I've missed several recent games for reasons alternately happy and sad. Furthermore, I will shortly be leaving the country for a time. Hopefully, this post will tide over HyTop's increasingly rabid readership.
Saw the Milwaukee game. It was very nearly art. The pieces, for one brief moment, fit together, and the universe made sense. Psychedelics have this same effect, until the inevitable comedown. For now, I am still high.
Let's look at the blueprint (while remembering that blueprints exist only in the realm of the mind, while the Spurs and the Celtics are flesh and bone). The front office had some ideas, y'all.
BIG MEN
Marcus Camby: Savvy Vet. Plays a phenomenal finesse game on both ends of the court. Best weakside shotblocker in the game. Best passing center in the league. Rebounds like a motherfucker (but never boxes out). Decent slashing to the basket. Owns a somewhat shaky jumpshot that he trusts too much. Never loses his cool. Team spokesman.
Kenyon Martin: Junkyard Dog. Best man-to-man defender. Intimidator. Nasty finisher (in the half court). Can't do much in isolation situations. Tends to get out of control. Plays as hard as anyone in the world. An emotional leader.
Nene: Legit Big Man. Can guard the behemoths, score with his back to the basket, box out for rebounds. Runs the floor exceptionally well. Best pick and roll big on the squad (by a long shot). Seems to be in shape and healthy (knock wood).
Eduardo Najera: Glue Guy. Hustles, makes plays when he shouldn't, lends his energy to everyone around him. Plays within himself. Guards the pick and roll and loves to pressure guards in the backcourt. Moves without the ball better than anyone on the squad. Would be a valuable contributor to literally any squad in the league. Finishes fairly well for his size (reverse layups!) and now can shoot threes.
WINGS
Carmelo Anthony: Finisher. Moves without the ball, catches everything thrown his way, makes shots from all different angles and positions. A decent passer and an exceptional rebounder (when he wants to, which he recently has). The best post player on the team who commands automatic double teams (and often triple teams). Can't get a step on anyone off the dribble this year (tired legs from consecutive USA Basketball summers?). Decent man-to-man defender who loses interest when his man gives up the rock. Dominates and puts tons of pressure on the defense if he gives consistent effort. Seems to be morphing into more and more of a big man as he matures. This is not a problem. It makes him unique.
Linas Kleiza: Sharpshooter. Makes threes and runs better than anyone on the team. Earnest defender who is exploited on mismatches. Solid rebounder. Can kind of create his own shot off the dribble and in the post, but everything works off the threat of his jumper. Confidence is always on the edge, but he seems to realize that he belongs now. Hard worker. A bad but improving passer. Probably the Nuggets best young assets (Melo is part of the core), a lot of teams would love him and I think he could get 15 and 7 as a starter (on very good percentages). Basketball IQ has always been suspect with LK, but he's got a huge heart and wants so badly to succeed.
J.R. Smith: Whipping Boy. With Dermarr gone, Coach Karl has started fucking with JR in order to prove to himself and the world that his penis is longer than his thumb (he hasn't seen it in years, you see). JR can play, but honestly headcase projects are only valuable on marginal teams. JR is not needed if this team plays to potential. He's dead weight wrapped in bad karma, and it's not like he hasn't been given opportunities.
POINTS
Allen Iverson: Superstar. Everyone listens when he speaks (except the refs, who are deaf to his constant "AND1s" by now). Is finishing again, and taking less time to do it. Can do whatever he wants on the court. Needs to figure out what's best for the team. Really seems to want this to work. Easiest dude to root for this side of Barry Obama. It's his team, even though he'll pretent it's not. He remembers what it was like to be Melo. It wasn't easy, still isn't.
Chucky Atkins: Swagger. He's a real point guard, talking and pointing and directing traffic. Not a superior passer, but a guy who understands the game. He and AI have fun playing together (witness the behind-the-back-a-thon of the other night), and he recognizes how good Nene is in the pick and roll. His shot isn't there, but dude is a shooter. Can't guard anyone, doesn't rebound, but provides this team with some shit it just hasn't had since Saint Van Exel left town.
Anthony Carter: Plugger (in honor of the Simulator's favorite single-panel comic). Fills the gaps. Hits those ugly jumpers from Avery Johnson's favorite spots, gets unexpected steals and rebounds, throws long passes ahead to Melo for easy baskets (RIP Andre Miller). Best perimeter defender on the team (not a good thing). Plays within himself. Listens to the coach.
SCRUBS
I'm not doing the scrubs, I'm busy today. Y'all know I love Bobby Jones, hate Diawara, and am ambivalent on the rest. I guess JR is a scrub now, but I think his situation has meaning for the team as a whole, which is why I included him.
HOLES
No Playmaker. The Nugs aren't a great passing team.
Bad perimeter defense. This is why Tony Parker runs layup drills every time we see him.
Shooting. LK is solid. Melo and AI will surprise you. Eddie's been great. Chucky could make this a non-issue.
Basically, trade for Kirk Hinrich and this team could win it all. Shit, they still might, how they looked the other night. I'll watch tonight then fly away in the morning.
Happy New Year. Make it better than the last.
28.12.07
17.12.07
San Antonio, Portland
San Antonio.
You people think I'm pessimistic. You think I love to worry, love to suffer, secretly love pain. I love none of those things. My problem is simple: I have a good relationship with my eyes. They never deceive me.
This San Antonio game is why I considered a 14-8 team (going into the game) a failure. They made it look so easy. San Antonio is pretty much all old guys now. Even Ginobili rocks the bald spot. Tony Parker is their young legs, and he was out.
What do they do? Carve the Nuggets up. With the same shit they've been doing for almost a decade. Halfcourt defence. Three-point shooting. Crisp ball movement. That's it. That's what they do.
Yeah, Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward ever. He was hobbling, didn't want the ball, sat out most of the second half. Let Oberto take over, Timmy said. And Fab fucking did. Ow.
The Nuggets don't defend the perimeter very well, and are especially weak closing out on three-point shooters. Brent Barry. Swish. Mike Finley. Swish. Bruce Bowen. Swish. Horry threw up some hilarious bricks to lighten the mood.
Offensively, no one on the Nugs can throw a proper entry pass (RIP ANDRE MILLER). So the Spurs doubled Melo hard, all night, sometimes even without the ball. He didn't do shit. They let AI do what he wanted. Guess what: AI's been doing that for a decade. No tan lines on his fingers. Makes you think. Or it oughta.
Bright spot: BOBBY JONES YALL. I was on this cat before Hastings had looked at the roster. HE MAKES PLAYS YALL. He's a football player out there, herky-jerky and awkward, but always around the ball. Play the man!
Portland.
This hurts less, cause Portland was making any crazy bullshit they threw up there. One of those games. The Outlaw kid is filthy. Stevie Blake got his. Brandon Roy is savvy. Pryzbilla swatted our best player.
Melo got pissed and started working really hard on the boards. Got a bunch of fouls called for his trouble. Then, when he'd get the ball, he'd dribble off his foot or get his shot blocked. Melo's on some kind of NBA Live system, where he has only a certain number of points to distribute. When he puts it into Effort, his Skills all deteriorate. When he plays half-assed, all his jumpers are wet, his passes are crisp. Goofy.
I do take issue with Coach on one defensive strategy. Why the fuck were Roy and Jack, two relatively quick perimeter players, being guarded by bigs all fucking night long? Seriously, Brandon Roy (aka Portland's best player) saw Kleiza, Najera, and then K-Mart in crunch time. Those guys are all decent to excellent defenders, but THEY ARE BIG MEN. THEY ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH CROSSOVERS AND HESITATION DRIBBLES. They did the best they can. Roy got layups, Jack got layups, mid-range jumpers were falling.
Meanwhile, HyTop fave Bobby Jones (who played with Roy in college and probably has an idea of what he can do) and Khouba Diawara (who I don't much like, but who can defend the perimeter) sitting on the bench in sweatpants.
IN CONCLUSION:
We're watching the same team as last year. And the year before. Solid in the regular season. Wait til they put together a big winning streak, get a nice Sportscenter segment. Denver's all smiles. Roll into the playoffs, and suddenly they don't speak the language. A mansion built on sand.
You people think I'm pessimistic. You think I love to worry, love to suffer, secretly love pain. I love none of those things. My problem is simple: I have a good relationship with my eyes. They never deceive me.
This San Antonio game is why I considered a 14-8 team (going into the game) a failure. They made it look so easy. San Antonio is pretty much all old guys now. Even Ginobili rocks the bald spot. Tony Parker is their young legs, and he was out.
What do they do? Carve the Nuggets up. With the same shit they've been doing for almost a decade. Halfcourt defence. Three-point shooting. Crisp ball movement. That's it. That's what they do.
Yeah, Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward ever. He was hobbling, didn't want the ball, sat out most of the second half. Let Oberto take over, Timmy said. And Fab fucking did. Ow.
The Nuggets don't defend the perimeter very well, and are especially weak closing out on three-point shooters. Brent Barry. Swish. Mike Finley. Swish. Bruce Bowen. Swish. Horry threw up some hilarious bricks to lighten the mood.
Offensively, no one on the Nugs can throw a proper entry pass (RIP ANDRE MILLER). So the Spurs doubled Melo hard, all night, sometimes even without the ball. He didn't do shit. They let AI do what he wanted. Guess what: AI's been doing that for a decade. No tan lines on his fingers. Makes you think. Or it oughta.
Bright spot: BOBBY JONES YALL. I was on this cat before Hastings had looked at the roster. HE MAKES PLAYS YALL. He's a football player out there, herky-jerky and awkward, but always around the ball. Play the man!
Portland.
This hurts less, cause Portland was making any crazy bullshit they threw up there. One of those games. The Outlaw kid is filthy. Stevie Blake got his. Brandon Roy is savvy. Pryzbilla swatted our best player.
Melo got pissed and started working really hard on the boards. Got a bunch of fouls called for his trouble. Then, when he'd get the ball, he'd dribble off his foot or get his shot blocked. Melo's on some kind of NBA Live system, where he has only a certain number of points to distribute. When he puts it into Effort, his Skills all deteriorate. When he plays half-assed, all his jumpers are wet, his passes are crisp. Goofy.
I do take issue with Coach on one defensive strategy. Why the fuck were Roy and Jack, two relatively quick perimeter players, being guarded by bigs all fucking night long? Seriously, Brandon Roy (aka Portland's best player) saw Kleiza, Najera, and then K-Mart in crunch time. Those guys are all decent to excellent defenders, but THEY ARE BIG MEN. THEY ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH CROSSOVERS AND HESITATION DRIBBLES. They did the best they can. Roy got layups, Jack got layups, mid-range jumpers were falling.
Meanwhile, HyTop fave Bobby Jones (who played with Roy in college and probably has an idea of what he can do) and Khouba Diawara (who I don't much like, but who can defend the perimeter) sitting on the bench in sweatpants.
IN CONCLUSION:
We're watching the same team as last year. And the year before. Solid in the regular season. Wait til they put together a big winning streak, get a nice Sportscenter segment. Denver's all smiles. Roll into the playoffs, and suddenly they don't speak the language. A mansion built on sand.
13.12.07
The Rundown: Sacramento, New Orleans
Sacto Game: Nugz rely on talent to squeak by. Inspiring philosophy, that.
Everyone on the Nugz squad seems to be friends with Ron Artest. In Melo's more docile moments, I briefly fantasized about trading him for Ron-Ron. Artest is easy to root for. Melo, sometimes, is difficult. But it was a flight of fancy.
N.O. Game: Revenge game. The Nugz played pretty hard. Camby realized that Tyson Chandler outplayed him last time, and hustled all game. Chris Paul is a problem when his jumper/floater game is sharp. I still maintain that his assist numbers are inflated from playing on a squad of jumpshooters. How tough is it to find David West for an 18 footer? That's an A.C. type assist right there.
Melo couldn't get a call all game, so he started rebounding a little harder. It paid off. Never stopped bitching at the refs, though. In the fourth, he kind of 'took over'. Although it was mostly on run-outs, it was nice to see some fire.
Despite that spark, it has become clear that, in the last two weeks, Melo has fully ceded the Alpha position to A.I. Allen didn't even really have to go get it. It was there all year long; Iverson just finally started finishing.
It's interesting to see a little guard on the other side of 30 still figuring it out. He's stopped settling for the jumper at the free throw line; he's taking it deep like he used to. And it's working. It's like he's learning the angles of the game all over again.
