"The Nuggets, George Karl heatedly said, did not lose Tuesday because of missed shots at the buzzer — even though they missed two of them. Andre Miller missed a jumper, sending the game to overtime, and Rudy Fernandez missed a 3, sending the Grizzlies fans home happy.

But after the Nuggets' 100-97 loss at Memphis, the Denver coach was steadfast that the lack of a closer — which Denver hasn't had since Carmelo Anthony forced a trade to New York — was not the main reason the Nuggets lost Tuesday. It was, Karl surmised, "fourth or fifth.""