jaybone, stop that. This dated article (linked below) ranks the 2003-2004 Nuggets season ninth, and I'm sure there have been more impressive seasons since this has been published. Also, the analysis of this "historic" season fails to mention the coach of this team. Instead, two words: Carmelo Anthony (also, Andre Miller and a non-injured Marcus Camby). Oh, and the Nuggets lost in the first round of the playoffs (to the Timberwolves).
9. 2003-04 Nuggets
17-65, .207, in 2002-03; 43-39, .524, in 2003-04
Two words: Carmelo Anthony. The rookie averaged 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals a game, finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, and energized both the team and the Denver fan base. Meanwhile, free agent Juwan Howard, the team's leading scorer in 2002-03, took off for Orlando
Point guard Andre Miller arrived from the Clippers and led the team in assists and steals and was the Nuggets' second-leading scorer. Marcus Camby, who'd played a total of 58 games in the previous two seasons, was good for 72 games and a team-leading 10.1 rebounds. And Earl Boykins, coming off the bench, averaged 10.2 points and 3.5 assists in about 22 minutes a game. The Nuggets lost to the Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=list/050110/nbaturnarounds
First, you realize that is a subjective list and not an actual mathematical list, right? Second, who cares? He was the coach of the 9th most impressive turnaround, 6th best statistical turnaround, whatever. He was the coach and I thought he was great w/ the Nuggets.
10 years ago I simply watched a ton of NBA games. I had the NBA ticket which was relatively new, had just broken up with the long-term leg, and 9-11 had just happened so I was barely employed and living in NYC. I spent way way way too many nights licking my wounds a bit and watching a ton of NBA basketball. I think the only nights I missed NBA games were if there was a party somewhere or if the ex-leg came over for a mutual grudge fuck.
I liked him, liked what he was doing with the Nuggets almost more when they sucked than after they got Melo. The year before, when he won 17 games, might have been the best coaching job in the NBA that year. You laugh but Joe Wolf (I think it was him) played 30 minutes a game on that team. I think Fats Lever was still chugging around the court. Earl Boykins was perhaps their best player. They absolutely sucked. But they played really really hard and were kind of fun to watch.
Anyway, all that is to say that when Bzd was hired, I centered on that because I was impressed with him from watching 20-30 some odd games or parts of games in each of those seasons.
I want him to succeed at Wake but I think that ship has sailed. 8, 13, and 13 will do that. I had hoped he'd be let go after last year. He wasn't. Still, I root for him because he's a good guy and he's at Wake. I like the kids and they play hard for him. Don't always play smart for him and that's on him, but they do play hard for him. I think it would have been fucking hilarious if we had reeled off some upsets this year and sat on the bubble as I think folks in particular on this board would just go bat shit and that would have been fun. Didn't expect it to happen but it would have been fun.
That said, the team has played much better and I think we will hit about 18 wins which will be an improvement. Still, I hope he retires or is retired at the end of the year so we can move on.
But as I've said along, the black noise around the program from this board and others has been frustrating and juvenile often. From RJ Karl going all never has a coach existed that was more clueless in the last 5 minutes (this after just beating State in the final seconds and 25 games into the season having never lost a game in which we had at the 5 minute mark), to the billboard crowd, it's just too bad that folks created fact out of myth, but such is life. Still, annoying and hard on the program indirectly and the players specifically. College basketball should be fun for the players. I don't think it was Bzd's first few years and that was everyone: supporters, alumni, coaches, everyone. Me included because ... I would have driven Tony C to Philly myself if it meant leaving Wake - that's how frustrated I was watching him try and run point in the ACC as a starter (RJ's boy, btw) - and he too was a good guy so I'm not just pointing the fingers at you and you and you but me as well.
Anyway, be nice if the circus was over end of year even though we sneak into the NIT. Let Bzd save some face on his ride into the sunset.
