Roundball Mining Company - Denver Nuggets Blog

Pulling for Plateletes

March 9, 2010
by Jeremy

We found out two pieces of news about Kenyon Martin today. His patella tendon injury does not appear to be a season ending and he has already received an injection of platelet-rich plasma. Both of those tidbits could not be more vague.

While the Nuggets announced that Kenyon “is expected to return” at some point this season, there is no timeline. No week to ten days or two to four weeks. Expected to return makes me a little bit queasy. I have expected a lot of things to happen that did not happen. I expected the girl I took to homecoming to dance with me. I expected to graduate college in four years. I expected Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra to make my summer the best one ever.

I would like to think if something is expected to happen the chances of it occurring are better than 50/50. Then I thought about weather forecasts and if there is only a 30% chance of rain or snow they expect rain or snow. Cold the chances of Kenyon playing again this season really be as low as 30%?

Of course, I am being a little silly. If the team says they expect Kenyon to play again this season, I believe them, but still, the lack of a more specific prognosis is not encouraging.

After a little digging, and by digging I mean I conducted an internet search and clicked on at least three links, the reason why the team cannot give us more specific information on Kenyon’s return is because the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment is a bit of an unknown.

According to Scientific American, which has a really official looking website and might even be a real magazine with subscriptions and everything, is a procedure that has displayed anecdotal success, but is yet to be proven to be more effective than alternative treatments, such as laying on your couch, in legitimate clinical trials.

The procedure involves removing some of your own blood, separating the platelets, thingamabobs from your own blood that your body utilizes to heal itself, and then injecting them into the injured area. The treatment was originally “developed the mid-1990s to aid bone healing after spinal injury and soft tissue recovery following plastic surgery.” More recently the procedure showed signs of speeding the healing of tendons that suffer from microscopic tearing leading to chronic tendinitis especially in locations where there is not a surplus of blood flow.

As mentioned above there have not been any official studies involving humans to prove or disprove the effectiveness of the treatment. Dr. Dennis A. Cardone from the Hospital for Joint Diseases at New York University claims that sometimes patients believe it worked and sometimes it was completely ineffective. Overall he cites a success rate of “maybe around 60 percent.”

If Dr. Cardone is right, perhaps we are looking at a 60 percent chance of Kenyon returning to the floor again this season and thus a 60 percent chance Denver will be a team to reckon with in the playoffs.

Honestly, Denver can handle life without Kenyon for a few games here and there. If they are forced to play without him for a prolonged period of time I think you can kiss any shot at the second or third seed goodbye and perhaps even home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Kenyon is certainly a limited player, but he is the Nuggets’ best rebounder and a very versatile defender. In addition to his defensive abilities, he is a very good passer and was always a threat to score 18 or 20 points. As long as Kenyon can return healthy for the playoffs the Nuggets will still have as good of a chance as anyone to unseat the Lakers although the road will be much more difficult.

The Nuggets have been linked with players such as Mikki Moore and now we can add Jake Voskuhl and Brian Cook. How much do you want to count on any of them at this point in the season? If our worst fears end up a reality and Kenyon is unable to play again this season I am afraid the Nuggets season will be irreparably damaged as well.

Kenyon’s platelets have gotten him through two microfracture surgeries. Hopefully they can come through one more time.

Thrashing the Thunder, Melo vs Durant, Adding Bigs and Some Links

March 4, 2010
by Jeremy

Box Score | Highlights

What can we take from the Denver Nuggets 119-90 dismantling of the Oklahoma City Thunder? The Nuggets were certainly due for a breakout game and the Thunder apparently forgot to drink their energy drinks this morning. The Nuggets certainly rediscovered their ability to pass, score in the paint and run the floor. However, Oklahoma City did not put up much of a battle.

In an attempt to document the expected conflagration between Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant Royce Young from Daily Thunder and I were asked to carry on an email conversation for the Daily Dime. Unfortunately, for Royce, the game was a disappointment, but we still managed to compare and contrast Melo and KD. (In case you missed it David Thorpe provided his own in depth breakdown of how Melo and Durant match up earlier today.)

