Early this season, when J.R. Smith pummeled rims with David Koci-like punishment, Nuggets coach George Karl reminded himself that Smith is notoriously worse before the all-star break. That gave Karl hope that hope would spring eternal, come spring.
Two seasons ago, Smith averaged 9.9 points per game before the break and 15.7 after. And last season, the numbers were 13.7 before, 17.9 afterward.
Yes, the Nuggets are only three games into the 2010 “after” part of their schedule. But in two of them, Smith was vital in wins against Cleveland and Boston. He scored four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter in Sunday’s victory over Boston.
“Hopefully, this is the beginning of a great second half,” Karl said.
The reserve guard averages 14.8 points but is as streaky as they come. Assuming his normal post-all-star prowess prevails, will Smith be on the court — and on both ends of the court — during fourth-quarter crunch time?
“It’s a feel,” said assistant coach Adrian Dantley, who will be the head coach in Denver’s game Thursday at Golden State while Karl undergoes treatment for throat cancer. “(Smith) could be struggling, you stick with him, and then — bam, bam, bam — he hits three jumpers. It’s a feel. I’ve been around J.R. for five years, and I think I know him a little bit.”
In years past, Karl has played Smith in the fourth quarter but sometimes pulled him for a better defender. Against Boston, Smith played the majority of the final quarter. After practice Tuesday, in which Smith was the last Nugget to leave the court, he said that in order to stay on the court in the fourth, he needs to “get steals, get rebounds like we need when the bigs can’t get them, and keep making plays on the offensive end.”
On the nights when his shot isn’t falling, he still needs to “play the right way,” point guard Chauncey Billups said, and embrace a complementary role by driving toward the basket and looking for dump-off passes.
As the Nuggets’ quarterback, Billups called Smith “a major weapon. . . . When he heats up, there’s no one who can really stop him.”
The point guard has shown faith in the shooting guard, even when Smith is missing, such as in a victory at Golden State earlier this year, when Smith ultimately hit a crucial 3-pointer.
“We run a lot of plays in the fourth that might be myself and Melo in the pick-and-roll on the strong side,” Billups said, “but I’m already knowing that he’s coming off the double-down and knowing that he’s a major weapon. He’s just one of those dangerous basketball players.”
Especially down the stretch.
Footnote.
Reserve point guard Ty Lawson sprained his left thumb in practice Tuesday and is day to day. If Lawson doesn’t play Thursday, it’s likely that reserve Anthony Carter will play more minutes. Lawson is one of the NBA’s better rookie guards, ranking high in numerous rookie categories, including 9.2 points (ninth) and 22.0 minutes (ninth).
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
