Amazingly, Karl says he will try to make it back to the Nuggets’ bench for Friday’s game at New Orleans. Radiation treatments to this point have had minor side-effects, but today’s surgery immediately followed by tomorrows Chemotherapy will likely have a more profound effect.
We must come to terms with this medley of rough, smooth, fresh & big athletes. They are the best chance Denver has had and will have for a Championship run over the next 2-3 years.
Coach Dantley filled-in for Coach George Karl as he was absent for tonight’s game in Oakland against the Warriors to receive treatment for cancer.
While Chauncey took it upon himself to fuel the offense with timely scores and a general’s bravado, Carmelo Anthony played the part of Referee Lobbyist.
For the majority of this game, Boston was the better team, but during the time the Nuggets were the better team they just crushed the Celtics.
The Nuggets were simply the more explosive team in a game that saw the Celtics struggling to gain ground after Denver pulled out to an early lead. Boston could never muster the offensive firepower to catch up, and each time the Nuggets’ lead dwindled they responded with powerful offensive runs.
With Coach George Karl making it clear that cancer will not hold him back from his life, let alone coaching, the emotional and inspired Nuggets may have stamped their letter of commitment to chasing down an NBA title.
It wasn’t a great game for the Nuggets… but it’s tough to critique a solid road win against a Conference-leading team. Not perfect, but good enough for a big win out of the All-Star Break.
This was not the fault of poor selection, this was not the fault of mismanagement, this was not the fault of transition play, this was not the fault of bad rebounding… even though all those thing had something to do with it.
Without top offensive threat Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets will almost surely lose. But for Kobe Bryant, the game is still a must-win.
