When you replace the coach of the year and lose the best general manager in Nuggets history, there is a lot of trepidation as to what the future holds. Brian Shaw has championship pedigree as a player, but he is a rookie coach. George Karl represented the kind of stability that insured Pepsi Center would always remain a crowd of die hard believers surrounded by the well to do socialites who only come out when the team is winning, and the haters who always come out to watch Denver team's lose. In the end, the haters kept winning.Last night they may have finally lost for good.
Over the years we had grown to love and hate George Karl at the same time. We loved him because he clearly made the Nuggets relevant (in the regular season). We hated him because the Nugget haters made us hate him in the end. There are so few natives in this town that you do not have to go far to find someone who simply doesn't like Denver sports teams. Of course, I think to myself the same thing you other Mile High sports fans are thinking right now. If you don't support our teams, you can't enjoy our mountains or sunsets.
The Nuggets turned a corner last night that made the haters take notice. Haters have spent their hating careers getting to know our teams better than an atheist knows the bible. Most of what the haters say hurts so much because they are usually speaking to the painful truth that fans often deny. Haters called out George Karl long before we fans did, and they were right. We were only going to go so far if we couldn't analyze the defense, and execute a play in the half court at the end of games.
Last night the Nuggets fought off an early attack from the Warriors and took the lead, and control of the game in the first half. Four players would score over 20 points for the Nuggets in this game and a couple of others scored in the teens. Scoring has been a problem at times this season, but not as of late. The Nuggets have not only scored, they have blown teams out. Somehow, winning by blowout is not quite like winning by late game execution.
The Nuggets beat one of the best teams in the league last night with a 123-116 victory over Golden State. Thanks to the old switch-a-roo, the Nuggets nearly let this game slip through their hands.
Twice, the Warriors ran a pick and roll because they caught the Nuggets switching on the pick. Coach Shaw stayed with his mighty mites, Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson, late in the game and it paid dividends on the offensive end. On defense, the Warriors forced Lawson and then Robinson into the switch they desired and took advantage of them with buckets from the bigger David Lee that gave Golden State a 1 point lead.
A few minutes prior, the Nuggets ran a pick and roll from the top with Lawson and J.J. Hickson. Hickson finished the play with a monster slam when Harrison Barnes of the Warriors failed to rotate. Down by 1 point with 1:13 to play, the Nuggets ran the same play. This time Barnes rotated, but J.J. pushed a floater at the rim that fell. The Warriors never scored or rebounded the ball again.
Was the Hickson bucket lucky? Hell yeah, but luck is what you make it. Hickson would finish the game with an average day of shooting for a big man (6-12, for 13 points), but a career high 24 rebounds. Hickson's game winner fell because the hoop God's take care of guys who pull down 24 boards.
Denver had a big win against the Oklahoma City Thunder even without Russell Westbrook. The Golden State Warrior victory was better, and it was the culmination of a lot of games that Denver did not close out in the past. It was a 'welcome to the club' victory that confirms to a young team that they can beat tough teams by blowout, and they can win a close game if necessary.
Wins like Denver pulled off against the Warriors can put a little hair on the face of a young team in search of an identity. There is nothing better for your confidence than growing that first beard or finally getting out of the first round of the playoffs. This team looks like it can finally grow a beard and maybe even get out of the first round too.
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