During Saturday’s 115-109 loss to Milwaukee, you could have figured out exactly what was going on in the game just by looking at George Karl’s face. Isiah Thomas has his patented doo-doo face, which usually comes on when Eddy Curry misses a dunk or forgets to run back and play defense. Karl’s expression should probably be called his “J.R. face,” as it comes on pretty much anytime J.R. Smith is on the floor.
We couldn’t find a picture of Karl from Saturday, but his expression definitely looks something like this.
From today’s Denver Post…
“Coach George Karl has a variety of cringes and scowls, expressed routinely when J.R. Smith is in the game. The trigger-happy Smith has the ability to catch fire, but he also forces shots and prevents the offense from flowing.
“He’s just J.R.,” Karl said. “He can be good for you, and he can be good for the opponent.”
In the past six games, Smith averaged 49.2 percent from 3-point range (31-for-63). But he missed a fourth-quarter layup with Denver leading the Bucks 99-92. Milwaukee cut the lead to 99-96, and while the momentum shifted, Smith was called for a charge — and then a technical foul.
Even after his 43-point effort at Chicago on Friday, Karl was critical of Smith’s shot selection in the fourth quarter, saying Smith was playing in “fantasyland.”
February 25th, 2008 at 9:12 am
YOUNGFED says:
Stop Hatin’ Karl just send JR to the Pistons Joey D will straighten him out and show him how to play just like he did with Sheed.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:32 am
M Intellect says:
J.R. should go to the Knucklehead Rehabilition Clinic of the NBA, the Golden State Warriors. Home to All-NBA Knucklehead 1st Team selection Stephen Jackson amongst others.
Real talk though, he will prosper in that system.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:54 am
QQ says:
Yeah, J.R.’s an ass most of the time, but if you watched the Nugs-Bulls game two nights ago, you know this freaking kid can ball. He’s like little Mamba, scoring at will.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Austin Burton says:
Every time I’ve watched O.J. Mayo this year I think his game in the pros could translate a lot like J.R. Smith’s game.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:14 am
rob says:
doesn’t bode well for Mayo…
February 25th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Dip Set City says:
Man JR is always getting hated on. he single handedly kept us in the game vs. Chicago. Sure he needs to work on his shot selection but he can play D when he needs to. Unlike most of the other Nuggets. Give him a break
February 25th, 2008 at 11:11 am
K-Dizzle says:
shoulda gone to carolina where roy woulda taught him the game. gettin by on raw athleticism but no smarts. scores 43 once and starts thinkin he’s the 2nd comin of MJ. you play with AI and Melo, get yo ass in line. If he hadn’t been rainin 3s from 30 feet out in the Mickey D’s high school game, he wouldn’t have been a first rounder…shoulda gone to UNC. There’s a reason dude’s been traded 3 times already
February 25th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
GEE... be clear says:
That is one knock on Karl. He does that whole Imma talk about certain players to the media thing. It’s like he forgets, know matter how bad the player is or whatever, they are still grown men. It has come back and bit him in the past. He needs to chill out.
No good thing can happen long as G.K. is the coach.
February 25th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
MSkittle says:
In that 4th quarter against Chicago, J.R. Smith had some of the worst selection I have ever seen in an NBA game!
February 25th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
doc says:
He is nothing like Kobe. When he reads shit like that is the reason hes a scab now.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
todd says:
So much talent. If only he could get his head straight and work on his mid-range game, he’s got all-star potential.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:01 am
word says:
j.r. ain’t the only problem on that team, besides iverson and melo, and i guess camby, the rest of that squad is completely inconsistent.