NBA - Sports Rumors

Thu May 14, 2009 11:31 am EDT

'Thuggets' eliminate Dallas, waiting for next opponent

By Joe Zedalis

In Dallas, they started calling the Denver Nuggets the "Thuggets.'' Maybe Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban helped start that nickname.

"I don't know where that comes from," Carmelo Anthony(notes) told the Denver Post. "I mean, we just play basketball. We play hard, we have fun out there on the court. Maybe it's because we've got tattoos. Everybody has tattoos on our team, so maybe that's what it is." . . .

And to think, the Nuggets lost nine tats and a dozen cornrows when they traded Allen Iverson(notes) to Detroit. . . .

The Post wrote: That's fine, calling the Nuggets names. Stuff happens in the playoffs. So long as the hoops world acknowledges the obvious: The Mavs are a good team, but they were no match for a Nuggets team on a once-a-quarter-century roll. . . .

But don't take my word for it. Roll tape on Mavs coach Rick Carlisle: "In the final analysis, Denver is a better team. . . . These guys are a legitimate, championship-caliber team. They've got a great shot." . . .

Source: Denver PostNew Window

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139 Comments

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  1. Michael M
    1. Posted by Michael M Thu May 14, 2009 11:39 am EDT

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    1st
    I hate the code word thug
  2. Lakergirl
    2. Posted by Lakergirl Thu May 14, 2009 11:45 am EDT

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    All hail the Denver Deep-fried-crispy Nuggets!!! 2005 nba champs!!
  3. ThreadKiller
    3. Posted by ThreadKiller Thu May 14, 2009 11:50 am EDT

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    Thuggets.....freakin' classic
  4. vincent
    4. Posted by vincent Thu May 14, 2009 11:51 am EDT

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    denver won with the help of some stupid and lousy ref, this should have been just 3-2 but thanks to some stupid ref, the nuggets are in the western finals.. stupid ref...
  5. juan
    5. Posted by juan Thu May 14, 2009 12:03 pm EDT

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    First of all, they are not the "Thuggets", their nickname is the Nuggets (lets show some respect here). Second, they are playing with a similar style to the Celtics of last year, tough with a bend don't break mentality. Third, there is a possibility of them knocking off the Lakers in the WCF if they keep playing the way they are and the Lakers play like they have in the Rockets series thus far (and this coming from a Lakers fan). Denver toughened up and truly beat (and beat-up) the Mavericks. It will be an exciting series and if the Nuggets bet the Lakers, my hat is off to them and then they better beat the Eastern Conference opponent (Cavs or Celtics).
  6. B. Obama
    6. Posted by B. Obama Thu May 14, 2009 12:05 pm EDT

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    dallas lost the series because they couldn't handle denver, face it pal. Ken G you are a cry baby. denver played with aggressiveness.denver will beat the TV money making lakers in game 6. write that down everyone. i know this for sure.
  7. J-$ Pimpson
    7. Posted by J-$ Pimpson Thu May 14, 2009 12:11 pm EDT

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    Lakers will OWN Denver. Yeah, Nene, Andersen and KMart (AKA ThugNasty) were good against Dampier, Hollins, and Bass. But do you REALLY think they stand a chance of having even half of the series they each had against Gasol, Bynum and Odom?!? Come on..... Oh did I mention the MONEY MAKING LAKERS have a guy named Kobe? I almost forgot about him.........
    Maybe next year we won't get f*cked for once by the officials. GO MAVS!
  8. al_gebray
    8. Posted by al_gebray Thu May 14, 2009 12:11 pm EDT

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    Thug is not code word. Bill Laimbeer was a thug. I don't think he sported tatoos. Players who emulate that style of play that exploded with the Bad Boys are thugs. Players who pound their chests are thugs... the look at me generation... maybe that is what the tatoos are about? Play the game by the rules... only if the refs would enforce them. You can play physical without the gyrations and cheap shots.
  9. J-$ Pimpson
    9. Posted by J-$ Pimpson Thu May 14, 2009 12:12 pm EDT

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    LA in 5 btw
  10. Jimmy M
    10. Posted by Jimmy M Thu May 14, 2009 12:13 pm EDT

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    Ken G, the foul was weak. Fact of the matter is, Melo hit an incredible clutch shot for the win. If he was fouled,there would have still been plenty of opportunity to get a different shot off. You can't call that weak foul crap the soul reason the Mavs lost game 3.
    If you're going to foul someone intentionally, pull their jersey, slap their arm, push them with something other than a little chest bump....If every chest bump like that was a foul, the game would essentially be a no contact game. We all know it's not like that.
    The foul was weak. Don't blame it on poor refs, blame it on poor fouling, poor coaching, or even a poor team.
  11. Freddie Joe Bob
    11. Posted by Freddie Joe Bob Thu May 14, 2009 12:16 pm EDT

