Nuggets Assistant Coach Defends McCloud

[opi@unesco.org]

In today's Rocky Mountain News, Denver Nuggets assistant coach Kim
Hughes defends George McCloud ("I probably would have done the same
thing") and suggests Ron Mercer has few friends in the Denver locker
room worth saying "hi" too. This is kind of a sad incident.

Joe

****

     McCloud will not play tonight when the Nuggets play host to the Los
Angeles Lakers at the Pepsi Center (7, Fox Sports Net). Mercer served
his suspension Sunday, missing Orlando's 129-91 loss at New Jersey. But
details of what happened outside the visitors' locker room after
Orlando's 110-107 victory Saturday remain unclear.
     Mercer was left lying on the concrete at one end of T.D. Waterhouse
Centre, Orlando's arena. McCloud was ushered to the Nuggets' team bus
and whisked away.
     He won't say anything else.
     Mercer said Sunday that McCloud was the instigator.
     "I don't think I should have been suspended," Mercer said.
"(McCloud) came out in the hallway. I was just going to (Denver's)
locker room to say hello to some people and (McCloud) came down the
hallway after me. It was between us -- two people that just don't like
each other."
     The Nuggets did not practice Sunday. McCloud refused to comment.
Nuggets coach and president Dan Issel could not be reached for comment.
Nuggets assistant coach Kim Hughes said McCloud was standing up for
himself and his teammates.
     "The only thing I heard, and it's from our point of view, is that
Mercer took a swing at George, and George went after him," Hughes said.
"But frankly, I think if it's true what Mercer said about George  -- and
I don't know if it is or not -- that I would have called Mercer on it
myself if I was a player."
     Mercer told a reporter before the game that McCloud was
"two-faced." McCloud urged the reporter to tell Mercer he wanted to see
him. McCloud had publicly criticized Mercer's shoot-first mentality
before and after the trade, and Mercer said before Saturday's game that
McCloud should have spoken directly to him. McCloud said he had
addressed the issue in a team meeting when Mercer was still with the
Nuggets. McCloud also said he approached Mercer at the shootaround
Saturday morning and that Mercer said he had no beef.
     Orlando coach Doc Rivers defended Mercer, saying his injured guard
was not looking for a fight. Hughes said he heard otherwise.
     "Orlando tried to say that he came to say hi to his friends in the
Denver locker room, whoever they may be," Hughes said. "Then I heard
from other people that he came to challenge George, which doesn't show
good decision-making because George is a much bigger guy."
     Hughes said he couldn't imagine Mercer having friends left in
Denver's locker room.
     "I heard that he said (Antonio McDyess) and Nick (Van Exel) don't
care about losing," Hughes said. "In (McCloud's) viewpoint, we were
being severely badmouthed, and he was tired of it. It doesn't justify
it, but I probably would have done the same thing."
     Hughes said Issel tried to prevent the fight.
     "The two approached each other outside the locker room, and Dan
heard the skirmish," Hughes said. "I've heard from numerous people that
Mercer threw the first punch and Dan got in between them. I don't know
if George hit him or not. I was told that George chased him into a
pillar and Mercer hit the pillar pretty dang hard."
     Mercer was treated by an Orlando team trainer for minor injuries to
his head, shoulder and his previously injured ankle. Mercer said he
could have played Sunday against the Nets if not for the suspension.
Hughes said playing without McCloud tonight against the Lakers will be a
tall order since shooting guards Bryant Stith and Tariq Abdul-Wahad are
both injured.<P>
     "It kills us," Hughes said.