After the duel between the two superstars failed to materialize Nuggets fans were still treated to some good news. Chris Andersen looked healthy again. Just two days after moving around the floor in Phoenix like an octogenarian he was spry and bouncy. All the evidence I needed to see came when Andersen stepped away from his man to challenge Russell Westbrook as he approached the rim from the right baseline. When Birdman met Westbrook in the air the point guard dished off to Birdman’s man Nick Collison. Andersen landed, recovered and leapt in time to block Collison’s point blank shot before it started on its way down. It was an impressive play and hopefully a sign that Bird’s chronic patella tendinitis will not be a problem in the near future.

As far as all the regular things we fret over from game to game such as pick and roll defense, rotations and offensive tactics, with the lack of competition I do not think there is anything to draw any hard and fast conclusions.

I guess there is one other thing we can say and that is Kenyon stop shooting from outside the paint. Please, you are killing me. He bricked a three pointer so badly off the backboard that security had to put the ball out of its misery to ease its suffering.

With little to reflect on as far as game action instead of calling it a night we will turn our attention to a question from drewjay. Should Denver be preparing to welcome Mark Blount to the team?

With the Nuggets searching for big man depth the bought out player field never quite materialized. As much fun as it was to daydream about Zydrunas Ilgauskas coming to Denver to hit shots and be really tall, there was never any real chance of that happening. He has played his entire career in Cleveland. They kept him around early in his career when it appeared he would never be able to run from one end of the floor to the other without breaking his foot and this is the best Cavs team, perhaps ever. There was never any chance he would end up anywhere else.

I had hopes of Drew Gooden becoming available, but after conflicting reports as to whether or not the Clippers were going to buy him out we found out the Clippers wanted him to stay. It makes sense for the other LA team to try to win as many games as possible to appear as a better destination for free agents. Had Gooden not been shipped from the Wizards to LA he likely would have been bought out, but alas it was not meant to be.

So who is left? Umm…how about Mark Blount and Mikki Moore? Any takers?

Considering the way the Nuggets are spending money, or should I say not spending money, the only way they will bring in another player is if that player is significantly better than one, or both of the Nuggets spare bigs, namely Malik Allen and Johan Petro. It is clear that Karl does not trust either one. They only get significant playing time when someone in front of them is injured or during blowouts.

I cannot see Blount enticing the Nuggets at all and I cannot imagine a player who has been played 15 minutes over the past 13 months coming onboard and earning any more trust than Allen has. However, with Moore there is certainly smoke. As Chris Tomasson has reported Moore is recovering from surgery to remove a bone spur on his right heel and could be ready to play be mid March.

Moore is no spring chicken at the age of 34, but he has only played in 557 games and as long as he is healthy could provide an upgrade over Malik Allen. If Moore does come to Denver it will certainly not be to play 20 minutes a night, but as a fourth big who can run the floor, bring energy off the bench and most importantly give Renaldo Balkman a run for his money in the bad hair competition he is probably worth the gamble.

Heck according to the video below Moore is a deadly shooter, great finisher, has an excellent post game and is an all around dominate force (you have to watch it simply to see where on the backboard the ball hits the backboard as he banks a turnaround jumper at the 50 second mark).

If the Nuggets pass and decide not to sign anyone I am not going to lose a second of sleep. I would much prefer not signing anyone to signing Blount. However, signing Moore would be a cheap move with little downside.

Sticking with news from Tomasson he has reported that Carmelo received an IV this morning and that he was slightly dehydrated which could help explain some of his lackadaisical play. If Melo plays like he did tonight after getting some fluids, I say hook him up to an IV every morning.

John Hollinger explains why Chauncey Billups’ 43.9% shooting percentage is historically misleading.

One more link to pass along although it is a little outdated. Sebastian over at NBA Playbook breaks down a lob play the Nuggets ran at Golden State to help ice the game last Thursday.

Additional Game 61 Nugget

Arron Afflalo hurt his thumb and reported had it x-rayed following the game, but he claims via twitter that he is fine and will play Friday.

The Return of Game Stats

I finally updated my spreadsheet and the advanced stats on the right sidebar after only three quarters of the season have passed.

Pace Factor: 98.6

Defensive Efficiency: 100.0 – OKC produced a Nuggets opponent season low FG%, 32.5%, and EFG%, 37.3%.

Offensive Efficiency: 120.6 – 30 assists on 44 makes

Quiet Trade Deadline for the Denver Nuggets?

