Over the past week, the focus of the NBA has been on the trade deadline. Despite the multiple rumors around the league surrounding Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, etc., the headline move of the deadline was the Orlando Magic shipping J.J. Redick off to the Milwaukee Bucks for Doron Lamb, Beno Udrih and Tobias Harris.
Now that the worst trade deadline off all time has came and went, the focus can shift back to other issues and stories around the league. One of the stories that went unnoticed in the last few days was Denver Nuggets Head Coach George Karl winning his 400th career game as coach of the Nuggets.
Earlier this season, Karl won his 1,100th game against the Houston Rockets. With his 4ooth win as a Nugget, Karl sits in second place on the all-time wins list in Denver. Karl trails his former assistant and personal friend Doug Moe by just 32 victories for the most in team history.
Moe coached coached the Nuggets from 1980-1990 and Denver “retired” his 432 wins in a commemorative banner hanging high above the Pepsi Center.
Since Karl took over midway through the 2004-2005 season, the Nuggets have won 50 games four times and are on pace to hit the mark again.
With his team winners of 18 of its past 23 games, it appears Karl’s job is safe and he’s a shoe in to pass the Big Stiff by next year.