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    I fank dem Lakurs gonna hab der hans fill wif dem Nugs. I bees likin da regressibnes dat dem
    Nugs play wif. Luk out Lakurs, hair com dem Nugs so jes gits outta da weigh. I bees hopin
    an prayin dat dem Rokits coms fru and whops da Fakurs, but i kant sees hit happenin.
    Oh well!!! Arghhhh & away. GA CAVS!!!!!
  12. Freddie Joe Bob
    12. Posted by Freddie Joe Bob Thu May 14, 2009 12:23 pm EDT

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    FJB - I heers ya, an bees all fer dat. I node dose mavs kood not beet tha maggots, I meen nuggits.
    Howsomeber, I bees fer da Bosun C's. Dey gonna take keer offn da Macig Fri. nite. De nugits
    gonna whup LA as well I beleeb. NOW!!!!
  13. rstealercavsfan (Shaqalier)
    13. Posted by rstealercavsfan (Shaqalier) Thu May 14, 2009 12:24 pm EDT

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    Anyone who thinks that they Lakers will either sweep the series or win in 5 games needs to seriously have their head examined.........or quit watching basketball altogether...........
  14. Rise With Us
    14. Posted by Rise With Us Thu May 14, 2009 12:25 pm EDT

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    Laker Girl missed 1st..... again.
    Your kinda like the Lakers in that way. You thought you were going to be first but ended up second. =(
    No one should be over looking the Nuggets. They're playing possibly the best TEAM basketball in the playoffs. The Cavs and the Nuggets have looked the best so far. Regular season records really dont matter any more. The next round should be ALOT of fun to watch!!
  15. queenbessie1
    15. Posted by queenbessie1 Thu May 14, 2009 12:30 pm EDT

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    Yo J-$ Pimpson. You will always be F&*ked by the refs because the NBA hates Cuban. So long as Cuban owns the Mavericks you'll NEVER see a championship. That you can take to the bank!
    GO NUGGETS!
  16. Rise With Us
    16. Posted by Rise With Us Thu May 14, 2009 12:32 pm EDT

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    Mark Cuban is an idiot! The whole Thug name calling and now the Thuggets. Is this guy 8 years old? His team was getting and got beat and he starts calling names?! He should be banned from games! Hes only hurting his team when he acts like that.
    Does anyone on Denver have a criminal record? Just becuz they play hard and have tatoos makes them thugs?? Gimme a break. So we should start calling his team the Waaahhvricks cuz their owner cries like a little kid when he loses?? Grow up Mark!
    Im not even a Nugget fan. But they're growin on me.
  17. CB
    17. Posted by CB Thu May 14, 2009 12:35 pm EDT

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    what in tarnation are you saying Fergie... that dang text messaging talk is destroying todays youth!!!
  18. al_gebray
    18. Posted by al_gebray Thu May 14, 2009 12:36 pm EDT

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    Hasn't Carmelo had a few brushes with the law?
  19. CB
    19. Posted by CB Thu May 14, 2009 12:38 pm EDT

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    i hope the nuggets beat LA. just to mess up stern's perfect world..
  20. Jeff
    20. Posted by Jeff Thu May 14, 2009 12:44 pm EDT

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    I am a Mavs fan and I congratulate the Nuggets for playing a good series and scoring at will. I haven't watched the Mavs enough to know how much of Denver's success is due to the Mav's lack of defense, or if they normally shoot that well. All I know is that Denver must have done something right to get the #2 seed, and so I suspect they are pretty good. I hate that everyone is jumping to the conclusion that the Nuggets will face the Shake-n-Bakers next round; odds are that Houston will put up a good fight tonight, but lose a close one; even if the Rockettes win tonight, they will almost certainly lose in LA...because I'm a firm believer in the "divine intervention" of the league that ensures LA makes the conference finals. So good luck, Denver, and I hope you keep getting the ticky-tacky calls from your next opponent (can anyone so much as breathe on Carmelo without pickup up another cheap foul?). I found it curious in the frist 3 games, Antoine Wright gets called for slightest touch, but can't buy a foul at the end of game 3. Water under the bridge, I know...the better team won the series and I look forward to more playoffs!
  21. leslie d
    21. Posted by leslie d Thu May 14, 2009 12:58 pm EDT

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    WOW!!!!..........their HOME TOWN newspaper is calling them "Thuggets"?.......now that's DISRESPECTFUL........CONGRATS to DEN & their FANS on reaching the WCF..........GOOD LUCK
  22. Nick A
    22. Posted by Nick A Thu May 14, 2009 1:05 pm EDT

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    lol i like how LA fans are calling their shot against denver, hey morons, you still have to beat Houston. BTW nuggets in 6, who ever they play. thanks for coming
  23. PaulW
    23. Posted by PaulW Thu May 14, 2009 1:12 pm EDT

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    Classy answer Jeff. I think the Nuggets hold their fate in their own hands. They have the defensive intensity and offensive explosiveness to control any team out there! The only problem is if they are willing to bring it 100% of the time. If they play their best bball for 4 quarters they can't be stopped by the Lakers, Cavs or Celtics.

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