February 18, 2010
by Jeremy

With the trade deadline just over 12 hours away, it seems to be highly unlikely that the Denver Nuggets make a move. The only players they have been rumored to be interested in are Tyrus Thomas and Ben Wallace. I thought Wallace was a logical option for Denver as he has a small expiring contract and might be interested in playing for a team that doesn’t suck. The problem with Wallace is he is not an ideal defender for the Lakers’ long front line, but he could certainly help the Nuggets hang on to the second seed.

I never understood the Tyrus Thomas rumors although I have repeatedly read the Nuggets have inquired about him. The only way Denver could send the Bulls enough expiring contracts to match Thomas’ $4,743,598 contract is if Johan Petro and Anthony Carter approve of the trade. In addition to that roadblock Denver would have to part with not only Petro, but Malik Allen too leaving them with only four bigs and Thomas is not much of a banger. If the Bulls were interested in taking Renaldo Balkman back instead of an expiring contract, it would make such a trade more palatable for Denver, but all this is under the assumption that the Bulls would be willing to part with a player they drafted fourth just three years ago for expiring contracts and Balkman. As we have pointed out before, Denver has very little else to offer with the Grizzlies already owning Denver’s 2010 first rounder and the only other tradable asset being the rights to Linas Kleiza.

The only other way the Nuggets could acquire Thomas from the Bulls would be part of a larger deal where they take on an undesirable contract from Chicago, but the Nuggets are not likely to be in the business of adding long term salary with the contracts they already have on the books for next season and furthermore, agreeing to accept more than Thomas would require the Nuggets parting with one of their key rotation players. It just is not worth it.

Denver does have one ace up their sleeve, a $3.696 million trade exception, one of the largest current trade exceptions in the league, thanks to the trade that sent Steven Hunter to Memphis. It could prove useful in acquiring Ben Wallace, but do not look for Denver to offer anyone salary relief as that does not jive with their budget conscious philosophy. Still, if the right offer comes along, it is a nice arrow to have in the quiver.

The one developing situation to keep an eye on is whether or not Drew Gooden will be bought out by the Los Angeles Clippers. There are currently conflicting Twitter reports regarding Gooden’s future with the Clips. David Aldridge is saying he is staying in L.A. while Adrian Wojnarowski is saying he is on his way to a buy out. I am not sure if the Nuggets would have any interest in Gooden if he were a free agent, but I am certain Denver will be a destination of choice for any big men who are bought out following the trade deadline.

Some have wondered if the announcement from yesterday regarding Coach Karl would make the Nuggets more or less likely to make a move. I firmly believe it plays no role in what the Nuggets do tomorrow and beyond. If they have a chance to make a move or signing to improve the roster without compromising their budget, they will pull the trigger.

I find it unlikely that trigger is pulled tomorrow, but keep an eye on the TrueHoop Trade Reports page for all the latest news.

George Karl to Battle Cancer a Second Time

February 17, 2010
by Jeremy

I was shocked and saddened by the announcement today that George Karl has been diagnosed with throat cancer. Just yesterday I was writing about how I believed Karl had come through his battle with prostate cancer, reorganized his priorities and had reached a point where he could have passion for coaching while keeping his professional life in the proper perspective. Now he could potentially miss the chance to coach his team over the final few weeks of the season.

According to the Nuggets, Karl has been stricken with a very treatable squamous cell neck/head cancer and the chances for a full recovery are very good. The initial statement was that treatment would last six weeks, but later in the article the time frame is listed as 45 days. During that time Karl will be subjected to painful and draining radiation treatment.

During his press conference Karl was emotional, but resolute. He asked for support instead of sympathy and while clearly not looking forward to what lay ahead was also confident he could beat cancer a second time.

Karl claimed he will be around the team as much as his strength allows him to be. Although he announced that he is currently only going slated to miss two upcoming games, at Golden State on February 25 and at Minnesota on March 10, it is likely he will miss several other games as his body struggles to handle the onslaught of radiation. He will continue to attend practice as frequently as possible although most likely as an observer instead of a participant.

Obviously the primary concern for Nuggets fans is the health of Coach Karl and even though his announcement today leaves many questions in the minds of fans about how the team and front office will deal with the possibility of their head coach being physically incapable of fulfilling his duties, I do not feel this is the time to discuss the more trivial points of this story. There will be plenty of time for that over the next few days and weeks.

I trust Coach Karl knows we are all pulling for him and I know personally I will be praying for both him and his family as they fight this battle together. Good luck coach, and may God be with you.

