A league of extraordinary notes. Well, pretty good ones, anyway. …
Not that the Nuggets have had some issues this season, but here’s George Karl, on his team’s sub-.500 record: “I really think we’ve had a pretty good year. I really have enjoyed our year for the most part. I’m not as negative on the record as everybody else is. If you had to evaluate the toughness it took to get through some of the stuff we did … what we overcame would have destroyed 90 percent of the NBA teams.” …
The Nuggets are an inexplicable and unacceptable 15-16 at the Pepsi Center. So, has Karl considered moving practice to the arena from the team’s gym on the second floor of the building?
“Yeah, we have,” he said. “We went down there for a shootaround and got our butts kicked, so I decided that wasn’t going to happen.” …
Actually, Karl says he’s considering such a move for the playoffs to shake things up. …
The Nuggets’ biggest problem can be described in three words: location, location, location. They’re 16-8 vs. the East, 12-21 vs. the West. …
Did you notice? Carmelo Anthony is averaging a career-high 4.1 assists a night. …
One man’s all-NBA second-rounder team: Michael Redd and Gilbert Arenas in the backcourt, Mehmet Okur at center, Carlos Boozer and Rashard Lewis at small forward, and Manu Ginobili coming off the bench. …
Redd, the proud owner of two 50-point games this season, averaged 2.2 points a game as a rookie. Since then, his scoring averages read, in order: 11.4, 15.1, 21.7, 23.0, 25.4 and 27.8.
Not bad for a guy who couldn’t get guaranteed money coming out of Ohio State. …
So Jake Plummer lists joining the Peace Corps among his non-career options. The do-good federal agency or the Chiefs’ defense? …
Bud Shaw of Cleveland Plain Dealer, on ex-Oklahoma tailback Adrian Peterson‘s NFL combine workout: “He went 10-feet-7 in the broad jump. I didn’t see his vertical, but I’m told he came back down with a bag of airline peanuts.” …
Mighty Ducks GM Brian Burke, when asked by the Orange County Register about his newest acquisition, ex-Av Brad May: “He’s tougher than a night in jail.” …
So Clint Hurdle wants to stay in the background this season, wants to keep things quieter, get on the players less. You know, kind of like Ozzie Guillen. …
Memo to Tyler Hansbrough: This is Duke-Carolina, dude. No amputation, no foul. …
Karl, ever the Carolina loyalist, on Dukie Gerald Henderson, whose haymaker/foul bloodied Hansbrough’s face: “Aw, come on. He should be suspended. He should be out for the year.” …
According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Nuggets assistant Mike Dunlap and Air Force’s Jeff Bzdelik are on the U of Minnesota’s short list of head coaching candidates. Not that it’s really a short list. A novel is more like it. The paper says the list was recently cut to 24 from 35. …
All right, I admit it. Before the Broncos traded for him, I thought “Big Daddy” Dan Wilkinson was retired. Instead, he will become the third No. 1 pick in the draft to wear a Broncos uniform.
The others? Courtney Brown and John Elway. …
Just when you thought Jay Cutler had an unusual hometown – Santa Claus, Ind. – along comes Travis Henry, the pride and joy of Frostproof, Fla. …
Just wondering: Not that Scottie Pippen is too old to play in the NBA, but when Phil Jackson called him the other day, how many rings did it take him to get to the phone? …
To paraphrase the immortal words of Russ “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!” Hodges: The Avs beat the Red Wings! The Avs beat the Red Wings! …
And finally, happy 35th to Shaquille O’Neal. What to get for the man who has everything? Back-to-back free throws would be a good start.
Jim Armstrong can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
