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Nuggets report: Karl's lawyer defends coach

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published March 4, 2008 at 3:52 p.m.

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Nuggets coach George Karl said Tuesday he was unaware his lawyer, Bret Adams, had sent an e-mail to the Web site FireGeorge Karl.com threatening possible legal action.

Adams said the e-mail was sent to "defend" his client, but no legal action is now being considered.

In the Feb. 26 e-mail, posted on the site and sent to creator Andrew Feinstein, Adams wrote:

"Is your life really this boring and meaningless that you would spend the hours necessary to create such a website? As Coach Karl's counsel I am putting you on notice that I will sue you into bankruptcy should you cross the boundaries of permissible speech."

Feinstein, who posted the e-mail after talking with lawyers, called it "very unprofessional."

"In hindsight, I could have written it more professionally, but for 20 years I've been defending my client," Adams said.

Karl said he was unaware of the e-mail until Tuesday.

"It wasn't on my request," said Karl, who said he's not considering legal action. "It was on his friendship towards me."

Etc.

* Forward Linas Kleiza missed practice, saying he "landed weird" in practice Monday and aggravated the left ankle he sprained Feb. 19 against Boston. Karl anticipates Kleiza will play tonight against Phoenix, but Kleiza says he is at "about 60 percent" and is being more cautious. "We'll see how it feels," he said.

* Forward Carmelo Anthony missed the first hour of practice because of what he called personal matters. Karl said after practice he hadn't talked with Anthony, but the forward had called to say he would be late.

* Guard Chucky Atkins was a "little sore" after his second practice in his return from Jan. 11 sports hernia surgery, Karl said. Atkins said he's fine and still hopes to play Friday.

He said it

"I'm sad he had to go through what he went through, but I'm happy that they allowed him back into the NBA. He's a hell of a person and a hell of a player."

Anthony, on former Nuggets teammate Chris Andersen being reinstated by the NBA after a two-year drug suspension. Andersen is expected to return to New Orleans.

Suns at Nuggets

* When: 7 tonight.

* Where: Pepsi Center.

* TV/radio: Altitude, ESPN; KKFN-AM (950).

* Starting lineups

Phoenix (40-20) Pos. Ht. Pts.

33 Grant Hill F 6-8 14.5

1 Amare Stoudemire F 6-10 23.9

32 Shaquille O'Neal C 7-1 13.3

13 Steve Nash G 6-3 17.5

19 Raja Bell G 6-5 10.8

Coach:

Mike D'Antoni

Denver (35-24) Pos. Ht. Pts.

15 Carmelo Anthony F 6-8 25.9

4 Kenyon Martin F 6-9 11.6

23 Marcus Camby C 6-11 9.4

3 Allen Iverson G 6-0 26.7

25 Anthony Carter G 6-2 8.0

Coach:

George Karl * Injuries: Suns - None reported. Nuggets - G Chucky Atkins (sports hernia) and F Nene (testicular cancer) are out; F Linas Kleiza (left foot sprain) is questionable.

* Notes: The Suns on Tuesday signed guard Gordan Giricek, bought out last week by Philadelphia. . . . Anthony said the game is a "must win." . . . Camby admitted it "looks bleak right now" for the Nuggets, ninth in the Western Conference, but believes they will make the playoffs and "can make a run at that championship."

Comments

  • March 4, 2008

    4:23 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    kmeissner writes:

    I'm not sure this season is George's fault. The TEAM needs to realize that they need to run at all times! They are possibly the best team in the NBA when they actually run up and down the court. Lately they have been very lazy and it looks like we'll be fighting for a playoff spot just like we have to every year. I wish they would grow up and play like a team instead of a bunch of overpaid, ballhogging superstars. A.I., Camby, Najera and K-Mart are the only players that seem to put in 100% when they are on the court. JR and Linus come in spurts

  • March 4, 2008

    9:48 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    LaszloPanaflex writes:

    Next up: www.georgekarlfireyourdumbasslawyer.com

  • March 4, 2008

    9:48 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    stop2006 writes:

    http://www.firegeorgekarl.com/

  • March 4, 2008

    9:49 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Denver81 writes:

    are you suggesting that Melo doesn't put in 100% every game? I know he isn't "King James" dashing up and down the court so he can slam the ball at every op. but that is because Melo is working on elevating his D. he is staying back and putting up numbers on D-boards, a thing James hasn't even thought about doing since he was in high school. The team still isn't meshing and they ALL loose motivation at times but if that is the problem then it is the coaches responsibility to get the players motivated again. I think Karl is a great coach, but he is not having a lot of luck putting this team together, I really hope that Nene can come back before playoffs (if we make them) and i think we will have a chance to get there with Atkins coming back. I don't think there is any need to fire Karl, but i do think we should light a fire under him to get him and the rest of the team performing at the level we are paying them to.

  • March 4, 2008

    9:56 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    wilson writes:

    The Nuggets are a joke and it's not very funny. John Wooden, Red Auerbach, Bob Knight, Pat Summit, Phil Jackson, Coach K and Larry Brown rolled into one couldn't coach this group of selfish misfits. If I were Karl, I would quit.