George Karl and Denver Nuggets Agree to One Year Extension

February 12, 2010
by Jeremy

From Ric Bucher:

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl has agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million contract extension, according to a league source.

For now I have to say that is a good thing, but look for a little more analysis later.

Denver Nuggets Waive Three, Including James White

October 21, 2009
by Jeremy

The Denver Nuggets have waived Dantay Draper, Kurt Looby and James White and the roster is down to 13 players.

Joey Graham appeared to be anointed the winner of the battle for the final roster spot with White very early on. After getting to the free throw line 14 times in the first preseason game White rarely saw the floor. While White certainly has more potential than Graham, the Nuggets are wanting to win now and keeping Graham fits the mold of what they want to do.

Que up the clip from Hoosiers with Normal Dale telling the crowd this is your team, because these 13 players are your 2009-10 Denver Nuggets.

Arron Afflalo

Malik Allen

Chris Andersen

Carmelo Anthony

Renaldo Balkman

Chauncey Billups

Anthony Carter

Joey Graham

Ty Lawson

Kenyon Martin

Nene

Johan Petro

J.R. Smith

Nuggets.com Gets an Upgrade

October 16, 2009
by Jeremy

The Denver Nuggets website is now a must see destination for Nuggets fans. The Nuggets launched their new web presence this afternoon and it is a massive improvement over the previous site.

Aaron Lopez from the Rocky Mountain News is providing original content (heck, for all I know Mr. Lopez may have been writing on Nuggets.com for a while, but I would not have known because there was little reason to visit the site), there is a relevant video section and it is much more aesthetically pleasing.

What was previously a conglomeration of limited recaps, stats and public relations photos is now a significant provider of Nuggets news and video. Many teams are trying to drive fans to their website as a source for breaking news and the spring from which all relevant team information is disseminated. With the current state of the newspaper industry, it only makes sense that teams try to grab hold of that market that the papers used to fill. It looks like the Nuggets are moving in that direction.

On one hand, I am happy to have an additional source of information. On the other, do not expect a lot of hard analysis coming from the team’s site. Plus, I doubt they are going to be the ones breaking news on trades, because teams are usually not keen on letting that kind of information slip. Then again, if they lock down the fort and create an enforcement branch of the front office to chase down and silence leaks, they might be able to break news of player movement as well. Maybe that police force is part of the upgrade as well.

It will be interesting to see how the site grows from here, but for now kudos to the Nuggets for a job well done.

Training Camp Signings Featuring Keith Brumbaugh

September 26, 2009
by Jeremy

The Denver Nuggets have signed three players to help fill in during training camp. The three players are Dontaye Draper, Kurt Looby and Keith Brumbaugh.

Draper is a point guard who played for the Nuggets summer league team. He is short and slight at 5’ 11” 180 pounds, but is quick with the ball and is a decent shooter. He is a borderline NBA player, but with Denver possessing thee point guards with guaranteed contracts Draper is bound to serve the role of warm body. Apparently Draper, out of the College of Charleston, did not play organized ball last year as his last appearance on the hoops grid was with the Wizards 2008 summer league entry.

Looby is a 6’ 10” 230 pound center who played in the D-League last season. Looby played collegiately at Iowa and it goes to show how far Iowa has fallen since the days of Dr. Tom Davis since I doubt I ever saw him play despite Iowa’s presence in the Big 10. Looby’s stats suggest he is a Steven Hunter type rebounder/shot blocker.

The real interesting player of the three is Brumbaugh. Listed as a 6’ 10” forward he is actually a shooting guard/small forward. Brumbaugh played in the D-League last year as well and put up uninspiring numbers, but he has a very interesting back story.

Brumbaugh was once a big time high school prospect and according to an SI article prior to the 2008 draft by Andy Staples only the second high school player to be a counselor at Michael Jordan’s camp behind some guy named LeBrum, no it was LeBron, yeah, LeBron James, whoever that is. He entered his name in the 2005 NBA Draft, but withdrew to avoid being drafted in the second round.

After earning a scholarship with Oklahoma State his ACT score of 24 was flagged and he ended up losing his scholarship when he scored a 20, one point shy of the mark required to verify his original score. He also experienced his first brush with the law in Stillwater when he was charged with shoplifting, which may have led to someone requesting the check on his Act score, and things went downhill for Brumbaugh from there.

