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Wow I don't remember Duncan calling a meeting.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...490677,00.html
Karl may attempt another psych-out connection with San Antonio
By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News
April 18, 2007
SAN ANTONIO - Looks as if George Karl will have to think of a new tactic this time against the San Antonio Spurs.
Two years ago, when the Nuggets faced the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs, the coach resorted to what he called "gamesmanship." After a Game 3 loss, he ripped Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, calling his style "ugly" and "hard to watch" because he "throws his arms up and throws his elbows into us."
Karl was doing anything he could to slow Ginobili, including the hope of getting help from officials. But with Ginobili averaging 21 points, the Spurs won the next two games to close the best-of-seven series in five.
"Didn't work," Karl said of his strategy.
Now, as the Nuggets prepare to face the Spurs in the first round, Karl said, "I'll try something else."
Ginobili, who still gets booed at the Pepsi Center, took no offense with what Karl did, even though he said it was the "first time I'd really been criticized like that." Ginobili knew Karl was trying to be strategic.
"It wasn't something that was said because he was upset or anything," Ginobili said. "He thought about it and he thought it might help. . . . (Last season) he (asked) me if I understood what he tried to do. I said, 'No problem, coach. Do what you have to do.' " (sometimes I think Manu can be too nice)
Karl said he wanted to set matters straight with Ginobili.
"I was trying to throw something on a fire," Karl said. "Sometimes you get a fire going in a direction that can help your psyche. . . . I told him the next season, 'You're a of a player. I was just playing the psych game of the NBA playoffs.' "
There will be no need for psyche games tonight, when the Nuggets face the Spurs in a meaningless finale at the AT&T Center (6 MDT, Al ude). With many top players likely to be in street clothes, Spurs guard Brent Barry said it will be "like a preseason game."
The real action will get under way in Game 1 of the playoffs in San Antonio, most likely Sunday. Don't be surprised if some memories are stirred about what happened in the series two years ago.
The Nuggets have six players remaining from that team, although Kenyon Martin is out because of a right knee injury. The Spurs have seven players left, including four starters. Don't think the Spurs won't remember what happened in Game 1 in 2005, getting beat 93-87 at home.
"It made us wake up," Spurs forward Robert Horry said. "Sometimes fluke things happen to you. It actually helped us play better."
Devin Brown, a guard on that Spurs team who now plays for the Hornets, remembers usually reserved forward Tim Duncan calling a team meeting and getting as vocal as Brown had seen him.
"He said, 'We didn't do all this to get home-court advantage and to come in here and lose,' " Brown said. "It was the first time in three or four years Tim actually called a meeting and we were in there for an hour and a half."
Duncan's recollection of the meeting, which led to the fired-up Spurs crushing the Nuggets 104-76 in Game 2?
"I don't remember," he said. "Honestly, in 10 years (as a player), you lose your memory."
So maybe the Spurs don't recall every detail from two years ago. They have played plenty of series through the years and, in 2005, were on their way to a third NBA le in seven years.
It's much easier for those in Denver to remember. The Nuggets have played only three playoff series in the previous 11 seasons.
"That was a heck of a first game," forward Eduardo Najera said.
"We thought we had accomplished something. . . . But we didn't concentrate as well the second game. . . . But this is a whole different team now. We got Allen Iverson and Carmelo (Anthony) has more experience now."
Center Marcus Camby remembers San Antonio's Bruce Bowen frustrating Anthony two years ago. Anthony averaged 19.2 points on 42.2 percent shooting in the series.
"Bowen was doing a terrific job on Melo," Camby said. "But I think over the years, Melo has sort of figured him out a little bit, figured out different ways to score, to get him in foul trouble and stuff like that."
Anthony doesn't disagree.
"I'm much more mature than I was then," said Anthony, who says the Nuggets are "way better" than they were two years ago. "I know what I have to do for us to win, which is not scoring 30, 35 points a game, especially not in the playoffs. . . . I was young (in 2005) playing against a veteran guy like Bruce Bowen.
"Hopefully, I can go get my mental on right now."
Perhaps that, as well as the addition of Iverson, will serve the Nuggets well this time. Maybe Karl won't have to resort to gamesmanship.
Wow I don't remember Duncan calling a meeting.
That is because you are senile.
Every 1st round underdog says the same thing. "we're better now than we've ever been before". Right.
I think I am now dumber for having read that phrase...
maybe your mailbox was full and you didn't get the evite
Good read
That was magical playoffs. Hopefully the spurs will win in 5 this series cause. Iver wants it preety bad. Melo is dangerous and Camby wants to get out of TD complex
My thoughts exactly...what an idiot.
Haha you guys...
Because it worked so well the first time...
Imagine trying to follow a "conversation" of Shawn Marion, Melo, and AI!
not to mention Kenyon MartinImagine trying to follow a "conversation" of Shawn Marion, Melo, and AI!
Hey guys please be quiet, I'm trying to get my mental on.
It didn't last an hour and a half. We were in there for forty-five minutes, tops.
Karl is full of about "gamesmanship." He's just trying to cover up the fact that he's a fat whiny sack.
It seems every year we are "threatened" in the 1st round (though last year was a bit scary). I remeber Memphis, Denver, Sac, and now Denver again?????? ROUND 1 IS A WRAP!
So now karl is pretending to be a better actor than a fat John Litgow???
He could not have pretended to be sweating like a pig and crying about Manu 2 years ago in the press conferences. he is saying that was premeditated?
Even manu knows this, he might have said "it's ok" but he was actually thinking "whatever, you fat crybaby mother er"
Ok, Ok...we will win in 6 games this time ; happy?
sure, if by 'we' you mean the Nuggets
Well hopefully it WILL be like '05, but with AI and Melo, it could be a tough series either way
I think Camby and Nene will be the biggest difference. Camby has played 70 games which is alot for him and he has been a beast lately
Nene has lost like 500 pounds since preseason and has developed some nice post moves. He seems to score at will down low WHEN they get him the ball. His D on Duncan will be key.
AI and Melo will get their points but its their D that will count the most. If they dont play D then it will be tough.
The Nuggets bench is also stronger. Linas Kleiza is playing great, JR can catch on fire, Yak can play good D, Najera can hussle and DJ can warm benches like no other.
It's rough when you have to face a master psychologist like George Karl in the first round.
Even if the refs rally round the ghost of Joey Crawford, it won't be enough.
So wait...
Iso plays for Melo and AI and no defense is supposed to scare me how?
I don't know why spur fans are talking so much . these will be very hard fought games.
Spurs could still win it in 5, but 5 very hard games.
and either Manu needs to step up as in 05 or Manu + Parker need to step it up a little bit or else we'll be in trouble.
Like Pop said, we still have 1 more gear to go and we will get there in the playoffs. we gotta get ther in round 1.
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