Denver Nuggets Blog – Page 32 – NBA Blog

George Karl wins 2012-13 NBA Coach of Year award

Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl is the recipient of the Red Auerbach Trophy as the 2012-13 NBA Coach of the Year, the NBA announced today. Under Karl’s stewardship, the Nuggets finished with a league-best 38-3 (.927) mark at home and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra finished second in the voting, followed by New York Knicks coach Mike Woodson who finished third, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich fourth, and Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel fifth.

In earning his first NBA Coach of the Year, Karl totaled 404 points, including 62 first-place votes, from a panel of 121 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Coaches were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote. The award was tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP.

The Nuggets went 57-25 (.695) – the league’s fourth-best record – despite beginning the season as the league’s third-youngest team with an average age of 24.9 years, and not having a player score more than 16.7 points per game during the regular season. According to NBA.com/Stats, the Nuggets ranked third in assists (24.4 apg), generating an assist on 60.0 percent of their made field goals. Denver ranked fifth in player impact estimate (53.8 percent), offensive rating (107.6) and net rating (+5.6).

The Nuggets’ 38-3 record at Pepsi Center was a franchise-best and tied for the 14th best home record in league annals. Additionally, their .927 winning percentage at home was the highest since 2008-09 when the Cleveland Cavaliers went 39-2 (.951) at Quicken Loans Arena.

In his 25th season as an NBA head coach (ninth with Denver), Karl earned two Western Conference Coach of the Month awards during the 2012-13 campaign. He won for March after leading Denver to a conference-best 13-2 (.867) mark, which included wins in the first 12 games of the month, feeding a 15-game, franchise-tying-best winning streak. He earned his first monthly nod in January after the Nuggets opened the New Year with a 12-3 (.800) record. During January, Karl passed Larry Brown for sixth place on the all-time coaching wins list and notched his 1,100th career win.

The sixth-winningest coach in NBA annals and the active wins leader, Karl has amassed 1,131 career victories in the NBA, including a streak of 21-straight non-losing seasons – tied with Phil Jackson (21, 1989-90-2010-11) for the most in NBA history.

The Coach of the Year Award is named after legendary coach and Hall of Famer Red Auerbach who guided the Celtics to nine NBA Championships. In 1996, Auerbach was honored as one of the Top 10 Coaches in NBA History as the NBA celebrated its 50th anniversary.

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Josh Kroenke, Masai Ujiri likely sticking together in Nuggets front-office

When it was over Thursday night in Oakland, Calif., each man in a suit found a nook in the concrete back hallway of Oracle Arena, lost in what-ifs.

Josh Kroenke and Masai Ujiri. The front-office duo that restructured the Nuggets. The team’s biggest fans.

Each man took extremely hard the loss that knocked the Nuggets out of the playoffs. But on Friday, it was back to work. Meetings and media, phone calls and texts. Kroenke and Ujiri are committed to getting the Nuggets deeper in the playoffs, and it appears they are committed to each other as work partners.

Ujiri’s contract as general manager is up at the end of June. Kroenke, the team president, said Friday: “For the fans, they should know that Masai wants to be here, and I think he enjoys working for me. I think we make a pretty good team, along with Pete (D’Alessandro, vice president of basketball operations) and Dan (Tolzman, scouting director) and the rest of our scouting staff. So I wouldn’t anticipate any issues there.”

— Reported by Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post

Kenneth Faried wins 2013 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award

Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets has been voted the 2012-13 winner of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, named after the second commissioner of the NBA and presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association to the player, coach or trainer who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community

Faried won the NBA’s “Community Assist Award” for February in recognition of his outstanding efforts in the community and his ongoing philanthropic and charitable work, including his efforts to champion equality and bring awareness to the importance of respect and inclusion. Faried recently became a member of Athlete Ally, an organization that works to encourage acceptance of others and end homophobia in sports. In a show of support for equal rights, he attended the launch party for One Colorado to celebrate the passing of Senate Bill 11, The Colorado Civil Union Act. Faried also supported the message of inclusion by participating as an honorary coach at the 2013 NBA Cares Special Olympics Unified Sports Basketball Game during NBA All-Star in Houston.

