The numbers set apart by two commas are of no consequence to Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried. Only the numbers on a stat sheet matter to him, he said.
He is richer now — much richer after , provided he hits all his incentives.
But it’s business as usual for Faried, who promises his focus will never waver and that he’ll continue to bring the energy to the court that helped get him paid in the first place.
He is grateful, however.
“It feels good, you know,” Faried told The Denver Post on Wednesday. “I’m a Nugget. I’m staying a Nugget. I’m just ecstatic about the opportunity and this up-and-coming year.”
Faried said he “wasn’t worried” about getting a new contract by the Oct. 31 deadline.
“I was just focused on what I had to do this year, either way,” Faried said. “I just knew I had to come in, lock in and be focused and lead this team.”
Faried is looking to build upon his . He’s also looking to build upon his sizzling finish to last season, .
Asked if he felt pressure to live up to the big contract, Faried grinned.
“No, I really don’t care,” he said. “There’s no pressure. It’s just money. It’s not a big deal. I love the game, so I’m going to continue to play the game like I’ve been playing.”
And his coach, Brian Shaw, isn’t worried about any potential letdowns, either.
“He’s not a player, you know, if his jump shot is off it’s not going to affect his game,” Shaw said. “What he brings to the table every night is something that he can consistently do every night. He can play hard, bring energy, and if he does that, his game works itself out. When he’s flat or doesn’t bring that kind of energy, that’s when he can get himself in trouble.”
Never has Faried been more confident in his skills than he is now.
“My mind has been at ease, and I’ve been grinding,” Faried said. “I just came off of winning a gold medal (in the FIBA World Cup). I know what it takes to win. I know how to lead now, and I know how to be a leader. So I’m just going to go out here and do what I have to do for my teammates, and work hard every day like I have been doing and don’t take nights off like I haven’t been doing. Just do everything I have been doing to get me the contract just to make sure we’re winning games.”
Nuggets beat Thunder. Timofey Mozgov put in a full game’s work in just 24 minutes, going for 20 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in just 24 minutes of work in a Nuggets’ 114-101 win over Oklahoma City on Wednesday night at the Pepsi Center.
The Nuggets used ever-tightening defense to overcome an early 13-point deficit and build a double-digit lead of their own in the third quarter. The fourth quarter was played by reserves on both sides. Ty Lawson had 12 points and seven assists while Kenneth Faried, fresh off signing his new contract extension, finished with eight points and four rebounds in 23 minutes.
Oklahoma City, which was playing its first preseason game, got 11 points in 12 minutes out of star forward Kevin Durant. Russell Westbrook had just four points on 1-of-5 shooting in 13 minutes.
The Nuggets, who played their only game at the Pepsi Center this month, are 1-1 in the preseason and return to action Friday at Phoenix.
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or
