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If it Ain’t Broke... By Christopher Sells
10.7.2008 - Updated on 10.7.2008
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...Don’t break it. At least that’s what Charles Oakley used to say. As unorthodox as it may sound, it’s a pretty good saying to live by, especially on the basketball court. Too many times, teams try to tinker with something that has already been proven to be successful, only to get less than desirable results. The Phoenix Suns did it last season. The Denver Nuggets may be this year’s culprits.
It’s being reported that Denver coach George Karl has instructed Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson to make a better effort at getting their teammates involved. It’s something most coaches have told their primary scorers at one point or another and could carry some weight since AI and Melo put up just under half of the team’s shots every game.
A closer look reveals that Denver averaged 110 points per game last year. This can partly be attributed to their running style, which meant that the players who got up and down the court and put themselves in scoring position could have a nice scoring output at the end of the night. So telling your lead dogs to involve the other guys more is a bit puzzling.
Karl should continue to let the Nuggets’ offense flow instead of making his scorers think twice about the shots they’re putting up. Besides, who do they have to pass the rock to? Linas Kleiza and J.R. Smith, the other legit scorers on the team, certainly don’t need any help getting shots up. Should Chris Andersen, Steven Hunter, Chucky Atkins, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman really be shooting when the league’s third and fourth best scorers are in the gym?
The Nuggets would be better served to take a look at their defensive strategy. Giving up 107 per game in the regular season and nearly 115 in the playoffs actually indicates that the Nuggets should adopt a defensive strategy, because they probably didn’t have one. Reports are that Karl has concentrated more on D in this year’s training camp, but the trading of Marcus Camby (yes, I know there are those of you who debate his actual defensive prowess) puts the team in a hole before they’ve even played a meaningful game.
Those are just my thoughts, though. Feel free to share yours below. For the record, my thoughts also have the Nuggets dangerously close to missing the postseason. Just thought I’d throw that in there.
[image:http://www.flickr.com/photos/krob/] |
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Posted by
Rhys Alvarado
on 10.10.2008 | I agree with coach George Karl’s move to get every player involved in the offensive flow. There is no doubt that A.I. and Melo will have off nights, and relying too much on their abilities could be dimming to their post-season hopes. The Nuggets need to find a balance between their uptempo, guard-oriented running game, and a patient half-court offense. When a team relies too heavily on one or two players, everyone else is left out of the picture.Anyways, it’s easy to pick up on offensive habits when Iverson and Anthony are shooting half of the team’s shots.So when A.I. or Anthony can’t finish the game, how can coach Karl expect anyone else to? Maybe a little cliche’, but basketball is a team sport. And on that note, a team is only as strong as it’s weakest link. In the Nuggets case, the weak links out weigh the strong ones. Why do you think the Nuggets had two of the top scorers in the Western Conference last year, but flopped in the playoffs?My answer: Lackadaisical defense, and their inability to mix up their offensive scheme.In my opinion, their game is has been broken, and is in need of major repair. . | Posted by
Marluga Marshall
on 10.7.2008 | The Nuggets are broken into pieces, unfixable, throw away all the pieces, and get a new product. When I say ALL I mean ALL the pieces, even the nice looking ones like Smith, Iverson, and Anthony. . | Posted by
Ball Knowing
on 10.7.2008 | Will the problem is that its already broke... And it’s far from fixable. The offense is going to put up the same numbers as last year except they will give up more points this season. The Nuggets will not make the playoffs this year. The Blazers have already laid claim to their place in the post season. The Nuggets need to off AI, JR Smith, and George Karl. Get a coach that coaches and build a team around Melo. . | Posted by
on 10.7.2008 | What’s up Small World. Good article . | Posted by
McNuggets
on 10.7.2008 | That’s the only way they win ball games is scoring otherwise they wouldn’ be squat. A.I.,Melo, J.R. Smith are not taking any less shots. Even if asked to. Karl is going to get fired and they know it, A.I’s in a contract year, Mel entering his prime, and J.R. is well J.R. The only person I would try to get more shots for is Keliza, he’s a stud. They don’t have a good point guard to get people he rock or run an offense anyway. So stay the same, it’s what they do best. They’re not making the playoffs this year. Blazers, Clippers, maybe Warriors, all can take that last spot . | Posted by
CUstamps
on 10.7.2008 | As a lifelong Nuggets fan I think it is broke and is worth un-braking. AI, Melo, and JR play at a speed and with a style that the rest of the team can’t keep up with. Kleiza and Nene (he has a very underestimated post game) would benefit from slowing down and running a real offense. It is definitely worth getting those guys involved as they can beat you in a different way than the Melo-AI-JR attack can and that can be important against teams like San Antonio, Detroit, Boston, and the like. I also think that running a real offense would greatly benefit their ability to turn around and play defense. The only thing to keep is the importance of looking for fast breaks. . |
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