George Karl on JaVale McGee: 'Lazy and crazy isn't going to make it work'

Nuggets forward JaVale McGee has seen his playing time decrease this season. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) As the Denver Nuggets strive to improve their

Nuggets forward JaVale McGee has seen his playing time decrease this season. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

As the Denver Nuggets strive to improve their playoff position in the tough Western Conference, head coach George Karl knows the importance of getting his players to the playing to their maximum potential.

One of those players is forward JaVale McGee, whose play of late has seen his minutes drop to only 17 per game. Karl says he should be up to around 25 minutes per game.

The Nuggets acquired McGee in a trade last March with the Washington Wizards, then gave him a  four-year, $44 million deal that left some in the league shaking their heads.

"He's got to understand that lazy and crazy isn't going to make it work," Karl said to the Denver Post. "We want solid and we want fundamental, and we want spectacular but only when it happens, not forcing the action where sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't."