ducks
03-05-2005, 09:27 PM
Coaching Nugget
By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
March 4, 2005
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Nuggets guard Earl Boykins was asked recently what new Denver coach George Karl's best attribute was. "A six-year contract," Boykins replied. "The guys before him didn't have that."
"The guys before him" would be Jeff Bzdelik and Michael Cooper, each of whom struggled in their attempts to push Denver to succeed. But Karl, on the other hand, has turned the team around almost immediately.
He has won 12 of his first 16 games as Denver's coach, leading the Nuggets back to .500 and into the playoff race. And while a long-term contract certainly cemented his role as the leader of the team in his players' minds, Karl's wonderful coaching abilities have had much more to do with Denver's recovery from a poor start.
The Nuggets' woes have been well documented this season, and before Karl was hired in late January, Denver appeared dead in the water. They weren't playing with the passion and the intensity that led them to the playoffs a year ago. Carmelo Anthony was struggling through a tough second season, looking out of shape, taking bad shots and playing suspect defense. The Nuggets lacked confidence and an identity.
Karl came in and immediately established himself as the undisputed leader. He has a powerful presence bordering on arrogance, which is exactly what his team needed. "When the coach is confident, it breeds confidence in the team," said Boykins.
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Karl wanted to mold his team into a defensive dynamo, taking advantage of a long, active front line and good team speed. Much like his clubs in Seattle, Karl wanted the Nuggets to trap, double team, rotate into passing lanes and create general havoc, which would lead to fast-break opportunities.
Running would negate Denver's outside shooting deficiencies, and it would also capitalize on the city's high altitude, which usually shocks visiting teams early in games until players can get their second winds.
With Marcus Camby anchoring the defense as the league's No. 2 shot blocker, and Kenyon Martin, Nene and Francisco Elson all providing length and speed on the front line, Denver is well-equipped to be a very good defensive club.
Karl has helped the team figure out its identity. They lead the league in steals and rank seventh in blocked shots, which results in 17 fast-break points a game – third best in the NBA.
Perhaps most importantly, Karl is reviving Anthony's game and helping him to get back on the path to stardom. Karl told Anthony when he arrived that he could take as many shots as he wanted, but he wasn't allowed to "catch and hold" the ball – something Anthony had been doing all his life. Karl wanted his young star to learn to move without the ball, which would get him easier shots and make the offense flow. He wanted Melo to attack the rim and not just settle for fadeaway jump shots, as he had been doing all season – which is why he's shooting just 40 percent.
Thursday against the Pacers, Anthony looked like a different player. He moved constantly without the ball, aggressively drove the lane, shot 16 free throws and made 7 of 14 shots for 28 points. His energy and defensive activity were impressive.
In fact, the entire team's intensity has picked up since Karl took over. A team that was outrebounded by an average of 4.6 boards per game before Karl arrived is now outrebounding its opponents by more than three per night. The Nuggets' opponents shot 45.7 percent before Karl, and just 42 percent since. And the Nuggets have already won six road games under Karl, compared to just five beforehand.
The result is that Denver has now tied the Lakers for the final playoff spot in the West, and with a favorable schedule the rest of the way, is primed to overtake L.A. and reach the postseason. Perhaps Boykins was right: Karl's six-year contract gave him respect. But there's no denying that the man can coach.
Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
March 4, 2005
Headshot
Logo
Nuggets guard Earl Boykins was asked recently what new Denver coach George Karl's best attribute was. "A six-year contract," Boykins replied. "The guys before him didn't have that."
"The guys before him" would be Jeff Bzdelik and Michael Cooper, each of whom struggled in their attempts to push Denver to succeed. But Karl, on the other hand, has turned the team around almost immediately.
He has won 12 of his first 16 games as Denver's coach, leading the Nuggets back to .500 and into the playoff race. And while a long-term contract certainly cemented his role as the leader of the team in his players' minds, Karl's wonderful coaching abilities have had much more to do with Denver's recovery from a poor start.
The Nuggets' woes have been well documented this season, and before Karl was hired in late January, Denver appeared dead in the water. They weren't playing with the passion and the intensity that led them to the playoffs a year ago. Carmelo Anthony was struggling through a tough second season, looking out of shape, taking bad shots and playing suspect defense. The Nuggets lacked confidence and an identity.
Karl came in and immediately established himself as the undisputed leader. He has a powerful presence bordering on arrogance, which is exactly what his team needed. "When the coach is confident, it breeds confidence in the team," said Boykins.
ADVERTISEMENT
Karl wanted to mold his team into a defensive dynamo, taking advantage of a long, active front line and good team speed. Much like his clubs in Seattle, Karl wanted the Nuggets to trap, double team, rotate into passing lanes and create general havoc, which would lead to fast-break opportunities.
Running would negate Denver's outside shooting deficiencies, and it would also capitalize on the city's high altitude, which usually shocks visiting teams early in games until players can get their second winds.
With Marcus Camby anchoring the defense as the league's No. 2 shot blocker, and Kenyon Martin, Nene and Francisco Elson all providing length and speed on the front line, Denver is well-equipped to be a very good defensive club.
Karl has helped the team figure out its identity. They lead the league in steals and rank seventh in blocked shots, which results in 17 fast-break points a game – third best in the NBA.
Perhaps most importantly, Karl is reviving Anthony's game and helping him to get back on the path to stardom. Karl told Anthony when he arrived that he could take as many shots as he wanted, but he wasn't allowed to "catch and hold" the ball – something Anthony had been doing all his life. Karl wanted his young star to learn to move without the ball, which would get him easier shots and make the offense flow. He wanted Melo to attack the rim and not just settle for fadeaway jump shots, as he had been doing all season – which is why he's shooting just 40 percent.
Thursday against the Pacers, Anthony looked like a different player. He moved constantly without the ball, aggressively drove the lane, shot 16 free throws and made 7 of 14 shots for 28 points. His energy and defensive activity were impressive.
In fact, the entire team's intensity has picked up since Karl took over. A team that was outrebounded by an average of 4.6 boards per game before Karl arrived is now outrebounding its opponents by more than three per night. The Nuggets' opponents shot 45.7 percent before Karl, and just 42 percent since. And the Nuggets have already won six road games under Karl, compared to just five beforehand.
The result is that Denver has now tied the Lakers for the final playoff spot in the West, and with a favorable schedule the rest of the way, is primed to overtake L.A. and reach the postseason. Perhaps Boykins was right: Karl's six-year contract gave him respect. But there's no denying that the man can coach.
Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.