PS: Kleiza made the best pass of his career, a one-hander to a Najera under the bucket. L.K.'s not much of a passer. Also, Kenyon's fucking awesome, as always. Nobody defends harder, nobody dunks cleaner.
PIPE DREAM POST SCRIPT:
I don't play fantasy hoops (it's pornographic, perverts the game), but I do like to assemble fantasy squads. What I mean is: realistic combinations of players that I believe could succeed.
HyTop Dream Team 1:
PG: Hinrich
SG: A.I.
SF: Artest
PF: Rasheed
C: Nene (in shape version)
Sixth Man: Kenyon
I know that's blasphemy. But could you swing that, using Melo, Camby, J.R. and L.K. as bait? Just an idle thought. That would be the best defensive team in the league. Nene and Ron-Ron can both defend and score in the post. Rasheed and Hinrich would give the offense ball-movement, shooting and smarts. Also, both can defend like crazy. A.I. would continue to be A.I., and this team would rally around him like nothing you've seen.
Banged up Spurs team next. Actually, forget the 'banged up' part. The Spurs are always playing possum, and it always gets you.
Everyone on the Nugz squad seems to be friends with Ron Artest. In Melo's more docile moments, I briefly fantasized about trading him for Ron-Ron. Artest is easy to root for. Melo, sometimes, is difficult. But it was a flight of fancy.
N.O. Game: Revenge game. The Nugz played pretty hard. Camby realized that Tyson Chandler outplayed him last time, and hustled all game. Chris Paul is a problem when his jumper/floater game is sharp. I still maintain that his assist numbers are inflated from playing on a squad of jumpshooters. How tough is it to find David West for an 18 footer? That's an A.C. type assist right there.
Melo couldn't get a call all game, so he started rebounding a little harder. It paid off. Never stopped bitching at the refs, though. In the fourth, he kind of 'took over'. Although it was mostly on run-outs, it was nice to see some fire.
Despite that spark, it has become clear that, in the last two weeks, Melo has fully ceded the Alpha position to A.I. Allen didn't even really have to go get it. It was there all year long; Iverson just finally started finishing.
It's interesting to see a little guard on the other side of 30 still figuring it out. He's stopped settling for the jumper at the free throw line; he's taking it deep like he used to. And it's working. It's like he's learning the angles of the game all over again.
PS: Kleiza made the best pass of his career, a one-hander to a Najera under the bucket. L.K.'s not much of a passer. Also, Kenyon's fucking awesome, as always. Nobody defends harder, nobody dunks cleaner.
PIPE DREAM POST SCRIPT:
I don't play fantasy hoops (it's pornographic, perverts the game), but I do like to assemble fantasy squads. What I mean is: realistic combinations of players that I believe could succeed.
HyTop Dream Team 1:
PG: Hinrich
SG: A.I.
SF: Artest
PF: Rasheed
C: Nene (in shape version)
Sixth Man: Kenyon
I know that's blasphemy. But could you swing that, using Melo, Camby, J.R. and L.K. as bait? Just an idle thought. That would be the best defensive team in the league. Nene and Ron-Ron can both defend and score in the post. Rasheed and Hinrich would give the offense ball-movement, shooting and smarts. Also, both can defend like crazy. A.I. would continue to be A.I., and this team would rally around him like nothing you've seen.
Banged up Spurs team next. Actually, forget the 'banged up' part. The Spurs are always playing possum, and it always gets you.
7.12.07
6.12.07
That's Nuggets Basketball!!!
A.I. drops 50! He didn’t even need to get to the rim to do it; the midrange jumper was there!! Then Philthy Phil has the nerve to put TWO guys on him! TWO MEN GUARDING ONE MAN! How is that fair? Of course that stopped A.I. in the fourth: it’s simple mathematics.
Carmelo dropped an effortless 26 points, and got some other numbers too! Camby effortlessly collected 20 rebounds! I’m telling you, with this team, we don’t need guys to run through a brick wall to put up All-Star numbers (which are the foundation of winning basketball)! Contract extensions for all!
Coach Karl didn’t move much, even in Hi-Def, but that’s because you couldn’t see all the movement in his GIGANTIC, BASKETBALL-SHAPED BRAIN! He shortened up his bench tonight, like he does when he REALLY WANTS TO WIN (like in the first Knicks game)!! Believe me when I say, you won’t play a lot for George unless you can fill up a box score with your eyes closed and wicked cottonmouth. Sometimes I wonder why Kenyon and Eduardo are in there: they barely score at all!! But I don’t question George, he gives a great interview on AM 950 THE FAN!!!
Last night? That thrilling game? THAT WAS NUGGETS BASKETBALL!!! HOOPS AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL!!!
Carmelo dropped an effortless 26 points, and got some other numbers too! Camby effortlessly collected 20 rebounds! I’m telling you, with this team, we don’t need guys to run through a brick wall to put up All-Star numbers (which are the foundation of winning basketball)! Contract extensions for all!
Coach Karl didn’t move much, even in Hi-Def, but that’s because you couldn’t see all the movement in his GIGANTIC, BASKETBALL-SHAPED BRAIN! He shortened up his bench tonight, like he does when he REALLY WANTS TO WIN (like in the first Knicks game)!! Believe me when I say, you won’t play a lot for George unless you can fill up a box score with your eyes closed and wicked cottonmouth. Sometimes I wonder why Kenyon and Eduardo are in there: they barely score at all!! But I don’t question George, he gives a great interview on AM 950 THE FAN!!!
Last night? That thrilling game? THAT WAS NUGGETS BASKETBALL!!! HOOPS AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL!!!
4.12.07
Playing Favorites
After my last (somewhat half-assed) post, Sim pointed out to me that "HyTop's Favorite Nugget" seems to change daily. Well, so does the hand I jerk off with. I am a fickle creature.
That said, I think the swings of my heart deserve to be immortalized here, on the seventh most popular Nuggets blog in the Western hemisphere*!
HYTOPS FAVE NUGGZ, episode 1:
1. Kenyon Martin - He has the worst contract in the league, and the biggest heart. Became a man sometime in the wasteland of the past two years, and now frequently looks like The Only One Who Really Cares Out There (Non-Roleplayer Edition). Ironically, is actually a roleplayer.
2. Eddie Najera - I like how he hustles, plays smart, surprises with his athleticism, and is Mexican. Is somewhat overpaid. Is a pro.
3. Bobby Jones - Shame he's not gonna see meaningful minutes for the rest of the year. I liked the chaos he brought to the floor, and his unearned swagger.
4. Linas Kleiza - I will write the definitive Kleiza piece in the coming weeks. I like the way he has reshaped himself--body, skills, mind--to become an NBA player. It's good to see hard work payoff, and even better to see a white kid** who's not afraid to dunk (and not afraid to fail).
5. Anthony Carter - I don't know how this happened. My plan was for him to be the butt of all my jokes this year. I mean, look at the dude; he cracks me up! Sometimes love sneaks up on you.
6. Carmelo Anthony - Even mailing in the season, he wows me more than anyone else. I mean, let's face it: he's pretty good. Fun to watch, too, especially when he's trying. Has the potential to skyrocket up this list. Also, to be a champion.
7. JR Smith - Figuring it out before our eyes. JR's not gonna grow up on anyone's terms but his own. That means he'll always scare us, because we'll never be sure. That also means, if he does come out the other end, he'll be stronger than anyone else could've made him. It's gonna be fun to watch.
8. Allen Iverson - I feel like I'm hurting his warrior spirit putting him down here. But he is not, how you say, 'aging gracefully.' Somehow, he can still get wherever he wants, but now he can't finish at the rim. It's made him timid and indecisive. Also, he shouts "AND ONE" every time he shoots it. Sometimes when he passes. The refs don't like that, Allen. It's all conntected.
9. Marcus Camby - The passion he inspires is roughly equal to the passion he plays with. HyTop appreciates a cool, calculating motherfucker, but I ain't going to war for him. Nice to have around, though, to make some plays.
AND, IN A TIE FOR 10th PLACE:
10. Mike Wilks - He was a good sport about it, wasn't he?
10. Jelani McCoy - Earned this spot with his beautiful singing voice and well maintained beard.
NOT LISTED: Diawara (nice kid, completely lost), Von Wafer (seems popular with his teammates, gets the yips in garbage time) Stephen Hunter (...), and Chucky Atkins (we'll find out soon).
NOT MENTIONED: The Brazilian. Gotta earn it round these parts.
* Statement not evaluated by blogger.
** I know he's a Euro, but he went to high school in Jersey.
That said, I think the swings of my heart deserve to be immortalized here, on the seventh most popular Nuggets blog in the Western hemisphere*!
HYTOPS FAVE NUGGZ, episode 1:
1. Kenyon Martin - He has the worst contract in the league, and the biggest heart. Became a man sometime in the wasteland of the past two years, and now frequently looks like The Only One Who Really Cares Out There (Non-Roleplayer Edition). Ironically, is actually a roleplayer.
2. Eddie Najera - I like how he hustles, plays smart, surprises with his athleticism, and is Mexican. Is somewhat overpaid. Is a pro.
3. Bobby Jones - Shame he's not gonna see meaningful minutes for the rest of the year. I liked the chaos he brought to the floor, and his unearned swagger.
4. Linas Kleiza - I will write the definitive Kleiza piece in the coming weeks. I like the way he has reshaped himself--body, skills, mind--to become an NBA player. It's good to see hard work payoff, and even better to see a white kid** who's not afraid to dunk (and not afraid to fail).
5. Anthony Carter - I don't know how this happened. My plan was for him to be the butt of all my jokes this year. I mean, look at the dude; he cracks me up! Sometimes love sneaks up on you.
6. Carmelo Anthony - Even mailing in the season, he wows me more than anyone else. I mean, let's face it: he's pretty good. Fun to watch, too, especially when he's trying. Has the potential to skyrocket up this list. Also, to be a champion.
7. JR Smith - Figuring it out before our eyes. JR's not gonna grow up on anyone's terms but his own. That means he'll always scare us, because we'll never be sure. That also means, if he does come out the other end, he'll be stronger than anyone else could've made him. It's gonna be fun to watch.
8. Allen Iverson - I feel like I'm hurting his warrior spirit putting him down here. But he is not, how you say, 'aging gracefully.' Somehow, he can still get wherever he wants, but now he can't finish at the rim. It's made him timid and indecisive. Also, he shouts "AND ONE" every time he shoots it. Sometimes when he passes. The refs don't like that, Allen. It's all conntected.
9. Marcus Camby - The passion he inspires is roughly equal to the passion he plays with. HyTop appreciates a cool, calculating motherfucker, but I ain't going to war for him. Nice to have around, though, to make some plays.
AND, IN A TIE FOR 10th PLACE:
10. Mike Wilks - He was a good sport about it, wasn't he?
10. Jelani McCoy - Earned this spot with his beautiful singing voice and well maintained beard.
NOT LISTED: Diawara (nice kid, completely lost), Von Wafer (seems popular with his teammates, gets the yips in garbage time) Stephen Hunter (...), and Chucky Atkins (we'll find out soon).
NOT MENTIONED: The Brazilian. Gotta earn it round these parts.
* Statement not evaluated by blogger.
** I know he's a Euro, but he went to high school in Jersey.
3.12.07
L.A., L.A., Miami
No those are not the locations of HyTop’s three luxury condos. Those are the last three squads our schizophrenic Nuggets have played.
Sim broke down the L.A. game perfectly. It was shameful. I was drunk. I’m hoping Carmelo was, too.
The Clips game, Melo decided to play hard. A.I. does the same thing every game now. Sometimes the shots fall, sometimes they don’t. Camby plays his game every night. Kenyon always plays hard; sometimes people find him cutting through the lane (see Miami section below), other times not. AC and LK play hard. JR’s an enigma, but there’s enough talent here that he’s allowed to be.
So it’s on Melo now. The HOOD isn’t gonna move itself. In this Clips game, he was playing defense, pushing people around on the offensive glass, running hard and establishing early post position. It’s not a hard formula. If Melo plays hard like that, good things happen. He’s a plus defender, just based on his strength and quick hands, if he tries. He’s a solid defensive rebounder and a phenomenal offensive rebounder with effort.
You hear the term ‘plays big.’ HyTop himself is 6’1”, but plays bigger than that. Lebron James is both taller and heavier than Carmelo Anthony. But, when Melo puts effort into it, he plays much bigger. He is filthy inside, snatching offensive rebounds, catching lobs from a standstill, knocking away post defenders with a shrug. Now that his 20 footer is automatic, and his 3 is above average, dude is unguardable. But it's gotta start inside. Otherwise, you become Vince and nobody wants to end up like that (not even Vince).