The Nuggets forward has been an integral part of the team’s community outreach efforts this season, having purchased a block of season tickets for distribution to children from Special Olympics Colorado, Denver Public Schools and the Denver Rescue Mission as part of the team’s community ticket program. Faried also joined the giveSPORTS Equipment Drive to provide inspiration and joy for individuals affected by the Colorado wildfires and the tragic shooting at the Aurora movie theater. As part of the NBA Cares Pediatric Cancer Awareness Campaign, Faried brought smiles to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital patients and families by treating the group to an unforgettable Team Fit clinic. Faried also donated and personally delivered 44 pairs of sneakers to a local middle school basketball team for use during the upcoming season. During his visit, he met with the team to discuss the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship and education.

“Kenneth’s commitment to equality and inclusion is praise-worthy,” said Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, president of the Professional Basketball Writers Association. “He has reached out to so many areas in need and touched so many different communities in Denver and Colorado that it is only right to celebrate his efforts.”

The PBWA comprises approximately 125 writers for newspapers, Internet services and magazines, who cover the NBA on a regular basis.

Other finalists nominated by PBWA members this year were Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks, Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls, Kyle Korver of the Atlanta Hawks, David Lee of the Golden State Warriors, Jason Terry of the Boston Celtics and Tristan Thompson of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Danilo Gallinari has arthroscopic knee surgery

Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari is recovering from arthroscopic surgery to repair meniscus damage in his left knee.
The procedure was performed Monday at the Steadman Clinic in Vail.

After a short-term rehabilitation, a date will be scheduled for Gallinari to undergo surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Gallinari suffered the injury on April 4. He averaged 16.2 points and 5.2 rebounds – both career-highs – and made a team-leading 135 3-pointers in 71 games this season.

Nuggets must trust big men to advance in NBA playoffs

The Nuggets did not pay center JaVale McGee a $10 million salary so coach George Karl could let him rot on the bench in the playoffs.

After being good enough to be in the starting lineup 81 times for a 57-win team during the regular season, center Kosta Koufos lost his job after one loss to Golden State, as if it were his fault the Nuggets cannot defend 3-point shots from Warriors guard Steph Curry.

Anybody know where the Nuggets can find two psychiatrist couches in an extra long? The Denver centers are 14 feet of head case.

Want to know why the Nuggets are unexpectedly trailing upstart Golden State 2-1 in this best-of-seven playoff series?

Denver is afraid to be the bigger team.

— Reported by Mark Kizla of the Denver Post

Stephen Curry helps Warriors tie series with Nuggets

The Golden State Warriors hardly missed much of anything Tuesday night.

Not their shots.

Not their injured All-Star.

Stephen Curry had 30 points and 13 assists and the scrappy Warriors handed the Denver Nuggets their first loss at home in more than three months, a 131-117 stunner that evened their playoff series at a game each.

Rallying around injured David Lee, who cheered on the bench in street clothes, the Warriors got 26 points from surprise starter Jarrett Jack, a career-high 24 from rookie Harrison Barnes in his debut at power forward and 21 from Klay Thompson.

The sixth-seeded Warriors, who became the second road team to win in the postseason following Chicago’s victory at Brooklyn on Monday, wrested homecourt advantage from the NBA’s best home team in the series that shifts to Oakland for Game 3 on Friday night.

”They were knocking down shots,” Denver’s Andre Iguodala said in an understatement.

