Issel making claim for Van Exel to be all-star

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Nov 16, 2001 | by John Branch

DENVER - Dan Issel wants to get the vote out.

The Nuggets coach is campaigning for Denver guard Nick Van Exel to make February's All-Star Game.

"I can't believe that there is a point guard that is having a better year this early in the season than Nick Van Exel," Issel said. "He's been terrific on both ends of the floor. We're going to do everything we can to make sure Nick's on the All-Star team, because he deserves it."

Voting for the All-Star Game began Thursday at NBA arenas and on nba.com.

Van Exel entered Thursday night's action fourth in the NBA in scoring, at 27 points per game, and 10th in assists (7.8 per game).

But Van Exel has plenty of competition. Issel said Seattle's Gary Payton and Dallas' Steve Nash deserve attention among point guards. Minnesota's Terrell Brandon is playing well, and Utah's John Stockton's reputation is good for a large slice of votes.

The Nuggets have long struggled to send representatives to the All- Star Game.

"It's been my experience that playing in the Mountain Time Zone you don't get the exposure that a lot of the other players that play in the bigger media centers get," said Issel. A hall-of-fame player for the Nuggets, Issel was named to just one NBA All-Star team.

ANOTHER RUN: Patrick Ewing's quest for his first NBA championship has brought him to Orlando.

The 11-time all-star, named one of the 50 best players of all- time, spent 15 seasons with New York, then spent last year in Seattle. The 7-foot center signed a two-year contract with the Magic during the offseason.

Ewing entered Thursday's game averaging 7.9 points per game and 17 minutes, fighting for playing time with rookie Steven Hunter and Andrew DeClercq. Magic coach Doc Rivers admits Ewing isn't crazy about the hierarchy.

"I haven't met a lot of the Top 50 players in NBA history that likes it," Rivers said.

Ewing had his most productive night in two seasons when he scored 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in 30 minutes against Phoenix on Wednesday.

"I was glad to see him have a huge game and play a lot of minutes," Issel said before Thursday's game, "because maybe he'll be a little tired coming to altitude tonight."

Ewing played 20 minutes, scoring six points and snaring three rebounds.

NUGGET NUGGETS: Guard Isaiah Rider, who missed most of the previous game with a stomach ailment, has recovered and played Thursday. But he was just 2 of 9 from the floor, scoring eight points. ... The Nuggets had just three players reach double-digits. They are 0-4 this season when that happens, and were 1-15 last season when four players didn't reach 10 points.