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Nuggets Playoff Report: Talk of Warkentien to Knicks is 'premature,' agent says

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 24, 2008 at 12:44 a.m.

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The Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony fights for a loose ball with the Lakers' Derek Fisher, left, and Lamar Odom as Pau Gasol looks on. Anthony scored 23 points.

Photo by Jeff Gross / Getty Images

The Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony fights for a loose ball with the Lakers' Derek Fisher, left, and Lamar Odom as Pau Gasol looks on. Anthony scored 23 points.

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The agent for Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien said his client is a "viable candidate" to be New York's general manager, but he doesn't believe anything is imminent.

Steve Kauffman, who represents Knicks president Donnie Walsh and Warkentien, said his understanding is Walsh will keep the current New York staff intact through the draft and likely won't look to bring in an executive until after that.

"I think Donnie has a true interest in Mark, but there are a lot of other candidates," said Kauffman, who added speculation was "premature" about Warkentien possibly going to New York.

Warkentien is believed to have one year left on his Nuggets contract. Kauffman doesn't know if the Nuggets would let the Knicks speak with Warkentien if they wanted to.

Kauffman said he can pick up the phone and talk to about half the owners in the NBA, but not the Nuggets' Stan Kroenke. Kauffman, who is a Malibu, Calif., neighbor of Kroenke's, joked that's interesting because, "I can literally see his house from mine."

Warkentien, in his third Nuggets season, declined to comment.

"Mark is known around the league as one of the most creative thinkers," Kauffman said.

Carter sits

Once the Lakers had been established as a playoff opponent, Nuggets guard Anthony Carter knew he might be heading to the bench.

"I understand they start a tall lineup and I'm the odd man out," Carter said before the Nuggets lost 122-107 to the Lakers in Wednesday's Game 2. "(Nuggets coach George Karl) was thinking about (a lineup change) before the playoffs, but he wanted to start me and see how the first game went."

It didn't go well. After the Nuggets lost 128-114, Karl realized he needed more size, and he replaced the 6-foot-2 Carter with 6-8 Linas Kleiza for Game 2.

"I was just loyal to the guy," Karl said about why he didn't make the change for Game 1. "He gave us a hell of a year."

Before Wednesday, Carter had started 68 straight games. Karl said Carter was "disappointed" but believes he'll "have some important minutes" in the series.

"I understand where (Karl is) coming from," Carter, who scored zero points in nine minutes Wednesday, said about going to the bench. "I'm going to take it like a professional and still do my part."

Nene's back

After missing the final six regular-season games and Game 1 with a groin strain, Nene returned.

"He might not be 100 percent, but 80 percent might be good enough," Karl said beforehand about using Nene against the big Lakers.

Nene, though, sounded as if he was less than 80 percent.

"I'm sore," Nene said before scoring two points in seven minutes. "I've got to get in shape. It's like training camp for me. It's frustrating to still be hurt."

Nene missed 21/2 months at midseason because of testicular cancer. He returned March 27, but he played in just four games before suffering his groin strain.

Numbers game

4consecutive home playoff losses by the Nuggets to the Lakers. They dropped the final game of a 1979 series, and they lost two games in a 1985 series and one in 1987.

History made

With Lakers forward Ronny Turiaf at home with a sore throat, Karl's son, guard Coby Karl, was activated and scored zero points while playing the final two minutes. It marked the first time a coaching father had his son play against him in an NBA postseason game.

Karl said before the game that such an occasion would be "historical."

In the meantime, he wasn't too happy to see his son's garb when the two met for dinner Tuesday in Los Angeles.

"He wore every piece of Lakers gear he owned," Karl said. "Three shirts with Lakers, sweats with Lakers and shoes with Lakers on it."

Karl joked he's "very tired of being around" Coby because of his Lakers affiliation.

Coaching scrum

During Sunday's telecast, ABC showed Karl playfully roughhousing with his assistant coaches before Game 1.

"Even when I coach players, I like to make it physical," Karl said. "Most of the guys who know me in the office, I like bumping and grinding. . . . (It) gets your head clear. It gets you ready to go. It gets your adrenaline flowing."

Karl said a few times he's knocked players or coaches to the ground or has gone down himself. But after he undergoes hip replacement surgery this summer, Karl wonders if he'll have to put such antics in "mothballs."

Etc.

* Because of the Democratic Convention at the Pepsi Center, the Nuggets have been notified they won't have access to the building July 5 to Sept. 15. Team officials are seeking locations for offseason workouts. "We'll find places to go," Karl said. "It will probably be more fun, more camaraderie. 'OK, Tuesday's here. Wednesday's there.' "

* With the series shifting to Denver for Saturday's Game 3, Lakers coach Phil Jackson joked his team would arrive "Friday at midnight" because "supposedly in altitude the first 24 hours you're OK." The Lakers will leave late Friday afternoon for the 3:30 p.m. Saturday game. "We don't need any Lakers fans in the building being heard," Karl said.

* With competition and scouting having increased, Karl believes a coach's impact is diminished in the postseason. "A good coach in the regular season is as valuable as your fourth or fifth starter," said Karl, saying it drops to below a sixth man in the playoffs.

He said it

"Kupchak didn't mess with us (before Game 2). I'm disappointed. I was expecting a fire alarm."

Karl, referring to Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, his former teammate at North Carolina whom Karl jokingly suggested was behind Denver's bus catching fire on the way to Game 1.

Game 2 report card

* Offense: The Nuggets took suspect shots and inexplicably refused to share the ball in the first half - five assists on 20 field goals - before showing signs of life in the second. It was all Kobe Bryant for the Lakers in the first and fourth quarters. Between scoring binges, the MVP front-runner turned into a distributor - 10 assists. Nuggets: C. Lakers: A.

* Defense: The Nuggets had no answer for Bryant in the first quarter or the fourth, but matchup zone helped the Nuggets take a brief lead in the third. In the end, not nearly enough stops. The Lakers allowed Allen Iverson to get into the lane far too often in the second half but did a good job forcing the Nuggets to take shots from the perimeter. Nuggets: D. Lakers: C+.

* Hustle points: After a meek performance in Game 1, the Nuggets' Marcus Camby was a monster in the paint with 17 rebounds and four blocked shots, and his teammates were tough on the offensive glass. Sasha Vujacic, of all people, came up with a key offensive rebound in the fourth quarter, leading to a big three-point play by Bryant with the game still in doubt. Nuggets: C. Lakers: B-.

* Bench: With Linas Kleiza promoted to the starting lineup, J.R. Smith (21 points) was the only scoring option off the Nuggets bench, while former starter Anthony Carter was a nonfactor (no points or assists in nine minutes). Luke Walton and Vujacic combined for 27 points and made smart choices, meaning they got the ball to Bryant whenever possible when the Nuggets made a run. Nuggets: C-. Lakers: B+.

Star of the game

Kobe Bryant

The Lakers shooting guard started strutting and blowing on his fingers while picking apart the Nuggets in the fourth quarter. He could have done the same thing in the first when he scored 20 of his 49 points. For some reason, Smith started talking smack to Bryant as the game got out of hand late but did little to back up his words.

- Aaron J. Lopez

Comments

  • April 24, 2008

    4:17 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    duboisb writes:

    Warkentien wanted to bring Ron Artest in. Artest has done a good job of guarding Kobe and other perimeter defenders. George Karl persuaded management not to make the deal.

    Artest averaged 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 steals. He shot 45% from the field and 38% from 3 point range. And this for a player who is know first of all for his lock-down defense.

    Give Warkentien permission to make such deals. Meanwhile, fire George Karl who isn't capable of creating a team the works together which is a coach's prime responsibility.