SPOTLIGHT ON LARRY BROWN
Nuggets coach George Karl arrived in Denver one game too late to face his old friend in Detroit last season. Now Brown finds himself in a much tougher spot, trying to rebuild a Knicks team off to a 2-6 start. “It’s always fun to play Larry,” Karl said. “He’s changed in a lot of ways. The Knicks right now are a team struggling a little bit trying to find some wins. They’re going to be a very physical defensive team. But they’ve got some good young players who I think in time are going to be very good players.”
NOTEBOOK
MARTIN COULD MISS TWO: The Nuggets could be short-handed again tonight. Karl said forward Kenyon Martin might miss tonight’s game and Sunday’s home date with Memphis to rest his left knee. Point guard Earl Boykins, who has played in 241 consecutive games, is also listed as questionable with a sprained right ankle suffered Wednesday in Denver’s 91-81 win in Oklahoma City.
FOOTNOTES: Karl indicated he would continue to explore using Earl Watson more after his performance against the Hornets in his first meaningful time. “I told him today, ‘You were better on film than I thought you were in the game.’ That usually doesn’t happen. Film usually shows you some breakdowns and some weaknesses,” the coach said. Discussing why he moved toward Watson and away from Voshon Lenard, Karl said: “We weren’t running much. Our shot selection was deteriorating. I’m not saying it was Vo’s fault. I’m just saying for me, as a coach, it’s my job to figure out who I want and get it done.” … Karl is in no rush to leave Denver. However, should he be a coaching free agent again down the line, he told New York reporters: “I would love to coach the Knicks someday. I don’t know if that’s in my future or not.” … Denver entered Thursday ranked first in the NBA in blocks per game (7.33) and second in rebounds (45.8) and opponents’ turnovers (17.7). … Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury is off to a quiet start, averaging 15.3 points and 5.8 assists per game. He has asked Brown if he could shift to shooting guard.
