Nuggets keep winning without any superstars
There is abundant truth to the old adage that it takes stars to win in the NBA.
But the Denver Nuggets are laying waste to that belief.
While most basketball fans are focused on Miami’s pursuit of 34 straight wins and a new all-time record, a run fuelled by the hall of fame-worthy talents of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and — perhaps — Chris Bosh, the Nuggets are chugging along in relative anonymity.
They carried a 13-game win streak into a game Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers, and have done it with a roster basically devoid of any one player who might be considered a “superstar” in the game today.
Ty Lawson is really, really good; Danilo Gallinari is supremely talented, as is Andre Iguodala and Kenneth Faried is one of the best young players today, but none would be in the stratosphere with the big names on several other great teams. There are no James or Wades or Kevin Durants or Tim Duncans.
The Nuggets are just good — better than good — at most positions and will be one of the more dangerous mid-seeds once the post-season begins.
Nuggets coach George Karl, as underrated a coach as there is in the NBA today, is adept at managing minutes — and egos — and that’s as much a key to what the Nuggets have accomplished as any player.
In a revealing interview with USA Today, Karl says staying true to his principles has allowed the Nuggets to flourish.
“Every player has a competition for minutes,” he said. “I think everybody knows their time. Iguodala and Gallo are probably going to get 30-35 (minutes) every night. But for them to get 40, or 38, they’ve got to play good. And I have no problem finishing any way I think I can win. Sometimes that ruffles the feathers a little bit of my players . . .
“It’s not right that we always give it to the guy who gets paid the most money. There should not be an entitlement that because you get paid the most money, that you should finish every game. But if you don’t do it, then the agents are going to call and the players are going to mope and so you negotiate that. It’s a compromise as a coach.”
Refreshing. And successful.
WHO’S HOT?
San Antonio
Sure it’s a constant, but how about this? When the Spurs beat Golden State on Wednesday night, it was the Spurs 29th consecutive home court win over the Warriors. That’s domination.
WHO’S NOT?
Detroit Pistons
There are those who keep close tabs on ex-Raptor Jose Calderon, and seeing the Pistons on a ninegame losing streak can’t make them too happy. Pistons have fallen to 12th in the conference, and can see Cleveland close behind them.
TROUBLE IN OKC? Unlikely, it’s still a sublimely talented roster with a championship pedigree and experience. The Thunder did lose back-to-back games this week to Denver and Memphis and are 21⁄2 games behind San Antonio for the top seed in the west heading into Thursday night action.
It’s not to suggest any major
failings with the Thunder — losing to red-hot Denver is no shame and Memphis is a tough place to play — but it does underscore the tremendous balance in the Western Conference.
The mess in the seedings from three to five — Memphis, Denver and the Clippers are in a virtual tie today — will make a handful of games the rest of the way hugely significant for post-season home court advantage.
ASTREAK OF DESTINY? Miami was down 27 in the third quarter at Cleveland and rallied to win to keep their streak alive; and aside from an early-April visit to San Antonio, there doesn’t seem to be much impediment to them catching the 1971-72 Lakers mark of 33 straight wins.
The Heat have just finished a stretch of five games in eight nights, and took Thursday off and will cancel a Friday shootaround as they try to get some rest for the stretch run.
Given their abilities, it’s not like they need a lot of practice right now anyway.