woody paige


Both sides too evident in hard loss

By Woody Paige
Denver Post Sports Columnist

Friday, November 02, 2001 - For much of the home-opening half Thursday night, the Denver Nuggets resembled their 1987-88 forerunners - the last Nuggets team to open the season with two victories. Those Nuggets won 54 games, a club high in the 25 years of living large in the NBA. These Nuggets had 63 points at intermission, Nick Van Exel scored 31 points, and the Milwaukee Bucks were being run out of The Can.

For much of the second half Thursday night, the Denver Nuggets resembled the 1997-98 Nuggets, the only Nuggets team to lose its first 12 games. Those Nuggets lost 71 games, a low in club history. These Nuggets had only 38 points in the second half; Van Exel missed 7 of 8 shots in one stretch and ended up with 13 more points, and the Milwaukee Bucks left the building with a one-point victory.

The Nuggets were half-good, half-bad.