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» Thursday, May 2 2013

And where there are on-court taunts and messages sent, including, according to Warriors sources, Nuggets players repeatedly telling Curry that he was a soft player. The Warriors still lead this series 3-2, and now they are angry, too. San Jose Mercury-News

Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry 

Nuggets guard Ty Lawson left the Pepsi Center on Wednesday afternoon ready to take the team charter to Oakland, Calif., for Game 6 against Golden State. He was not in any way worried about retaliation. Warriors coach Mark Jackson accused the Nuggets of dirty play in Denver's Game 5 victory. Jackson specifically cited a play by Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried against Stephen Curry, but also mentioned the Nuggets' overall harassing of his star, whom Lawson guarded most of the game. "If they look at the tape, they did the same thing. The series just evened out," Lawson said Wednesday. "I don't think they are going to retaliate." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Ty Lawson 
 

» Wednesday, May 1 2013

Mark Jackson wasn't quite ready to let go of the rough treatment Curry received in Game 5 in Denver on Tuesday, specifically what he viewed as an intentional attempt by Nuggets big man Kenneth Faried to kick his star guard's ankle. "I can live with physical basketball. Taking a stab at Steph Curry's ankle is not physical basketball," Jackson said, picking up where he left off in the immediate aftermath after Game 5. "You can hit him. I was even caught on tape being asked what would happen if I played against him and he heated up. I'd be physical with him. So that's understandable. It's not hypocritical. But there's no part of me that says I'd be dirty with him. If you attempt to kick him with your foot on his foot, that's not a basketball play. That's a cheap shot." Contra Costa Times

Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Mark Jackson, Kenneth Faried 

In the aftermath of Mark Jackson's volatile postgame accusations that the Nuggets are "dirty" and put "hit men" out on guard Stephen Curry, Denver coach George Karl responded Wednesday by saying, "My basic reaction is — he's watching a different movie than I'm watching." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, George Karl, Mark Jackson 

The Golden State rookie and former Michigan State All-America forward was called for a flagrant foul late in Tuesday night’s 107-100 loss at Denver for a hit on Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried. After the game, Denver coach George Karl asked at his news conference: “Did Draymond Green play football or basketball at Michigan State?” Green had some fun with that today, tweeting a picture of himself in football gear from the 2011 MSU spring football game — he suited up and ran a few plays at tight end — and saying: “I guess this answers that huh??? HA FOOTBALL.” Detroit Free Press

Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, George Karl, Draymond Green 

The Warriors and Nuggets series has been extremely competitive, and extremely entertaining. But it might be headed to new levels of intensity for Game 6. Because following Denver's Game 5 win, Warriors coach Mark Jackson lobbed some serious accusations at the Nuggets. "They were the more physical team, the aggressor," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "They hurt us in the first half scoring the basketball in the paint, made us pay for our turnovers. They tried to send hit men on Steph Curry." CBSSports.com

Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Mark Jackson 

Andre Iguodala was asked about Jackson's accusations, and brushed them off wisely: "I think I've taken the hardest hit of the series. It was Game 1 or 2, Bogut leaned into me on a fullcourt screen and I didn't remember what happened the rest of the game. I think they brought the physicality to the series, and then we've stopped being the receivers and have hit back a little. As far as anybody trying to cheap shot, I don't condone that myself. It's not in my game." CBSSports.com

Denver Nuggets, Andre Iguodala 

Now the pressure is on Karl and his third-seeded Nuggets as they face elimination in Game 5 Tuesday night at the Pepsi Center. "Deep down inside, philosophically, I like having speed and quickness on my side," Karl explains. "Now they're going to add a position [power forward] where they might have speed and quickness on their side. "Do I play with the same guys that we played? Or do we try to match?" Years ago, these questions would have tortured him. He'd have worn everybody out trying to come up with solutions and adjustments. His angst palpable to his team, his grip on everything tightening. It's part of what made him great. The intensity, the intelligence, the fire and the passion. "Furious George," they called him. Affectionately, most of the time. ESPN.com

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Coaching 

There are still vestiges of the old George. Quirky things, like how he hangs his suits up after games, puts a box score in one pocket and his game tie in the other. "I pull out the stat sheet later, and if it's a loss I throw the tie away," he says, laughing at himself. "There's some superstition there, but it's more that I like the tradition. I like taking the walk after shootaround when I'm on the road. I like to take my nap. "I used to have these little sayings -- just things that fell into my life along the way -- during the playoffs." He hasn't done that this year, he says. Nothing has popped into his head. "Except for one thing," Karl says, catching himself. "We had this shirt made up for the guys." He fumbles around his desk looking for it, then realizes it's on his chair. On the front of the shirt is one word: TRUST. ESPN.com

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Coaching 

Ujiri studied Karl's great Seattle teams from the mid-1990s. The type of players he got the most out of. The types who didn't fit. The way he liked to play. "The most impressive thing is his system," Ujiri said. "The way he coaches allows players to be very successful. Role players, star players, all kinds of players -- they all did well for him. "When I came here [Nuggets owner] Josh Kroenke told me that, if Carmelo left, the type of players we wanted to bring in were young and energetic, who would fit with his system." It was a conscious choice to aggregate talent and essentially shun the star-centric system. To prioritize speed, depth, athleticism, defensive ability and hustle over play-making and scoring talent. Or, as Karl puts it, ''Why don't we just go get really good players and try to make 'em great?" ESPN.com

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Coaching, Masai Ujiri, Josh Kroenke 

Denver has won a franchise-record 57 games without a true superstar this season. They go 10- or 11-men deep on any given night, run their opponents off the court, and play the type of unselfish, joyful basketball Karl has always preferred. "This team is fun to coach," he said. "I don't think many coaches use the word 'fun' to describe their teams." He is one of the favorites to win the coach of the year award. And despite his earlier jokes, he would welcome the honor. "It will mean something to me because I have a lot of respect for the coaching business," he said. "I think there's great coaches in this league, and there are great [assistant] coaches sitting next to the great coaches. They don't get the love that they deserve. ESPN.com

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Coaching 
 
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