The biggest news coming out of the Nuggets video session this morning was coach George Karl announcing he was benching reserve guard J.R. Smith.
“He’s done,” Karl said.
Smith’s mistakes throughout the series have grated on Karl, leading to the decision to bench him for Game 5, to be held Wednesday in San Antonio. The final straw apparently was Smith’s missed three-pointer with 25.7 seconds left in Game 4 on Monday night with the Nuggets trailing 93-89.
“And then, of course the one with eight seconds to go, from 50 feet,” Karl said. “I just love the dignity of the game being insulted right in front of me.”
Karl said he had not talked to Smith about the benching by the time he met reporters at around noon. Smith is averaging 4.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in 11.8 minutes a game during the playoff series, which the Nuggets trail 3-1.
