It's quitting time for Nuggets

DENVER -- You want some nuggets? I'll give you three nuggets.

They're disorganized.

They're distracted.

They're disgraceful.

I know, I know, this is supposed to be a column about the greatness of the Lakers after a 102-84 victory over Denver's pro basketball team Saturday gave them a three-games-to-none lead in their opening playoff series.

But you can't praise the ability of a lawn mower without denoting the length of the grass.

And the Denver Nuggets are playing like dirt.

They ignore each other. They disrespect their coach. They scoff at fundamentals.

They are a vastly talented team that has chosen not to offer the Lakers even a fair fight, which is overwhelming in its unfairness.

How can the Lakers judge their playoff acumen if they are beating a Nuggets team whose most energetic moment Saturday occurred in the fourth quarter when their coach George Karl was being heckled?

"Just don't sit there!"

The heckler's name? Carmelo Anthony.

How can the Lakers judge their playoff toughness on the road if the most emotional moment in the Pepsi Center stands Saturday occurred late in the game during a wild-swinging fight between two fans?

Two Nuggets fans.

By that time, the game was so awful, most of the Lakers turned to watch the brawl.

The second-most emotional fan moment occurred in the final moments when some of the Denver folk began chanting, "MVP, MVP."

Not for Allen Iverson, but for Kobe Bryant.

Yeah, it was a real mess, which makes the Lakers a hard team to figure out right now.

We know San Antonio is good enough to win three straight against the tough Phoenix Suns.

It turns out, all we know about the Lakers is that they can win three straight against the junior varsity.