Denver Nuggets point guard Nick Van Exel might have been better off just walking away with a win and a smile after his team's season-opening victory Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns.
Instead, Van Exel said Wednesday, he thought Phoenix showed a lack of respect for the Nuggets by not playing hard in the first half as Denver built a 21-point lead.

It seems Van Exel at least has developed difficulty believing in his team's successes.

"I don't think they came out with the intensity that we could beat them," Van Exel said. "I don't think that they put forth that effort and that energy in that first half like that really respected us. I thought they kind of disrespected us by the way they were out there playing.