Why the lights went out in Denver

Nuggets quickly fall into a slump after enjoying a five-game win streak

Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 31, 2007 at midnight

Text size

More Denver Nuggets

Thanks to the Pepsi Center maintenance crew, the Nuggets' practice gym was noticeably brighter Tuesday after several fluorescent bulbs were replaced.

If fixing the Nuggets were only as simple as flipping a switch.

With more variables than Algebra II, the first three months of the Nuggets' season have featured plenty of highs and lows. The latest depression comes in the form of a three-game losing streak punctuated by home losses against New Jersey and Charlotte and a right ankle injury to starting point guard Allen Iverson.

Had the Nuggets held serve at home, they would enter tonight's game against the Portland Trail Blazers trailing Northwest Division-leading Utah by three games instead of five.

At the risk of microanalyzing, here are some of the factors behind the recent slump - which has come after a five-game winning streak.

Try two Tylenol

Despite the quirky liquor laws, it is possible to emerge from Salt Lake City with a hangover. The Nuggets are Exhibit A.

Friday's game against the Jazz had the feel of a playoff game, and the Nuggets lost 116-111 when Utah scored the final six points from the free-throw line in the last 31 seconds.

"That took the wind out of our sails," Nuggets assistant Doug Moe said. "That was a tough loss."

It apparently had lingering effects as the Nuggets came out flat against the Nets 24 hours later and failed to right the ship Monday against the Bobcats.

Utah also lost its first two games since beating the Nuggets, giving Denver some consolation.

How about a guest spot on Grey's Anatomy?

From head (concussions) to foot (Iverson's bruised right toe), the Nuggets have dealt with injuries all season. Why should tonight's game against the Trail Blazers will be any different?

Iverson sprained his right ankle Monday and did not make the trip to Portland. He will become the 10th Nuggets player to miss a game this season because of injury or illness.

There was some encouraging news. Iverson did not undergo an MRI exam, indicating the injury is nothing more than a sprain. He hopes to return Friday.

At least CA is on the Periodic Table

In five games, Carmelo Anthony and Iverson seem to be sharing the spotlight just fine.

Iverson is averaging 25.2 points and 18 shots a game; Anthony is averaging 29.4 points and 23.8 shots. But the Nuggets as a whole still are trying to get in sync.

Lengthy suspensions to Anthony and J.R. Smith broke up the team's early chemistry, and trades that netted Iverson and Steve Blake have extended the getting-to-know-you period.

"One of the solutions we need is just get our chemistry back . . . ," assistant Doug Moe said. "So many things have happened. We didn't think it would affect us as much as it has, but we definitely aren't playing up to our capabilities."

Defense (often) rests

From Day 1, the Nuggets defense has been more charitable than Paula Abdul, and the weakness was magnified in the losses to the Nets and Bobcats.

The Bobcats, the fourth-worst shooting team in the NBA (43.8 percent), shot 49.4 percent from the field against the Nuggets, prompting a prepractice video session Tuesday.

The 60-minute film review did not exclusively feature carnage. Coach George Karl showed 15 to 20 defensive possessions that were executed perfectly.

"We'll figure out how to give you help, but if you're not going to be alert and active and you're going to be slow and lazy, we're in trouble," he told the players. "It's tough coaching slow and lazy."

Karl logically stressed defense during practice; look for the Nuggets to simplify the defensive plan as they move forward.

Limiting teams to fewer than 100 points would help, too. The Nuggets allow an average of 103.9 points a game.

Does Starbucks make an ego latte?

The Nuggets were brimming with confidence at the height of their five-game winning streak. They since have had all the bravado of a Simon-ized American Idol hopeful.

Many players were hanging their heads as they went to the bench during timeouts Monday, but wins against Portland tonight and Friday likely would lift their spirits.

"When your chemistry's not there and you're not in that groove, you don't have that confidence," assistant Doug Moe said. "The Phoenixes and Dallases, they win those (close) games because they know good things are going to happen. Right now, we're kind of in that position where you kind of know the bad things are going to happen."

Send in the clowns

The Nuggets have the fourth-worst defense in the NBA in points yielded per game.

Team Points

Warriors......107.2

Wizards......105.6

Grizzlies......105.5

Nuggets......103.9

28.9 points per game the Nuggets will have to replace without point guard Allen Iverson, who will miss tonight's game with a sprained right ankle. Iverson's scoring average is the third-best in the NBA, behind teammate Carmelo Anthony (31.2 points per game) and Washington's Gilbert Arenas (29.6).

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News