It's the Denver Dangerfields

No respect? Team is using negative talk as motivation

Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News

Friday, April 20, 2007

Maybe it's because the Nuggets haven't won a playoff series in 13 years.

Maybe it's the back-to-back- to-back first-round playoff exits.

Maybe it's the fact the Nuggets never seem to match up well with the San Antonio Spurs, who have won two NBA titles in the past four years.

Whatever the reason, the oddsmakers and most analysts are not expecting the Nuggets to survive San Antonio in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

It's enough to make Defensive Player of the Year candidate Marcus Camby a little defensive.

"We're never going to get the credit that we're due," Camby said Thursday. "We won 10 out of our last 11 games and people say we're the hottest team, but yet they still don't think we can beat the Spurs.

"A lot of people been doubting us (all season), but we haven't lost faith in ourselves. We always felt that once we get guys back on the court healthy and playing the right way, we give ourselves a great chance."

The sentiment was echoed by Camby's co-captain, Carmelo Anthony, who is drawing motivation from any slights, real or perceived.

"Nobody have us going past the first round, but we're going to try to prove people wrong and continue playing the way we've played all year," he said.

With three full days to prepare for Game 1 Sunday in San Antonio (5 p.m. MDT; TNT, Altitude), Nuggets coach George Karl expressed confidence in upsetting the No. 3 Spurs, who bounced the Nuggets from the playoffs 4-1 two years ago.

"What we gave them (in 2005) was a blowout in Game 2. I don't think we're going to give them that this year," Karl said. "I think they're going to have to earn it. . . . Our frame of mind is more focused and more confident than it's ever been. Now we've just got to go play."

IN GOOD HEALTH: For the first time since joining the Nuggets in a midseason trade Feb. 24, 2005, forward Eduardo Najera is healthy heading into the playoffs.

Najera, a key reserve who can help the Nuggets on defense and in rebounding, was limited by a broken bone in his right hand during the 2005 playoffs and was slowed by a fracture in his right foot and knee surgery last spring.

"I'm 100 percent," Najera said. "Just a little older. I feel great."

Camby, who did not play the final two games of the regular season because of a sore right knee, also pronounced himself ready to go.

MR. APRIL: Anthony was chosen the Western Conference's Player of the Month after helping the Nuggets to a 10-1 finish to the regular season.

Anthony, who averaged 28.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in April, received the honor for the second time in his career. He also was Player of the Month in March 2006.

"I think my confidence and the team confidence is pretty high right now from the last month that we had and all the stuff that we've been through as a team, as an organization this season," he said. "To still be here at this point is great."

ETC.: Karl said his son, Coby, will join the Nuggets entourage in San Antonio on Saturday. Coby, 23, is recovering from his second cancer-related surgery in 13 months. A senior guard at Boise State, Coby was able to play basketball Wednesday for the first time since his April 2 surgery. . . . Karl on the Spurs' team-first philosophy: "They write 'team' in capital letters with a line underneath it. We probably just write 'team' with a capital T."