It suddenly has become a hazard to sit courtside at a Nuggets game. One could get drilled by a wayward pass.
With as many turnovers as the Nuggets are producing lately, you'd think they were working in a bakery rather than at NBA arenas. The Nuggets got away with turning the ball over 27 times Tuesday in a win at lowly Memphis. But their generosity cost them in Wednesday night's 94-81 loss to the Hornets at New Orleans Arena.
The Nuggets turned the ball over 19 times. Five came during a 22-4 run in a 7-1/2-minute span in the fourth quarter that enabled the Hornets to turn a 70-68 deficit into a 90-74 lead.
"One habit that's kind of scaring me a little bit is our turnovers," said Nuggets coach George Karl. "It seems like we're too chancy and too risky with the ball."
Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin also is worried.
"We've been throwing the ball all over the place," Martin said. "We just got to get it under control."
HORNETS 94, NUGGETS 81: The Nuggets on Wednesday held New Orleans star guard Chris Paul to 12 points on 3-of-12 shooting, and he had 10 assists and five turnovers. Yes, that's the same Chris Paul who had a triple-double Monday against Philadelphia of 27 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds.
But the Nuggets weren't able to take advantage of stopping Paul as they fell to the Hornets at New Orleans Arena.
"You're probably right," Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups said when asked if holding Paul to those kind of numbers should have meant a Nuggets win. "But we didn't have great numbers from our (best) players."
The Hornets got 26 points from forward Peja Stojakovic and 18 from reserve guard Devin Brown. Meanwhile, Billups shot just 4-of-14 for 12 points. And Nuggets center Nene managed just 11 points and six rebounds.
The Nuggets got 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting from forward Kenyon Martin and 20 points from guard J.R. Smith. But that wasn't enough despite the Hornets being depleted with injuries.
