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Tuesday, December 19, 2000
Nugs: Better shooting, defense would help



For every NBA team that is on a roll, there is a team that isn't. That's why we need the doctor -- Dr. Jack Ramsay. Each week in Dr. Jack's Prescription, the Hall of Fame coach will analyze a team in distress, and offer a cure to what ails them.

This week: Denver Nuggets
Antonio McDyess
McDyess has his game looking good, but he needs help from teammates.

The Symptoms
The Denver Nuggets had just scored impressive home wins over Seattle and Philadelphia to raise their record to 10-8. Then they lost four in a row -- to Miami, Orlando, New York and Boston -- on a recent Eastern trip, negating the momentum built on those homestand wins. They also own victories over the Lakers, Spurs and Minnesota -- twice -- all in the Mile High City. They were 8-3 at home, going into Tuesday's game with Miami (which they lost); but 2-9 on the road.

They are outscored 100-96 by opponents over the season and, although they have a potentially high-scoring trio in Antonio McDyess (20 ppg), Voshon Lenard (13 ppg ) and Nick Van Exel (17 ppg) -- who also leads the league in assist/turnover ratio (9-2) -- they rank 21st in field goal percentage (.427). Reserve players Keon Clark, Robert Pack, Tariq Abdul-Wahad, George McCloud and Tracy Murray shoot between 43 percent and 24 percent from the field. Team defense is also a weakness. Denver is the only team in the NBA to allow 100 points a game to opponents; and it ranks 19th in field goal percentage defense (.448). It also allows the fourth-highest number of rebounds to opponents at 44.3 per game.

Those are statistical symptoms of a struggling team. There's also the psychological factor of not being able to win on the road that stretches back to 1996. During that time span the Nuggets are 34 and 161 on the road! In '98 and '99, the Nuggets won only four out of a total 66 road games played. Everyone in Denver -- fans, media, team management and players -- are aware of that record. In away games played this season, the Nuggets appear to wait for the inevitable defeat to happen. After the tough, last-second overtime loss to Boston last Sunday, coach Dan Issel, attempting to put a positive spin on the game said, "If we play like that, something will break for us. We just have to keep playing."

Add to all those factors an incident in which the Denver players, feeling that Issel had come down too hard on center Raef LaFrentz after the Celtics loss, considered boycotting practice the following day. The situation was resolved by a team meeting -- but yet indicates a lack of harmony between the players and their coach.

The Diagnosis
The Nuggets are a Jekyll and Hyde team -- good enough on their home court to be in the playoffs, but with no chance based on their road performances. They must find a way to play on the road with the same intensity, poise and skill that they demonstrate at home. No small task, but that's what has to happen.
LaFrentz
LaFrentz

The flap with coach Issel indicates a failure of the players to focus on the main issue -- what they must do to play winning basketball -- whether it be at home or on the road.

Denver generally scores well enough to win consistently; but must improve its team defense to be a playoff team. No team that leads the league in points allowed will be in postseason play. In general, teams score high point totals when they run out from missed shots or turnovers. The Nuggets don't turn the ball over excessively (14.5 tpg), but shoot a low field goal percentage and are outrebounded consistently, as noted above. Opposing teams frequently rebound missed Denver field goal efforts to get quick scores. Limiting fast break opportunities is the first step in keeping opposing point totals at a manageable level. A tighter system of team defense which takes advantage of shot blockers McDyess, LaFrentz and Clark is also needed.

Van Exel
Van Exel

Improved percentage shooting from the field would also benefit the Nuggets. McDyess is the only player who shoots better than 50 percent from the field. The other starters (Lenard, Van Exel, Posey and LaFrentz) and the principal bench players -- especially Murray -- have enough skill and experience to shoot with better accuracy. There's also an absence of the tough-minded determination that all good teams possess that enables them to overcome trends in the game that run counter to their expectations. Strong teams battle back; the Nuggets often cave in.

The Cure
There's no quick fix for what ails the Denver Nuggets; but a good start would be to focus on reducing opponents' points scored, rather than merely trying to outscore them. That means a commitment to defense that must begin on the practice floor. The Nuggets need to get down to the basics of denying quick drives to the hoop; and developing consistent methods of handling screens, providing weak-side help, applying effective traps and rotations, blocking out for rebounds, and getting back against fast breaks. That will take a lot of hard practice work -- but it will pay dividends in upcoming games. Confidence in team defense builds pride in the total team game that will always be there, whether at home or on the road.

Lenard
Lenard

Clark
Clark

On offense, Denver needs to be more patient with its execution in order to obtain higher percentage shots. They have the weapons to score enough points to win -- IF players take shots that they can make consistently. Shot selection is key. McDyess is an excellent scorer from the post and can drive to the hoop; he's not great from the perimeter. He needs to confine his game to a 15-foot radius from the basket, and must handle double-teams better. He needs to find open teammates with simple, direct passes to avoid turnovers when trapped. He has only 36 assists against 60 turnovers this season.

Van Exel is shooting only .396, but has a special ability to find the open man. His first responsibility is to create scores for his teammates and then take the good shots that come to him, a delicate, but critical line to observe. Lenard has the ability to be a great shooter -- from distance, mid-range and even at the post. Taking only good shots will improve his current .424 field goal percentage. LaFrentz shoots well from the perimeter, has an effective drive to the basket, and is a good passer for a big man (19-15 assist-turnover). He's capable of averaging 15 ppg and 10 rpg -- a step up from his marks this season. Posey must monitor his shots to improve his overall game. He's better than .431 field goal percentage, 7.6 ppg and 3.6 rpg.

The same premise applies to the bench players. Murray, coming back from injury, could provide a big lift to the offense with his perimeter shooting (career .394 from 3-point range); Abdul-Wahad needs to accept his substitute role and get his game back (11 ppg last season). The same can be said of McCloud (.349 field goal percentage). Clark and Pack, good defenders, should score enough to keep opposing defenses honest.

Better shot selection means a higher field goal percentage, fewer fast breaks by the opposition and, combined with improved half-court defense, a better chance to win games -- yes, even on the road.

Lastly, the Nuggets must pull together, and show a unified determination to make this season a success. If they do, they'll find the joy of winning is so much better than the misery of defeat.



ALSO SEE
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Nets

Dr. Jack's Prescription: Heat

Dr. Jack's Prescription: Sonics

Dr. Jack's Prescription: Bucks

Dr. Jack's Prescription: Raptors




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