Of course, I’m drooling all over a grown ass man for doing his job two nights in a row. It’ll be cool when playing hard is the norm, and we can get all pissed when he takes the occasional night off.
The Miami game was similar to the Clips, only moreso. Miami kind of sucks, but they have Wade, and Shaq, and Pat Riley, so everyone gets up for them. Melo was in attack mode, played some defense, worked the boards. Everything fell into place. Insane respect to Kenyon (my favorite Nug it’s official) for the job he did inside. He dunked about 20 times and guarded freaking Shaq. Kenyon is Melo’s size, aka the size of Shaq’s leg + Shaq’s johnson. Eddie and Camby did their time on the big fella, too, to great effect. Combined, the 3 Nugs could fit in one of Shaq’s leather trench coats and impersonate him to get into Miami’s exclusive hot spots. Well maybe not last night, with the 6 points he threw up there. “O’Neal you say? NOPE NOT ON THE LIST.”
One thing I’m thinking about for the future: AC has impressed me. Chucky Atkins can’t guard or pass as well as AC (but boy can he shoot!). The front office dropped a significant chunk of change on Chuck. He’s the ‘prize’ of the offseason.
Whose minutes does Chucky take? JR’s? He’s playing well enough! AC’s? I think AC works better with the starters than Chucky will. LK? No way! He’s brought more energy than Eddie this season. It’s gonna be interesting. We’ve already seen Yakhouba and Bobby Jones lose their tick. Who’s next?
Sim broke down the L.A. game perfectly. It was shameful. I was drunk. I’m hoping Carmelo was, too.
The Clips game, Melo decided to play hard. A.I. does the same thing every game now. Sometimes the shots fall, sometimes they don’t. Camby plays his game every night. Kenyon always plays hard; sometimes people find him cutting through the lane (see Miami section below), other times not. AC and LK play hard. JR’s an enigma, but there’s enough talent here that he’s allowed to be.
So it’s on Melo now. The HOOD isn’t gonna move itself. In this Clips game, he was playing defense, pushing people around on the offensive glass, running hard and establishing early post position. It’s not a hard formula. If Melo plays hard like that, good things happen. He’s a plus defender, just based on his strength and quick hands, if he tries. He’s a solid defensive rebounder and a phenomenal offensive rebounder with effort.
You hear the term ‘plays big.’ HyTop himself is 6’1”, but plays bigger than that. Lebron James is both taller and heavier than Carmelo Anthony. But, when Melo puts effort into it, he plays much bigger. He is filthy inside, snatching offensive rebounds, catching lobs from a standstill, knocking away post defenders with a shrug. Now that his 20 footer is automatic, and his 3 is above average, dude is unguardable. But it's gotta start inside. Otherwise, you become Vince and nobody wants to end up like that (not even Vince).
Of course, I’m drooling all over a grown ass man for doing his job two nights in a row. It’ll be cool when playing hard is the norm, and we can get all pissed when he takes the occasional night off.
The Miami game was similar to the Clips, only moreso. Miami kind of sucks, but they have Wade, and Shaq, and Pat Riley, so everyone gets up for them. Melo was in attack mode, played some defense, worked the boards. Everything fell into place. Insane respect to Kenyon (my favorite Nug it’s official) for the job he did inside. He dunked about 20 times and guarded freaking Shaq. Kenyon is Melo’s size, aka the size of Shaq’s leg + Shaq’s johnson. Eddie and Camby did their time on the big fella, too, to great effect. Combined, the 3 Nugs could fit in one of Shaq’s leather trench coats and impersonate him to get into Miami’s exclusive hot spots. Well maybe not last night, with the 6 points he threw up there. “O’Neal you say? NOPE NOT ON THE LIST.”
One thing I’m thinking about for the future: AC has impressed me. Chucky Atkins can’t guard or pass as well as AC (but boy can he shoot!). The front office dropped a significant chunk of change on Chuck. He’s the ‘prize’ of the offseason.
Whose minutes does Chucky take? JR’s? He’s playing well enough! AC’s? I think AC works better with the starters than Chucky will. LK? No way! He’s brought more energy than Eddie this season. It’s gonna be interesting. We’ve already seen Yakhouba and Bobby Jones lose their tick. Who’s next?
30.11.07
I'm a Little LA/A little disgusted
Hytop and I had a retarded night out in Boulder watching this Nuggets game. He drank beer and I stuck to sugar-free Redbulls; We met a girl who got whipped by her mom with a belt and a bunch of Asians who didn't take kindly to our loud disrespectful ways. As Parcells would say, we mean no disrespect to the Orientals (I'm asian, I can say it). As a result of the Redbulls, I didn't sleep a wink and am wide awake. I'm sure Hytop will hit you up later for a more in-depth analysis but this is should hold you over.
Let me start this post by saying that the -*Sim-u-l8r*- is a little LA. I know this might rub the hardcore Nuggets fan the wrong way-- but -*Sim-u-l8r*- LIVED IN LA FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR. Actually he lived in Marina Del Rey which is way more upscale. But the -*Sim-u-l8r*- listened to the realest LA Talk Radio. He actually listened to a show hosted by former Laker and current Bahamian "Blackman" Micheal Thompson (who loves Hockey, the Republican Party and Mayonnaise) and Vick "the Brick" Jacobs who is the second most famous "Brick" in LA talk radio (LA's a big market- it can support 2 baseball, 2 basketball teams and 2 Bricks on the airwaves). And that show I think was broadcasted from the OC. . .but. . .um. . . it seemed like some real shit at the time.
But the -*Sim-u-l8r* Totally was physically nearer to the City of LA than he is now. That's something you can't deny.
Thus -*Sim-u-l8r*-, no matter which way you slice it, is a little LA.
The Nuggets are my child; the Lakers, a mere stepson whose mom has implants.
You always want your biological to beat your step. You want it more than anything.
Unfortunately, what I saw yesterday was my stepson beating the crap out of my biological.
THAT WHOLE SECOND HALF I FELT LIKE SHAQ CAUSE MY BIOLOGICAL DIDN'T BOTHER!
That ain't right. No father should have to see his son slaughtered on the court. No father should outlive his seed.
The game can be summed up with this-- the Nuggets lost to the LAKERS by a bigger margin than they lost to the Celtics!! The Lakers about doubled the Nuggets up in the 4th quarter with KOBE ON THE BENCH!!
And I don't want to hear that the Lakers are still a competitive team with Kobe on the Bench.
Because, Ladies and Gentlemen, I hate to break it to you, but Kwame was on the bench too.
I could go on. I don't need to-- Hytop will break it down. Hytop wants to blow up the team; he was spouting this with the Nuggets leading. Yes the worst part: the Nuggets actually dominated in parts of the first half. Unfortunately, much of it was with 'Melo getting his 'half man half amazing' on and hitting a bunch of jumpers. But that can't last-- you can't imagine Cindy Crawford while fucking Anuka Brown and expect to stay hard (it's been awhile since I been laid but you get the point). At some point you gotta man up and CUT TO THE INSIDE.
After this game, I'm thinking Hytop might be onto something. The best this team can do is the first round of the playoffs. They're a good team on paper-- Not in practice. There going to do there ups and downs, win their classic 15=17 straight games at the end of the season and enter into the playoffs as the "hottest team nobody wants to face", and then get there jaw kicked in by the Spurs, Suns, Mavs, Fuck even Utah and the Clippers. . .AND Fuck, now even the Lakers.
Oh but rest, assured, they'll totally win 1 game. THEY WILL NOT BE SWEPT.
That's the best this teams going to do-- win a game in the first round of the playoffs. Hopefully it'll be the first one on the road-- at least then it's a "statement."
And if your biological son gets torched by the step- don't be suprised when in life and in the playoffs the stepson proudly displays his Alpha Male Seed.
28.11.07
RE:PLEASE GIVE A WARM ROCKY MTN WELCOME...
One Important fact about Jelani Mccoy you left out: An accomplished singer, McCoy's voice and style are often compared to those of Meat Loaf, and he is well known in the Bay Area night clubs.
If he can keep his voice together in the Altitude, he about to be known in a few clubs up here too!!
PLEASE GIVE A WARM ROCKY MTN WELCOME...
TO JELANI MCCOY!
(Certain SuperStar Centers are already aware of what J-Mac can do.)
C-WEBB? PJ BROWN? FUCK THAT NOISE. JAMAL SAMPSON DIDNT EVEN GET A CALL!
FOR THIS MAKE OR BREAK SEASON, THA NUGZ WENT STR8 TO THA TOP OF OLYMPUS!!
HERE IS JELANI IN THE VIP SECTION OF A VERY EXCLUSIVE CLUB:
HE JUST JOINED ANOTHER VERY EXCLUSIVE CLUB:
(Certain SuperStar Centers are already aware of what J-Mac can do.)
C-WEBB? PJ BROWN? FUCK THAT NOISE. JAMAL SAMPSON DIDNT EVEN GET A CALL!
FOR THIS MAKE OR BREAK SEASON, THA NUGZ WENT STR8 TO THA TOP OF OLYMPUS!!
HERE IS JELANI IN THE VIP SECTION OF A VERY EXCLUSIVE CLUB:
HE JUST JOINED ANOTHER VERY EXCLUSIVE CLUB:
Indiana v. 2.0
Once more the Nuggets meet the whitest squad this side of the Celtics cheerleaders. Once more it is ugly. But this time, there was no redemption to be found in the end. More blood, more flames.
The big story coming out of this one is the last second, almost-comeback, led by JR’s multiple desperation makes. This should not be the story, but give the media a break. They’re old and they don’t know much anymore. Their world has gone to hell.
Unfortunately for Nuggets fans, our squad, as well, is adrift in a lake of fire. Forget the ‘comeback.’ That was silliness. Lots of games end like that. That wasn’t basketball, it was a cute little game of Truth or Dare.
Last night’s game was the single worst effort of the season. No one* was running hard, no one was guarding anyone, everyone was settling for long jumpers. These fat fucks don’t deserve a breakdown. Everyone sucked.
Well, Kleiza played alright. He remains an idiot, but looks more and more comfortable every game. His hard won skills are showing, and he’s developing a nice bag of tricks: jump hooks, midrange jumpers, finger rolls, and plenty of hard dunks. LK’s never been afraid to dunk: a rarity in a Modern White.
Melo—starting to seem like a genuine dick—froze Kleiza out for a bit in this game. He seems to want to ghettoize Kleiza into the ‘three-point-shooter’ role, even when LK was the only one finishing around the bucket. A team source mentioned that LK is the player most asked about by opposing GMs. Don’t tell him, he might just try to jump. Wouldn’t you?
Melo played no defense, made some jumpers, didn’t even pass well. As Sim mentioned earlier, he’s decided to go out Vince Carter style. You heard me. With AI, the spirit is willing, but the flesh can no longer finish around the rim. Nobody gives him calls anymore, perhaps vengeance by dorky referees who were never the cool kids. This team is worrisome. Lakers on Thursday.
*A Word On Anthony Carter
The only conclusion I come to is this: AC reads HyTop. Respect to AC. He was flat out balling last night. It's called standing tall.
Here stands a man, stooped over, as if his head and shoulders are too big, flecks of grey in his gnarled goatee, acting as both font of wisdom and young legs at once. Attempting to force feed an identity to a resentful band of assholes. An old man** with far too many tattoos and a contract for the minimum.
It was a special performance. AC’s the only one who doesn’t deserve the loss. I knew he could guard people, and he did that. His aforementioned top heaviness lets him battle with much bigger players, bump other point guards off their lines, and muscle away steals at an astounding clip. His feet are just quick enough to let him gamble. This early in his season, the spindly legs are still fresh.
What I did not know was this: AC can pass the ball. Like any journeyman point guard with a “can’t-shoot” letter pinned to his sleeve, AC concentrates really hard and sticks a lot of his midrange jumpers. This game, he’s feeling it and he pops a three. But the passing was something special. These weren’t Marbury style drive-and-dishes, or Steve Nash style pick-and-roll wizardry. These were fundamental, old school passes.
A headfake here, a laser into the paint there. Leading people with bounce passes on the break. AC seemed to find a kindred spirit in Kleiza, and set him up like 5 times in a row for a stretch in the 2nd quarter.
