<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Portland, Ore. - With a boisterous outburst from a chicken wing-eating Kenyon Martin, the subject of J.R. Smith's demotion from starter to reserve Sunday went largely unanswered by the principal subject."Man, nobody wants to talk about that," said Martin, the injured forward, from the next chair in the cramped visitors' locker room at the Rose Garden. "We ain't doing that on this team no more. He ain't going to answer that."Smith quietly listened. Then offered: "That's my captain. I have to do what the captain says."In an effort to continue to find a winning combination, Nuggets coach George Karl opted to start newly acquired guard Steve Blake over Smith against the Trail Blazers. Much of the decision stemmed from Smith's slow start since coming back Wednesday from a 10-game suspension. He has averaged 11.5 points on 30 percent shooting (9-of-30) from the field, including 2-of-11 from 3-point range."It's hard to come back over 10 games and just perform like that," Smith said. "So I have to take it under consideration that (Karl is) doing what's best for the team right now and wait till the rust gets off."I just have to focus more on my shots, and work with my teammates more on the defensive end. Getting stops and helping out on the defensive end will definitely get me in the groove."Karl said he didn't "have time to be patient. I don't have time to say he's earned the right to come back (and start immediately). I just have to find out who fits with who and how it's going to work."Smith's absence from the starting lineup is a game-to-game decision, Karl said, adding that he wasn't worried he was playing his two best ballhandlers from the start and has no true point guard coming off the bench."You can manage that," Karl said.</div>http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_5015605If JR Smith can accept his role off the bench, this is going to work magic. We are in desperate need of scoring off the bench. He has been playing well of the bench so far, averaging 17 ppg as a reserve since his suspension. The question is, how long he will last before expressing his opinion.It looks like we will be using a lineup of Blake, Iverson, Carmelo, Nene, and Camby. I don't mind Steve Blake in the starting lineup, he's a pass first point guard which is what we need with Iverson and Carmelo taking most of our shots.
Well like Smith said, if he starts getting back to when he was before the suspension, he'll probably be promoted back to the starting lineup. But the starting off the bench probably won't me permanent knowing that george karl is just trying out new lineups to see which is better for the team. But the team also doesn't have a PG that comes off the bench, so later on near the end of the season AI can play pg and blake can come off the bench.
as I said .. it didn't work well with the hornets in this situation and I don't think it's gonna be any different now with the nuggets.
I heard that he has not been able to find his shooting touch since coming back from the suspension...Maybe coming off the bench will help...You never know..
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>He has been playing well of the bench so far, averaging 17 ppg as a reserve since his suspension.</div>
Well, I heard this before he had his 24 point game of course. Before that, he was getting 12-14 ppg, but shooting terrible percentages. I heard that his shot was off in the early going.
If he can accept his role it will work. If he starts to complain, I don't know what we could do because Blake in the starting lineup is the right move.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Amare320 @ Jan 22 2007, 01:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>as I said .. it didn't work well with the hornets in this situation and I don't think it's gonna be any different now with the nuggets.</div>Well so far, he has been playing much better with the Nuggets so lets see how this works.
Id rather have Allen Iverson play point guard any day over Steve Blake...even though he has a shoot first mentality, he is still able to get the ball to his teamates when needed.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Iverson3 @ Jan 22 2007, 05:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Id rather have Allen Iverson play point guard any day over Steve Blake...even though he has a shoot first mentality, he is still able to get the ball to his teamates when needed.</div>Blake and Allen have exhibited great chemistry so far in the short time they've played together, plus Blake is a more traditional point guard. This allows Iverson to concentrate on scoring along with 'Melo early, and then bringing JR off the bench. Good move by Karl.
Yeah smart. But Earl Boykins is a cat that I will miss, even though, IMO, that was a great move by both teams. But what sucks is that AI and Earl had great chemistry but its good that Blake and Iverson have clicked these past games, and Blake is a great addition to our lineup.
I don't know if Boykins and AI had great chemistry. Chemistry isn't just evident by the two putting up big numbers, but AI and Blake know what each other are thinking and have been playing a great two man game thus far in 'Melo's absence. Not to mention Blake provides Denver with more flexibility and versatility because he has been scoring and can settle into a more traditional passing role now that Anthony is returning.
Everytime that I have watched Blake play so far, he has impressed me. He played amazing against the Cavs, and im pretty sure that he has had a game on denver where he put up over 20 points. He is a pass first pg and a good one at that. Denver needs a good scorer off the bench and I think its going to be good for JR. As long as he gets good minutes, there is nothing wrong with it.
JR Smith I thought should have started, but now that I watch Blake is doing great.I don't really care I think both can work well. But if he has a problem coming of the bench send him packing in a deal for JO. LOLCheck out rumor on yahoo.comhttp://sports.yahoo.com/nba/rumors/post/Pa...t?urn=nba,21816
When the Nuggets first traded for Steve Blake I was a bit upset. Not because they traded away Bokyins - which I agreed and understood - but because I felt they could have gotten more for Boykins then a mere Steve Blake.But I was wrong. Blake is a perfect fit for the Nuggets and even as a starter.Blake has immediately stepped in and has had success. I'm impressed. He's a good defender, a decent shooter, and a good passer.The team needs a scorer off the bench, and JR Smith fits that bill perfectly. Smith struggles defensively, especially in the fundamentals. Blake is a much better defender right now.Bring Smith off the bench, also almost guarantees that the Nuggets will have two potent scorers on the floor all the time - which is great.
Well this is obvious. AI is better as a SG anyway, and JR AI and Melo all at once would be dumb since there won't be enough points to go around.
Well I don't see why JR, Melo, AI can't just combine for 140 points in a game :dribble: there's plenty to go around if they play at the right pace.
With smith on the bench, it just makes our bench even stronger. IMO, I could care less who starts. They are both two great players who add many attributes to this team.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Amare320 @ Jan 25 2007, 03:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Well I don't see why JR, Melo, AI can't just combine for 140 points in a game :dribble: there's plenty to go around if they play at the right pace.</div>Exactly you would have JR open like every single time. lol
