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NUGGETS REPORT: No repeat for Camby

By Paul Willis, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 23, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Marcus Camby's reign as NBA Defensive Player of the Year ended Tuesday when Boston's Kevin Garnett won the 2007-08 award in a landslide.

There was very little sniveling at Nuggets practice after the announcement, although Camby noted his defensive numbers of 13.1 rebounds and 3.61 blocked shots "are a whole lot better than last season, when I won the award."

That being said, Camby didn't sound like someone who had just been snubbed.

"I'm surprised he hasn't won it already before in his career," said Camby, whose 178 points edged Houston's Shane Battier (175) for second place but were not close to Garnett's 493. "What he's doing over there in Boston is great. . . . If I was going to lose it to anybody, I'd rather it be KG."

Camby credited Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau for transforming Garnett and the Celtics into a dominant defensive pairing. Thibodeau was a Knicks assistant during Camby's time in New York.

"I think Kevin earned it from the standpoint of he does lead the best defensive team in the league," Nuggets coach George Karl said.

Numbers game

90 first-place votes for Garnett. Camby received 12, Battier 11 and San Antonio's Bruce Bowen seven. Four players received one vote each.

Nene's return near

Karl has gone from hopeful to optimistic about Nene's chances of playing in Game 2 against the Los Angeles Lakers.

"My gut says that there's a good chance he'll play," Karl said.

Nene did some running at practice and will be evaluated today after the shootaround. The Nuggets desperately need some added bulk in the middle after Lakers center Pau Gasol eased his way to 36 points and 16 rebounds in the opener.

"If Nene can give us some minutes, that will give us some presence on Gasol," Karl said.

Martin on Bryant

Karl again plans to assign forward Kenyon Martin the task of shadowing Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, hoping the Nuggets' larger starting lineup and the prospective return of Nene will help compensate for some of the other problems that occurred with Martin out of the paint.

"I still liked his performance on Kobe," Karl said of Martin. "I think you'll see other guys on Kobe, but right now, I found something that was good, and if you flip-flop it, it doesn't mean you'll find something good again."

They said it

"He's extremely excited. He just got sick of hearing Elvis all the damn time. How many times can you go to Graceland?"

Bryant on Gasol, acquired at midseason from Memphis.

"He didn't really beat anybody one-on-one. . . . It's not that he was unstoppable. He just had a bunch of good looks."

Linas Kleiza, Nuggets forward, on Gasol.

Nuggets at Lakers

* When: 8:30 p.m. MDT today.

* Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles.

* TV/radio: TNT, Altitude; KKFN-FM (104.3)

* Series: Lakers lead Western Conference first-round, best-of-seven series 1-0.

* Starting lineups

Denver Pos. Ht. Pts.

15 Carmelo Anthony F 6-8 30.0

4 Kenyon Martin F 6-8 5.0

23 Marcus Camby C 6-11 4.0

43 Linas Kleiza G 6-8 23.0

3 Allen Iverson G 6-0 30.0

Coach: George Karl

Lakers Pos. Ht. Pts.

10 Vladimir Radmanovic F 6-10 8.0

7 Lamar Odom F 6-10 17.0

16 Pau Gasol C 7-0 36.0

2 Derek Fisher G 6-1 3.0

24 Kobe Bryant G 6-6 32.0

Coach:> Phil Jackson

* Injuries: Nuggets - F Nene (right groin strain) is questionable. Lakers - F Trevor Ariza (fractured right foot) and C Andrew Bynum are out; C DJ Mbenga (bruised ribs) and F Ronny Turiaf (sore throat) are questionable.

* Notes: The Nuggets made the series' first big move by replacing guard Anthony Carter, who started the last 67 regular-season games and Game 1, with Kleiza. . . . The Nuggets were walloped 128-114 in Game 1, their most postseason points allowed since San Antonio's 131-120 win May 1, 1990, in Doug Moe's last game as Denver coach. "This is not the first time we've talked about 120 points on the road," Karl said. "It seems like it's happened way too often." . . . Bryant said the Lakers must "protect our home court (and) the pressure is on us not to let" the Nuggets seize home-court advantage. . . . Jackson said Turiaf remains weak but Mbenga has shown improvement.

Comments

  • April 23, 2008

    8:42 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    ONEman writes:

    Please trade Camby, he is a liability. Someone also tell his dumb ass he's not a PG or a shooter. Heres an idea you won defensive MVP last year....... maybe you should focus on guarding the basket.