Call this the potpourri column.
We’re going around the league this week, but because we’re in Denver, we’ll start here. The issue: Experience, as it relates to Melvin Hunt’s candidacy for the Nuggets’ head coaching job. He’s getting some coaching out the season, but he will still be viewed as the “inexperienced” candidate when the searching begins in earnest.
There is the Nuggets’ understandable hesitation of hiring another inexperienced coach after having just done the same with his predecessor. But, it seems to have worked out fine for the Charlotte Hornets. They love Steve Clifford after firing another first-timer, former Metro State coach Mike Dunlap. Seems to have worked fine for the Golden State Warriors, who hired back-to-back coaches on their first job with Mark Jackson and now Steve Kerr.
On the subject of experience, one of the NBA’s better head coaches, Rudy Tomjanovich — eight winning seasons and two titles in 13 years — shared this:
“I’d like to say you’ve got to pay your dues,” he said. “But you don’t have to. There’s been guys who have stepped in and been successful. Look at Jackson, what he did up there. On the basketball court his team did good. Melvin’s been around good coaches.”
Elsewhere (going into Saturday’s games) …
• Don’t hand the rookie of the year trophy to Andrew Wiggins just yet. Has anyone seen what Nikola Mirotic has been doing lately in Chicago? In March, he has averages of 21.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for a Bulls team that has needed players to step up with the injury absences of Derek Rose and Jimmy Butler.
• Didn’t it just feel like a nail in the coffin of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s playoffs hopes when the team announced superstar Kevin Durant was basically shut down for the remainder of the season with a foot injury?
• It appears Milwaukee’s trade deadline deals haven’t helped. The Bucks are 4-13 since then. This is why they’re talking long-term right about now.
• All of a sudden triple-doubles are easy? Westbrook has nine this season. Orlando Magic rookie Elfrid Payton had back-to-back trip-doubs last week.
• Remember when the Toronto Raptors were the next big thing? Yeah, me too. …
• Sure, the Philadelphia 76ers will be back in the lottery, but not everything looks gloomy. Nerlens Noel is flat-out looking like a player. He has everything you knew he had — defense, with shot blocking and steals. But he’s shown electric athleticism lately and the ability to light it up on the offensive end as well. Put some pieces around him and Philly might actually be on the right track.
• Anyone else worried about the Atlanta Hawks playoff prospects? Even just a little? Just checking.
• Sooner or later, Dwight Howard is returning. Sooner, according to what he said last week. How he assimilates back into a Houston Rockets team that has learned to live without him will be interesting to see. They’ve been nearly as good without him (24-12, .666 win percentage) as with him (22-10, .687). The rim protection and paint points will be welcome. The return of Hack-a-Dwight, won’t.
• Sooo, the San Antonio Spurs are just fine. Nine wins in the past 11 games? The only two losses were both overtime defeats? Yeah, they’re fine. And probably, once again, the scariest team going into the playoffs.
• Former Sixers/Nuggets guard Allen Iverson told the Philadelphia Inquirer he would love to be a part of Philadelphia’s front office. “I have a relationship with these fans like no other. And with this city and with this organization. Anything I can do to help, I’m here,” he said, adding, “I would like to be even in that war room. Even if they don’t go with my decision or whatever, just to have an opinion and putting out what I think and trusting the organization to do what’s right.” Like, say, drafting guys who like to practice.
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or
DENVER AT ORLANDO
4 p.m. Sunday, ALT; 950 AM
Spotlight on Elfrid Payton: The point guard with the wild hair has had a solid rookie campaign, with averages of 8.7 points, 6.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. He has led Orlando in assists 53 times this season. In March, Payton has averaged 13.3 points and 8.1 assists.
NOTEBOOK
Nuggets: The Nuggets bring this road trip to an end with a late afternoon contest in Orlando, where they’ve won regularly against a team they’ve had great success against in recent years. They own a three-game win streak against the Magic and have won eight of the past 12 matchups. … Danilo Gallinari (rest) and Jameer Nelson (hip) did not play in the Nuggets’ last game, Friday night at the Miami Heat. … The Nuggets have lost three consecutive games.
Magic: Former Nuggets guard Evan Fournier (sore right hip) is out of Sunday’s game, while talented forward Tobias Harris and center Dewayne Dedmon are questionable because of sprained left ankles.
Christopher Dempsey, The Denver Post
