The mind of Chauncey Billups works in ways still to be discovered as his time with the Nuggets grows longer.
At issue this time: scoring.
Specifically, Billups had not been doing much of it until recently, and many were beginning to wonder why. In a Nov. 13-20 three-game stretch, Billups averaged 6.0 points per game. Since then, the veteran point guard has averaged 19.3 points in his last four, including 32 points on Friday in the Nuggets’ win over the Knicks.
So, what changed?
Pretty much nothing, Billups said. He was just letting his teammates hit their stride.
“Well, I think we’re better when I’m looking to score, especially early, because it puts so much pressure on the defense,” Billups said. “I’ll do it sometimes and sometimes I won’t. In the last week or so I haven’t been because I’m trying to allow some of the other guys to put their imprint on (the game).
“If I have to take a step back sometimes and do that, as long as I’m not jeopardizing the win, I don’t mind that. But I knew coming into (Friday’s) game that I was going to be aggressive from the jump. I was going to be aggressive, get us in a good aggressive mode and see what happens.”
Billups went 9-for-17 from the field and 10-of-14 from the free-throw line against the Knicks. He scored nine points in the first quarter and eight points in the fourth quarter, when the Nuggets needed the production most.
Billups’ 17 shots marked just the seventh time this season he has had double-digit attempts — the first time since taking 16 on Nov. 11. But that has been by design. In the three games he averaged 6.0 points, Billups averaged 6.3 shots. In his last four games, he’s taken 10 shots per game.
“It’s funny because people were saying I was struggling,” Billups said. “I wasn’t struggling, I was shooting five or six shots, making two or three. Struggling is 6-for-20, 5-for-16; that’s struggling. I wasn’t struggling at all. I just wasn’t being aggressive.
“There are games I play with myself throughout the course of the season, trying to pick up certain guys’ confidence, trying to open up the door for some other guys to take a bigger piece of the pie. Just small things like that, that I learned to do over the years. So I don’t really listen to the ‘He’s struggling,’ or ‘He’s got five points’ or whatever. That’s cool. When I want to put my foot on the pedal, this is what I can do all the time.”
Billups’ approach has helped players like Arron Afflalo and Ty Lawson find their place on a new team. Lawson, who has taken direct tutelage from Billups and guard Anthony Carter, says he’s learning a lot from both.
“The main thing they’re saying is just play my game — don’t do anything that didn’t get you here,” Lawson said. “So, don’t become a shooter if I’m a driver, stuff like that. Basically, just play my game.”
Nuggets coach George Karl said he was never worried about Billups’ dip in scoring, and never will.
“Chauncey understands how our team functions as well as I do,” Karl said. “He’s not a stat guy, he’s a winner. As much as you can say ‘He had a tough game,’ he’s a lot of the reason why we’re winning games too.”
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