Better than they ever had before in a playoff game, a franchise playoff-record 64.6 percent from the field (51 of 79)…

Ty Lawson and Corey Brewer each scored 19 points for Denver and Iguodala and Miller both had 18, but the Nuggets were playing catch-up from the middle of the second quarter and couldn’t keep up with so many of the Warriors’ shots falling, negating Denver’s league-best transition game…

— Reported by Arnie Stapleton of the Associated Press

Kenneth Faried day-to-day with sprained ankle

Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried underwent an MRI today on his left ankle. The exam revealed a sprain of the Anterior Talofibular ligament but no fractures.

Faried, averaging 11.5 points and a team-leading 9.2 rebounds per game, will miss the final two games of the regular season and be listed as day-to-day as the Nuggets prepare for the Western Conference playoffs.

The Nuggets play tonight at Milwaukee and conclude the regular-season Wednesday at home against the Phoenix Suns.

Kenneth Faried sprains ankle in Nuggets win over Blazers

The Denver Nuggets are getting good at bittersweet moments.

Andre Iguodala scored 28 points and the Nuggets set an NBA franchise record with their 55th win Sunday, beating the short-handed Portland Trail Blazers 118-109 but losing another starter.

On the day Ty Lawson (right heel) returned to Denver’s starting lineup for the first time since March 27 and played an encouraging 31 minutes, forward Kenneth Faried sprained his left ankle in the opening minutes while driving for a layup and didn’t return.

”We’re dropping like flies, man,” Lawson said. ”Well, it’s not too serious, I heard, so he might be out for a week or so. He’s a tough guy.”

Although X-rays were negative, coach George Karl stressed that he didn’t want to guess about Faried’s availability for the playoffs that start next weekend until after his top rebounder goes for an MRI on Monday…

Iguodala also grabbed seven rebounds, dished out nine assists, blocked three shots and had three steals to go with his 28 points, marking the first time in his career he’d posted those numbers in a game.

And rookie Evan Fournier scored 24 points in his second career start, sinking a pair of crucial 3-pointers in the closing minutes after the Trail Blazers had cut a 20-point deficit to 104-101 with 3:33 left.

— Reported by Arnie Stapleton of the Associated Press

Nolan Smith will always be linked to Kenneth Faried

No matter what happens the rest of his career, Nolan Smith has accepted that he will always be linked to Kenneth Faried.

After every mammoth dunk, every dizzying double-double, every hustle-infused highlight-reel moment Denver’s “Manimal” unleashes, somewhere, some disbelieving Trail Blazers fan will curse under his breath: “He should be a Blazer.”

“I don’t blame them,” Smith said. “I don’t blame them at all. Seeing what he’s doing, seeing how he plays when he’s on the court with his team, it’s very easy to say, ‘Damn, we could have had him.’ But they could have had Michael Jordan, as well. It’s part of the draft. They’re mad at Greg Oden, too. So you can just add me to the guys they can be mad at.”

And there’s no question Blazers fans are mad. The team’s decision to select Smith one spot ahead of Faried with the No. 21 overall pick of the 2011 NBA draft is one of several personnel moves that led to last season’s roster implosion and this season’s rebuild.

— Reported by Joe Freeman of the Oregonian

Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari out for season with ACL tear

With the NBA Playoffs mere weeks away, the Denver Nuggets just lost a crucial part of their team to major injury.

An MRI exam today revealed that Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during Thursday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.

Fortunately, the MRI showed no signs of other ligament or meniscus damage. He will miss the remainder of the 2012-13 season.

“We’re extremely disappointed for Gallo. He was having a career year in scoring and rebounding and was a huge reason for our success,” Nuggets executive vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said. “We will obviously support him and be there for him throughout his recovery.

“Knowing his work ethic and commitment to getting back on the floor, we are confident he will come back stronger than ever next season.”

Gallinari, 24, averaged 16.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 71 games this season.

Surgery will be scheduled at a later date, and a prognosis for a full recovery is excellent.

Fortunately for the Nuggets, they have a deep roster, and should certainly remain very competitive during the 2013 postseason. But this is still a large blow to their squad.