Nuggets enjoying the change
Posted by pistonsnationThe Denver Nuggets are 5-1 since acquiring Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson. They’re playing some good team ball, with noticeable betterment coming on both sides of the ball. Yes, the Nuggets are now playing defense. Listening to the Nuggets it seems as if AI was the problem, not the answer:
“There are less bad plays, more solid plays,” Karl said. “I think the wasteful, cheap possessions that we used to have 10 to 15 a game, they don’t exist very much anymore.” [...] “We have contested-shot charts, bad-shot charts and cheap defensive possessions,” Karl said. “I would say that when A.I. was here, we had most games in the teens of contested, tough shots, sometimes in the 20s. And I don’t think we’ve had a double-digit one since (Billups has) been here.- Denver Post
AI is a special talent, but he’s never been a coach’s fave, so going from Iverson’s erratic play to Chauncey’s careful precision so you can understand why it seems George Karl is saying what he is here.
Kenyon Martin has benefited a great deal from C-Bills coming on board. He’s getting back to the kind of game he had when teamed with Jason Kidd in New Jersey.
“We’ve got a great point guard now who gets his teammates involved, doesn’t mind passing the ball, and that’s what he’s done throughout his career. He’s a general on the court. He gets his teammates the ball, get his team in the offense quickly and gets the ball to his teammates in the right places.” -Hoops World
Take the quotes as you like, but it’s clear that the Nuggets are better and it’s a direct result of Mr. Big Shot. Carmelo Anthony and Nene’s numbers are also benefiting from Chauncey’s arrival. I don’t think the Nuggs dislike Iverson, but I do think as they continue to thrive they’re realizing that Iverson wasn’t right for them. Hopefully it’ll be different here.
This entry was posted on Monday, November 17th, 2008 at 1:16 pm and is filed under Allen Iverson, Chauncey Billups, Nuggets, Trade talks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
SO! unnecessary for George Karl to bash Iverson. Cheap Shots. LET HIM BE. Last time i checked Karl still isn’t winning playoff games himself so look for him to be on the hot seat after he has another dissapointing year again
November 17th, 2008 at 5:46 pm