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Nuggets break down in fast lane

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 29, 2007 at 11:18 p.m.
Updated November 29, 2007 at 12:17 a.m.

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LOS ANGELES -- George Karl wanted his Nuggets to run.

They sprinted.

Then they ran out of gas.

Then their star walked to the locker room.

In order to increase the pace, the Nuggets coach inserted Anthony Carter into the starting lineup Thursday night against the Lakers in place of Yakhouba Diawara, putting Carter at point guard and moving Allen Iverson to shooting guard.

It sure worked at the start. The Nuggets took a 17-point lead early in the second quarter.

Just as quickly, though, the Nuggets faded. The Lakers came back to win 127-99 at the Staples Center in a game that saw the ejection of Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony on a flagrant foul 2 with 6:18 remaining.

After the Nuggets led 38-21 early in the second quarter, the Lakers outscored them 106-61 the rest of the way.

“They started playing together, and we starting playing bad,’’ Iverson said.

Guard Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 24 points. He wasn’t needed in the fourth quarter.

The Nuggets got 23 points from Anthony, but just seven in the second half. Iverson added 21.

With the Lakers leading 105-87, Anthony was ejected after he hit Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic in the throat area and he went down. But minutes later Vujacic was laughing in front of the Lakers bench.

“He did a little bit of acting,’’ said Anthony, an opinion Karl agreed with after Karl said team executive Mark Warkentien reviewed the tape. “He knew what time it was. He knew I didn’t try to choke him out or anything like that. I’m done with that (having served a 15-game suspension last season for fighting).

“I did grab him, but not intentionally. His neck was right there at the time. I put my hand out.’’

Officials, per rules, reviewed the flagrant foul. It, and the ejection, stood.

“I think I’ve got to give him the DVD of European soccer,’’ Vujacic, who scored a career-high 22 points, said when told Anthony called it a flop. “Then he can really see the flops . . . I was surprised he grabbed me.’’

Why would Anthony grab him?

“I think he was just frustration because we just did an amazing job of defense on him,’’ Vujacic said. “That’s why he tried to choke me.’’

One thing is for sure. The Nuggets are frustrated.

The Nuggets (9-7) are still trying to recapture their magic of earlier this month, when they won six straight games. They’ve since lost four of five, the only win a comeback effort at home against lowly Minnesota.

“I think teams adjust to you,’’ said Karl, who said the Nuggets are in a “period of lacking confidence.’’

With the game being lopsided in the fourth quarter, perhaps guard Coby Karl would have played had he not been assigned by the Lakers on Wednesday to the NBADL’s Los Angeles D-Fenders. Until then, Karl was seeking to become just the third man to coach against his son in an NBA game.

Instead, Karl arrived early to the Staples Center and watched the D-Fenders defeat the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the undercard. Coby sat behind the Lakers bench for the main even in street clothes.

The Nuggets got out of the starting blocks in a hurry. They took a 33-21 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was more of the same. The Nuggets led by as much as 38-21 after center Marcus Camby, who grabbed nine rebounds, tipped in a miss with 9:43 left in the quarter.

There were scattered boos thoughout the crowd. But they didn’t last long.

“Anything can happen in the game,’’ Bryant said. “The message is to continue to play hard.’’

The Lakers closed the half with 34-19 run to cut the deficit to 57-55 at the half. The momentum carried into the second half as the Lakers opened with a 19-3 run to take a 74-60 lead midway though the third quarter on a short jumper by Luke Walton.

The Nuggets cut the deficit to 81-75 at the end of the third and to 81-77 early in the fourth quarter. But it was short-lived as the Lakers outscored the Nuggets 46-24 in the fourth to make the final margin their biggest of the game.

“I have no idea what’s going on with us right now,’’ Anthony said. “I’m pretty sure we’ll figure it out in the next couple of days.’’

There may not be that much time. The Nuggets play tonight at home against the Clippers.

FG FT Reb

DENVER Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts

Anthony 34:35 11-15 1-1 3-4 2 5 23

Martin 21:48 1-5 0-0 2-6 1 3 2

Camby 31:20 4-10 3-3 3-9 1 3 11

Iverson 36:59 8-18 5-10 1-4 6 0 21

Carter 30:03 2-6 0-0 0-3 4 6 5

Kleiza 19:58 6-12 2-2 0-4 2 0 15

Najera 24:57 0-4 1-2 2-6 1 3 1

Smith 23:54 4-12 2-4 2-3 1 1 11

Jones 6:18 3-5 1-1 0-0 0 1 8

Wafer 5:04 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 0 2

McCoy 5:04 0-0 0-0 0-2 0 1 0

Totals 240 40-90 15-23 13-41 18 23 99

Percentages - FG .444, FT .652. Three-point goals - 4-18, .222 (Carter 1-2, Jones 1-3, Kleiza 1-3, Smith 1-4, Anthony 0-1, Iverson 0-1, Wafer 0-1, Najera 0-3). Team rebounds - 10. Team turnovers - 18 (28 pts.). Blocked shots - 7 (Camby 3, Martin 2, McCoy 2). Turnovers - 18 (Anthony 4, Iverson 3, Carter 2, Kleiza 2, Martin 2, Smith 2, Camby, Najera, Wafer). Steals - 12 (Iverson 3, Anthony 2, Camby 2, Najera 2, Kleiza, Martin, Smith). Technicals - None. Flagrant Fouls - Anthony, 6:18 fourth. Ejections - Anthony, 6:18 fourth.

