JR Awake on Offense, Asleep on Defense

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">DURANGO - Just about everyone has one in the Western Conference.

But not the Nuggets.

That would be a proven shooting guard.

The "A" list in the West includes All-Stars Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen, Tracy McGrady and Manu Ginobili and high-scoring Jason Richardson. Even those on the "B" list such as Jason Terry, Ricky Davis and Cuttino Mobley aren't too shabby.

The Nuggets, though, have been on a Captain Ahab-like quest for a shooting guard.

There are many who believe third-year man J.R. Smith, acquired during the offseason, could prove to be that elusive piece.

Reviews on Smith after Tuesday's first day of training camp at Fort Lewis College were positive. Well, at least offensively.

"Talented. Skilled. A little mistake-prone," Nuggets coach George Karl said of Smith's first practice. "Falls asleep on defense."

That's not good. Karl demands solid defense out of his shooting guard. That's why stoppers Greg Buckner and Ruben Patterson combined for 47 starts last season.

But Buckner and Patterson are gone. So, if Karl decides defense remains a top priority at shooting guard, Smith, 21, better step it up.

"He's right," Smith said of Karl's assessment of his defense. "A couple of times I did get lost. Hopefully, I'll just keep progressing."

Karl isn't worried about rookie Yakhouba Diawara's defense. Karl called Diawara, along with big men Kenyon Martin and Nene, one of the top three players on the court in Tuesday's morning practice, which was followed by a light evening session.

"Yakhouba can be our best defensive player on the perimeter," Karl said. "We kind of need that with (Buckner and Patterson) gone."

So throw Diawara into the mix as a possible starter at shooting guard, especially when the Nuggets face the likes of Bryant and Allen. And don't forget DerMarr Johnson, who got 40 starts in 2004-05 and 21 last season.

While not yet in camp, Johnson is likely to re-sign. Karl said the "pendulum is probably heading" toward him coming back and Johnson's good friend, Martin, said he's "hearing" the same thing.

But, if Smith can play at least reasonable defense, he could secure the spot. He has raised eyebrows offensively.

"He shoots the ball better than I thought he could," Martin said. "I thought he was just an athlete."

Center Marcus Camby said Smith looked "exceptionally well" and added he would be happy "if this is the team we go into the season with."

But not everyone is convinced of that.

"We won't know until the games start," forward Carmelo Anthony said of whether the Nuggets have adequately addressed the shooting guard spot.

Karl said Anthony will also play some shooting guard. And Karl said having a healthy Earl Boykins, who broke his left hand late last season, will be important since Boykins and fellow point guard Andre Miller usually close games together.

Obviously, if Smith shoots well, that will help his cause tremendously. Outside marksmanship remains the most troublesome area on the Nuggets, but Smith at least shot a respectable 37.1 percent from three-point range in his first two seasons with the Hornets.

"Definitely," Smith said when asked if he can be the shooter the Nuggets need. "I try not to be one-dimensional. I try to do multiple things. Driving to the basket. Shooting the three. Drive and kick. Whatever it takes to be an offensive threat."

How much he plays, though, may depend on whether he can be a defensive threat. </div>

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