NBA News: Denver Nuggets Cut Ties With Brian Shaw

The lottery-bound Denver Nuggets finally fired head coach Brian Shaw after two consecutive years of disappointing results. Shaw who posted 56-85 in almost two years with the organization was let go after another disappointing season which is earmarked by the current 10-game losing streak and the recent controversy involving the players looking forward to the off-season.

Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly announced the decision and graciously thanked the former Los Angeles Lakers guard for his services to the organization. The team tried to rebuild on the fly before the trade deadline dealing away key guys such as Timofey Mozgov, JaVale McGee and Aaron Afflalo but still were not able to produce a blockbuster deal with a high lottery pick in mind in exchange for talented players such as Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried and Wilson Chandler.

The team has been in the media spotlight recently when it broke timeout huddle with a chant of “1,2,3…6 weeks!” seemingly referring to the end of the Nuggets’ season. Shaw downplayed the matter and said that it was just an issue of the players looking forward to end the current 10-game slide and not an indication of any loss of interest in the current campaign.

“The comment that the players made when they got together and said '1, 2, 3, six weeks!' was the players saying 'this is the end of the six weeks, we're going to get a win tonight on our home court and break the six-week losing spell on our home court.' Not six weeks that it's the end of the season,” Shaw told the Denver Post to clear the air on the chant issue.

Nevertheless, the play of the Nuggets during the almost two years with Shaw indicates that the team never connected with the slow it down approach of the coach. After having found some success with Coach of the Year winner George Karl and his fast paced offence, the organization took a different route and hired then assistant coach Shaw. Key players such as Lawson and Faried who thrived in a run and gun system never found their niche in the post-centric game plan of Shaw. Apart from this, the team also dealt with key injuries to players such as Danilo Gallinari who is still trying to come back from a knee proceedure.

With this recent development, the Nuggets will appoint current assistant coach Melvin Hunt as the interim while the team is looking for a replacement. Hunt recently served as an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers before his stint with the Nuggets.

For concerns on this story, contact the author at v.hidalgo@ibtimes.com.au.