This gets Mike Wilks cut. A shame, I liked Mike: he played with scrappiness, athleticism, and stuck his midrange jumpers. But he can’t really handle or pass, so he’s doomed to be a journeyman, a simulacrum of a point guard lacking that fire in his belly. Good luck, Mike. You hardly made me cringe.
Now they’re fixing to sign a veteran big man: PJ Brown? Dare I say it: C-Webb? Sim just got a boner.
**I realize he is only 32, but doesn't AC seem old? Maybe it's just my memories of his glory days with Miami. Remember that ridiculous game winner?
The big story coming out of this one is the last second, almost-comeback, led by JR’s multiple desperation makes. This should not be the story, but give the media a break. They’re old and they don’t know much anymore. Their world has gone to hell.
Unfortunately for Nuggets fans, our squad, as well, is adrift in a lake of fire. Forget the ‘comeback.’ That was silliness. Lots of games end like that. That wasn’t basketball, it was a cute little game of Truth or Dare.
Last night’s game was the single worst effort of the season. No one* was running hard, no one was guarding anyone, everyone was settling for long jumpers. These fat fucks don’t deserve a breakdown. Everyone sucked.
Well, Kleiza played alright. He remains an idiot, but looks more and more comfortable every game. His hard won skills are showing, and he’s developing a nice bag of tricks: jump hooks, midrange jumpers, finger rolls, and plenty of hard dunks. LK’s never been afraid to dunk: a rarity in a Modern White.
Melo—starting to seem like a genuine dick—froze Kleiza out for a bit in this game. He seems to want to ghettoize Kleiza into the ‘three-point-shooter’ role, even when LK was the only one finishing around the bucket. A team source mentioned that LK is the player most asked about by opposing GMs. Don’t tell him, he might just try to jump. Wouldn’t you?
Melo played no defense, made some jumpers, didn’t even pass well. As Sim mentioned earlier, he’s decided to go out Vince Carter style. You heard me. With AI, the spirit is willing, but the flesh can no longer finish around the rim. Nobody gives him calls anymore, perhaps vengeance by dorky referees who were never the cool kids. This team is worrisome. Lakers on Thursday.
*A Word On Anthony Carter
The only conclusion I come to is this: AC reads HyTop. Respect to AC. He was flat out balling last night. It's called standing tall.
Here stands a man, stooped over, as if his head and shoulders are too big, flecks of grey in his gnarled goatee, acting as both font of wisdom and young legs at once. Attempting to force feed an identity to a resentful band of assholes. An old man** with far too many tattoos and a contract for the minimum.
It was a special performance. AC’s the only one who doesn’t deserve the loss. I knew he could guard people, and he did that. His aforementioned top heaviness lets him battle with much bigger players, bump other point guards off their lines, and muscle away steals at an astounding clip. His feet are just quick enough to let him gamble. This early in his season, the spindly legs are still fresh.
What I did not know was this: AC can pass the ball. Like any journeyman point guard with a “can’t-shoot” letter pinned to his sleeve, AC concentrates really hard and sticks a lot of his midrange jumpers. This game, he’s feeling it and he pops a three. But the passing was something special. These weren’t Marbury style drive-and-dishes, or Steve Nash style pick-and-roll wizardry. These were fundamental, old school passes.
A headfake here, a laser into the paint there. Leading people with bounce passes on the break. AC seemed to find a kindred spirit in Kleiza, and set him up like 5 times in a row for a stretch in the 2nd quarter.
This gets Mike Wilks cut. A shame, I liked Mike: he played with scrappiness, athleticism, and stuck his midrange jumpers. But he can’t really handle or pass, so he’s doomed to be a journeyman, a simulacrum of a point guard lacking that fire in his belly. Good luck, Mike. You hardly made me cringe.
Now they’re fixing to sign a veteran big man: PJ Brown? Dare I say it: C-Webb? Sim just got a boner.
**I realize he is only 32, but doesn't AC seem old? Maybe it's just my memories of his glory days with Miami. Remember that ridiculous game winner?
26.11.07
Now he's doing horse. It's June.
So three pieces of shit in a row. Slowly circling the drain. Now these are the Nuggets I grew up with. Feels real warm and cozy, like I’ve got family in town.
I was at the Minnesota game with Sim, and it nearly ruined my weekend. Nearly ruined the entire holiday season. It counts as a win, but don't get it twisted: this was a travesty, a Pyrrhic victory. Almost tracked down the scalper for a refund.
Do not—-I repeat DO NOT—-believe G. Karl’s postgame spin: “We were pretty special defensively in the fourth quarter.” You must think the fans are pretty ‘special’ to say that shit out loud, Coach. Antoine Walker and Marko Jaric missing point blank layups is not good defense. They weren’t bricking open threes because Carmelo was running around being special. It was a bad team realizing who they are at the worst possible time (for them).
Anthony Carter is getting plenty of burn. He is Switzerland out there, not bringing anything to the table, not taking anything away. Finally, a force for Neutral. Because Mike Wilks was apparently the problem.
I caught parts of the Houston debacle, enough to see it for what it was: a public castration. Of course, with Kenyon going down early, we were left with Stretch Camby and a bevy of small forwards to contain the giant Yao, so Houston was kind of set up to beat a run down Nuggets team.
Except why are they run down? We’re approximately 8 days into the season. Before Minnesota, I thought the Nugs could at least consistently dominate the shit teams. Now any little good sign that the optimistic side of my brain had highlighted in previous games has been eliminated. There is no good with this team. You bring in good players to the Nuggets, they don’t impose their will and pull this shitbox of a franchise up from the depths. Instead, alas, they find themselves haunted by the twin spirits of Donnel Harvey and Junior Harrington.
The sky is fucking falling, believe it.
I was at the Minnesota game with Sim, and it nearly ruined my weekend. Nearly ruined the entire holiday season. It counts as a win, but don't get it twisted: this was a travesty, a Pyrrhic victory. Almost tracked down the scalper for a refund.
Do not—-I repeat DO NOT—-believe G. Karl’s postgame spin: “We were pretty special defensively in the fourth quarter.” You must think the fans are pretty ‘special’ to say that shit out loud, Coach. Antoine Walker and Marko Jaric missing point blank layups is not good defense. They weren’t bricking open threes because Carmelo was running around being special. It was a bad team realizing who they are at the worst possible time (for them).
Anthony Carter is getting plenty of burn. He is Switzerland out there, not bringing anything to the table, not taking anything away. Finally, a force for Neutral. Because Mike Wilks was apparently the problem.
I caught parts of the Houston debacle, enough to see it for what it was: a public castration. Of course, with Kenyon going down early, we were left with Stretch Camby and a bevy of small forwards to contain the giant Yao, so Houston was kind of set up to beat a run down Nuggets team.
Except why are they run down? We’re approximately 8 days into the season. Before Minnesota, I thought the Nugs could at least consistently dominate the shit teams. Now any little good sign that the optimistic side of my brain had highlighted in previous games has been eliminated. There is no good with this team. You bring in good players to the Nuggets, they don’t impose their will and pull this shitbox of a franchise up from the depths. Instead, alas, they find themselves haunted by the twin spirits of Donnel Harvey and Junior Harrington.
The sky is fucking falling, believe it.
22.11.07
Thanks For What?
So hey, I'm a little drunk and I only caught half of the game, on Sim's pixelated ass laptop. But I still need to speak on some shit:
1. So the Nuggets are one of those teams who can beat the bad teams and who lose convincingly to the decent and good teams? WTF? I know it's a back to back on the road, but that was fully unimpressive. I saw Kaman manhandling our pint sized frontcourt, random Clips hitting jumpers, and the offense stagnating. Kleiza hobbling off the court. Melo hitting a jumper, then giving it back on the other end with a weak challenge. Iverson had a nice statistical game, but what are we, in eighth grade? I only care about wins, okay? Back in the day, I'd watch numbers: Van Exel might just have enough to be an All-Star! McDyess could get third team All-NBA if he keeps his rebounds above 10! Nene might make the Rookie/Sophomore Game if he keeps this up! No longer. I expect a good team. Don't get happy after blowing out like 7 shitty East teams in a row, then lay down for Don Sterling's brainchild. Jesus, this is the New ORleans game revisited.
2. The Sim-u-l8r wants to get, and I quote, a "Jet black ferret." What the fuck, y'all, what the fuck? So if you see some clown motherfucker walking around Boulder with a fourteen inch black ferret in a tiny, handcrafted Kobe jersey, yell some shit at him.
3. Someone took a shit in my bathroom. I'm writing this post while i wait for it to air out. HyTop doesn't lie about this type of thing. This type of shit, if you will. Ha. Not so funny when you can smell it, but i hope you enjoyed it.
Happy Thanksgiving, ya'll. Melo and Nene: easy on the pie. Coach: when breathing becomes difficult (aka after plate #3), take a couple minutes to rest. That's why they call it a 'breather.'
1. So the Nuggets are one of those teams who can beat the bad teams and who lose convincingly to the decent and good teams? WTF? I know it's a back to back on the road, but that was fully unimpressive. I saw Kaman manhandling our pint sized frontcourt, random Clips hitting jumpers, and the offense stagnating. Kleiza hobbling off the court. Melo hitting a jumper, then giving it back on the other end with a weak challenge. Iverson had a nice statistical game, but what are we, in eighth grade? I only care about wins, okay? Back in the day, I'd watch numbers: Van Exel might just have enough to be an All-Star! McDyess could get third team All-NBA if he keeps his rebounds above 10! Nene might make the Rookie/Sophomore Game if he keeps this up! No longer. I expect a good team. Don't get happy after blowing out like 7 shitty East teams in a row, then lay down for Don Sterling's brainchild. Jesus, this is the New ORleans game revisited.
2. The Sim-u-l8r wants to get, and I quote, a "Jet black ferret." What the fuck, y'all, what the fuck? So if you see some clown motherfucker walking around Boulder with a fourteen inch black ferret in a tiny, handcrafted Kobe jersey, yell some shit at him.
3. Someone took a shit in my bathroom. I'm writing this post while i wait for it to air out. HyTop doesn't lie about this type of thing. This type of shit, if you will. Ha. Not so funny when you can smell it, but i hope you enjoyed it.
Happy Thanksgiving, ya'll. Melo and Nene: easy on the pie. Coach: when breathing becomes difficult (aka after plate #3), take a couple minutes to rest. That's why they call it a 'breather.'
21.11.07
We Invented The Wheel To Roll
Nuggets beat the Bulls. Easily. The scheduling has been very kind to Denver at this point, but, unlike in previous years, they’re capitalizing on it. Here's a long post without any pictures. Enjoy.
NUGGETS QUICK HITS:
AI did his thing, hit some ridiculous shots, got some steals, dribbled too much. Kenyon had a nice game scoring the ball against a Bulls frontcourt that was playing scared. Melo’s jumper was off (reports of a migraine) but he still got his, going inside a lot and finishing pretty well.
Again, the Bulls frontcourt is horrible: all complementary pieces with nothing to complement. No center piece. Elton Brand or Ed Curry would be nice, don’t you think?
Without any semblance of a post threat to worry about, Camby did whatever the fuck he wanted all game long, and ended up with one of those unique statlines that I could pick out of a lineup: 12 pts, 20 rebs, 5 ast, 5 blocks, a steal and two turnovers. Only Camby.
The bench was alright, and they got the whole final period to go nuts in. If JR got big minutes and kept playing with this intensity, he could lead the league in steals. Dude has every skill in the world and now he’s starting to put it together. Kleiza shoots every time he gets the ball, but he’s put in the work and developed a diverse enough offensive arsenal that it’s usually a good shot.
Bob Jones University hustled and got some bad calls. Ed hit back to back threes. That’s a nice skill he’s developed, especially since the wheels are gonna be falling off in the next couple years. Mike Wilks didn’t bring too much to the table, but didn’t take anything away. Khouba played D like he always does.
BULLS BREAKDOWN:
I really have a problem with this Bulls team, mostly because I like nearly all of the players they’ve assembled. But they’re followed this profoundly conservative plan of drafting dudes who stay in college for 3 or 4 years, guys without any attitude problems. But that also means guys without swagger, second banana type guys. This seems to be mostly because of Skiles, who is an old school, hardass coach who demands that everyone avert their eyes in practice and shit. This isn’t college, Scotty, you win with men in this league, can’t treat ‘em like boys.
On the roster, Deng’s the only dude with anything close to superstar ability, and he was out tonight. I also think he may have reached his offensive ceiling. Ben Gordon is a chucker like AI, but he doesn’t get to the rim, he settles for jumpers. I love Hinrich’s defense, and I love a white boy who doesn’t back down, but he’s never been able to finish around the rim or create much for his teammates. His shooting is also overrated (also because of the white boy factor).
