Apr 30, 2004 10:06 AM EST
The NBA has stepped in hoping to put an end to the war of words between the Timberwolves and the Nuggets leading up to Game 5.
According to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post NBA vice president of operations Stu Jackson told members of both teams to zip it.
"He spoke to the teams and the players who made comments and told them that wasn't appropriate," NBA spokesperson Tim Frank said.
Things heated up between the teams after the Nuggets Francisco Elson called Minnesota superstar "gay" for hitting him in the groin in Game 4. Elson later apologized to the gay and lesbian community for his comments.
"I would like to apologize to the gay and lesbian community for my comments about Kevin Garnett. I realize my comments were insensitive and they were out of character for me. However, I take full responsibility, and I have learned a valuable lesson."
"I didn't mean anything negative towards them or towards anybody about it," Elson said. "I said it, I apologized, enough said. Hopefully they will respect me and take my apology as it is."
Despite the warning from the league, the verbal comments did continue on Thursday.
Asked whether he expected more cheap shots tonight in what has become a physical series, Nuggets guard Jon Barry said: "You worry about that, them sending some thug like that, like Oliver Miller, to knock somebody out or something like that, at the end of the game if it gets out of hand."
Minnesota coach Flip Saunders is disappointed at the talking coming from Denver players.
"They can say all they want. No one wants to fight. These guys are not fighters. ... We're not going to get caught up in all that. I'm sure they're not. First of all, they are professional players. They are here to represent the league. The league isn't about fighting."
Via Denver Post
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Down 3-1 and facing elimination, Carmelo Anthony rated his chances of playing in Game 5 as '50-50' after it was revealed that he had suffered a mild spain of his left knee.
Anthony sustained the injury Tuesday night after bumping with teammate Marcus Camby while grabbing a rebound and then landing awkwardly on his left leg in the third quarter of Denver's 84-82 loss to the Timberwolves.
"I came down and I was surprised I didn't break my ankle. ... I thought I was done," said Anthony.
Coach Jeff Bzdelik is siding with caution if it comes down to a split decision, using Grant Hill's situation in the 2000 Playoffs where he played on a bad knee. The decision has all but cost Hill his career.
"That's probably when he ruined his career," Bzdelik said. "Not probably. That's when he ruined his career. He's out there trying to limp through a playoff series and all of us were like, 'Hey, Grant, get off the court.' He hasn't been the same since."
Via Denver Post
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The Nuggets may have not picked up his option, but listening to Rodney White all indications are that Denver still wants him and he is excited about Denver.
White was upbeat about information passed to him by his agent, Dan Fegan, who met with Denver GM Kiki Vandeweghe on Saturday.
"Dan told me that Denver wants me back," White said. "We'll see what happens. Dan said that Kiki was really proud of me and everybody upstairs was really impressed with my play and the way I handled myself all year and that I'll be in the picture this summer."
"I love Rodney," Vandeweghe said. "I'm very, very proud of what he's done under tough circumstances. I would definitely like to retain him."
Via Rocky Mountain News
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Nuggets Apr 2004 Archive
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Denver Post | Apr 27, 2004
While the Minnesota Timberwolves will be without Wally Szczerbiak for Game 4, the Denver Nuggets are not going to be at full strength either.
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Rocky Mountain News | Apr 26, 2004
Rick and Jon Barry, living close to each other for the first time in Jon's 12 year career thanks to his contract with the Nuggets, have made great strides working on their relationship this season.
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Minneapolis Star-Tribune | Apr 26, 2004
Andre Miller's small shove on Wolves superstar Kevin Garnett late in Game 3 was no big deal to either player if you listen to them now, but according to Steve Aschburner and Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune it did have the potential to blow up into something bigger.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Apr 24, 2004
A common rumor in the NBA is altitude being one of the things a team must contend with when they play in Denver.
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Rocky Mountain News | Apr 21, 2004
Minnesota's Latrell Sprewell and his good friend Denver's Marcus Camby might be going against each in the first round of this year's playoffs but they still have a great friendship that goes back to the day they were Knicks teammates.
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Detroit Free Press | Apr 21, 2004
The Pistons don't expect Michael Redd to have another game like he did Sunday in their playoff opener.
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Rocky Mountain News | Apr 21, 2004
"Ask Carmelo which he would rather have, the Rookie of the Year Award or a spot in the playoffs," Denver GM Kiki Vandeweghe said to Rocky Mountain News writer Bernie Linicombe.
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| Apr 20, 2004
LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers will receive the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy as the 2003-04 got milk? Rookie of the Year, the NBA announced today.
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Morning Journal | Apr 20, 2004
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Cavaliers guard LeBron James will be honored as the NBA's Rookie of the Year at that media gathering.
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Denver Post | Apr 20, 2004
Salvador Vilella can't help but think of what could have been when he watches Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony.
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Yahoo! | Apr 18, 2004
"LeBron James, the super-hyped phenom who went from high school to the pros and kept the Cleveland Cavaliers in playoff contention until late in the season, has beaten out Carmelo Anthony in voting for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award.
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Denver Post | Apr 18, 2004
Nuggets General manager Kiki Vandeweghe and coach Jeff Bzdelik should be sharing a smile and a bottle of champagne.
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Rocky Mountain News | Apr 16, 2004
Rome might not have been built in a day, but its construction probably had a tighter schedule than the NBA playoffs.
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Rocky Mountain News | Apr 15, 2004
Marcus Camby's 21-rebound game Monday helped get the Denver Nuggets into the playoffs.
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Denver Post | Apr 14, 2004
Evidently, there was another reason Jeff Bzdelik, at the moment of truce in the final home game, pounded his hand in jubilation on the scorer's table and shouted "Yes, yes, yes, yes.
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Rocky Mountain News | Apr 13, 2004
Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony could become the fifth NBA player in the past 13 seasons to play in the postseason the same year in which he wins the league's Rookie of the Year award.
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Denver Post | Apr 13, 2004
On a glittering, star-studded night that included the likes of Michael Jordan, the Denver Nuggets earned its first playoff berth in nearly a decade, defeating the Sacramento Kings 97-89 before a deafening sellout crowd.
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Denver Post | Apr 12, 2004
Through 80 games, the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz have battled to a draw, leaving them tied for the eighth and last playoff spot in the Western Conference with 42-38 records.
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New York Post | Apr 11, 2004
The New York Post is reporting that Richard Jefferson has been selected to replace Vince Carter on the U.
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Denver Post | Apr 6, 2004
Without sacrificing anything more than paying the remainder of his $1.
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Denver Post | Apr 4, 2004
There's nothing like the open market to prove a point.
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Rocky Mountain News | Apr 2, 2004
Sports fans in America aren't known for their patience.
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Associated Press | Apr 1, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) Denver Nuggets guard Jon Barry was fined $7,500 on Wednesday for yelling at officials.
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Associated Press | Apr 1, 2004
DENVER (AP) It's fitting that Carmelo Anthony's teammates call him Melo, with his brilliant smile and easygoing nature.