Since he couldn’t play at Oklahoma State, Brumbaugh returned to DeLand, a small central Florida town that has yet to be swallowed by Orlando’s suburban sprawl. Brumbaugh couldn’t stand the looks he got. At 6-9, he felt he didn’t fit in anywhere but a basketball court. He’d “zombied out” on basketball, and he didn’t know what to do with himself.

One thing that relaxed him, he said, was shooting at a local gun range. “Remember,” he said, “I’m from the country.” That hobby explained why, Brumbaugh said, he had in his trunk a Bushmaster rifle with 56 rounds in the magazine and several hundred loose rounds when he noticed police lights in his rearview mirror on May 20, 2006, exactly a year to the day after his press conference to announce his entry in the NBA draft. Brumbaugh’s cousin, Justin Brown, was in the passenger seat. Brown, a convicted felon, knew he’d get thrown in jail if police found him in the same vehicle as a firearm, even a legally purchased one that belonged to someone else (Brumbaugh’s gun was legal). So he ran. Brumbaugh did the same.

Brumbaugh said he only had the gun and the ammo to use at the range. (Police also found a knife, according to the report.)

When the two boys sprinted away, Brumbaugh’s mind raced. His high-school sweetheart was pregnant with their daughter. Would he have to see her for the first time behind bulletproof glass? Next thing he knew, he was shirtless, sweating and climbing fences to get away. “It was like panic mode,” Brumbaugh said. “I’m (thinking I’m) not going to be able to see my kid. It’s not an excuse. It was very dumb. I’m just trying to explain my reasoning. It’s still dumb.”

Brumbaugh and his cousin were eventually caught and arrested, and a Volusia County judge accepted Brumbaugh’s explanation and gave him only probation. If he stayed out of trouble, he could essentially wipe away his mistake. Brumbaugh then moved to Marianna, Fla., home of junior-college power Chipola. Five weeks into his probation, his car sat unattended, blasting music. Brumbaugh ran for the driver’s seat as a police officer approached. According to the police report, the officer spied Brumbaugh hiding something under the seat. “The guy asked me if I had anything in the car,” Brumbaugh said. “I said yes. I tried to do the honest thing.”

According to the report, Brumbaugh had a little more than a third of an ounce of marijuana in four small bags. “Once again,” he said, “it was very dumb.” Though Florida has a misdemeanor charge for fewer than 20 grams (about two-thirds of an ounce) of marijuana, police used the four bags as evidence to ask the State Attorney’s Office to charge Brumbaugh with possession with intent to distribute, a felony.

Brumbaugh spent time in jail for the incident, but the charges were reduced by a judge on the condition he would find something productive to do with his time. That led him to Houston and John Lucas. While in Houston Brumbaugh learned to deal with his temper which was the major flaw in an individual who Staples referred to as a “witty, whip-smart [then] 22-year-old with a gift for introspection and an ability to put a stranger at ease.”

He then found his way to Hillsborough Community College where he averaged 36.5 points, 10 points, 6.1 assists and 4.8 steals. He then entered the 2008 draft, but went undrafted and joined the Sioux Falls Skyforce. His best performance was a 34 point, eight rebound outing against the Erie Bayhawks.

There seems to be little chance that Brumbaugh sticks with the Nuggets, but he shoots a high percentage and definitely has talent. Stories like his are what make sports compelling and I hope he represents himself well in Denver.

Denver Nuggets Acquire James White

September 22, 2009
by Jeremy

The Denver Nuggets are under compliance. They have acquired James White from the Houston Rockets in exchange for the rights to Axel Hervelle (remember him?) and now meet the league minimum of 13 players on their roster.

White is a high flying shooting guard who has played ten career NBA games between stints in San Antonio and Houston. I have always thought of White as all athleticism and little game, but he did post some impressive numbers last year with the Anaheim Arsenal in the D-League including a 47 point 11 rebound effort on 18-24 shooting.

This is another high upside, no downside deal that the Nuggets are becoming known for. Hervelle was selected in the 2005 draft and played in Summer League one year for the Nuggets to little acclaim. It is clear he will never be an NBA player. White on the other hand has shown growth over the previous two or three seasons. His three point shooting improved to 36.8% and his free throw shooting to 85.6%.

With White landing in Denver it puts an end to the Flip Murray and Keith Bogans (who agreed to terms with the Spurs today) speculation. I suspect White will provide some scoring off the bench over the first seven games of the season during which J.R. Smith will be sidelined. However, could he also fill the role that Wally Szczerbiak was hoping to fill? I think White and Renaldo Balkman could provide a nice offense/defense combo off the bench at small forward. He is undersized, but can run the floor and hit the three. Sounds similar to Linas Kleiza’s old job description, doesn’t it?