Joakim Noah would be great on a good team where he could hustle, play help D, and make timely passes. Here he tries to do too much, cuz who else is doing it? Ben Wallace is an albatross. Tyrus Thomas could be tight, but he totally backed down tonight when Kenyon started muscling up on him. That was funny. Everyone else on this squad is a placeholder.
They could’ve traded for KG, they could’ve trade for Kobe, but they haven’t. They should have. They might still be able to get Kobe. They need to. Because what I see is a team full of pieces, nice pieces, but sort of
They were never gonna be better than a nice playoff test for the team that eventually wins the East. The luxury that Chicago has is that they won’t have to burn it to the ground and suffer through any more rebuilding years (something Nugz fans know all to well). They have enough talent to make a shrewd move and become a real contender. But standing pat is not longer shrewd.
Clipps game tonight. I'ma watch it, if my fragile social life permits it.
HYTOP IS OUT.
NUGGETS QUICK HITS:
AI did his thing, hit some ridiculous shots, got some steals, dribbled too much. Kenyon had a nice game scoring the ball against a Bulls frontcourt that was playing scared. Melo’s jumper was off (reports of a migraine) but he still got his, going inside a lot and finishing pretty well.
Again, the Bulls frontcourt is horrible: all complementary pieces with nothing to complement. No center piece. Elton Brand or Ed Curry would be nice, don’t you think?
Without any semblance of a post threat to worry about, Camby did whatever the fuck he wanted all game long, and ended up with one of those unique statlines that I could pick out of a lineup: 12 pts, 20 rebs, 5 ast, 5 blocks, a steal and two turnovers. Only Camby.
The bench was alright, and they got the whole final period to go nuts in. If JR got big minutes and kept playing with this intensity, he could lead the league in steals. Dude has every skill in the world and now he’s starting to put it together. Kleiza shoots every time he gets the ball, but he’s put in the work and developed a diverse enough offensive arsenal that it’s usually a good shot.
Bob Jones University hustled and got some bad calls. Ed hit back to back threes. That’s a nice skill he’s developed, especially since the wheels are gonna be falling off in the next couple years. Mike Wilks didn’t bring too much to the table, but didn’t take anything away. Khouba played D like he always does.
BULLS BREAKDOWN:
I really have a problem with this Bulls team, mostly because I like nearly all of the players they’ve assembled. But they’re followed this profoundly conservative plan of drafting dudes who stay in college for 3 or 4 years, guys without any attitude problems. But that also means guys without swagger, second banana type guys. This seems to be mostly because of Skiles, who is an old school, hardass coach who demands that everyone avert their eyes in practice and shit. This isn’t college, Scotty, you win with men in this league, can’t treat ‘em like boys.
On the roster, Deng’s the only dude with anything close to superstar ability, and he was out tonight. I also think he may have reached his offensive ceiling. Ben Gordon is a chucker like AI, but he doesn’t get to the rim, he settles for jumpers. I love Hinrich’s defense, and I love a white boy who doesn’t back down, but he’s never been able to finish around the rim or create much for his teammates. His shooting is also overrated (also because of the white boy factor).
Joakim Noah would be great on a good team where he could hustle, play help D, and make timely passes. Here he tries to do too much, cuz who else is doing it? Ben Wallace is an albatross. Tyrus Thomas could be tight, but he totally backed down tonight when Kenyon started muscling up on him. That was funny. Everyone else on this squad is a placeholder.
They could’ve traded for KG, they could’ve trade for Kobe, but they haven’t. They should have. They might still be able to get Kobe. They need to. Because what I see is a team full of pieces, nice pieces, but sort of
They were never gonna be better than a nice playoff test for the team that eventually wins the East. The luxury that Chicago has is that they won’t have to burn it to the ground and suffer through any more rebuilding years (something Nugz fans know all to well). They have enough talent to make a shrewd move and become a real contender. But standing pat is not longer shrewd.
Clipps game tonight. I'ma watch it, if my fragile social life permits it.
HYTOP IS OUT.
19.11.07
Something's Gotta Give Pretty Soon
That Knicks game was nice—-you can tell everyone wanted to make daddy happy-—but it doesn’t change the fact that these Nugz lost to the Knicks. Isiah won the war, y’all. It’s gross, I know.
Kenyon might be out. I hope Mike Wilks starts in his place. Coach Karl likes to keep his starting lineups petite, perhaps playing out his own body image issues out there on the court, for the world to see.
HYTOP NBA XMAS LIST – pleas to the basketball gods (or to the scientists who are fucking with the human genome) (note: these may be the same thing)
HyTop is currently praying for:
1. A quick little Asian point guard. Yao and Yi are cool and all, but Yuta Tabuse ain’t getting it done. Message to the Far East: Raise yr game. Tony Jaa might have the tools…
2. A white American with post moves: Look at the white bigs in the league right now: all Jeff Fosters, David Lees, Mark Madsens. Hustle, ‘deceptive’ athleticism, intensity, sure. But where are the damn post moves? Those are fundamentals, you know? White dudes are supposed to be good at fundamentals. I know Kevin Love is coming up at UCLA, but when a dude is like 6’8”, with weight problems and quickness issues, I’m gonna have to see it to believe it.
3. A true point guard 6’7” or taller. Yeah, me and the rest of the world, I know. But seriously, now that Lebron has decided that Global Icons need to put points on the board, we’re left with a one legged Shawn Livingston and not much else. (Wasn’t there a big Chinese fella with alleged PG skills? Sun Yue?) Livingston’s knee turning backwards just confirmed it: The gods hate tall point guards. Penny Hardaway: derailed by injuries. Jalen Rose: more effective as a scorer. George McCloud: not actually a good player, scraped by as a three point specialist. And Magic: well, you know how they got to him…Still, someone needs to come back. Men reach their greatest heights when they are challenging the infinite. (Full Disclosure: such a player would fit very nicely next to a certain pint-sized, declining shooting guard on the Nugs roster.)
4. An Englishman playing in the NBA. I mean a white dude, obviously, cuz J. Amaechi was English and the sun never sets on Luol Deng. I just think this would be funny. Bonus point if he’s good, or named Rupert or some shit like that.
5. A hook shot specialist. Like both hands, sweeping hooks, jump hooks, half hooks, sky hooks. Doesn’t even fuck with dunking or jump shots. Just full on hookin, 24/7. That would be fresh. Bonus points if he’s a small forward and is described by scouts as ‘smooth.’
Kenyon might be out. I hope Mike Wilks starts in his place. Coach Karl likes to keep his starting lineups petite, perhaps playing out his own body image issues out there on the court, for the world to see.
HYTOP NBA XMAS LIST – pleas to the basketball gods (or to the scientists who are fucking with the human genome) (note: these may be the same thing)
HyTop is currently praying for:
1. A quick little Asian point guard. Yao and Yi are cool and all, but Yuta Tabuse ain’t getting it done. Message to the Far East: Raise yr game. Tony Jaa might have the tools…
2. A white American with post moves: Look at the white bigs in the league right now: all Jeff Fosters, David Lees, Mark Madsens. Hustle, ‘deceptive’ athleticism, intensity, sure. But where are the damn post moves? Those are fundamentals, you know? White dudes are supposed to be good at fundamentals. I know Kevin Love is coming up at UCLA, but when a dude is like 6’8”, with weight problems and quickness issues, I’m gonna have to see it to believe it.
3. A true point guard 6’7” or taller. Yeah, me and the rest of the world, I know. But seriously, now that Lebron has decided that Global Icons need to put points on the board, we’re left with a one legged Shawn Livingston and not much else. (Wasn’t there a big Chinese fella with alleged PG skills? Sun Yue?) Livingston’s knee turning backwards just confirmed it: The gods hate tall point guards. Penny Hardaway: derailed by injuries. Jalen Rose: more effective as a scorer. George McCloud: not actually a good player, scraped by as a three point specialist. And Magic: well, you know how they got to him…Still, someone needs to come back. Men reach their greatest heights when they are challenging the infinite. (Full Disclosure: such a player would fit very nicely next to a certain pint-sized, declining shooting guard on the Nugs roster.)
4. An Englishman playing in the NBA. I mean a white dude, obviously, cuz J. Amaechi was English and the sun never sets on Luol Deng. I just think this would be funny. Bonus point if he’s good, or named Rupert or some shit like that.
5. A hook shot specialist. Like both hands, sweeping hooks, jump hooks, half hooks, sky hooks. Doesn’t even fuck with dunking or jump shots. Just full on hookin, 24/7. That would be fresh. Bonus points if he’s a small forward and is described by scouts as ‘smooth.’
15.11.07
The Emperor Strategizes Tact
An empire is heavy business. Empire creation involves the unenviable task of placing the correct people at the right spots, spinning the relentless media assault to your advantage, and strategizing against competing enterprises as well as attending to the prodigious inefficient minutia that aggregates with any large undertaking.
And yet CREATION is the EASY half. How do you keep your empire afloat- that's the 77 million dollar question. When you're on top, you must EVOLVE to stay in the same place-- an idea that the uninitiated emperor learns expeditiously or dies by the wayside.
Jeff Bzdelik and Kiki Vandeweghe created an Empire in Denver.
George Karl has sustained it.
Yet he knows any mistake can bring the deck of cards tumbling down. Any misstep can transform today's triumph into tomorrow's forgotten memory. He stays up at night knowing that his is the team to beat.
He knows that this team has ruled the Northwestern Division for almost the better part of the decade; The worst kept secret in the Northwest is that the Nuggets are for real finishing in the top 2 spots the last 4 years.
That's a fact that doesn't go down too well in other parts of the Northwestern United States-- a region synonymous with basketball. At year 1 it was a fluke. Year 2 it was consistency. Now, at year 4 and counting, it's nothing short of a Northwestern dynasty.
The symbiotic relationship that is the Nuggets begins and ends with George Karl. Karl is at the helm of this Nugget's dynasty; this dynasty is the centerpiece to his empire, and his empire can only grow if the dynasty continues which implies the team must win.
And as with all empires, the trick is to sustain.
Not to mention the pressure. Make no mistake about it, football town or not, the local Denver Media Circus has no problem reporting on the Nuggets. If you're lucky and do something good, maybe Zappolo will talk about it. Bad, maybe Kiszla will pick it up. Horrible-- you're squarely in Paige territory.
You don't think Karl feels the pressure? Rest assured, Karl knows this. In fact, if you see him, don't tell him this. He doesn't want to hear your comments. He doesn't care what you think. He's focused. He's loaded. He's ready to go. Just shut the fuck up and enjoy what he's built. He built it for you.
And now, as the season starts picking up, the dynasty of finishing respectable in the Northwestern Division must continue. The team knows full well they have a young feisty Portland team and a confident Utah to contend with. They also know they have something neither of those other teams have: A Ruthless Genius at the helm.
The Nuggets have had an interesting first 10 games. They've had flashes of brilliance and, yet, in many respects, haven't turned the corner into an elite team many thought they would be. They're over .500, however, were blown out by the Celtics and choked against the Knicks. Recently, they've played much better, but one can't help but wonder if that old mediocre Nuggets team will return at the worst possible moment.
Regardless of this good team/bad team Nuggets dichotomy, one thing remains the same-- George's ability to lead.
As Karl plans and strategizes before, after, and most importantly during the games, one can be assured that the gameplay of the Nuggets will improve throughout the season. No matter who they play, regardless of the 10 players on the floor-- just looking at the coach of the Nuggets as compared to their opponent's, it's obvious that there's always at least 1 mismatch in Denver's favor.
That's a nice wrap up. Yep, that's naturally where the article should end. But no. That's not gonna happen is it? Nope. You're gonna bring up stupid shit. You want to talk about what you see as George's Shortcomings.
Fucking Fine.
I'm gonna make you feel stupid just this once, and then please, for the remainder of the season, shut the fuck up and accept that Karl is one of the greatest coaches of all time. Now let me prove it.
First off, Don't talk about Karl's timeout demeanor and expect me to understand. He doesn't want to hear it. I Don't fucking want to hear it. Nor do I want to talk about how lethargic Karl looks on the sidelines. If you want a sympathetic ear to air your fallacious statements-- take that crap to Hytop or possibly the smug doctor. You'll get no love from the -*Sim-u-l8r*-.
