OKLAHOMA CITY — Adrian Dantley and Scott Brooks became good friends sitting side-by-side on Denver’s bench as assistant coaches a few years back.
On Wednesday, they had the opportunity to coach against each other.
“We talk all the time,” Dantley, the Nuggets’ acting head coach, said of Brooks, in his first full season as Oklahoma City’s coach.
“I’m pretty happy for him. We talk to each other all the time, throwing jabs at each other. He said (before Wednesday’s game) that he was going to come after me.”
Brooks, who took over on an interim basis 13 games into last season before being named coach before the final game of the season, is a candidate for coach of the year, turning the Thunder into a playoff team after going 23-59 last season. Denver’s George Karl, who had his final chemotherapy session on Wednesday, is also a candidate. Karl, who coached the Western Conference all-stars, was 42-21 before beginning his fight against throat and neck cancer, and won January coach of the month.
K-Mart hopeful.
Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin on Wednesday went through his toughest workout since the March 8 platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy on his left knee. Martin worked primarily with assistant coach Jamahl Mosley, a former CU player still in good basketball shape. Martin went at Mosley one-on-one, attacking the basket and even leaping for a few dunks. Martin also worked on his outside shooting and free-throw shooting.
Martin said playing in one of Denver’s final four games, more likely next week, “is definitely what I’m shooting for. I don’t want to have my first game in the playoffs, because the intensity is that much greater.”
Denver plays tonight, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.
As for the workout, Martin admitted he was winded but said, “I’m going to push through it. It’s mind over matter. It’s going to take a couple games, but when I’m out there, I know I’ll play hard.”
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
