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Going to West good direction for Watson

Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 19, 2006 at midnight

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When the guy on the NBA logo started offering shooting tips, Earl Watson was not about to question the advice.

Listen, learn, execute. Repeat.

Two years after tweaking his shooting mechanics under the tutelage of Hall of Fame guard Jerry West, Watson is shedding his image as a defensive-minded player.

Despite an off night against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, Watson has emerged as the Denver Nuggets' leading three-point threat.

He was tied for ninth in the NBA with a .430 three-point percentage before dropping to .417 after going 1-for-6 in Denver's 90-89 victory over the Cavaliers.

"I've always been known for defense, but I wanted to add something new to my game, a whole new dimension," Watson said.

To that end, Watson put himself in the hands of West, president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies. Watson spent three seasons in Memphis before signing with the Nuggets last year.

"I didn't ask too many questions. Whatever (West) told me to do, I just did it," Watson said. "It's benefiting me right now. This summer, I knew it would be good."

Watson's shooting touch and ability to push the pace have earned him a spot in the starting lineup. Despite the promotion, he still is taking nothing for granted when it comes to trade possibilities.

His name has been mentioned frequently during the past month, particularly with trade scenarios involving the Indiana Pacers' Ron Artest.

"In the words of (former Memphis coach) Hubie Brown, don't trust anyone but your family," Watson said. "If Artest comes up today, I'd be gone tomorrow."

NO MORE PINS: Center Marcus Camby is two metal pins closer to returning to the Denver lineup.

Doctors planned to remove the pins from Camby's broken right pinkie next week, but Camby asked them to remove them ahead of schedule.

"I was just getting frustrated with it," Camby said Wednesday. "I felt the pins were slowing me down a little bit. . . . On contact, there was a lot of pain. I couldn't wait another week."

Camby, Denver's leading rebounder and shot blocker, broke his finger Dec. 26 and underwent surgery Dec. 29. He returned to practice Tuesday and hopes to play in a game sometime next week.

JONES EYES HOUSTON: Nearly a year removed from his 2005 All-Star Weekend snub, Cleveland guard Damon Jones still bristles when asked about his exclusion from the three-point contest.

"It wasn't a slight. It was a sham-mockery," said Jones, who was third in the NBA with 225 three-pointers while playing for the Miami Heat last season.

Jones is shooting .364 from three-point range, compared with .432 last season, but he believes he deserves an invitation to the three-point shootout Feb. 18 in Houston.

Jones is from Galveston, Texas, and attended the University of Houston.

"I'm looking forward to going this year and representing my hometown," he said. "I don't know officially yet, but all things look positive."

WAITING GAME: The Nuggets have been unable to trade shooting guard Voshon Lenard, but it appears to be too early to consider a contract buyout.

The Washington Wizards bought out the contract of guard Chucky Atkins on Wednesday, allowing him to become a free agent.

Lenard, making $3.27 million, has not played since Dec. 15, but any buyout likely would occur near the Feb. 23 trade deadline.

ETC.: Nuggets guard Greg Buckner took a painkilling shot before the Cleveland game and played with a large protective wrap over his sprained right wrist He scored two points and played solid defense in 13 minutes . . . Denver forward Carmelo Anthony is prominently featured in the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine. Among the revelations: He stayed with Michael Jordan at Jordan's Chicago-area home for a week last summer . . . Cleveland forward LeBron James endorsed Anthony for the U.S. Olympic team and the Western Conference All-Star team. "The way he's playing now, he should be a dead lock," James said . . . Nuggets guard Andre Miller moved up on the current ironman list Wednesday when New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury's consecutive-games streak ended at 280 games. Miller boasts the fifth-longest active streak, at 244 games . . . ESPN has picked up Denver's home game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 27. Tipoff has been changed from 7 p.m. to 7:30.

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