NBA Trying To Weaken Nuggets Home Court Advantage

[True Lakers Fan]

Players and coaches have complained for years about arriving at the Pepsi Center on the second day of a back-to-back or at the end of a road trip. The altitude and the location give the Denver Nuggets an edge, especially when they're pushing the ball and their opponents have tired legs. This season, though, the NBA has tried to curtail that advantage a bit, via the Denver Post's Chris Dempsey:



"I didn't like it when I had to come here," said first-year Nuggets coach Michael Malone. "But I love it now."

But not for long. The NBA already has taken action to reduce that advantage through altered scheduling such as making Denver the first stop coming from the east or putting a day off between the games for teams coming from the west.

"It's been a point of contention to where they've cut it down," Malone said.

As much as possible, anyway.

"We'll see how this new scheduling works out," [Bucks coach Jason] Kidd said. "But they are trying. They are attempting."



The league hasn't completely eliminated Denver's advantage. This season, the Milwaukee Bucks visited on the second game of a back-to-back after losing to the Boston Celtics at home. The Nuggets won 103-102. The Portland Trail Blazers went to Denver a day after hosting the Detroit Pistons, and the Nuggets won 108-104. The Utah Jazz, however, hit Denver after a home game against the Blazers and escaped with a 96-84 win

NBA trying to weaken Nuggets' home-court advantage - CBSSports.com

I actually am glad to see them doing this - it was long over due

 

[trojanfan12]

Yeah, it's a huge unfair advantage. All of those championship banners prove it.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Yeah, it's a huge unfair advantage. All of those championship banners prove it.

LOL - Man they never did capitalize on it for sure. The only thing about that - had the teams been given the chance to get their early and at least have a decent nights rest, I don't think there is any way they would have won all of those games, but I don't any other coach would have been able to get as many wins as Karl did either. The other coaches and teams have been complaining about it now for a few years.

 

[ManuForever]

Can someone please explain to me what the altitude does to someone? I've never been to Denver so I really don't get what the fuss is about.

 

[CitySushi]

Can someone please explain to me what the altitude does to someone? I've never been to Denver so I really don't get what the fuss is about.

Playing in high altitude makes it harder to breathe. The air is thinner and makes teams that are already tired have a harder time recovering from fatigue.

There may be a regular season competitive advantage but this is really nullified in the playoffs where the games are spaced out. So it may help the Nuggets win totals for the regular season, but it won't mask their deficiencies during the playoffs.

It's also why the NFL Kickers can kick from a further distance in Denver and why the ball travels further when struck in baseball.

 

[ChrisGar15]

Can someone please explain to me what the altitude does to someone? I've never been to Denver so I really don't get what the fuss is about.

You get tired more quickly if you aren't used it to. (distance runners used to train up there) The Nuggets get used to it.

It worked well when Karl was there and his teams would run & run more ...

 

[trojanfan12]

Can someone please explain to me what the altitude does to someone? I've never been to Denver so I really don't get what the fuss is about.

The air is thinner at the higher altitude. It's why baseballs flew out of the Rockies stadium like it was a little league size field before they started storing them in humidors.

The thinner air means less oxygen. It takes a little bit of time (a couple of days) for your body to adjust. Because you aren't getting the amount of oxygen that your body is used to, you tire more quickly.

 

[CitySushi]

The air is thinner at the higher altitude. It's why baseballs flew out of the Rockies stadium like it was a little league size field before they started storing them in humidors.

The thinner air means less oxygen. It takes a little bit of time (a few days) for your body to adjust. Because you aren't getting the amount of oxygen that your body is used to, you tire more quickly.

Twinsies