Los Angeles – While Nuggets guard Earl Boykins and forward Kenyon Martin easily could have used their injuries as an excuse on Saturday night, they didn’t after the Game 1 loss to the Clippers.
Both players are coming back from injuries and struggled on the offensive end.
Boykins missed the final 16 games of the season with broken bones in his left hand. He finished with six points but made 2 of 8 from the field in 31 minutes.
While he had precautionary X-rays after the game, he said his non-shooting hand felt fine and had no bearing on his play.
“I felt good,” said Boykins, who started the second half. “Just disappointed we didn’t get a win tonight. … I just missed shots. I felt good.”
Martin has been plagued by knee injuries all season and played little at season’s end. He came off the bench and played much of the fourth quarter when the Nuggets rallied to tie the game. He finished with nine points on 4-of-11 shooting. He also had eight rebounds, four steals and two blocks. He helped slow down Clippers forward Elton Brand in the second half.
“I struggled at first, missed easy shots,” Martin said.
Nuggets coach George Karl said, “Martin was incredible defensively.”
About Boykins, Karl said, “I thought he missed a couple of shots probably that he normally makes. It was just how he was playing that created a tempo and effectiveness in the game.”
Nuggets center Marcus Camby said, “They were a little rusty, which is to be expected with the layoff. But I think K-Mart picked it up in the second half. He had some great defense on Brand going down the stretch.”
Back for Moe
There are plenty of questions about which Nuggets may be back next year, but Doug Moe crossed himself off the list Saturday.
The 67-year-old assistant and former Denver head coach said his inclination would be to return to the bench in 2006-07.
“What else have I got to do?” he joked, before adding that his return would depend on how Karl feels.
“It sounds good to me,” Karl said. “He’s like a good, calming voice, a mentor. I think he’s good for the whole staff.”
Aside from a strained left Achilles tendon, Moe said he is in good health. He has battled heart problems and prostate cancer in recent years. He pointed out that he does not have to work as hard as fellow assistants and does not need to spend long, intense hours one-on-one with players.
“I get enjoyment out of watching other people succeed and have fun,” he said. “George has done a great job. The whole coaching staff is fun to be around.”
Footnotes
After hiding his decision before game time, Karl re-inserted Greg Buckner into the starting lineup at shooting guard.
Although he dressed and was available, forward Eduardo Najera did not play. Before the game, Karl said he was concerned about Najera’s right foot, as well as a sore right knee that he said has not completely healed from March surgery.
Although the Nuggets hit just one 3-pointer, Karl did not play DerMarr Johnson, either. Asked if that would change for Game 2, the coach replied, “I don’t know how I’ll rotate the game. I have faith in DerMarr. I have faith in Eduardo. … I told everybody after the game they should be ready.”
Forward Linas Kleiza did not figure to play much in this series, but he said the left ankle he re-sprained in practice Friday did not feel good Saturday. “The second day is the worst,” he said. Karl said Kleiza would be available again by Game 3, if not sooner. … The Nuggets have downplayed their season-ending four-game losing streak, but the late slide cost them in at least one regard.
By finishing out of the Western Conference’s top six, they were unable to earn an extra $10,000 playoff bonus per player from the NBA.
Former Nuggets interim coach Michael Cooper led NBA Development League Albuquerque to a championship on Saturday night. The Albuquerque Thunderbirds defeated the host Forth Worth Flyers 119-108 to give Cooper a championship on every level of the NBA umbrella. He has won five NBA rings as a player for the Los Angeles Lakers and two titles as head coach of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.
“We would have loved to have won this game back home in Albuquerque for our fans, but we will take it here in Fort Worth, ” said Cooper, who was replaced by Nuggets coach George Karl on Jan. 27, 2005.
