Nets guard Jarrett Jack (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The scene was eye-catching because of the individuals involved and the time it occurred. In the moments following the Nuggets 110-82 loss to Brooklyn on Monday night, Nuggets coach Brian Shaw – along with other members of the coaching staff – met with Nets point guard Jarrett Jack at midcourt for a lengthy conversation.
Jack’s message to Shaw was a pep talk.
“They’re having a rough little patch here in the season,” said Jack, who did not play in the game due to a hamstring injury. “There might be some uncertainty amongst their team, I don’t know, with the deadline going by and a lot of those guys names circulating. Just trying to give him some positive words. Just keep pushing. He always was that way with me. Whenever I played against them, we may have been in a similar situation. So just returning the favor.”
Jack, who incidentally was a Nuggets draft pick in 2005, hasn’t actually ever played with, or for, Shaw during his 10 seasons in the NBA. They just crossed paths and clicked.
“I got a mutual respect for anybody who played in this league,” Jack said. “Just seeing him on different coaching staffs, I just made it a point to go and say what’s up, show my respect to him or whatever the case may be. Just a mutual respect. It’s like a fraternity in this business, so whoever has come before me and has walked in the footsteps that I walked in, I definitely want to go and show my respect and appreciation.”
And Jack is familiar with the staleness that comes with prolonged losing situations. It’s part of the reason why he wanted to pass on words of encouragement to Shaw, whose team has another month and a half of basketball before this season ends.
“I’ve been in worse,” Jack said. “My first year in the league we won 21 games. I’ve been on every side, no question. To have to find ways to keep guys excited about the situation when it may not be going your way, it’s tough to do.”
Follow Chris Dempsey on Twitter @dempseypost or email him at cdempsey@denverpost.com
