid an egg in his Jazz debut, mustering just six points on 2-6 shooting, a mere seven rebounds and had a plus/minus of -17.

Final Thought

As predicted by Karl - and I have to give Nate and Jeff credit here, too, for being more optimistic about the 2010-11 Nuggets than I've been - the Nuggets look damn good. They clearly had a solid training camp and are ready to prove the NBA wrong again, just as they did in 2008-09. It all hinges on Melo staying, though, an unfortunate circumstance that will be in play all season long.

But for now, we'll savor Karl's return to the bench and an ass-kicking over the Jazz.

Cleveland Cavaliers News - Fear The Links - 10/6/10

John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:48:32 -0000

Cleveland Cavaliers win preseason debut, 87-72 over Bobcats | cleveland.com

As the Cavaliers pull away for a win in the exhibition opener, Jamario Moon looks comfortable in a new locker and a new offense.

Bobcats' Larry Brown proud of close friend Byron Scott: Cavaliers Insider | cleveland.com

Byron Scott went missing before Tuesday night's preseason opener against the Charlotte Bobcats at The Q.

Ohio.com - Cavaliers outrun Bobcats

As the players showered and dressed Tuesday night following their 87-72 preseason victory over the Charlotte Bobcats at Quicken Loans Arena, the Cavaliers saw a familiar face in the locker room.

Ohio.com - Cavaliers have something to prove
The symbolic moment of Cavaliers training camp came Monday afternoon when a television crew from ABC's Extreme Makeover interviewed coach Byron Scott.

Ohio.com - Scott pushing hard to teach Cavs new system
Byron Scott went easy on the Cavaliers on Sunday. They worked on some defense, scrimmaged for a bit, shot free throws and went home to watch football. All told, it was about a two-hour practice.

Cavs win preseason opener 87-72 - morningjournal.com
Their chance for a championship might have dimmed, but basketball is not dead at Quicken Loans Arena.

Cleveland Cavaliers unveil new Team Shop at Quicken Loans Arena - Cleveland Business News - Northeast Ohio and Cleveland - Crain's Cleveland Business
If you've ever endured the nightmare that was the Cavaliers Team Shop a half-hour before a LeBron James-era home game, you'll appreciate the new home for Cavs gear.

Nuggets hire former Cavs assistant - USATODAY.com
The Denver Nuggets have hired Melvin Hunt as an assistant coach.

Preseason games have meaning for Celtics guard Delonte West
The date in the middle of November has already been circled on a calendar in his home.

The Miami Heat are LeBron James' team now - ESPN
LeBron James doesn't need his own team. One thing that's been lost in all the condemnation, all the censure, all the "LeBron's an egomaniac''-driven derision these past few months is that the two-time MVP sacrificed individual stardom for a team goal.

John Wall put his stamp on the Wizards in a preseason debut - ESPN
He repeatedly zoomed from rim to rim. He tossed up a memorably high feed to JaVale McGee on a long-range lob play that had better hang time than some punts. He even knocked in a couple of deep jumpers.

Report: Mike Ilitch to purchase Detroit Pistons - ESPN
The Detroit Pistons have found a new owner and he knows Motor City sports.

Rehab next for Chicago Bulls' Carlos Boozer after hand surgery - ESPN Chicago
Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer underwent surgery Tuesday morning to repair a broken right pinkie.

GMs picking against LeBron James - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN
Every preseason, the NBA.com GM Survey offers insight into the thinking of executives around the league.

Wade cedes Heat throne to King James - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
Pat Riley made sure Dwyane Wade(notes) would go last in pregame introductions, that the longest, loudest cheers would still be for the captain. When posing for pictures, the Miami Heat would flank LeBron James(notes) and Chris Bosh(notes) to the captain’s sides. It’s still my house, Wade would say. I’ve just got new roommates now.

Video: Kobe: I can beat LeBron one-on-one 'in my sleep' - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
Speaking to a group of journalists and children over in London, England on Saturday (ignore the "May 2nd, 2010" declaration that begins the video), Lakers guard Kobe Bryant(notes) didn't hesitate when asked whether he or LeBron James(notes) would prevail in a one-on-one game.

Arenas pulls plug on comedy routine - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
After all the years of being Agent Zero, the prankster, the joker, the class clown skipping games to dodge paternity suits or whatever he felt like on that particular day, Gilbert Arenas(notes) needs to grow up, stop changing personas and find a way to save his career.