Coach George Karl has a variety of cringes and scowls, expressed routinely when J.R. Smith is in the game. The trigger-happy Smith has the ability to catch fire, but he also forces shots and prevents the offense from flowing.
“He’s just J.R.,” Karl said. “He can be good for you, and he can be good for the opponent.”
In the past six games, Smith averaged 49.2 percent from 3-point range (31-for-63). But he missed a fourth-quarter layup with Denver leading the Bucks 99-92. Milwaukee cut the lead to 99-96, and while the momentum shifted, Smith was called for a charge — and then a technical foul.
Even after his 43-point effort at Chicago on Friday, Karl was critical of Smith’s shot selection in the fourth quarter, saying Smith was playing in “fantasyland.”
Kleiza probable.
Linas Kleiza (ankle sprain) will likely play against the Pistons tonight at the Pepsi Center. Kleiza is Denver’s third-leading scorer with 11.7 points per game.
Worth noting.
The Nuggets have allowed 30 or more points in 11 of the past 13 quarters, spanning the past four games, in which Denver went 1-3.
Benjamin Hochman