But since you asked, let's take a closer look--
The timeout is interesting. Your team isn't performing, maybe they just blew a big lead so you call a timeout. Let's say you're not drawing up a play: in that case, can you really say something in 20 seconds or 2 minutes that can't be said better by NOT saying anything? Answer honestly. During a timeout aren't you better served by just walking away. By realizing you're the leader and taking the high road rather than confronting your underlings about matters of which they have proven time and again that they neither possess the cranial capacity nor the attention span to comprehend.
If you built this empire and you sustained this empire and then your troops fucked up, how would you react?! Would you scream at them like children, or would you do the sensible thing and just walk away from them not acknowledging their existence. Wouldn't you eventually realize that you're on a higher plane than they'll ever be and that their mediocrity can at best bring you down; Realize that maybe your aim is to mitigate the amount their inability hurts the team?
Put yourself in Karl's shoes. Imagine you had more knowledge than everyone you worked with.
Is it not beneficial for you to accept that the player's minds possess and processes maybe 1/10th of the thoughts your mind does? Understand that no matter how hard you try, no matter what, your unlimited intelligence and effort is only as strong as your weakest link-- namely the players.
Would you honestly not walk 10 feet onto the court and silently think to yourself that your empire was being held up by your own gargantuan body in spite of the team you had.
Would you not contemplate leaving during the timeout? Atlas shrugged if you will-- walk away from the thankless enterprise that only exists because of your blood sweat and tears? Maybe you get 10 steps out, look at the assistant coaches scurrying out to meet you, and think to yourself, "Man, if I had the ability to run, I'd totally bolt right now. One day, I'll be in shape, and I'll just take off leaving it all behind. One day I'll be free." Maybe the next game take 12 steps out as you longingly look past the crowd towards the exits.
But yet that's the furthest you'll ever get from leaving your responsibility. Because if you are George Karl, you know that an emperor cannot leave without leaving an empire in disarray. And people are depending on you. A city is depending on you to win the most cutthroat division in basketball. Right now, that city needs a leader.
Over time, The player screw ups wouldn't kill you, per say, but the energy you once had would slowly just sap out of your body. As the ref signaled play was back on, you might feel the wind escaping your sails as you lethargically crawl to the bench and slump into your seat unable to move a muscle for the rest of the game.
I know I would. I've heard Jesus didn't move from the cross, Gandhi didn't eat during violence, and Moses sat up on Mount Sinai staring at the weak willed monstrosity that he was leading and wondering what the fuck was going on.
And yet, for an empire to evolve, the emperor must also evolve.
Flash to a few games ago in Indiana. The Pacers go into halftime up 18 points.
The Nuggets players seemed to still be in Washington. Thank God George showed up.
Then again George always shows.
And as great coaches often do, he adapts.
As the 2nd quarter horn sounded signaling halftime, George Karl was no longer crawling. Instead, he slowly slithered into the locker-room. He stood in the corner and waited until everyone was seated. Then, he took all that emotion, blood, sweat, tears, and energy he crafted into making a dynasty, his infinite wisdom, and his infinite understanding-- Taking the sum total of all his powers-- he bundled it up and looked at his children for what was, in essence, the last time. Then, George Karl obliterated his players.
The third quarter started. The Nuggets came out swinging. They overcame the deficit despite shoddy play. They won the game. They had taken advantage of a key matchup-- The coaching mismatch. And in the end, they had prevailed.
After the game, the corpses of the Nuggets lined the visitor's locker room. In their place stood the confident team we see today. The same team that's intent on sustaining the empire. It's no secret that the ultimate starting lineup would consist of 5 George Karls with physical ability to match the wisdom; the team that emerged from the first half in Indiana is a very close second.
Interviewed after the game a solemn Carmelo gave his analysis. "He cursed us out," Anthony said. Then Anthony pushed the mic away and sobbed like a child. Good. The screaming was a means of teaching. The sobbing. . . well that means they're learning. Though I've never been a fan of cursing out underlings, I also have never been a fan of people fucking up something beautiful. For now,It seems that destruction has been averted and something incredible has, instead, been salvaged. And there's only one man you can thank for that.
Once again, this season, the Nuggets are looking to be the empire built by a city and sustained by the Emperor. Given this new Nuggets team under the direction of the greatest leadership in recent sports history, it would not at all be surprising if this chapter ended up being immortalized on the rafters at Pepsi Center for years to come.
Northwestern Division Champions '07-'08.
-*Sim-u-l8r*-
Blazers Game Report
Another day another dollar.
I think our Nuggets have stumbled upon an indentity. It's like this:
I. The starters--four of whom have all-star type ability--all respect each other and play unselfishly and pretty hard for the first quarter, getting a lead. They're not killing themselves with hustle, but they play within themselves, confident in the fact that they are among the best starting lineups in the league.
Kenyon brings the fierce defense, letting AI and Marcus roam for steals and blocks, respectively. Khouba mans up on the best wing player, hustles everywhere, and keeps his head down. The other guys love him, cause he's the most humble dude on the squad (possibly in the world).
Melo and AI key the offense. Melo is getting doubled harder than ever, so he patiently waits for a cutter or makes a swing pass. This makes him the defacto point guard of the team on a lot of possessions. He's making good decisions. AI dribbles around and makes things happen on the other possessions. Camby shows clever interior passing, but sometimes stops the ball looking for his own shot. Kenyon lies in wait, finishing everything he can get his hands on with a dunk. Diawara will either swish all of his threes, or brick them all horribly.
II. Karl puts in the bench, which is made up of a bunch of 6-7 hustle guys who play with tremendous intensity mixed with a bit of skill. Jones, Najera and Kleiza all play with reckless abandon. I excuse their occasional bad shots because it's all so fun to watch. Mike Wilks is a little guy with no point guard skills, but he makes up for by making plays with his athleticism and sticking midrange jumpers.
The craziest phenomenon has been the emergence of JR Smith as the leader of this second unit. On offense, the other guys have limited skill sets, so it's up to JR to freelance and make decisions. If you told me this a month ago
This unit often extends the lead, cuz they're crazy. Also, you can throw Melo or AI in with these guys to give more of an offensive identity.
With Nene down and no other size to speak of, I am gonna go ahead and say that Karl made a gutsy, smart move going with these small guys. It's paying off already.
III. For the rest of the game, Karl can mix and match starters and bench players based on how they're playing. It's not rocket science, but he's been doing it well.
I think the Nugz might be the most athletic team in the league. They're small, but relentless, and Karl is taking advantage of that. So far so good.
Next step: Let's see it work against a good team.
Cuz the Blazers are not that good (I like their future a lot, but not their present), and the Nuggets are pretty good. So that game last night? That was just taking care of business. Still, it'd be nice to see a competent team for a full season. That's a starting point.
I think our Nuggets have stumbled upon an indentity. It's like this:
I. The starters--four of whom have all-star type ability--all respect each other and play unselfishly and pretty hard for the first quarter, getting a lead. They're not killing themselves with hustle, but they play within themselves, confident in the fact that they are among the best starting lineups in the league.
Kenyon brings the fierce defense, letting AI and Marcus roam for steals and blocks, respectively. Khouba mans up on the best wing player, hustles everywhere, and keeps his head down. The other guys love him, cause he's the most humble dude on the squad (possibly in the world).
Melo and AI key the offense. Melo is getting doubled harder than ever, so he patiently waits for a cutter or makes a swing pass. This makes him the defacto point guard of the team on a lot of possessions. He's making good decisions. AI dribbles around and makes things happen on the other possessions. Camby shows clever interior passing, but sometimes stops the ball looking for his own shot. Kenyon lies in wait, finishing everything he can get his hands on with a dunk. Diawara will either swish all of his threes, or brick them all horribly.
II. Karl puts in the bench, which is made up of a bunch of 6-7 hustle guys who play with tremendous intensity mixed with a bit of skill. Jones, Najera and Kleiza all play with reckless abandon. I excuse their occasional bad shots because it's all so fun to watch. Mike Wilks is a little guy with no point guard skills, but he makes up for by making plays with his athleticism and sticking midrange jumpers.
The craziest phenomenon has been the emergence of JR Smith as the leader of this second unit. On offense, the other guys have limited skill sets, so it's up to JR to freelance and make decisions. If you told me this a month ago
This unit often extends the lead, cuz they're crazy. Also, you can throw Melo or AI in with these guys to give more of an offensive identity.
With Nene down and no other size to speak of, I am gonna go ahead and say that Karl made a gutsy, smart move going with these small guys. It's paying off already.
III. For the rest of the game, Karl can mix and match starters and bench players based on how they're playing. It's not rocket science, but he's been doing it well.
I think the Nugz might be the most athletic team in the league. They're small, but relentless, and Karl is taking advantage of that. So far so good.
Next step: Let's see it work against a good team.
Cuz the Blazers are not that good (I like their future a lot, but not their present), and the Nuggets are pretty good. So that game last night? That was just taking care of business. Still, it'd be nice to see a competent team for a full season. That's a starting point.
12.11.07
Cleveland @ Denver Game Report (with a dash of Indiana)
SIM drove down and we watched the Indiana game in a bar. True to his name and his nature, he studied throughout the game. Not even gentle harassment from a marginally attractive watiress could get him to look up from his equations. But then, he's from Boulder: you should see the underaged hippie chicks this dude pulls. It's sick.
Anyway, I was working on a pretty good buzz at the time, but I wasn't impressed. A bunch of shots started falling for cats like Khouba, Kleiza, and JR in the second half, and Indiana stopped playing above their heads. They are who we thought they were. I didn't see any great defense.
But, while the game wasn't a monument to great basketball, it seems to have carried some symbolic weight. Which, in a long season that's often near-meaningless, might be more important than a simple W. The players and the coaches have been rallying around that second half, all of them keenly aware that this team needs to forge an identity. Symbols matter. They're like pieces of your heart you can see.
Case in point: This Cavs game.
So that's what the Nuggets' shadowy front office had in mind? Okay. I can get with that.
The second and third quarters of tonight's contest were the best basketball this team has played all year. The team that showed up tonight would dominate any team that they've faced yet, with the exception of Boston, who they'd take down to the wire. I'm telling you.
The Good: Defense. Everyone--Melo, JR, Camby, every damn body--played with both brains and effort. When the game's outcome was still in question--the first three quarters basically--every
Bobby Jones is a playmaker. I know that's a football term, but that's what he is. Nose for the ball. All the physical tools to bother damn near anyone on defense. I stand by my Fast Najera assessment, but he's better one-on-one already than Eddie. He can play a little offense, too, but he's letting it come to him. Smart kid. Could be starting by the All-Star break, the way things are going.
Unless JR keeps his head straight. Which it suddenly is. Somehow. I mean, shit, he's playing the POINT and I'm only cringing on about a quarter of the possessions. He's playing defense like a man, passing it cuz he trusts his teammates to get it back to him. I love it. My personal preference is to keep him as a spark off the bench. I still don't trust he and Melo's tendencies toward defensive
That all swingmen and tweeners lineup of JR, LK, Melo, Ed, and Bobby was sick. The Nugs might be the most athletic team in the league. If everyone hustles and, more importantly, covers for each other's mistakes, they'll be a top five defensive team. There are many kinds of discipline. It doesn't always look like Sergeant Pop and Timmy-D. It doesn't have to.
Kenyon got no numbers, but he was huge, as he's been all season, on both sides of the floor. His hands and his touch aren't back yet on offense, but he's the leader on defense. To draw a shitty analogy, he's the unheralded offensive line, winning games in the trenches. Buy the man a watch.
You know what's funny? I've been hating on the Chucky Atkins signing since it was a glimmer in Bearup's beady black eyes, but one thing a team like this could use is a savvy point guard who makes all his shots and doesn't turn it over. Point to the Co-Op.
Melo boarded and defended hard, but laid back on offense a little and we won. Can't remember that happening before. So there was lots of good. AI should also be mentioned, but yall should read the box score yourself.
The Bad: Uh, Melo didn't get thirty? Seriously, anyone who knows HyTop knows that HyTop is a glass half empty motherfucker, but this game was nice.
(TUESDAY MORNING EDIT: The fast break does look a little sloppy. Lots of long passes flying over cats' heads and stuff. Stupid turnovers. This can be attributed partially to the fact that the team is still figuring out what they can and can't do (no Dre Miller to figure it out for all of them anymore) and to the fact that there's no point guards on the active roster, with the half-exception of Iverson. I'd rather have a turnover on an attempted fast break lob then Melo or JR getting charges when they try to break down the defense 1 on 5 off the dribble. I don't mind these kinds of turnovers for the first part of the season.)
