Chris Dempsey's Sunday column for the Denver Post focused on a disconcerting moment from a recent game:

A fourth-quarter huddle late in the Nuggets' 104-82 loss to the Utah Jazz on Friday broke with this phrase: "1-2-3 ... six weeks!" As in six weeks to go until the end of the season. That's 24 games, 46 days and 1,152 minutes away.

The Nuggets are currently in a complete freefall, having lost five in a row and 18 of 20. There isn't much to play for -- and as always, bad NBA teams can often benefit more from losing than winning -- but it's always a bit troubling when highly paid professional athletes express open excitement about the prospect of not playing the games fans pay them to watch. The Nuggets will have to think about the team's complete disarray when deciding whether to keep coach Brian Shaw in the offseason.

Dempsey made the obvious connection to Nick Van Exel's famous "1-2-3 ... Cancun!" huddle that many feel got him traded from the Lakers.