2011/12 NBA Regular Season | ||
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@ | ||
10-5 | 2-12 | |
January 20, 2012 | ||
Verizon Center | ||
7 PM | ||
CSN+ | ||
Starters: | ||
Ty Lawson | PG | John Wall |
Arron Afflalo | SG | Nick Young |
Danilo Gallinari | SF | Chris Singleton |
Timofey Mosgov | PF | Andray Blatche |
Kosta Koufus | C | JaVale McGee |
PREGAME READING: Meet the Nuggets | Denver Stiffs | |
- Housekeeping items: Nene will indeed not play for the Nuggets, and Flip is sticking with his same starting lineup.
- Now, the stuff you want to know. Specifically, on JaVale McGee. I asked Flip Saunders about Pam McGee's comments, and he gave a very diplomatic answer. "We're happy with the development of where JaVale is. When you're look at him in college, he averaged 18 minutes a game. He comes into the NBA and he doesn't play much his first year, and he's had extensive play the last two years now. He's made a lot of improvement. We've worked with him, and I'm happy with where he's at. Everyone always wants more; that's just human nature. JaVale just has to keep on doing the things he does, from the standpoint of what we're doing with him development-wise. We're working with him every day and he's showing improvement, especially with his post game."
- On Pam's claims that they're jerking around McGee's playing time: "As a coach, I have to make the best decisions that are going to help those guys develop. The best way, if they're continuing to make the same mistakes, is not to let them play through things, it's to have them come out, look at it and let them know why he can't [do that]. There has to be value and consequence as far as making mistakes. But like I said, we like his development. He's turning into a solid center in the NBA."
- On the big-man coach thing: "As a staff, what we do is we set out what we want to work with the players. I've been around some of the best big men in the league. Kevin McHale has the best footwork of anyone that's ever played the game. I worked with Kevin back when he was in college, I worked with him in the summer and I worked with him when he was in the NBA. The things that he's getting, he's getting solid coaching with what we're working with him on."
- George Karl, meanwhile, was firmly on #TeamFlip. "Let's see. Would I trust Flip Saunders, or would I trust a player's minutes to his mother's comments?"
- More: "Players should have to earn minutes. They should have to earn their opportunity and not be given it. I think too many players in our league are given it and that's the problem we have with our league today."
- On another note, Ty Lawson gave some advice for John Wall. "Just take everything in stride. He's young, his team's young. He doesn't have too many vets like I had, so he's kind of on his own right now. Just take everything in stride."
GO WIZARDS!