To me the big question is can White play defense? Seeing as how he played for the Spurs and Rockets, two of the more sound defensive teams in the league, he should be at least competent. Should he prove to be anything more than that he has a very good chance to care out some minutes in the rotation.

If you are not familiar with what White can do check out the video below. Some of these dunks are just stunning.

Mid September Hodge Podge

September 20, 2009
by Jeremy

It has been a while since I have posted anything and I apologize. I guess the good news is I really have not missed anything. Still, there has not been a word on this blog about J.R. Smith slated to miss the first seven games of the season, former Nugget Allen Iverson signing with the Memphis Grizzlies, the potential referee lockout, heck, I never even finished my player by player recap of the 2008-09 season.

I have made it through another hectic week of work, pieced together two potentially dominant fantasy football teams and I finally have some time to discuss the Nuggets.

Where’s Wally?

Nuggets fans received some good news yesterday as it was announced Desmond Mason had agreed to sign with the Sacramento Kings (read about it at Cowbell Kingdom). The bad news for Nuggets fans is that it reduces their leverage with Wally Szczerbiak.

However, there are still several names on the list as the Nuggets have been linked with Rashard McCants, Flip Murray and now Keith Bogans, but I still think Wally is the guy who will end up in powder blue next season. With Chanucey Billups, J.R. Smith, Ty Lawson, Arron Afflalo and Anthony Carter I do not see how McCants or Murray help this team. Chris Tomasson has an excellent article on Fanhouse outlining how J.R. Smith’s suspension (discussed below) is playing a role in who the Nuggets bring in to fill the 13th roster spot.

If the front office signs a player simply because the Nuggets will be short handed for the first seven games of the season, I think it is an overreaction. However, Tomasson reports that Denver offered Murray a minimum deal already. Murray is a nice player and I have no problem with Bogans either. Murray can score and Bogans is a very good defender, but what do you do with them once J.R. returns? Over the long haul Denver will be better off with a player like Szczerbiak who can really help for all 82 games than someone who will only provide a significant boost for seven.

Getting back to Wally, should Szczerbiak end up in Denver both he and the Nuggets are playing things cool. With the Nuggets’ commitment to saving every possible penny they are not about to toss Wally, or anyone else, a salary figure higher than they are willing to pay just to seal the deal. The Nuggets remain the best match for playing time and competitiveness. The only team who could I could see offering anything better than Denver would be the Lakers who have a couple of open roster spots and might not be planning on giving their spare minutes at small forward to Adam Morrison, plus it was announced today they will bring in.

I do believe Wally would be a very good fit in Denver, but if he ends up signing elsewhere, it is not the end of the world. It would actually clear up some playing time at small forward for Renaldo Balkman. I believe Balkman is at his best playing small forward as he struggles to defend many power forwards due to his slight stature.

Denver can also go small with J.R. or Afflalo sliding over to the three. Backing up Carmelo Anthony only assures you about 12 or 13 minutes of floor time anyway.

If the Nuggets sign Murray and Szczerbiak then I will be ecstatic, but they are serious about minimizing their tax payment and carrying more than 13 guaranteed contracts into the season is unlikely.

Training camp starts in less than a week and Denver has to sign someone. This cannot drag out much longer. Denver has options and the race may come down to which player will agree to play in Denver for the minimum.

The Least Popular Number 7 in Denver

For the third season in a row the Nuggets will be short a player to start the season due to suspension. J.R. will miss the first seven games of the 2009-10 season because of the reckless driving incident that resulted in the death of his friend and passenger Andre Bell. Smith was suspended by the Nuggets for three games to start the 2007-08 season because of the accident and last season Carmelo Anthony missed the first two games as punishment for his drunk driving arrest near the end of the 2007-08 season.

My initial reaction when I heard J.R. had been suspended for seven games was that it was far too severe. With the Nuggets likely locked in a tight battle for playoff position again those seven games could be very hurtful. Three of those seven games are back to back sets and the Nuggets will need all the fresh pairs of legs they can afford, even early in the season.

