Denver Post sports writer Benjamin Hochman posts his Nuggets Mailbag on Tuesdays during the 2009-10 NBA season.
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How does Denver’s schedule of back-to-back games compare with other teams in the league. It seems they’ve had an awful lot of them this season or is it just me?
–Margie, Fort Myers, Florida
You’re on to something, my friend! You could argue that the Nuggets have the worst schedule in the Western Conference. After making a grueling preseason trip to Asia, their regular season schedule has 22 back-to-backs, most in the conference. For comparison, division-rival Oklahoma City only has 17, while Utah and Portland have 19.
And some of these have been doozies, oh yes. Consider that first big road trip of the season, back in early November. It had three back-to-backs! (Indiana-N.J., Miami-Atlanta, Chicago-Milwaukee. Denver went 3-3). Utah, for instance, doesn’t have one road trip this season that includes two back-to-backs. Portland does have three road trips that include two back-to-backs, but neither division rival has a road trip with three back-to-backs.
And what about this trip they’re currently on? After a back-to-back against the Knicks and Celtics, Denver heads up North to Toronto and then has the zaniest back-to-back of the season – Orlando and Dallas. Unfortunately for Denver, the Dallas game – the fifth in seven nights – is the biggest game of the season.
Now it’s not like all the other teams aren’t also dealing with crazy scheduling and arrivals to Denver at 4 a.m. In fact, the Nuggets … except, of course, last Saturday, when they lost to the Bucks, who played a double-overtime game the night before.
Do you think that with the way Anthony Carter has been playing, will he take away Ty Lawson’s minutes when Ty comes back? Do you have any idea of when Ty will come back?
–John Martinez, Colorado
John: Thanks for writing, glad you’re a fan of the mailbag (assuming, of course, that you’re actually a fan of the mailbag). Indeed, His performance in the Memphis game was game-changing — he spearheaded the offense in the fourth quarter, when
I’m writing this on Monday, and Lawson told me that he should be able to play in Tuesday’s game at NYK. I think that Lawson will go back to playing his normal allotment of minutes — 21.6 per game. But Carter’s recent surge will likely shorten Lawson’s leash, if you will. And in a seven-game series, look for Carter to come in here and there, especially because he’s such a good close-out perimeter defender.
I read in the Post that when Adrian Dantley coaches he has shorter shootarounds for the team, which the players seem to like. I was wondering what are the biggest differences when George Karl coaches as opposed to Dantley?
–Josh, Manhattan Beach, CA
Good question, indeed. Dantley isn’t as boisterous as Karl is — Karl explained that Dantley speaks with his stare.
That said, Dantley was asked about “being quiet,” and he told reporters: “When people say I’m quiet, they don’t really know. I’m mild-mannered. I don’t know what they mean when they say I’m quiet. I don’t know if they want me to act wild. I always said if I acted wild and crazy I would have been a more popular player.”
Dantley, as we’ve seen, is accustomed to filling lineup holes with more players playing fewer minutes. Of course, each game is different because of matchups. But with George, if Kenyon Martin is out, GK would maybe just put Joey Graham in to play 20-25 minutes, and just increase Birdman’s minutes to the 30-range. AD will often throw in a little Petro, a little Graham and a little Malik. Also, Dantley likes to look for the low-post more when he’s orchestrating the offense, though it’s not like Denver revamped the playbook or anything once AD took over as acting coach.
But the fact is, it’s taking a village. Indeed, Dantley is working longer hours as the man in charge, but as we’ve seen at practices (even when GK was around), all of the assistants have a voice and a presence. The difference is during games. It used to be that GK would always talk to the team in the huddle. Now, you’ll see guys like Chad Iske in the huddle, calling out plays and motivating the squad,
If JR has a very solid ‘contract year’ next year, shoots 40% from 3’s, scores 15-17 a game, plays solid defense, and keeps his head on straight, do you think the Nuggets will pony up the top dollar he may command on the open market, or do you think we’ll lose him to free agency? Also, isn’t K-Mart’s contract up after next year?
–Shannon, Bend, Ore.
Well, if he does all those things, he will indeed be very enticing to the Nuggets. But the fact is, he’ll have to prove he can do all those things on a consistent basis. He’s shown that he’s and his sporadic first-half play was infuriating at times.
I know the front office is fond of Smith, and his ability to take over a game, like he so famously did in the big win at Memphis. But right now, I think it’s too early to discuss his market value. As for K-Mart, he won’t opt out and thus will play next season for Denver.
From your perspective, describe what kind of coaching job takes more talent: 1) the coach who can lead a team to a 65-game winning season (ie. Phil Jackson a la Lakers/Bulls); or 2) the coach who can salvage a no-name roster and make the playoffs (Scott Skiles a la Bucks or Rick Adelman a la Rockets)?
–Cody, Brooklyn
It’s funny, because GK talks about that occasionally. He says there should be multiple coach of the year awards — one for the guy who just does the best, one for the guy who does the most with the least, one who does the best with the most combustible locker room, etc.
Along those lines, it’s arguable that Karl’s little-defense 50-win team of 2007-08 might have been a better coaching job than the Chauncey-led 54-win team in 2008-09.
To answer your question, I think the Skiles/Adelman coaching job is tougher to do, because you have constant matchup problems and no superstar to carry your team when other guys are having off-nights. Though, give one of those guys Kobe. Could he have made Kobe into a winner like Phil did? Moreover, come playoff time, when the talent levels are so similar, it takes a Phil to provide strategy and leadership to defeat a similarly talented team.
Benjamin Hochman is in his third season as the Nuggets and NBA beat writer for The Denver Post. for the Nuggets Mailbag.
