Milwaukee – Earl Watson’s in-season basketball resurrection continued Saturday with his first start as a Nugget.
“I want to play fast, and he has been in the game when we’ve played fast as much as anybody,” coach George Karl said. “I’m not sure it’s him, but we’ll find out.”
Watson did not play in nine early-season games despite being healthy. The guard, who played alongside Andre Miller in the starting backcourt, shrugged at the news. Memphis went 9-5 in games he started last season.
As for his reversal of fortune, Watson said: “That’s how life is. You never know what to expect. You’ve just got to take advantage of every situation every day. Do your best. That’s all you can ever ask for.”
Campaigning for Melo
Karl said once All-Star Game starters are announced, he and other members of Denver’s organization will do the “political talks” necessary to try to help forward Carmelo Anthony onto the Western Conference bench, which conference coaches vote on. Anthony entered Saturday ranked 10th in the NBA at 25 points per game.
Karl said with the West so deep at forward, talented players are bound to be disappointed.
“There’s a lot of other glories in sport that should be important – winning playoff games, being on championship teams, being the leader of your team,” he said. “All of those things are as valuable as the All-Star Game. But I hope Carmelo gets it, because he’s done so much more than we’ve expected of him in the 10, 11 months that we’ve had him. Incredible. He’s an A-plus student right now.”
Footnotes
Guard Greg Buckner (sprained right wrist) did not play Saturday but said he expects to play Monday at Chicago. Karl said center Marcus Camby could return in as soon as a week from his broken right little finger. …
ESPN.com reported Camby would meet soon with Jerry Colangelo, the architect of the U.S. basketball team, about playing for Team USA, though Camby said he has not heard from Colangelo.
“I’ve been hearing they’ve been wanting a three-year commitment. I’d be 35 (in 2008). I’d be old. But it’d definitely be an experience,” Camby said. Anthony has already met with Colangelo. …
Doug Moe said he has given no thought to whether he might return after this season.
“I’ll wait till the end of the year,” the 67-year-old assistant said. “It’s hard to think that far ahead. I’m trying to win games now.”
He said a checkup with his doctor in Texas last week went well.
