 Casey |
The Clippers have been one of the best stories of the year, returning to the playoffs for the first time since 1997 when they lost in the first round. Denver’s been able to ride the best statistical fastbreak in basketball and the superstar play of Carmelo Anthony while withstanding a number of injuries to finish 44-38 and win the Northwest Division.
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Anthony and the Nuggets hope to soar in the playoffs.
Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images |
To me there is something missing in Denver. I don’t pretend to know what it is, but they sometimes just play the game, like in a summer league. It doesn’t look like a game plan. In a recent game near the end of the season Andre Miller sat out the whole fourth quarter because he didn’t like the whole demeanor or the way they were playing, which is not a good sign at this time of the year.
Who knows his reasoning for doing it. Do they have a lot of potential weapons? Yes they do. Anthony is legit, having had his best season statistically with 26.5 points per game. He can score in multiple ways. Kenyon Martin is hanging around despite a bum knee, but he just doesn’t seem in the mix enough, offensively or defensively. And Marcus Camby – although having played in only 56 games – is probably having the best year of his career.
For Denver, their fast break is their trump card. They know they are going to get 20 points on the break. With Camby blocking shots and Miller getting it up the floor, they have the capacity for easy baskets.
Look for potential double teams from the Nuggets when Elton Brand gets the ball. Why double team? Because they want to get the ball out of Brand’s hands and put the pressure on Vladimir Radmanovic and Cuttino Mobley to score.
Somehow the Clippers have the Nuggets' number. They seem to be able to manage them very, very well. Brand is a scoring machine and legitimate MVP candidate. He really has a baseline, low-post game. Chris Kaman has to step up. Sammy Cassell has been around. He has to do what he has been doing all year, which is make big shots and control this team offensively. The Clippers have to curtail the fast break, which they have done this year, ranking No. 1 in that category.
Similar to the Spurs-Kings series, we’re back to the pick-and-roll scenario. Mike Dunleavy is of that mindset and Cassell will be very important in that area. The kid, Shaun Livingston, does everything but score. He can penetrate and dish and they are going to put him in those situations. How will the Nuggets defend the pick-and-roll? There is more worry with Sammy for the Nuggets then there is with Andre for the Clippers.
There is a lot of responsibility on Miller. Carmelo will get it done, but how will Andre direct the offense and will he be effective in stopping Sammy? He has to do a lot for them to win. Having said that, the new guy on the block, Reggie Evans, has a little bit of a power game. He can post up pretty good and might be an x-factor as well. The same goes for James Singleton because he shuts people down defensively.
Don’t forget about Corey Maggette, who played in only 32 games this year, but is a legitimate scorer. If he has his body together and his bounce back, then the Clips are a force.
The Clippers have a deep team and a lot of talent and Denver is just missing something. Los Angeles closes it out on Denver’s home court in six.
-- Don Casey appears courtesy of the National Basketball Coaches Association.
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