After reflecting on the situation I cannot argue that seven games is too severe. In fact, it is possible J.R. got off easy. I do not mean to keep dwelling on this, but a person lost his life because of J.R.’s actions. How can you say any amount of games is too steep a penalty?

I realize it is not the NBA’s job to punish J.R., after all he spent 24 days in jail isn’t that enough? On the other hand, who among us would still have a job, let alone a multimillion dollar paycheck waiting for us after incarceration?

Seven games is significant suspension, but is it excessive? I do not think so.

A Grizzly Outcome

I wrote a little last year about how interesting Allen Iverson’s free agency would be. I could not imagine him playing for a non contending team, but I could not imagine a contending team being interested in him.

Now he is a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.

What?

I think I am a pretty astute observer of the NBA, but the Grizzlies would not have been a team I would have pictured AI playing for and honestly with players like O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph all wanting the ball, especially Randolph he really wants the ball, I have a difficult time envisioning the partnership panning out.

Iverson signed a one year deal and I doubt AI expects to finish that deal in Memphis. I believe he plans on coming out and proving that what happened in Detroit was not his fault. It was the Pistons that made him look bad, not his declining abilities. If he can play at the level he expects he can, there should be playoff caliber teams banging down the Grizzlies’ door at the trade deadline to add a player that can give them a major boost at a low cost.

I never doubted Iverson’s ability to score, but we have all been waiting for the day when his body would betray his spirit. The Nuggets clearly decided that he had reached that point during training camp last year and what we saw from Iverson in Detroit certainly made Denver look prescient.

Now that his free agency has played out I think what happens from here will be more entertaining than the process that brought him to of all places Tennessee.

Check out the coverage of AI heading to Memphis over at 3 Shades of Blue.

What’s Black and White and Sweaty All Over?

I refereed a few intramural games in college. There were three leagues, A, B and C. I refereed C league games. As you probably figured out A was the top competitive league and C was the recreational league full of people who may or may not have played before. You would think that the C league would be pretty laid back and easy to ref. Some of the guys on my floor played on a team called “Wish There Was a D League.” I am pretty sure they never got on the refs.

On some nights you had teams like my floor mates who just wanted to run around and were happy to make fools of themselves, but on other nights the participants seemed to think they were battling it out for the Larry O’Brien trophy and as a result I took quite a bit of abuse. I remember being glared at days after a game when a guy from one of the games I worked passed me on the sidewalk.

The whole point of this is I do not know who on earth would want to be a referee.

Right now the NBA and the referees union are heading towards a lockout and we are facing the specter of replacement referees. David Stern reportedly pulled out of negotiations on September 8 because the referees backed out on an agreement for pension reductions. The league has agreed to a reduced two year contract instead of the regular five year deal, which means the refs can get a better deal sooner as long as the economy turns around by then, and the referees have agreed to $2.5 million of the $3.2 million in reductions requested by the NBA.

David Stern consistently refers to NBA officials as the best in professional sports and brags about their accuracy. If they are truly only a few hundred thousand dollars apart, how is this deal not done? The union is promoting the idea that Stern is trying to make an example of the referees to try to send a statement to the players heading into their upcoming negotiations.

The NBA is moving forward with bringing in replacement referees and things have the potential to get a little ugly.

Whether we are talking about NBA referees or C league referees, they are whipping boys (and girls). I honestly believe the NBA referees have been doing pretty well the past couple of years. Even so, I am willing to bet the majority of fans would disagree with me. If fans are upset with referees that are supposedly the best, how much more upset will they be watching lesser officials?

I doubt the NBA will let this drag out until the regular season, but when you start posturing, if that is indeed what Stern is doing, disagreements can take on a life of their own. How tough will Stern look if replacement referees are a disaster and he has to cave to the union’s demands?

Record	43 - 21
Pythagorean Record	45.7 - 18.3
Projected Pyth Rec	58.5 - 23.5
Defensive Efficiency	108.2
Offensive Efficiency	114.8
Pace Factor	93.8
Field Goal %	47.2%
Opp Field Goal %	45.6%
Effective FG%	51.4%
Opp Effective FG%	49.4%
True Shooting %	56.7%
Opp True Shooting %	53.2%
Def Rebound Rate	72.5%
Off Rebound Rate	25.9%
Total Rebound Rate	49.5%

Roundball Mining Company - Denver Nuggets Blog

Subscribe

Featured Sections

Nuggets Advanced Stats (64 gms)

Categories

Search

Archives

Blogroll