How far have the Nuggets fallen?
News that the team had dismissed coach Brian Shaw on Tuesday was greeted by the downtown lunch crowd as a ho-hum affair.
If there was a consensus, it was that the Nuggets had to do something in the midst of a dreadful 2-19 stretch. Shaw departs with a 56-85 overall record, including 20-39 this season.
It was clear that some fans still are smarting over the firing of coach George Karl after the team’s NBA franchise-record 57 regular season victories two years ago, when Karl was named coach of the year.
“I don’t think Brian Shaw is the problem,” Kenneth Krew said. “The management and the players are the problem.”
Harry Moseley, a big-time college basketball fan who also watches the Nuggets, called the firing unfortunate.
“They had to do something,” Moseley said. “The team has played poorly. The coach never had the tools to run what he wanted to run. He was put into an unfair situation, but he knew what he was getting into.”
Ranie Maes, eating at Choppers, said: “I think it probably was a good move. I thought they would wait until the end of the season. But they still have a quarter of the season left and maybe time enough to get moving in the right direction.”
Mark Cobraw said the Nuggets were no longer worth spending money on to attend a game.
“I don’t understand why they fired George Karl,” said James Grant of Denver. “I want George Karl back.”
Karl was recently hired to coach the Sacramento Kings.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296, imoss@denverpost.com or
