Nuggets guard Arron Afflalo has improved “on a weekly basis,” coach George Karl said, a promising analysis, considering Afflalo is Denver’s starting shooting guard and a valuable 3-point weapon.
“I think I like him, even when he’s boring,” Karl said of Afflalo, who sometimes doesn’t put up big numbers but provides intangibles. “Sometimes, minute-wise, I say after ‘I shouldn’t have played him that long, he wasn’t playing that well,’ but he’s fundamental and very hard-working. As the season goes on, more-balanced offensive touches would make him more consistent.”
Afflalo averages 8.4 points in the “Dahntay Jones” role from a season ago and isn’t afraid to guard an opponent’s top guard (such as Chris Paul, at times, during Saturday’s game against the Hornets). He entered Saturday with 10-plus points in eight of his past 12 games. Jones averaged 5.4 points per game last season for the Nuggets, and this season averages 11.6 in an expanded role for the Pacers.
Time change.
The Suns-Nuggets game on Feb. 3 at the Pepsi Center will now tip off at 8:30 p.m. and will air on ESPN and Altitude.
Pack Man.
Nuggets fans remember Robert Pack, who played here from 1992-95 and was a key cog on the 1994 eighth seed that upset the No. 1 SuperSonics, coached by Karl. Now, the New Orleans native is on the Hornets’ bench as an assistant, joining the team this season.
“He’s very similar to what he was like as a player — high energy, a lot of effort,” said Hornets coach Jeff Bower, whose team has two rookie guards. “He’s been real effective working with our guards and taking the young fellows under his wing. He’s been a real valuable asset to our team and coaching staff.”
New coach.
Bower is in his first season as a head coach, after he and the Hornets’ front office fired Byron Scott this season. The Hornets entered Saturday’s game against the Nuggets with a 9-3 record in January.
“He’s got a heck of a coach sitting next to him in Tim Floyd and a heck of a coach in Chris Paul playing for him,” Karl said. “Am I surprised a little bit (at his instant success)? Yeah. But, obviously, he had a pretty good personality with the team before he took over. I think that’s shown. But it’s not easy coming in when the team’s on a down slide — and then to turn it around as well as he’s done.”
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
