CHICAGO — To Nuggets fans, this standard description in the play-by-play reads like a poem by Keats:
Nene driving slam dunk.
Less than three minutes into his first game back, the 6-foot-11 center attacked the basket for a vicious rim-rattler. It was refreshing to see that the big fellow had some hops after missing three games with a groin strain. And it also was a glimpse of aggressiveness, something Nene doesn’t always show with the basketball.
With Nene back, “it gives us more size, talent and one of our more efficient players on the court,” said Denver coach George Karl, who started either Gary Forbes or Melvin Ely with Nene out. “I’ve got to monitor how much he can play and how well he can play. But he’s a very talented big man that we need — and need to play at a high level.”
All-star shining.
Karl is a point guard aficionado, but he had trouble looking forward to watching the Bulls’ Derrick Rose, knowing his team would be playing against him.
“I don’t know which point guard has as much freedom — is it Derrick Rose? Chris Paul? Deron Williams? Steve Nash? Those four guys have more freedom with the basketball than anyone in the game,” Karl said. “Rose — this kid is good. He’s dynamite in the open court. He’s gotten better with his left hand, gotten better with his weaknesses, he’s making shots. Right now, you’re just figuring out how to control his impact. You’re not going to stop him.”
Looking back.
About Denver’s fourth quarter against Dallas on Saturday, Karl said: “It’s the best defensive quarter I’ve ever (coached). I’ve never had a team hold a team to no field goals in 5-on-5. They scored eight points on the offensive glass and five in transition and didn’t score in the halfcourt.”
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
