J.R. Smith and George Karl not seeing eye to eye
Despite shooting a respectable 40 percent from three point range on the season, J.R. Smith of the Denver Nuggets has been far less productive so far this season than he has been in years
past.
Averaging 15.4 points on 41 percent shooting last season, Smith is only averaging 8.6 points on 37 percent shooting through 11 games this season. And while he’s playing seven less minutes
than the 27.7 he averaged last season, his playing time has significantly dropped over the past couple of games.
Smith was benched for Denver’s game against the Phoenix Suns on Monday 15 November after showing up late for shootaround and played only one minute the next night against the New York
Knicks. Smith falling out of favour with Denver coach George Karl seems to be an annual tradition.
"I think J.R. knows exactly where we're at," Karl told reporters the day after their game against the Knicks. "I think right now, it's J.R. and me, and I think J.R. should understand what's
going on. I've got a kid playing better than he is playing. And I don't have minutes to share."
The kid that Karl is referring to is rookie forward Gary Forbes, who had the best game of his career against the Knicks, finishing with 19 points, four rebounds, and nine assists in 23
minutes. Forbes is averaging 8.5 points and 3.0 rebounds on the season.
Karl’s main issues with Smith have been his lack of defensive presence as well as his knack for making questionable decisions on the court, including hoisting up prayer shots instead of
making the sensible pass.
This past August, AOL FanHouse reported that Smith was on the trading block with the departure of then-vice president of basketball operations, Mark Warkentien, one of Smith’s biggest
supporters. Smith sulked his way through the Nuggets’ first-round series with the Utah Jazz in last year’s play-offs, letting his frustrations be known on his Twitter account after a loss, where he wrote “You play selfish you lose selfish that’s all I’m saying
about the game.”
Meanwhile, Forbes is happy with his breakout game against the Knicks and is fine with other teams not expecting much from him.
"I like it," he said. "Keep me out of the scouting report."
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