The words on the white dry-erase board were written fittingly in green: “Pride and perseverance are NBA talents.”
After losing two winnable games over the weekend, coach George Karl tried to inspire his Nuggets in the pregame locker room. Indeed, the words couldn’t have been more accurate. Just look at how his team was buried by them.
The Boston Celtics, playing on the road without Kevin Garnett, walloped the Nuggets 114-76 at the Pepsi Center on Monday night. As for the Nuggets, you could surely use some P-words to describe their effort too — perhaps paltry or pitiful.
“In the last week, we haven’t had the focus to respond to the challenges,” Karl said after the game. “We’re all disappointed in that.”
To be fair, numerous Nuggets are injured — Nene didn’t play because of a bone bruise in his knee and likely won’t play this week — and the team just returned home from an eight-game road trip.
Still, Monday was a mess. Denver hadn’t lost by this many points at home since Feb. 2, 1998. All-star Chauncey Billups scored a season-low three points and didn’t score his first field goal until the 1:37 mark in the third quarter. And Denver shot just 3-for-21 from 3-point range, while Boston shot 14-for-23. Think about that. That’s nine points off 3-pointers compared with 42.
Denver (37-20) actually had a two-game winning streak against Boston (46-12), including a win there this season, but the defending champs were overwhelming, holding the Nuggets to a 34.7 percent shooting.
It was the Nuggets’ first game back at the Pepsi Center since Feb. 3, and the place was sold out — though there were plenty of fans wearing green. It made for an intense first half, with fans cheering basically after every basket. On the court, Denver was called for five first-half charges, and two players earned technical fouls as the Nuggets held on for dear life.
“The whistle made it lopsidedly difficult for us to stay in the fight because they were getting almost all the calls,” Karl said. “I don’t think they deserve that much respect. I think they’re a great team, but great teams don’t need help. But sometimes the heavyweight champs get the benefit of the doubt.”
At the 6:47 mark in the third quarter, Boston’s Ray Allen hit one of his six 3-pointers, giving Boston a 70-43 lead. The outcome was pretty much decided. Allen remained in the game into the fourth quarter, though, and when he hit a 3, Denver’s Anthony Carter knocked the all-star to the court. The two players exchanged words before earning technical fouls. Allen soon called it a night with a game-high 26 points.
So, what now? Denver was embarrassed by the loss, but when Billups was asked about the team’s effort, he said encouragingly: “No team is immune to this. You’re going to go through these kind of patches. You can’t overreact to it, but you also can’t underreact. If the screws need to be tightened up, they need to be tightened up. It’s a chance to refocus.”
They better, quickly. The Hawks (32-24) play at the Pepsi Center on Wednesday, and the Lakers (46-10) are here Friday.
Benjamin Hochman:
303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
Five days to prove their mettle
This week features a measuring-stick five days for the Nuggets, who began a stretch of home games against Boston, Atlanta and the Los Angeles Lakers with a loss to the Celtics. Denver Post writer Chris Dempsey looks at what the Nuggets have faced and are up against:
Monday, Celtics The Nuggets started off with a listless effort in which it didn’t matter whether the injured Nene was present or not. Boston (46-12) was without forward Kevin Garnett but routed the Nuggets from the start.
Wednesday, Hawks Led by veterans Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson, the young Hawks (32-24) nearly beat Boston in last season’s playoffs and are fourth in this season’s Eastern Conference playoff race.
Friday, Lakers The Lakers (46-10) own the NBA’s best record and lately have owned the Nuggets. Including the playoffs, L.A. has beaten the Nuggets nine straight times. The Nuggets haven’t beaten the Lakers since April 9, 2007.
Nuggets Recap
What you might have missed
Nuggets center Johan Petro subbed for the injured Nene and played pretty well. He finished with 10 rebounds, to go along with nine points — although six of them came in garbage time. . . . The Nuggets have lost three straight games for just the second time this season and have allowed each of the past three opponents to score 110-plus points. That’s a first for this season. . . . Nuggets guard J.R. Smith attempted eight 3-pointers, making one.
Final thought
The champs came to town on “a mission,” Nuggets coach George Karl said, and Denver let Boston control the game on the Nuggets’ home court.
Up next
Wednesday vs. Atlanta, 7 p.m.
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
