--There's now going to be more tough love from Nuggets coach George Karl, who says his "players drive me crazy, but they also are loved by me."

Karl plans next season to be more of a disciplinarian.

"The last couple of years, the freedom, in a way, I think the players have kind of done it their way more often than doing it my way," said Karl, vowing that will change.

The Nuggets' 50-32 record was their best in 20 years. But Karl said they "haven't figured out that journey (of) winning in the playoffs," and a tighter ship should help.

"It's going to be drifting toward more my way," Karl said. "But I'm not going to say it's going to be demanding and dictatorial ... Most of the stuff we're talking about is little things of professionalism."

Karl said players must be on time more often, have better practice habits and be more committed to "each other ... the team ... the organization ... and public service."

Nuggets forward Eduardo Najera "definitely" agrees. Najera said there were "things that played a part in our inconsistency" related to what Karl mentioned.

"We get paid so much that you can show up on time," Najera said.

Guard Chucky Atkins said the Nuggets must "clean our act up (and) take more responsibility of being professionals."

--Allen Iverson's camp has formulated some strategy. But will The Answer get the answer he wants?

Gary Moore, personal manager for the Nuggets' guard, said Iverson is looking into doing something similar to what New Jersey's Vince Carter did last summer.

Carter was due $16.4 million but opted out of the final year of his deal and signed a five-year contract starting at $13 million. Iverson can opt out by July 1 of the final year of his deal, which pays $20.84 million.

"Absolutely," Moore said when asked if Iverson will look at a move similar to Carter's, but with Iverson possibly opting out and signing a three-year deal. "That's what we'll talk about. We're taking away from basketball for a couple of weeks, and I'll be flying back (to Denver) and meeting with (Nuggets) brass."

A three-year deal will be discussed because that would take Iverson, 33 in June, to the brink of his 36th birthday, an age when salary rules would have a hard hit on Denver. Moore and Iverson spoke last fall about a six-year extension, but Moore now acknowledges that would be "tough."

While they will listen to Iverson's pitch, it's generally believed the Nuggets, deep into the luxury tax, don't want to give Iverson additional contract years and would be content with Iverson becoming a free agent in 2009. It is not expected that Iverson, who would have to take a pay cut, would opt out and leave the Nuggets.

"I definitely want to be here," Iverson said.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"We didn't put ourselves in position to be successful. That's defensively and passing the ball and us being professional. There's a long list of things we didn't do that can be addressed." -- Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin, saying the four-game playoff sweep at the hands of the Lakers put even more of a damper on a season in which Martin had hoped Denver would have been better than the West's No. 8 playoff seed.

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