General

Shoals Unlimited: Lost Souls Reborn in Denver

Apr 23, 2009, 8:00 PM UTC

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â†µIn this Denver series -- which, let’s be frank about it, has become just a Denver series -- all eyes are on Chauncey Billups. He’s Denver’s prodigal son, returned now as one of the NBA’s most respected citizens and floor generals. And he’s being celebrated in grand fashion, throwing up points on the board in a manner reminiscent of his high school or college days in Colorado, or those wayward years before the Detroit machine took him under its wing and molded him into the consummate pro. â†µâ†µBut if we do look at this showdown as one involving two teams, we can’t very well overlook the internal drama caused by the presence of two of the Nuggets’ signature headcases: J.R. Smith and Chris Andersen. Both at one time expected to be part of this Hornets resurgence, were cast aside, and now get to prove their former employer wrong, so wrong. â†µ

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â†µNot many people remember this, but once upon a time Smith was supposed to fuse with Chris Paul to form the Hornets' backcourt of the future. As a rookie in 2004-05, the New Jersey native had one of the most productive seasons ever (up to that point) by a preps-to-pro guard, averaging double-figures and showing a nose for steals. He also demonstrated both his shooting range and his itchy trigger finger. More important, it was only his first year, and dude was only 19. He was the prototypical two, and despite some youthful turbulence, the future looked bright for J.R. as Chris Paul came to town in 2005-06. â†µ

â†µâ†µUnfortunately, it didn’t quite go down like that. Like so many young players before him, Smith ran afoul of coach Byron Scott, who before long exiled his second-year player to the bench. When this bundle of talent and nerve did play, he was kept on a supremely short leash. This only exacerbated whatever attitude issues Smith had already, and rightly so; whatever his sins, it was bad for the team and the young man’s career to be so unceremoniously buried. Scott succeeded in branding Smith a malcontent, a cancer, a cautionary tale about too much, too soon. â†µ

â†µâ†µThat following summer, Smith was a throw-in as the Hornets (smartly) acquired Tyson Chandler from the Bulls. Scott Skiles had even less interest in a mercurial shooting guard than Scott, and so Chicago turned around and dealt him to Denver for some odds and ends. â†µ

â†µâ†µSkip ahead to today, where J.R. Smith is a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year and one of the more feared streak-scorers in the NBA. When his 3-point shot is in rhythm, he’s the dark side’s Ben Gordon; around the basket, Smith can yank you out of your seat like few players in the league. That’s not to say it’s been an easy path to legitimacy; Smith was involved in the MSG brawl, was behind the wheel in a car accident that killed his best friend and has since racked up more traffic violations, and supposedly got in an altercation in a club. Ironically, it’s in Denver -- the place he’s been nurtured by half-crazy mentors like Karl, Iverson, and Melo -- that he’s actually fulfilled his negative image. â†µ

â†µâ†µBut maybe it’s because those three have been through similar trials and tribulations that Smith has been allowed a second, third, and maybe fourth chance. And, as Karl has put it, the team’s just learned to live with some of J.R.‘s less rational decisions. Because when he’s on, dude is downright deadly. More important, he now understands how to work with others (more or less) and comport himself in the world (more or less). If you’ve watched these games, you’ve seen how badly he wants to make this point to his former tormentor, Byron Scott ... right between the eyes. â†µ

â†µâ†µChris Andersen’s tale is perhaps more well-know, and less contentious. Dude was a valuable rotation player on the Hornets before positive-testing his way out of the league for a year in 2006. Upon his return in 2008, New Orleans was kind enough to re-sign him, but never made a serious effort to integrate him into their movin’ on up, squeaky-clean, Chris Paul-lead squad. So following that season, he signed a contract with the Nuggets, that great home of misfits and outcasts. â†µ

â†µâ†µIt’s not clear what use Andersen is on the floor. He provides almost zero offense, and his talents consist primarily of leaping upward with abandon and trying to block everything in sight. This kind of constant activity leads to its fair share of rebounds (per minute). But he’s certainly an intimidator, and as part of a rotation with more traditional defenders Kenyon Martin and Nene, Andersen has found a way to harness his spazziness as part of a team plan—it’s almost like he’s a nuttier, cheaper, boiled-down version of the dearly-departed Marcus Camby. â†µ

â†µâ†µWhatever the ultimate value of Andersen’s play, it’s clear that he energizes the crowd and his teammates, every bit as Smith does on offense. These two lost souls may have been cast out of New Orleans, which as recently as last year looked like the West’s main team on the rise. But the way it turned out, Smith and Andersen are the ones having the last laugh. And, more important, it’s on their own terms.â†µ

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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

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