By Sam Amico
ProBasketballNews.com
CLEVELAND: Random nuggets from Denver’s 113-83 hammer job of Cleveland on Sunday:
* The Nuggets are having their way on this night, moving the ball, getting out on the break, sinking every shot they throw at the hoop. Still, I’m sitting here wondering why this team isn’t having a better season.
* Seriously, think about it. Allen Iverson (26.9 points per game) and Carmelo Anthony (26.2) can score on anyone, anywhere, anytime. With that type of firepower, and athletes like Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin (and J.R. Smith off the bench), shouldn’t the Nuggets be one of the top three teams in the West? Instead, they’re in danger of missing the playoffs.
* Granted, they are in the West, and this isn’t an
indictment of the Nuggets or coach George Karl.
It’s just that when you have two of the league’s
top four scorers (Iverson and Anthony) … the
leader in blocked shots (Camby) … and a better-
than-solid bench (Smith, Linas Kleiza, Eduardo
Najera) … well, what’s missing? If I knew the
answer, I wouldn’t be sitting in the media room
typing this column; I’d instead be making a lot of
money advising Nuggets’ GM Mark Warkentien.
* All of that said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the
Nuggets put it all together late and make a
decent run in the playoffs. They could play the role
of spoile. It all depends on health and chemistry.
There, think Warkentien will pay me now?
* I just saw LeBron James dunk off a deflected pass that bounced off another player in the key and went high in the air near the basket. When it comes to alley-oop jams, that has to be a first.
* Not surprisingly, Anthony threw down a one-handed alley-oop dunk of his own on the very next possession. That’s just the way things went for poor James and his injury-ravaged Cavaliers on this night.
* Every time I start to think Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin‘s career is toast, he puts together a nice string of games. Martin has clearly lost his explosiveness after all those leg injuries, but you can’t argue with his recent numbers. Prior to the game against Cleveland, he had scored 10 or more points in 12 of 15 appearances. He’s also been doing a better job of rebounding.
* Will Martin ever be an All-Star again? Not likely. But if he stays healthy on a consistent basis, he can still be a meaningful player in Denver.
* I’m sorry, but the idea to mic coaches and players isn't working. I spent part of my afternoon listening to Boston coach Doc Rivers tell a national television audience, “Ooh. Wow. OK. Let’s go.” Exhilarating stuff.
* To be fair, the league’s “Where Amazing Happens” marketing campaign is the best in sports history. I almost shed a tear every time I see one of those commercials, especially the one where Carmelo’s head is buried in his jersey and the caption reads, "Where nowhere to hide happens."
* I know. I need to get out more.
* There are a lot of Iverson fans here in Cleveland. Before the game, he handed a pair of shoes to a young fan sporting a replica A.I. jersey and a Nuggets hat. There is also seems to be an entire section (103) that cheers wildly whenever he hits a shot.
* Iverson walked right past me before the game on his way to the Nuggets’ locker room and nodded hello. I only tell you this because it was the first time
I noticed that he is no more than an inch-and-half taller than me -- and I’m
5-foot-9 on a good day.
* Nothing against Utah and Houston, but the Nuggets have more overall talent. So, again, why are the Jazz and Rockets having better seasons?
* OK, I’ll shut up about that now.
* Speaking of Utah and Houston, here are the four best records in the league since Christmas: 1. Utah (18-5); 2. Houston and New Orleans (17-5); 4. Cleveland (16-6).
* Nuggets assistant and coaching legend Doug Moe is sitting in the same seat on the bench, in the same relaxed manner, that he was when I interviewed him about two hours ago. He really is just along for the ride and loving every minute of it.
* Anthony and Iverson became the sixth and seventh Nuggets to start in an NBA All-Star game. The others: David Thompson, Dan Issel, Bobby Jones, Alex English and George McGinnis. I'd give you the years, but I'm too lazy to look them up right now. Just know that they all took place in the 1970s (with the exception of English, who was in his prime in the '80s).
* Best sign at Quicken Loans Arena: “Larry Hughes $15 million; Damon Jones $5 million; Eric Snow $4 million. The February 21 trading deadline? Priceless.”
* I have yet to meet an NBA fan who appreciates Eduardo Najera‘s game, but every team could use a guy like him. Tonight, the 6-7 forward has been guarding and harassing 7-3 Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Unlike a lot of “energy” players, Najera can occasionally score and has decent range on his shot.
* My top three hustle players off the bench: 1. Najera; 2. Anderson Varejao (Cavs); 3. Ronny Turiaf (Lakers).
* Najera was doing some crunches before the game in the Nuggets’ locker room, folding his hands together on his stomach and pointing his index fingers toward the ceiling. Initially, I wasn't sure if he was warming up or performing some sort of religious ritual.
* Linas Kleiza is another underrated Nuggets forward who a lot of fans back East might not know about. PBN.com contributor Jeff Phelps called him "a stronger Peja Stojakovic," during our post-game meal at Applebee's. Kleiza can go inside or out, and while he’s a good scorer, he never forces a thing.
* Basically, there’s a reason the Sacramento Kings are insisting they get Kleiza before agreeing to trade Ron Artest to the Nuggets. Or so the story goes.
Sam Amico is the editor ot ProBasketballNews.com. Contact him or subscribe to his free e-mail newsletter at amico@probasketballnews.com.