So, after the win, they still talk about the Indiana game, cuz they need a turning point. People don't just change: they need a moment to hang it on, that time the picked up the Bible in the hotel room or that time they slapped their girl. Something important, burned into your brain, that's what does it, what sets it off. Or CAN do it, at least. Now they've got that, if they want it.
So now the question becomes: Is this a new beginning or a cover up? We shall see.
Anyway, I was working on a pretty good buzz at the time, but I wasn't impressed. A bunch of shots started falling for cats like Khouba, Kleiza, and JR in the second half, and Indiana stopped playing above their heads. They are who we thought they were. I didn't see any great defense.
But, while the game wasn't a monument to great basketball, it seems to have carried some symbolic weight. Which, in a long season that's often near-meaningless, might be more important than a simple W. The players and the coaches have been rallying around that second half, all of them keenly aware that this team needs to forge an identity. Symbols matter. They're like pieces of your heart you can see.
Case in point: This Cavs game.
So that's what the Nuggets' shadowy front office had in mind? Okay. I can get with that.
The second and third quarters of tonight's contest were the best basketball this team has played all year. The team that showed up tonight would dominate any team that they've faced yet, with the exception of Boston, who they'd take down to the wire. I'm telling you.
The Good: Defense. Everyone--Melo, JR, Camby, every damn body--played with both brains and effort. When the game's outcome was still in question--the first three quarters basically--every
Bobby Jones is a playmaker. I know that's a football term, but that's what he is. Nose for the ball. All the physical tools to bother damn near anyone on defense. I stand by my Fast Najera assessment, but he's better one-on-one already than Eddie. He can play a little offense, too, but he's letting it come to him. Smart kid. Could be starting by the All-Star break, the way things are going.
Unless JR keeps his head straight. Which it suddenly is. Somehow. I mean, shit, he's playing the POINT and I'm only cringing on about a quarter of the possessions. He's playing defense like a man, passing it cuz he trusts his teammates to get it back to him. I love it. My personal preference is to keep him as a spark off the bench. I still don't trust he and Melo's tendencies toward defensive
That all swingmen and tweeners lineup of JR, LK, Melo, Ed, and Bobby was sick. The Nugs might be the most athletic team in the league. If everyone hustles and, more importantly, covers for each other's mistakes, they'll be a top five defensive team. There are many kinds of discipline. It doesn't always look like Sergeant Pop and Timmy-D. It doesn't have to.
Kenyon got no numbers, but he was huge, as he's been all season, on both sides of the floor. His hands and his touch aren't back yet on offense, but he's the leader on defense. To draw a shitty analogy, he's the unheralded offensive line, winning games in the trenches. Buy the man a watch.
You know what's funny? I've been hating on the Chucky Atkins signing since it was a glimmer in Bearup's beady black eyes, but one thing a team like this could use is a savvy point guard who makes all his shots and doesn't turn it over. Point to the Co-Op.
Melo boarded and defended hard, but laid back on offense a little and we won. Can't remember that happening before. So there was lots of good. AI should also be mentioned, but yall should read the box score yourself.
The Bad: Uh, Melo didn't get thirty? Seriously, anyone who knows HyTop knows that HyTop is a glass half empty motherfucker, but this game was nice.
(TUESDAY MORNING EDIT: The fast break does look a little sloppy. Lots of long passes flying over cats' heads and stuff. Stupid turnovers. This can be attributed partially to the fact that the team is still figuring out what they can and can't do (no Dre Miller to figure it out for all of them anymore) and to the fact that there's no point guards on the active roster, with the half-exception of Iverson. I'd rather have a turnover on an attempted fast break lob then Melo or JR getting charges when they try to break down the defense 1 on 5 off the dribble. I don't mind these kinds of turnovers for the first part of the season.)
So, after the win, they still talk about the Indiana game, cuz they need a turning point. People don't just change: they need a moment to hang it on, that time the picked up the Bible in the hotel room or that time they slapped their girl. Something important, burned into your brain, that's what does it, what sets it off. Or CAN do it, at least. Now they've got that, if they want it.
So now the question becomes: Is this a new beginning or a cover up? We shall see.
9.11.07
INjury REport!!
Nene is out for six weeks with a tore up thumb. This sucks. Hopefully this will at least hamper his snacking abilities, but I doubt it. We will likely be seeing a fat and sassy Brazilian in 6 weeks. I don't want to do the math, but this kind of throws a wrench in the 'play-into-shape' master plan that Nene has been working with.
Kenyon will have to play more, but they really shouldn't push it. Eddie's effectiveness diminishes if you play him over 20 minutes. Kleiza needs to start ordering dessert, he'll get minutes at the 4. Stephen Hunter: now is your time.
But, if I know our front office, we're gonna solve this bad boy with two words: desperation trade!!! Are you ready!? :D
(TRADE IDEA: JR SMITH AND PICKS FOR A "SAVVY VETERAN" BIG MAN WITH A LONG TERM CONTRACT WHOSE WHEELS ARE ABOUT TO FALL OFF!!! EXCITING STUFF!!!)
(I would say: sign Chris Webber (lol desperation), except we saw how he and AI got along in Philly.)
Melo will have to stop cherrypicking and grab a board or two.
Stay tuned. These are your Denver Nuggets!!
Kenyon will have to play more, but they really shouldn't push it. Eddie's effectiveness diminishes if you play him over 20 minutes. Kleiza needs to start ordering dessert, he'll get minutes at the 4. Stephen Hunter: now is your time.
But, if I know our front office, we're gonna solve this bad boy with two words: desperation trade!!! Are you ready!? :D
(TRADE IDEA: JR SMITH AND PICKS FOR A "SAVVY VETERAN" BIG MAN WITH A LONG TERM CONTRACT WHOSE WHEELS ARE ABOUT TO FALL OFF!!! EXCITING STUFF!!!)
(I would say: sign Chris Webber (lol desperation), except we saw how he and AI got along in Philly.)
Melo will have to stop cherrypicking and grab a board or two.
Stay tuned. These are your Denver Nuggets!!
8.11.07
Post Game Report: Grasping At Straws Edition
There have been two perfect storms thus far in the Nuggets season.
The first was in either the Minnesota or N.O. game, when Nene intercepted an outlet pass and found himself ten feet away from the basket, with nothing in his path. He gingerly advanced toward the basket, silently mouthing "esquerda, direita" with each step. After a quick glance around to make sure no one was within ten feet of him, he planted both feet and completed his first dunk of the year. I'll be honest with you: I teared up.
The second was this Celts game. The Nuggets are still a team without an identity. Especially on the defensive end, where most everyone is trying, but no one knows where to be. The Celtics are still on the the honeymoon. A team that makes an extra pass will absolute destroy this scrambling, diving, swarming Nuggets team. And the Celtics were incredibly hot all game, converting not only the easy shots but also the difficult ones (some of Pierce's dipsy-do finger rolls were insane). It was bad, but it was (and is) November.
George Karl's 'let the players play' offense is nice, if your team is filled with acutal ball players. When it's full of Linas Kleiza and Nene running into each other or bringing defenders TO THE MAN WITH THE BALL (WHO IS LIKELY ALREADY FACING A DOUBLE TEAM!), then it's time to think about what you really believe in.
Karl can speak on a lack of 'spirit' or 'energy' all he wants, but that's just code for 'my players let me down'. Don't get it twisted: with the exception of Camby (sometimes) and Melo (on offense!?), everyone is playing hard. It's the system, or lack thereof. Coach 'em up, Georgie, or go back to ESPN.
Let's talk positives:
Von Wafer can flat out shoot the ball. And he made a pretty assist pass. Give this man some minutes.
Bobby Jones makes his impact felt. On defense, he's not a lockdown guy like Yakhouba. He's more like a small, fast Najera, disrupting all five opponents by running around like crazy and bothering people. He forced several turnovers in the open court just by flailing around. I like it. He looked very tentative off the dribble and lost the ball a couple times, but made 3 three-pointers. Minutes for him, too.
(The above two guys should get minutes instead of Khouba, who is flat out limited and will always be, and LK, if Kleiza continues his nightly crisis of confidence bullshit. I've already given up on J.R., who is what he is: the poor man's Ricky Davis.)
Stephen Hunter should play, once in a while, when we're outsized (like in New York maybe?). He's a live big body.
Kenyon played his ass off. He was the only guy to show any leadership. And he must've demanded to go back in the game, cause he played more than 20 for the first time last night. Now that I've accepted the contract, I'm really happy to have K on this team. He means it, at least.
Melo didn't ease my fears last night. He looked sort of content. I've never seen him so happy NOT to have the ball! I should stop praising his passing: yes, 6 assists (btw, assists: most bogus stat in hoops? yeah, probably), but he's also staring down his cutters, and lots of his passes are tipped, or poorly delivered. Don't telegraph your passes, C-lo, you'll end up with molasses. And you're already looking slow enough.
The first was in either the Minnesota or N.O. game, when Nene intercepted an outlet pass and found himself ten feet away from the basket, with nothing in his path. He gingerly advanced toward the basket, silently mouthing "esquerda, direita" with each step. After a quick glance around to make sure no one was within ten feet of him, he planted both feet and completed his first dunk of the year. I'll be honest with you: I teared up.
The second was this Celts game. The Nuggets are still a team without an identity. Especially on the defensive end, where most everyone is trying, but no one knows where to be. The Celtics are still on the the honeymoon. A team that makes an extra pass will absolute destroy this scrambling, diving, swarming Nuggets team. And the Celtics were incredibly hot all game, converting not only the easy shots but also the difficult ones (some of Pierce's dipsy-do finger rolls were insane). It was bad, but it was (and is) November.
George Karl's 'let the players play' offense is nice, if your team is filled with acutal ball players. When it's full of Linas Kleiza and Nene running into each other or bringing defenders TO THE MAN WITH THE BALL (WHO IS LIKELY ALREADY FACING A DOUBLE TEAM!), then it's time to think about what you really believe in.
Karl can speak on a lack of 'spirit' or 'energy' all he wants, but that's just code for 'my players let me down'. Don't get it twisted: with the exception of Camby (sometimes) and Melo (on offense!?), everyone is playing hard. It's the system, or lack thereof. Coach 'em up, Georgie, or go back to ESPN.
Let's talk positives:
Von Wafer can flat out shoot the ball. And he made a pretty assist pass. Give this man some minutes.
Bobby Jones makes his impact felt. On defense, he's not a lockdown guy like Yakhouba. He's more like a small, fast Najera, disrupting all five opponents by running around like crazy and bothering people. He forced several turnovers in the open court just by flailing around. I like it. He looked very tentative off the dribble and lost the ball a couple times, but made 3 three-pointers. Minutes for him, too.
(The above two guys should get minutes instead of Khouba, who is flat out limited and will always be, and LK, if Kleiza continues his nightly crisis of confidence bullshit. I've already given up on J.R., who is what he is: the poor man's Ricky Davis.)
Stephen Hunter should play, once in a while, when we're outsized (like in New York maybe?). He's a live big body.
Kenyon played his ass off. He was the only guy to show any leadership. And he must've demanded to go back in the game, cause he played more than 20 for the first time last night. Now that I've accepted the contract, I'm really happy to have K on this team. He means it, at least.
Melo didn't ease my fears last night. He looked sort of content. I've never seen him so happy NOT to have the ball! I should stop praising his passing: yes, 6 assists (btw, assists: most bogus stat in hoops? yeah, probably), but he's also staring down his cutters, and lots of his passes are tipped, or poorly delivered. Don't telegraph your passes, C-lo, you'll end up with molasses. And you're already looking slow enough.
7.11.07
@ New York
So these Nuggets. Um. Yeah.
It looks like they're just feeling their way through the beginning of a long season, right? Fine. Fucking great. But don't start telling the papers about 60 wins, then come out and play like this. Pace yourself or go all out, you can't have it both ways. You don't sneak out of NYC, you burn it down.
Marcus Camby continues to dominate on paper. My coworker was just talking about how Camby was SUCH a savvy pick in his fantasty draft. P4P BEST FANTASY DEFENSIVE BIG MAN IN THE LAST TEN YEARS!! In reality, he goes up soft in crunch time and gets his layup swatted by the floorbound Ed Curry.
Melo, meanwhile, is passing (!) and defending (!!!) better than ever before. But he's making bad decisions in crunch time, forcing it when he shouldn't. He usually gets better as the year goes along, but shouldn't he have been a little pissed off last nite? Everybody knows we're consummate professionals here at HyTop's spot, but once in a while, even we show some emotion sometimes. I guess Melo doesn't know when to act out and when to lay back. Can't smile all the time, dude, it starts to look questionable.
