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There is no defending these losses

Four-game slide leaves Nuggets seeking answers

Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News

Published February 26, 2007 at midnight

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Forward Carmelo Anthony says Nuggets players aren't on "one page." He says "everybody's in their own world."

But there appears to be one thing everybody on the suddenly woeful Nuggets agrees on: They're not playing any defense.

Many questions were posed Saturday after the Nuggets' fourth straight loss and third consecutive walloping. The answers mainly point to defense.

Just listen to "The Answer."

"We got to play defense," guard Allen Iverson said after a 115-95 loss Saturday in Dallas. "(Offense) ain't our problem. Melo is going to score his points. I'm going to score my points. We've got to get stops."

The Nuggets (26-28) have dropped to No. 8 in the Western Conference, and, if they lose tonight to the Memphis Grizzlies, could fall to No. 9 and out of playoff position.

The atmosphere is different from the last time the Nuggets played the Grizzlies.

That was Jan. 22, when Anthony returned from a 15-game suspension for his initial pairing with Iverson, acquired Dec. 19. The Nuggets manhandled Memphis 115-98, then won the next night in Seattle.

All looked grand.

Hardly.

Since then, the Nuggets have lost seven straight games the two have played together. Counting the eight games Iverson sat out because of a sprained right ankle, the overall mark since the victory in Seattle is 4-11.

"We ain't stopping nobody right now," Anthony said of the Nuggets, who have been outscored by an average of 15 points in three losses since the duo was reunited after the All-Star break. "We ain't losing by two or three points. . . . We're getting our (butt) kicked. Either we pick it up or we're going to be going home early."

But is it just the defense? With guard J.R. Smith, the team's third-leading scorer, having missed the past two games after surgery on his left knee, the Nuggets haven't had a reliable third offensive option.

During a 114-104 loss Friday to the Utah Jazz, Anthony and Iverson combined for 69 points, and everyone else scored 35. Against the Mavericks, Anthony and Iverson combined for 60 points, and everybody else had 35.

At least the supporting cast has been consistent.

"I knew that question was going to be asked," Nuggets center Marcus Camby said of the Nuggets not having much offense besides Anthony and Iverson. "Those guys are great. They take the majority of the shots, so there's not enough shots to really go around. We're going to score points. We just have to defend. We have to play better defense."

So the word from the locker room is "D" is the key.

The supporting cast has combined to make 23-of-65 shots (35.4 percent) the past two games. And Anthony and Iverson, perhaps trying to do too much, combined for 16 of the team's 23 turnovers Saturday.

"We're missing J.R., but it's our defense," Anthony said. "If we don't stop nobody, we're going to continue to get our (butt) kicked like the last couple of games."

The Nuggets have been outscored by an average of 108-93 in the three losses since the All- Star break and have allowed opponents to shoot 48.6 percent. They looked on Saturday as the Mavericks scored a season-high 56 points in the paint.

The talk has been it will take time for the Nuggets to mesh, with suspensions, injuries and two trades, most notably the one for Iverson, disrupting the season. But Anthony and Iverson are tired of hearing that.

It sounds as if they have compared notes.

Said Anthony; "I could sit here and make excuses, but we just ain't getting it done."

Added Iverson: "We don't want to keep using that as an excuse. We've got to get it done right now."

If the Nuggets lose tonight, they will fall three games under .500 and be at risk of dropping four under for the first time in more than two years.

"Our major concern is our defense," forward Eduardo Najera said.

The Nuggets appear to be on the same page when it comes to locker room talk. When they step on the court is when the problems start.

Nuggets at Grizzlies

• When: 6 MST tonight.

• Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tenn.

• TV/radio: Altitude; KKFN-AM (950).

• Starting lineups

Denver (26-28) Pos. Ht. Pts.

15 Carmelo Anthony F 6-8 30.5

31 Nene F 6-11 10.7

23 Marcus Camby C 6-11 11.6

5 Yakhouba Diawara G 6-7 5.0

3 Allen Iverson G 6-0 28.2

Coach: George Karl

Memphis (15-42) Pos. Ht. Pts.

33 Mike Miller F 6-8 18.4

44 Lawrence Roberts F 6-9 5.9

16 Pau Gasol C 7-0 20.3

22 Rudy Gay G 6-9 9.9

20 Damon Stoudamire G 5-10 7.7

Coach: Tony Barone

• Injuries: Nuggets - F Kenyon Martin (right knee surgery) and G J.R. Smith (left knee surgery) are out. Grizzlies - G Kyle Lowry (fractured left wrist) is out.

• Notes: Miller scored 41 points March 17 in the Nuggets' previous visit to Memphis, a 116-102 Grizzlies victory. . . . The teams have split two games at the Pepsi Center this season. . . . Camby grabbed 17 rebounds Saturday against Dallas after averaging 6.8 his previous four. . . . Karl has started Steve Blake, Linas Kleiza and Diawara next to Iverson in the backcourt the past three games. . . . The Grizzlies lost three in a row before a 103-102 win Friday in Portland. . . . The Nuggets have averaged 21.7 turnovers the past three games. . . . The Nuggets, who didn't practice Sunday, have won seven of nine in the series.