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"Coach of the year? I'm not sure I want that legacy," Karl said Wednesday. "Have you seen what happens to guys who win coach of the year?" The award is cursed. Ask any of these winners from the past 10 years. In 2004, Hubie Brown won 50 games with Memphis, but was gone by Thanksgiving of the following season, due to his own poor health or the lousy attitude of his players, take your pick. Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, George Karl, Coaching, Hubie Brown 

The Professional Basketball Writers Association announced Heat forward Shane Battier was voted winner of the Magic Johnson award, given annually to the player who best combines excellence on the court with cooperation with media and fans. Nuggets coach George Karl won the Rudy Tomjanovich award, given annually to the coach who meets the same criteria. Chicago Tribune

Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, George Karl, Shane Battier 

A fellow NBA coach said George Karl is a no-brainer for the Hall of Fame. "Without question,'' said Brooklyn's P.J. Carlesimo. "Without question.'' Karl is the sixth-winningest coach in NBA history with 1,124 wins and is closing in on fifth-place Phil Jackson, who totaled 1,155. But Karl, like his players, often doesn’t get a national spotlight while toiling in out-of-the-way Denver. “I don’t think he gets enough credit for the numbers he puts up year in and year out and the way he adapts (to different personnel),’’ Carlesimo said of Karl. “I think (the Nuggets are) very good. They’re one of the elite teams in the league.’’ Sulia

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Coaching, Hall of Fame 

Nuggets coach George Karl is miffed NBA teams haven't given another chance to his son Coby Karl. Coby is averaging 13.2 points, 6.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds for the D-League's Idaho Stampede. Coby, 30, hasn't been on an NBA roster since finishing the 2009-10 season with the Nuggets, when George Karl was sidelined by cancer. Sulia

Denver Nuggets, Free Agency, George Karl, Coby Karl 

The coach believes Coby gets overlooked because he's older and NBA teams are seeking younger prospects. "Right now, you go to the D-League and no one looks at Coby Karl because he's (30) years old,'' said George Karl. "If he's the best player in the D-League, he still should get picked up. It should not be based upon youthful potential.'' Sulia

Denver Nuggets, Free Agency, George Karl, Coby Karl 

So, there's this job opening. Team USA is looking for a new head coach. Pop should get it because, in my opinion, he's the best coach alive. "I hope he gets the USA job," Karl said. "I think he wants it. He's a military guy who, I think, brings a dignity to representing the United States, and he's also earned the respect of the basketball world." Denver Post

George Karl, Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball, Team USA 

So basically, here's Karl's idea: The top eight teams from the Western Conference and the top eight teams from the Eastern Conference are put into a playoff pool. At this point, conference affiliation no longer matters. Instead, it's all about record. The team with the best record plays the team with the 16th-best record and so on. And then, like he said, they reseed hockey-style for the next round. And so, the NBA's "Final Four" could be four teams from the same conference — but, as proven by this system, perhaps the four best teams in basketball. "I think it would get fans excited, man. It would be crazy," Karl said. "And we travel with private jets now, so I think you can schedule it to where you'd get two days of rest between games. I think it would be really fun and interesting to see the matchups." So if you were commissioner, you would try to make this happen? Like, for real? "I would advocate it," he said. "I don't know if the Board of Governors would pass it, but I would advocate it." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Owners 

Karl serves as an inspiration on several levels. He has dealt with his share of health issues over the past several years but continued to persevere and chase a long-sought NBA crown. While the Nuggets entered the season as a dark horse, he has molded them into a relentless team that attacks in waves. “I think it’s great because you know you are being coached by one of the best coaches in the history of the NBA,” Gallinari said. “Every day at practice, there is something great because you can learn something from him and he loves this team and he loves basketball and you can see the fire inside of him because he wants to win.” Boston Globe

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Coaching, Danilo Gallinari 

You looking ahead at all these days in terms of possible retirement? Any plan there? George Karl: Well, I've got one year left on my deal here (after this season), with a three-year option (if the Nuggets pick up the option, Karl is essentially on board for an additional three seasons). I don't think I think about retirement, but I don't think about the rat race of what's my next job going to be. It's not in the back of my mind, other than I'm going to probably finish my career — hopefully I finish my career here in Denver. That gives me, again, more balance and probably a more secure perspective on coaching than most coaches have in this business because I think all coaches are always worried about their job a little bit. USA Today Sports

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Coaching 

Sam Amick: Karl has one year left on his deal, followed by a team option that - if picked up - extends him for the following three seasons. Unique deal Twitter @sam_amick

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Coaching 

George Karl on the win: “I’m realistic, our team, we’re hot. The momentum of being a hot team could go away as quickly [as it came].” DailyThunder.com

Denver Nuggets, George Karl 

Royce Young: George Karl on the Thunder: "They don't have a lot of weaknesses, but if they had one it would probably be their transition defense." Twitter @dailythunder

Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, George Karl 

In fact, it was 30 years to the day — March 15, 1983 — when the Nuggets won their 11th consecutive game, and this season's Nuggets tied the second-longest streak in franchise history Friday night. Denver knocked off budding rival Memphis 87-80 on a night when it played Memphis-like defense, holding the Grizzlies to 35.3 percent shooting from the field. "It's a man's win," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "A win that took a lot of courage and mental toughness. Maybe it took us until the fourth to find the flow of the game, but that's the way it's going to be against Memphis. ... The mental aspect of winning this game is a big step." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, George Karl 

George Karl riffed on coaching J.R. Smith for 5 seasons, calling it a "fight'' and recalling "pain.'' Karl: "J.R. is spectacular,'' Karl said. "His talent/skill level is at a scary level. He’s one of the top 30 players on what he could be. But the growth process of JR and George Karl, there was a lot of pain because of the good and bad that comes with watching him play. There’s a time frame on that. Time frame for him. Time frame for me as coach. Somehow they wanted to keep me as coach. They thought it was a healthier, better situation for him to go someplace else. As a coach, I’m the one who gives the minutes. For me to give him a lot of minutes, he had to give me some simple, solid fundamental. I think that was the fight we had. The fight was he wanted more freedom and opportunity to express his offensive skills. I wanted more basic, solid simple.'' Sulia

Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, George Karl, J.R. Smith 

Now, Maravich was a scorer, but to the casual fan, he's best known for his circus passes. He would speed down the court, his long hair flapping, before he whisked some acrobatic pass that lit up the grainy footage. That's how Rubio does it, and he entered the weekend averaging 7.2 assists, along with 8.9 points for the Timberwolves. "I actually think Rubio's a better passer (than Maravich)," said Nuggets coach George Karl, who played against Maravich. "I think Pistol Pete was a flamboyant passer but more of a scorer, where I see Rubio as a true point guard, a true playmaker. "His length, his flash, there's no question that there are situations that he actually looks like him on film. He's got that long gait, and then the ability to handle the ball at a high efficiency level and also a high dribbling level, that's more Pistol Pete than anybody I've seen." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, George Karl, Ricky Rubio 

Ailene Voisin: Former sonics coach George Karl wants bball back in Seattle but "I don't want basketball out of Sacramento." he thinks expansion is answer. Twitter @ailene_voisin

Sacramento Kings, George Karl, Seattle SuperSonics 

With the Kings' impending sale and possible relocation to Seattle, Karl finds himself torn. "I think everybody knows I'm a Seattle guy and I want basketball back in Seattle, but I don't want basketball out of Sacramento," Karl said. "It's a politically correct answer, but it's a truthful answer on how I feel." Karl coached the Seattle SuperSonics to the 1996 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls. That season, the Sonics beat the Kings in four games in a first-round, best-of-five playoff series. Karl said his ears were ringing from the arena noise after the Sonics clinched the series in Sacramento. "It's a fun city to come to," Karl said. "I hope (NBA Commissioner David) Stern will consider expansion, but I don't think he will. I don't know who will make the decision. I hear the board of governors, the lawyers, the courts. I have no idea who will make the decision." Sacramento Bee

Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings, George Karl, Seattle SuperSonics 

At .896, the Nuggets are in position to post their best home winning percentage in franchise history. They went 36-5 for an .878 home winning percentage in 1976-77, their first season in the NBA and have never been able to reach such lofty heights since then. "Well, that's reachable," Karl said. They've love to get an extra home game in the first round of the playoffs, which might just be the ingredient they'd need to advance. "We enjoy playing here," Karl said. "There's a connection with the fans. And when we get it going, there's an energy to the building I think everybody can feel. Hopefully, the opposing team feels it some, too." USA Today Sports

Denver Nuggets, George Karl 

James, who bolted the Cavaliers as a free agent in 2010, didn't rule out that possibility last year. Denver Nuggets coach George Karl recently went so far as to tell FOX Sports Florida, "I think LeBron is at that stage where he's challenging himself to motivate him to do something that's maybe more difficult. I could see him maybe (returning to the Cavaliers). I see (Cleveland point guard Kyrie) Irving maybe being a reason for that.'' "That's the first time I've heard it," James said after Sunday's game when asked about what Karl had said. "My only focus now is to win another championship. I can't worry about speculation or rumors. What we're doing on the floor right now is what it's all about. We're playing good ball right now. We're trying to win a championship. I can't worry about what people say." FOXSports Florida

Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, Free Agency, LeBron James, George Karl 

As a coach, George Karl is generally a general, but he's also a soldier — he has fought cancer twice, and he continues to fight it with his passionate voice, albeit strained from radiation. Karl is helping the NBA, ESPN, The V Foundation and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in a crusade against cancer. From Sunday until March 4, the NBA will raise awareness and money. The V Foundation, which funds breakthroughs in cancer research, is raising funds to support the research at St. Jude, according to the league. And 100 percent of donations to The V Foundation from this campaign will go directly toward cancer research benefiting St. Jude's patients. Fans can go to stjude.org/hoops or jimmyv.org/nba, or text HOPE to 50333 or JIMMYV to 80888 to make a $10 donation. Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, George Karl