The Nuggets were so confident about winning the Northwest Division and making the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference that they began scouting the Los Angeles Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies two weeks ago.
And so certain were the Nuggets that they focused on a first-round matchup against the Clippers.
“We’re scouting probably 60-40 – 60 percent Clippers and 40 percent Memphis – and I think we’ve seen just as many Memphis games as we have Clippers games,” Nuggets coach George Karl said Saturday.
The Nuggets haven’t given up on a possible home-court advantage in the first round, either.
“Stranger things have happened,” Karl said.
Karl said he personally hasn’t done any playoff scouting.
“I’m taking care of the games we have left, and the scouts are taking care, spending more time on the playoffs,” he said. “I’m kind of superstitious. I’m not going to deny I’m going to look at some Clippers and Memphis films in the next week. But I’m also going to stay prepared for the games we have left.”
Scouting the playoffs “is probably 10 times as intense” as scouting the regular season, Karl said.
“Every possession is very valuable,” he said. “Every play we’re going to have an approach to. We’re not going to allow a cheap possession to happen because of a lack of preparation.”
Injury update
The Nuggets’ injury situation improved Saturday as starting forward Kenyon Martin (knee) was back in the lineup. That left the team’s two key backups – guard Earl Boykins (hand) and forward Eduardo Najera (foot) – along with rookie guard Julius Hodge (leg) as the remaining question marks.
“I’m still going by how I feel,” Najera said. “Right now I’ve still got some discomfort in my foot, but hopefully it will be ready for the playoffs.”
Footnotes
Not on the official injury report was assistant coach Doug Moe, who was hobbling around practice in a medical boot because of a slightly torn Achilles tendon he injured on a treadmill. “The worst thing about it is that the other one hurts worse, and I haven’t had it looked at yet,” Moe said….Guard Greg Buckner said it’s possible he will opt out of the last year of a contract that will pay him $1.8 million next year, but said he would be more than happy to stay with the Nuggets….Boykins provided color commentary for the Nuggets radio broadcast during the second quarter.
Joseph Sanchez can be reached at 303-820-5458 or jsanchez@denverpost.com.
