George Karl May Alter His Travel Schedule


Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl isn’t ready to walk away from the game anytime soon, but there is no denying the toll that it takes on his body. Karl is thinking of reducing his workload to some degree. Per NBA.com: “Coach George Karl, while emphasizing his recovery from cancer continues to go well and that he still sees a long future with the Nuggets, raised the possibility Sunday that he will ask for a reduced work load during particularly crowded times in the schedule. The seventh-winningest coach in league history told NBA.com that the travel has become especially wearing and that he may speak with team officials about staying overnight in a city and flying to the next stop the following morning, rather than leaving with the team after the game and often arriving early in the morning. Karl said he does not, however, envision missing games. ‘I don’t think it’ll ever go that far,’ he said. ‘I’ve thought about not traveling with the team on the late-night flights. I’ve thought about instead of getting to bed at 4 o’clock in the morning, I’ll let my coaches have the morning shootaround. I’ll sleep in in L.A. or I’ll sleep in in Sacramento, get up at 7:30 or 8 o’clock, catch a flight. I’ve thought about that. But my energy level is getting better and stronger every year. I’m feeling healthier. I’m trying to eat better. People ask me all the time how am I doing. I’m doing a hell of a lot better than I was doing before I got cancer.’ Karl, 62, missed part of 2009-10 after being diagnosed with cancer in the neck and throat. His return the next season was one of the inspirational stories of the league, and he used his high profile to encourage fundraising and checkups for early detection, all while becoming just the seventh coach to win 1,000 games and then, at the end of 2011-12, coaching heavy underdogs to a Game 7 against the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. This season has been a particular physical challenge because the Nuggets have played 18 of the first 25 games on the road, most recently the 122-97 rout of the Kings at Sleep Train Arena. It has taken a toll on Karl. That he did not ask for relief in the first quarter, the worst of the 2012-13 travel merry-go-round, indicates he may not do anything soon, but the chance it will happen in the future has become undeniable.”