Denver Post sports writer Benjamin Hochman posts his Nuggets Mailbag on Tuedays during the 2010-11 NBA season.
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BHoch, to me there’s nothing more boring and back-handed than to hear somebody say about an NBA team that “they play the game the right way.” This isn’t college. In the Association, you have to score to win. Period. But, I gotta admit the Nuggets are proving me wrong. This is the craziest passing team I’ve seen in awhile and it’s actually really effective. Seriously though, can it win them a playoff series? Just give it to me straight.
—Drake, Denver
Drake: What’s up, Drake Ramoray? Hope things are going awesome for you. You’re totally right – the Nuggets have been passing at a high level since the trade – in fact, in the nine games since shipping Melo and Chauncey to NY, the Nuggets have averaged 25.4 assists per game (an incredibly high mark).
George Karl often said that the passing was Denver’s worst trait before the trade, and now, it’s one of Denver’s best traits.
“Our assist-to-turnover ratio has been incredible at the point guard position, 4-to-1 between the two of them since they’ve been here,” Karl said of Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson. “I think we realize that we have to play as a team to be effective. We have good, talented players, but if we don’t help each other, we’re probably not going to have enough. Kenyon has been great in up-front passing the ball. I think everybody’s not been taking the tough shot. And our point guards have been pretty exceptional, putting a good number up every night.
“The two fundamentals that have been surprisingly successful have been rebounding and passing.”
OK, but the crux of your question Drake was about the playoffs. Can Denver win a series? I think the Nuggets can beat Dallas or Oklahoma City. L.A. and San Antonio? Those opponents will be mighty, mighty tough to knock off in a seven-game series.
Ray Felton (does he really prefer the full Raymond?) looks really good as a 1-1 punch with Ty Lawson. But I get the impression he doesn’t want that. George Karl sorta hinted at it after the win over Detroit. George said something like “They have a certain competitiveness to them.” Is there any chance Felton would accept a bench job long term? I’m sure he’d get minutes and points. Just not the prestige of a starter job. Does that matter to him?
—Jack, Golden
Jack: It’s going to be very fascinating how the Nuggets approach the point guard position in the future. Right now (nine games into this thing), everything is pretty peachy. The team is winning and, even though Raymond is playing fewer minutes, both guys are getting their chance to change the game (and Felton has built a chemistry with Birdman, which has led to few rim-rattling dunks).
From what I understand, Lawson is a player they want for the next few years. Yes, he’s not always assertive, and George Karl has commented occasionally about Lawson’s poor body language and relaxed ways. But the guy has had a breakout season (or, at least, a breakout post-Chauncey season) and, frankly, is much more affordable that Felton. Ideally, George Karl would want both guys next season too, but this summer, the front office has to make a decision about Felton’s future. Remember, the guy is an almost-all-star talent.
I would love to see Kenyon come back next year as a defensive seventh man and see Harrington gone. Do you think Kenyon would accept seventh man money??
—Sergio, Denver
Sergio: This is something for the summertime, but knowing Kenyon, he’s going to want a ring. The guy obviously has made a ton of money and has made his mark on the league. But if he gets offers from contenders, this will be something he will have to consider.
The Nuggets’ mid-level exception money is being gobbled up by the aforementioned Harrington, so that does affect things as the front office, this summer, decides if it will make some sort of offer to Kenyon.
I am a native-born Denverite now living in Israel and follow the Nuggets on my PC. Is it me or what, but it looks like Denver is a better team without Anthony, at least they are playing better. Can you please give me your opinion of the new Nuggets?
—Don Saliman, Israel
Don. Shalom my fellow tribesman. Hopefully
I, obviously, have been impressed by the new-look Nuggets (or Knuggets, as some folks on Twitter have called them). Remember, it’s only a nine-game sample, and I’m writing you this from a coffee shop in New Orleans, before the Nuggets play their first of four road games against teams with winning records. But, yeah, like I told Drake, the guys have been passing better and embracing “team basketball” (what a concept!).
Recently, and here’s what he said about his squad:
“I think what we’re trying to do is play with an aggressiveness on both ends of the court,” Karl said. “Offensively, I’m not saying we’re going to score as many points as we did with Carmelo (Anthony) and Chauncey (Billups), but I’ll probably bet you that we will. I’m not guaranteeing that, I’m not 100 percent sure, but if we play the right way, with as much depth as we have, we’ll figure out how to score points…”
And about the defense: “We’re taking the easy baskets out, we’re making people have to play against our defense,” Karl said. “And we’re not giving them the transition mistakes. We’re staying away from being tricked into giving up easy baskets. We’re staying solid. And I think we also make more extra-effort plays. We make multiple-effort plays.”
Why do the Nuggets have so many late-night games (8:30 p.m.)? I need to get to bed so I can get up to work the next morning without having to stay up late to see the end of the game.
—Bob Steele, Steamboat Springs
Bob: Indeed, the 8:30 tipoffs stink for fans with early-morning jobs and sportswriters with early deadlines. But the 8:30 games are televised nationally, so that means that the Nugget-fan Bobs across the country get a chance to watch their favorite team.
The reason they’re on so late is that the 8:30 games are, generally, the second televised game of the night, the first game played in the East or Central time zones. Frankly, there aren’t that many good teams in the mountain or West time zones, so most of the games are played in Denver, L.A., Phoenix or Utah.
So, it can be looked as a “reward” to Nuggets fans that they’re even on at all. But, yeah, the 8:30 tip makes for a long night for everyone.
Benjamin Hochman is in his fourth season as the Nuggets and NBA reporter for The Denver Post. for the Nuggets Mailbag. And