  • March 4, 2008

    10:41 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    sickandtired writes:

    I'm not suggesting Carmelo Anthony doesn't put in 100% every game. I'm stating it as an ABSOLUTE FACT.

    Elevating his D? What are you watching? It's not "elevated D" when you hang around the offensive end, and job alongside the ref whining about calls. That's called, "your man scoring on the other end"!

    Sheesh. Light a fire under Karl. How about lighting a fire under big Puff Daddy, Carmelo!

  • March 5, 2008

    1:09 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jayrox writes:

    OUR TEAM IS NOT EQUIPT FOR A "RUN" OFFENSE. NENE AND ATKINS WONT HELP.A TRUE POINT GUARD IS WHAT WE HAVE NEEDED FROM THE GET GO.IT MAYBE COACHING OR WHAT WE HAVE ON THE FLOOR,IN ANY CASE WHAT WE HAVE IS NOT WORKING.A RESPONSE TO "SICKANDTIRED OUR TEAM AIN'T WORKING.WE CAN POINT AT ANYONE(A.I.OR MELO'AND EVEN CAMBY'S SICK SHOTS)WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT OUR TEAM DOES'NT CLICK AND WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE "IT" AT THIS POINT.I BELIEVE WE WILL MAKE THE POST SEASON,I'M CRAZY ENOUGH TO THINK WE CAN DO DAMAGE COME PLAYOFFS,BUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS OUR TEAM NEEDS TO FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE.I CAN'T FOR THE LIFE OF ME TELL WEATHER OUR FOCUS IS "D" OR "O". ONE DAY IT'S THIS OR THE OTHER.I'M NOT ADVOCATING KARL AS OUR COACH,AT THE SAME TIME I CAN'T BLAME HIM FOR OUR DR.JECKYLE MR.HYDE PERFORMANCES.THE NUGGETS AS A TEAM,IN PRIVATE NEED TO FIGURE IT OUT. DAY DREAMING IN DEN-CO. I'M OUT.

  • March 5, 2008

    1:57 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    carryBIGstick writes:

    The nuggets are a team that has an amazing amount of talent that CAN'T run a half-court offense!!! How can that not be coaching? Karl does less with more talent than any other NBA coach. Teams with less talent have better records than the nuggets, take New Orleans, Utah, Golden State, or the Lakers before the trade of Gasol. Those respective coaches have done more with there talent than the Nuggets have.
    Don't worry, Karl's lawyer will save his job.

  • March 5, 2008

    6:51 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    maybenextyr writes:

    The Nuggs can run a half court offense. but it is not their scheme. so u dont see it very often. for example You might see a pick n roll ran successfully then u dont see it for the rest of the game.

    Karl scheme is a free flowing non coaching offensive scheme. or style of play. All I see is Your Turn- My Turn style of play. Plenty of iso's. Coaching is the main problem.

    Pheonix hasnt won any championships. Yet everyone wants to emulate their style of play. Methodical play win championships. Phil, Pop. They run plenty of pick n rolls, pick n pops and backdoor cuts. Its their scheme. they run when it's convenient. Not like pheonix and the nuggs. who play no defense but try to outscore people. I'll let you shoot/ hope You miss/ and ill run back down before you do and score. Sorry that wont win championships. Might get a lot of regular season wins.

    If AI could run successful pick n pops with Cwebb who was on his last leg. why cant he with Melo? Jumpshot Melo

    If AI could drop off passes to the big men in philly when he penetrated. why cant he do it in denver?

    ANSWer-Karl Scheme has The big men out top and no where near the paint when AI penetrates and 2-3 people come over to block his shot. No big is there. And no big man cuts down the paint to recieve a pass to slam the ball or get fouled.

    Comment and Question- Camby is not consistent with that nasty jumper. why is he out top?
    Kmart is not a jump shooter. He is a banger. why is he out top? Doesnt make sense.

    That makes just as much sense as Karl putting Najera on Shaq. Which he did by the way.
    That makes just as much sense as going to a zone when your biggest problem is defending the 3 point shot. Which he does by the way.

    How can someone defend this type of coaching?

    So what AI brings to the table is being WASTED!!!
    A) Passing it out to shooters who cant shoot (Diawara) or Inconsistent (Najera, Smith, Kleiza)
    B) Big men out on top who shouldnt be out top cause they cant shoot- its not like our big men have a jump shot like - dirk, gasol, Rasheed Wallace

    Doesnt make sense-

    Even when Melo Post ups - Gets Doubled. How many times does someone cut to basket? they stay on the perimeter as if they have a jump shot. Doesnt make sense

    One more thing. If i know i have no consistent 3 point shooters on my team. Why would I let the team im playing against shoot 3's when I know I cant match it?

    Why wouldnt i take away the 3's and take my chances on the 2's? I wouldnt double off of no one who i know can shoot 3's. And if I tried it and it didnt work. I would quickly adjust. Karl doesnt adjust.

  • March 5, 2008

    12:25 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    R8R_H8R writes:

    NBA players are lazy slow pot smokers with little motivation because their contracts are guaranteed and the team can not fire their useless arse for routinely underperforming. The game sucks. In the NFL, if you dont play hard, you are quickly released, and replaced. The NBA is terrible