Nuggets Coach Karl Has Neck, Throat Cancer

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl has been diagnosed with neck and throat cancer and likely will miss some NBA games and practices while undergoing a rigorous six-week treatment program of radiation and chemotherapy.

His voice breaking at times, Karl revealed the diagnosis late Tuesday with his doctor, Jacques Saari, at his side and surrounded by his team and members of the Nuggets organization.

"My desire is to do whatever I can to stay with my team throughout the treatment that I have to go through," Karl said. "Basically, my belief is this is a championship team and I want to do anything and everything I can to help them continue in their quest that we all want."

Karl, a survivor of prostate cancer in 2005, said he expects to miss at least a couple of upcoming games, at Golden State on Feb. 25 and at Minnesota on March 10. He said assistant Adrian Dantley would lead the team when he's absent.

Karl has coached Denver to the playoffs in each of the last five seasons. His 260 wins since joining the Nuggets in January 2005 are the second most in team history.

The Nuggets are 35-18 this season and leading the Northwest Division.

"One thing about coach Karl is he has more toughness than I could ever imagine," said Oklahima City Thunder coach Scott Brooks, a former Karl assistant. "He's battled it one time, he's battled it with his son and now he's going to battle it again."

Saari said he found a large lump on Karl's neck during a routine examination on Dec. 30. Karl said he had been aware of the lump for some time but had assumed it was just fatty tissue. An exam and a needle biopsy were performed and results confirmed the presence of a tumor approximately 2 inches (6 centimeters) in diameter.