Iverson is Iverson, which is no longer enough. He needs help. He's great to root for, though.
Kleiza and JR played well. On both ends. JR looked focused and intense and controlled. LK had a little swagger. Both of them need to remember what that felt like.
OMG YOU GUYS: I think I saw a muscle in Nene's arm!! It might've been a shadow. Still: Keep ordering the salad, big fella. (What infuriates me about Nene is this: Shaq Deez played the center position at a Top-5-All-Time level for a decade before he decided he could start playing his way into shape during the season. He won an MVP and 3 rings. Nene hasn't done shit, and already he's easing his way into it. If he understood English, I would suggest that Coach Karl give him a talking to.)
Of course, that might be difficult, cuz I think Coach Karl is high or something. At least Rush Limbaugh kept yelling when he was doped up. I'm not sure Karl has moved all year. Well, he stands up during timeouts, but just cuz his legs sometimes fall asleep. I hate that. One time I got out of my car, rolled my ankle, ran around like a madman, and didn't even feel it for like an hour.
But it hurt when I stopped. Don't get it twisted. There's a rumor around the town's medical community that Coach George, the Prince of Whales, has developed gout. So I'm going to give him some advice that applies to both his diet and his squad: MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS! MIX IT UP! Can't have steak every night.
Also, I keep harping on this, but Kenyon is very important to this team. And it's the height of arrogance to think that the win in NY is guaranteed, so let's save K for Boston. This franchise might be the most arrogant in the league. Be cool if that translated into wins. Used to work for Shanahan.
For real: the Knicks are kind of good. All their players do something extremely well. A couple of them can do two things. And all their players were hot last night. Ol' Snake Eyes here is laughing all the way to a first round exit, catch him if you can!
Still, Isiah ain't the happiest one in New York. Won't be for a while. Show 'em, girl!
It looks like they're just feeling their way through the beginning of a long season, right? Fine. Fucking great. But don't start telling the papers about 60 wins, then come out and play like this. Pace yourself or go all out, you can't have it both ways. You don't sneak out of NYC, you burn it down.
Marcus Camby continues to dominate on paper. My coworker was just talking about how Camby was SUCH a savvy pick in his fantasty draft. P4P BEST FANTASY DEFENSIVE BIG MAN IN THE LAST TEN YEARS!! In reality, he goes up soft in crunch time and gets his layup swatted by the floorbound Ed Curry.
Melo, meanwhile, is passing (!) and defending (!!!) better than ever before. But he's making bad decisions in crunch time, forcing it when he shouldn't. He usually gets better as the year goes along, but shouldn't he have been a little pissed off last nite? Everybody knows we're consummate professionals here at HyTop's spot, but once in a while, even we show some emotion sometimes. I guess Melo doesn't know when to act out and when to lay back. Can't smile all the time, dude, it starts to look questionable.
Iverson is Iverson, which is no longer enough. He needs help. He's great to root for, though.
Kleiza and JR played well. On both ends. JR looked focused and intense and controlled. LK had a little swagger. Both of them need to remember what that felt like.
OMG YOU GUYS: I think I saw a muscle in Nene's arm!! It might've been a shadow. Still: Keep ordering the salad, big fella. (What infuriates me about Nene is this: Shaq Deez played the center position at a Top-5-All-Time level for a decade before he decided he could start playing his way into shape during the season. He won an MVP and 3 rings. Nene hasn't done shit, and already he's easing his way into it. If he understood English, I would suggest that Coach Karl give him a talking to.)
Of course, that might be difficult, cuz I think Coach Karl is high or something. At least Rush Limbaugh kept yelling when he was doped up. I'm not sure Karl has moved all year. Well, he stands up during timeouts, but just cuz his legs sometimes fall asleep. I hate that. One time I got out of my car, rolled my ankle, ran around like a madman, and didn't even feel it for like an hour.
But it hurt when I stopped. Don't get it twisted. There's a rumor around the town's medical community that Coach George, the Prince of Whales, has developed gout. So I'm going to give him some advice that applies to both his diet and his squad: MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS! MIX IT UP! Can't have steak every night.
Also, I keep harping on this, but Kenyon is very important to this team. And it's the height of arrogance to think that the win in NY is guaranteed, so let's save K for Boston. This franchise might be the most arrogant in the league. Be cool if that translated into wins. Used to work for Shanahan.
For real: the Knicks are kind of good. All their players do something extremely well. A couple of them can do two things. And all their players were hot last night. Ol' Snake Eyes here is laughing all the way to a first round exit, catch him if you can!
Still, Isiah ain't the happiest one in New York. Won't be for a while. Show 'em, girl!
5.11.07
HYTOP TRAVELS AROUND THE LEAGUE
I’ve watched three Nugs games this year, half of Suns-Sonics, and a quarter of Knicks-Wolves on the League Pass Preview (I’m a masochist), which means I’ve seen some squads by now. Here are some quick thoughts on the players we’ve seen.
Kevin Durant
The kid can shoot it, and that’s enough for him to be a strong NBA starter. He’s got a quick release and looks equally comfortable shooting off the dribble or off the catch. That right there is big time. Combine it with a gorgeous handle and a nice feel for the game (he can pass!), and he’s already a player. Can’t take any contact right now, so finishing inside is a big problem. All his moves are finesse moves with very little margin for error (runners, floaters, etc.). When they go in, it’s beautiful, but a lot of them don’t. Defensively, he’s pretty good if you try to sneak past him, cuz his arms are hella long and he wants it bad. So you should really just go right into his chest. He doesn’t have an answer for that yet.
A quicker Dirk? A stretched out Ray Allen? Watch and see.
Jeff Green
A Josh Howard type (a very good thing). Think if J-How shot jump hooks instead of runners. He’s athletic and at the right place. And he plays hard defense. Will be a player. However, he still traveled in the NCAA Tournament when he beat my Vandy Commodores. Don’t try to deny it, Jeffrey.
Delonte West
Always loved him. Very smart (you knew that), but bigger and more athletic than you think. He’s being wasted on all these bad teams. His gifts lend themselves perfectly to starting on a talented team and doing the little things. I wish the Nugs had him. He may be the ideal backcourt partner for AI (or maybe it’s Kirk Hinrich).
Al Jefferson
Overhyped by Simmons-types cuz he played in Boston—mecca for white dudes who liked hoops in the 80s—Al is a good young post player. Not the Best Young Post Player in the World, which is what he was dubbed prior to the KG trade. He’s got some moves, a nice jump hook, and can rebound the hell out of the ball. But he’s a little stiff, and in this era, that’s tough to do unless you’re Tim Duncan*. Amare and Dwight and even Nene have a flexibility and a bounce to their games that Al does not. In addition, Big Al doesn’t play defense or pass very well. Basically, he can score in the post, which is nice, but here’s where I damn him: Great Second Option. Book it.
* Who is one of the ten best defensive players of all time, in addition to having an extremely effective, stiff, awkward post game. Also he can pass out of double teams.
Chris Paul
I’ve never quite been convinced. They say, “Best Young True Point Guard,” and I think, “True?” Yesterday, I realized he’s more Iverson than Kidd. He can pass, yes, but he’s a drive and dish guy who weaves in and out of traffic, THEN finds you. If he had Iverson’s length and hops, he’d score a lot more. As it is, he’s a very nice player, but don’t kid yourself: this kid is as modern as Marbury. Always pleasantly surprised by his rebounding, but he can’t guard anyone. A hell of a player, just not how they want him to be.
SPECIAL CARMELO BREAKDOWN:
Carmelo is freaking me out this year. He looks like a different player this year. Not a better player, not a worse player, just very different. He’s not doing any of his herky-jerky Melo-moves. In fact, he’s not getting into the paint at all off the dribble. He’s having trouble getting post position, and once he does, the double teams are frustrating him. He’s turning it over A LOT. He’s pulled off a grand total of ONE successful power post move: a nice dropstep in the fourth quarter of the Hornets game. Everything else has been ugly.
(p.s. There may have been a bad call here and there, but HyTop does NOT blame the refs. That's like white dudes complaining that they didn't get the job because of affirmative action. Own your own bullshit. Own your failures and overcome them. Outside forces only affect you if secretly want them to.)
However, his jumper looks way better than ever before. He’s hitting Kobe-esque fadeaways all of a sudden, not to mention almost 40% of his threes. His passing keeps improving, too.
It’s almost like he got old all of a sudden. He looks a little fat this year, but in the open court, he’s doing all the same Melo shit we know about. I’m hoping it’s just rust, regaining his rhythm. If he can combine this jumper with the old ability to finish around the rim, he’ll be better than ever. But I can’t say I’m not concerned.
Kevin Durant
The kid can shoot it, and that’s enough for him to be a strong NBA starter. He’s got a quick release and looks equally comfortable shooting off the dribble or off the catch. That right there is big time. Combine it with a gorgeous handle and a nice feel for the game (he can pass!), and he’s already a player. Can’t take any contact right now, so finishing inside is a big problem. All his moves are finesse moves with very little margin for error (runners, floaters, etc.). When they go in, it’s beautiful, but a lot of them don’t. Defensively, he’s pretty good if you try to sneak past him, cuz his arms are hella long and he wants it bad. So you should really just go right into his chest. He doesn’t have an answer for that yet.
A quicker Dirk? A stretched out Ray Allen? Watch and see.
Jeff Green
A Josh Howard type (a very good thing). Think if J-How shot jump hooks instead of runners. He’s athletic and at the right place. And he plays hard defense. Will be a player. However, he still traveled in the NCAA Tournament when he beat my Vandy Commodores. Don’t try to deny it, Jeffrey.
Delonte West
Always loved him. Very smart (you knew that), but bigger and more athletic than you think. He’s being wasted on all these bad teams. His gifts lend themselves perfectly to starting on a talented team and doing the little things. I wish the Nugs had him. He may be the ideal backcourt partner for AI (or maybe it’s Kirk Hinrich).
Al Jefferson
Overhyped by Simmons-types cuz he played in Boston—mecca for white dudes who liked hoops in the 80s—Al is a good young post player. Not the Best Young Post Player in the World, which is what he was dubbed prior to the KG trade. He’s got some moves, a nice jump hook, and can rebound the hell out of the ball. But he’s a little stiff, and in this era, that’s tough to do unless you’re Tim Duncan*. Amare and Dwight and even Nene have a flexibility and a bounce to their games that Al does not. In addition, Big Al doesn’t play defense or pass very well. Basically, he can score in the post, which is nice, but here’s where I damn him: Great Second Option. Book it.
* Who is one of the ten best defensive players of all time, in addition to having an extremely effective, stiff, awkward post game. Also he can pass out of double teams.
Chris Paul
I’ve never quite been convinced. They say, “Best Young True Point Guard,” and I think, “True?” Yesterday, I realized he’s more Iverson than Kidd. He can pass, yes, but he’s a drive and dish guy who weaves in and out of traffic, THEN finds you. If he had Iverson’s length and hops, he’d score a lot more. As it is, he’s a very nice player, but don’t kid yourself: this kid is as modern as Marbury. Always pleasantly surprised by his rebounding, but he can’t guard anyone. A hell of a player, just not how they want him to be.
SPECIAL CARMELO BREAKDOWN:
Carmelo is freaking me out this year. He looks like a different player this year. Not a better player, not a worse player, just very different. He’s not doing any of his herky-jerky Melo-moves. In fact, he’s not getting into the paint at all off the dribble. He’s having trouble getting post position, and once he does, the double teams are frustrating him. He’s turning it over A LOT. He’s pulled off a grand total of ONE successful power post move: a nice dropstep in the fourth quarter of the Hornets game. Everything else has been ugly.
(p.s. There may have been a bad call here and there, but HyTop does NOT blame the refs. That's like white dudes complaining that they didn't get the job because of affirmative action. Own your own bullshit. Own your failures and overcome them. Outside forces only affect you if secretly want them to.)
However, his jumper looks way better than ever before. He’s hitting Kobe-esque fadeaways all of a sudden, not to mention almost 40% of his threes. His passing keeps improving, too.
It’s almost like he got old all of a sudden. He looks a little fat this year, but in the open court, he’s doing all the same Melo shit we know about. I’m hoping it’s just rust, regaining his rhythm. If he can combine this jumper with the old ability to finish around the rim, he’ll be better than ever. But I can’t say I’m not concerned.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
