Trying playoffs motivate Boykins

Nonshooting hand healed, Nuggets guard ready to go

Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 7, 2006 at midnight

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DURANGO - As Earl Boykins slipped out of a recent practice at Fort Lewis College, a fan yelled, "Earl Boykins, sixth man of the year!"

Had Boykins not suffered a broken left hand and missed the final 16 regular-season games last season, he might have finished a lot higher than fifth in the voting. And his Nuggets might have done a lot better in the playoffs.

With Boykins out, the Nuggets closed 7-9, costing them possible home-court advantage in the first round. Boykins returned against the Los Angeles Clippers but wasn't himself, and the Nuggets were dispatched in five games.

"Earl's injury last year was probably as difficult as any for me to figure out," said Nuggets coach George Karl, who almost always plays the 5-foot-5 point guard alongside starting point Andre Miller at the end of games.

Fast-forward five months, and Boykins is healthy. He took a month off after the season, allowing his nonshooting hand to get strong.

Karl loves how the sports car- quick Boykins fits into the Nuggets' new up-tempo attack. And Boykins is using the way last season ended to spur him on.

"It was very frustrating because, when I got injured, the whole lineup changed," said Boykins, who returned to play in all playoff games but said he had trouble catching the ball and shot just 32.2 percent while averaging 11 points. "If it wasn't a playoff game, I wouldn't have played. I'm using that (series) as motivation the entire year."

With that in mind, Karl is optimistic that Boykins will have another strong year after averaging a career-high 12.6 points. That could put him in line for a big raise.

Boykins, making $2.95 million, is the ninth-highest-paid player on the Nuggets roster. Boykins, who signed a five-year, $13.7 million deal in 2003, has a $3 million player option for 2007-08 that many don't expect him to pick up.

"Of course, he will," Miller said of Boykins opting out.

"It's probably 90 (percent) to 10," Karl said. "If I'm playing amateur general manager, I would think he'll opt out."

But hold on. Boykins said the decision is far from being made.

"I haven't thought about exactly what I'm going to do," Boy- kins said. "It's too early to tell. But I really enjoy Denver.

"It's hard (for Boykins to be called) underpaid when you're a millionaire. I get millions of dollars to play basketball. I don't consider it as being underpaid. When I was growing up, I wasn't wealthy."

The Nuggets are in serious jeopardy of paying the luxury tax next season, so it remains to be seen what might happen if Boykins opts out. In the meantime, Boykins is out to prove that age shouldn't be a factor.

Boykins, the second-shortest player in NBA history, turned 30 in June. Muggsy Bogues, the shortest at 5-3, had his best season at 30, but soon declined. Spud Webb, who stood 5-7, began slipping in the year he turned 30.

"You hit your peak as a basketball player ages 30 to 32," Boykins said. "I'm just hitting my peak."

Nuggets point guard Anthony Carter, who has played seven years while Boykins has logged eight, said Boykins is as "quick as he's ever been."

Karl doesn't foresee that changing soon.

"I don't think age is going to be a factor with Earl," Karl said. "I think he's going to be who he is until he's 38. I think he's going to keep his quickness. He just has a super body. . . . I don't look at Earl as being 30. He looks 25."

Hitting 30 hasn't been a big deterrent in winning the Sixth Man Award. Of the 24 honorees, eight have been 30 or older.

ETC.: Karl is leaning toward keeping a third point guard, with Carter the favorite. "As fast as we're trying to play kind of caters to a third point guard," Karl said. . . . The Nuggets close training camp at Fort Lewis with a scrimmage at 7 tonight. The event is sold out, with proceeds from tickets, which cost $11, benefiting the school's basketball programs . . . The Nuggets' annual free scrimmage is Monday at Metro State. From 1 to 2 p.m., 1,200 Denver Public Schools children will attend. From 2 to 3 p.m., the event is open to the public. It will be a homecoming for Nuggets assistant Mike Dunlap, Metro State's coach the previous nine years. "We're trying to do some things for them community-related," Dunlap said . . . Forward Kenyon Martin sat out practice Friday morning because of a lower- back strain but returned at night. Karl is hopeful he will play tonight, but Martin isn't sure. Center Jamal Sampson missed both sessions because of a left- calf strain, with Karl not optimistic about his scrimmage participation. Out tonight is forward Joe Smith, not with the team because of a family matter . . . A Fort Lewis student who identified himself as J.R. Smith was mailed a letter containing photos to be signed. He delivered it to team officials because it was intended for Nuggets guard J.R. Smith.

tomassonc@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5125

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