Brian Shaw Reflects on His First Year with the Nuggets
Jan 1, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw talks to guard Ty Lawson (3) during a timeout in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Pepsi Center. Philadelphia won 114-102. Mandatory Credit: Byron Hetzler-USA TODAY Sports
Denver Nuggets Head Coach Brian Shaw recently sat down for an interview with Maya Starks of Altitude Sports. In the first part of the interview, which was posted on the Nugg’s official site on May 13, Coach Shaw reflects on the highs and lows of his first year in Denver.
The full interview definitely is worth checking out, but here are a few highlights:
- On his first season with the Nuggets: “We had a lot of things we had to deal with this season. The positive I’m trying to take out of it is all of the bad things that could possibly happen we got them all out of the way this first year so we should have smooth sailing from here on out.”
- On whether there were things he didn’t anticipate as a rookie head coach: “Injuries. Dealing with a team that’s depleted. There was a time during the season for a month when we didn’t have a point guard at all that was available to us. So trying to manage the guys we had available during that stretch was a little different for me.”
- On the rash of injuries and how that impacted his ability to mold the team: “There are still a lot of question marks I have with our team. I still haven’t got a chance to coach Gallo. I only had JaVale [McGee] for five games. So in terms of what they can do and how they’re going to fit in with our team I still have question marks about them and those situations.”
- On dealing with the media: “With me, what you see is what you get. I’ve always been that way. My mother growing up always told me that my mouth was going to get me in trouble because if I see it, I say it, and I’m going to talk about it. I didn’t really put any thought into post-game press conferences or things of that nature because what I had just said to the team in the locker room, [the media] comes out and asks me questions, I come out and say to you, there’s no filter. But I don’t know how to be any other way. I want the best for our players and the best for this organization. I don’t ever want to get to the point where I’m guarded or have to watch what I’m saying.”
Shaw’s first year in Denver was rocky at best, and I know there’s a pretty vocal contingent of fans that think he might not be the right coach to lead this team going forward. But it’s important to remember that the team was decimated by injuries and most nights Shaw was forced to go to battle with lineups that would have never stepped foot on the court if the roster was healthy and intact. I think next year is an important year for him and the team in general. I’m eager to see what the team does in the upcoming draft, and find out what Shaw can do with a full compliment of players at his disposal.
What about you, Nuggets fans? Do you give Shaw a mulligan on this season since everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong? Or do you think the team needs to start thinking about heading in a different direction sooner rather than later?