FG FT Reb

LAKERS Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts

Radmnovic 22:06 3-7 0-0 0-1 6 1 6

Odom 32:44 5-16 1-2 0-4 1 2 12

Bynum 26:38 5-8 2-6 5-13 0 3 12

Fisher 24:14 4-6 0-0 2-4 4 2 10

Bryant 29:51 10-18 4-5 3-6 7 1 24

Turiaf 23:30 3-5 2-2 2-7 1 3 8

Farmar 18:42 3-4 2-2 0-5 4 2 10

Walton 26:54 6-9 0-0 1-4 4 4 14

Vujacic 21:22 6-14 8-9 1-3 3 3 22

Crittenton 5:04 2-3 3-3 2-3 1 0 7

Ariza 5:04 1-3 0-2 0-0 1 0 2

Mihm 3:51 0-2 0-0 1-2 0 0 0

Totals 240 48-95 22-31 17-52 32 21 127

Percentages - FG .505, FT .710. Three-point goals - 9-22, .409 (Fisher 2-2, Walton 2-2, Farmar 2-3, Vujacic 2-6, Odom 1-2, Bryant 0-3, Radmanovic 0-4). Team rebounds - 11. Team turnovers - 16 (17 pts.). Blocked shots - 2 (Bynum, Odom). Turnovers - 14 (Radmanovic 3, Walton 3, Bryant 2, Odom 2, Bynum, Farmar, Turiaf, Vujacic). Steals - 11 (Walton 3, Fisher 2, Ariza, Bryant, Farmar, Odom, Radmanovic, Vujacic). Technicals - None.

Denver 33 24 18 24 - 99

L.A. Lakers 21 34 26 46 - 127

A - 18,997 (18,997). T - 2:29. Officials - Dick Bavetta, Courtney Kirkland, Tommy Nunez Jr.

McCOY SIGNS

The Nuggets signed center Jelani McCoy, below, to a partially guaranteed, prorated $1.03 million deal. If he's on the roster past Jan. 10, the contract is guaranteed for the season.

"My job is to run the floor, play defense and block shots," said McCoy, in uniform Thursday.

Nuggets coach George Karl said McCoy is an "insurance policy" because of injuries to big men Nene, on schedule to return in three weeks from a left thumb injury, and center Steven Hunter, who was expected to be out six weeks after Nov. 16 right knee surgery but now might be out until late January or early February.

"It may be then," Hunter said. "But I'm still trying to get back the first or second week of January."

WATCHING SON

Karl saw son Coby score 19 points at the Staples Center for the NBA Development League's Los Angeles D-Fenders before the Nuggets' game. Karl sat beyond a baseline with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak.

"I think it was almost better for me and him because he got to actually watch me play," said Coby, saying he likely wouldn't have played against his father's team had he not been assigned Wednesday.

Karl initially wondered if the move's timing was "fishy" but was convinced otherwise by Kupchak. Karl joked Coby messed up his pregame routine but called it "a great, peaceful experience to watch him."

HE SAID IT

"I'm not going to say I'm definitely done, but this is an opportunity for me to work on my next career."

Stacey Augmon, 39, the Nuggets' recently named player development coach, on whether his playing career is over.

Clippers at Nuggets

* When: 8:30 tonight.

* Where: Pepsi Center.

* TV/radio: Altitude; KEPN-AM (1600).

* Starting lineups

L.A. Clippers (6-7) Pos. Ht. Pts.

1 Tim Thomas F 6-10 14.2

34 Aaron Williams F 6-9 2.0

35 Chris Kaman C 7-0 18.6

13 Quinton Ross G 6-6 4.6

22 Brevin Knight G 5-10 2.9

Coach:

Mike Dunleavy

Denver (9-7) Pos. Ht. Pts.

15 Carmelo Anthony F 6-8 25.1

4 Kenyon Martin F 6-9 8.1

23 Marcus Camby C 6-11 9.6

3 Allen Iverson G 6-0 23.5

25 Anthony Carter G 6-2 7.7

Coach:

George Karl * Injuries: Clippers - F Elton Brand (left Achilles tendon) and G Shaun Livingston (dislocated left knee) are out; G Sam Cassell (strained left calf) is questionable. Nuggets - G Chucky Atkins (groin strain), C Steven Hunter (right knee surgery) and F Nene (torn left thumb ligament) are out.

* Notes: Despite Martin having missed a game Tuesday because of a right knee bone bruise, Karl said little has changed with his playing schedule as he returns from microfracture right knee surgery. "We talk about that all the time," Karl said of Martin, who returned Thursday against the Lakers. "We now are going to shoot for that 25-minute range (even in back-to-back games)." . . . The Clippers have dropped three straight since their Nov. 21 101-90 home win over the Nuggets.

Comments

  • November 30, 2007

    2:07 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    HumnHilitFlm writes:

    At least the Nuggets put forth a solid effort to start the game. That is at least some progress over the previous four games.

    http://bornanuggetsfan.wordpress.com/

  • November 30, 2007

    2:12 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    oscar writes:

    When they won six in a row, they played tougher defense and moved the ball a whole lot better than in these last 4-5 games. Too much dribbling.

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