Nuggets report, October 10

Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Camby dominates

Forget preseason. Marcus Camby is in midseason form.

The center grabbed 23 rebounds in 25 minutes to help the Nuggets to a 119-107 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in the preseason opener Tuesday at the Pepsi Center.

"Just trying to hold it down. We got a lot of bigs out," said Camby, his team without injured Kenyon Martin, Nene and Eduardo Najera.

The Nuggets got 17 points from Carmelo Anthony and Von Wafer. Asked how often he and Anthony will tie for game-high honors, Wafer said, "Probably never again."

Overall, Nuggets coach George Karl was pleased but said his team must get in better shape.

"I didn't think we ran consistently hard for the whole game," said Karl, who praised Anthony and Camby but thought Wafer, who struggled in the first half, and guard J.R. Smith, who shot 5-of-14 for 15 points, were too erratic.

With six assists, Anthony displayed some nifty passing.

"I feel I'm in some of the best shape ever," Anthony said.

Cassell eyes Nuggets

Clippers guard Sam Cassell wants to be paired again with Karl.

Cassell, in the final year of his contract, said he wants to sign with the Nuggets in the offseason as a free agent and play one more season. He wants to learn the coaching ropes from Karl, his former coach in Milwaukee.

"We always talk about that," Cassell said. "(Karl) knows I'm serious about wanting to coach.'

Karl, who courted Cassell in 2006 before he re-signed with the Clippers, is open to Cassell, 37, playing a final season in Denver while preparing to coach.

"Sam's what we've always talked about, so I think it is a possibility," Karl said. "Sam, I think, will make a good coach, but there will have to be a transition period."

Injury update

The Nuggets were without Martin (knee), Nene (calf strain), Najera (back strain), Chucky Atkins (groin strain) and Anthony Carter (broken hand).

Karl expects Martin to play next week. Najera anticipates also seeing his first action next week, but won't "come back until I'm 100 percent."

Atkins expects to miss Friday's game in Boulder against Portland but play Sunday at Detroit. Nene won't put a timetable on his return.

Donaghy who?

Three referees briefed Nuggets players about NBA rules changes and points of emphasis. But players said nothing related to Tim Donaghy when the referee who has pleaded guilty to charges he bet on games was brought up.

"That's something that nobody really wants to go into," Camby said.

Numbers game

19 consecutive three-pointers missed by Smith since the start of the playoffs. He was 0-of-7 Tuesday.

He said it

"I called him Eddie Murray (on Monday). So I apologized."

Karl, who next week will shoot a cameo in the Eddie Murphy movie Nowhereland being filmed in Denver.

Etc.

• Point guard Anthony Roberson, trying to make the Nuggets because of Carter's injury, had 12 points and three assists but four turnovers. "He needs to get in a little better shape," said Karl, who said Roberson overall "played well" and "might have an opportunity here."

• El Paso, Texas-based game promoter Tim Johnson said he'll call the Nuggets today and pitch for Friday's tipoff in Boulder to be moved from 7 to 5:30 p.m. because of the Rockies' game at 8:18 p.m. Johnson said ticket sales have been slow, but he remains hopeful that, with 6,000 seats available for $10, there will be a good turnout.