Postgame Thoughts

Basketball can be a complicated sport and the difference between winning and losing can come down to a variety of factors.

Game 6 was pretty simple:

The Lakers made their shots, the Nuggets didn't.

I'm going to take some time before I put together some thoughts about the season, but I'll leave you with this:

Here's to the best season in Denver Nuggets history, and here's to seeing an eager, hungry Denver Nuggets team back in the Conference Finals next year ready to take the next step.

Hair to the Throne?

LeBron may have had the best game we've seen in the playoffs in a long time, but who has the better hair?  It's a long-shot now, though still very possible, but if we're not treated to the long-awaited NBA Finals match-up between Carmelo and Lebron, at least we'll have this.

Credit goes to Blaze of Love for the Melo picture in their post on: 8 Reasons the Denver Nuggets are the Most Entertaining Team in Sports.

I saw the Bron picture on espn.com the same day I read that blog post.

I'm ready for a Nuggets win tonight.  If they play just as hard as they did Wednesday night, and a little smarter than they did in the 4th quarter, I think they'll be able to send this series back to LA.

Game 5 Recap

Turned out to be a great game, and a terribly frustrating 4th quarter, but in the end, Los Angeles protected their home court and now it's time for Denver to do the same.

The most frustrating aspect was definitely Carmelo's inability to draw fouls in the lane.  You can argue about whether that's due to the Laker's interior length or the referee's decision not to call fouls on contact on drives to the hoop, but as a Nuggets fan, you can probably guess where I fall in that category.

Regardless, the score was tied at the end of each quarter, and the Nuggets put themselves into a position to take another game in LA, but just couldn't hold it together in the 4th.  Los Angeles got production from both Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher, and that more than anything else was probably the difference in this game.  I can complain all I want, and I plan to, but the bottom line is that the Laker's played harder in this game than they have all series, and they did what they're supposed to do at home, so all I can do now is look forward.

Looking at the box score, there are only a few categories that really stand out after tonight's game.

• Fouls - My thoughts on this have already been covered.  I thought that the fouls were called fairly evenly, but the way the game was called favored the Laker's style of play.
• Blocks - See "Fouls"
• Assists - In game 4, Denver was constantly trying to find the best shot.  I don't think that mindset changed much, but LA's defensive intensity definitely hurt the Nugget's passing ability.
• 3-Point % - The Nuggets were actually significantly better here, but still shot worse than 30%.  The key is that Denver shot 8 more 3-pointers than LA while both teams were cold from long distance, so that means Denver was relying on something that wasn't working.
• FG% - The Lakers shot about 10% better than the Nuggets and that's the first time in a very long time that I've seen that kind of discrepancy for a Nuggets' opponent.  This will have to change for Denver to get a win in Game 6.

Overall I'm disappointed, but by no means did this game make me feel as if this series is over.  It's going to take another great home effort as well as a complete game in Los Angeles in the possible Game 7, but I still like how this team is playing overall, and I still like the Denver Nugget's chances to advance to the NBA Finals in 7 games.

WCF Game 4 Recap/Game 5 Preview

That was about as good an NBA game as you can choose to go to.

Everything was on the line, the teams were close for most of the game to keep the crowd interested and the home team warmed up and put it away in the 4th quarter.

Nothing could bring me down that night, not the rain, not the cold, not the alternator that I just had replaced going out on me at midnight on my way back home, nothing.

The best part about it is that I truly believe the Nuggets are the better team now.  It's taken 4 games to prove it to me, and things seem to change every game in this series, but the Lakers are a two-man show right now and the Nuggets are a team.  Despite the nicknames and the tattoos and the reputations, the Denver Nuggets are playing the way basketball coaches at every level teach kids to play the game.  Everybody's passing, everybody's taking care of the ball, players are flying out to challenge shooters and are active on the defensive end.  The Nuggets are determined to find the easy shot on offense and make sure there are no easy shots for the Lakers on the other end.

Going into Game 5 tonight, here are some keys that I see:

• Junior Swish found some playoff mojo in Denver, can he keep it going in LA?  

  If JR makes a couple shots early on, watch out, he could be the difference maker.  As great as it was watching Kob (that's what I'll be calling him from now on) and Melo duking it out in Games 1 and 2, I would love to see some reinforcements from Denver's bench scorers on the road.

• Speaking of Denver's bench, can they keep up the energy in LA?  

  I'm hoping that the memory of the frenzied Pepsi Center crowd's juice can carry the Denver bench players through Game 5.  A couple great energy plays and rebounds could suck the life out of the Staples Center in a hurry when the bench players take over in the second quarter.

• Can Melo remember where he left his jump-shot in the Staples Center?  

  It's got to be there somewhere, because it certainly didn't make it back to Denver.  Whether it was his ankle, bad stomach or pressure of leading his team in front of the home crowd, Melo's got to find a way to contribute in order to win Game 5.  It would also help if the referees remembered that it's ok to call fouls on the Lakers when Melo drives into the lane.  I think they just got bored with it since he gets hacked about every time he enters the paint.

• Will the Lakers get any production from Lamar Odom or Derek Fisher?

   These are the veteran players that are supposed to lead you when you see some adversity, but Odom has continually turtled in pressure situations and Fisher, who was once a deadly, clutch 3-point shooter, just doesn't seem to have it this year.  A big game from either of these guys could quickly tip the scales in favor of the Lakers.

• Will LA be able to keep Gasol and Bynum happy in the post?  

  Both players were chatting up the media about how they need the ball more, and maybe they're right, but maybe their lack of touches had something to do with Denver's ball denial on defense as well.  Something tells me Phil Jackson doesn't really appreciate his players discussing his flawed game plan in front of the media.

• Will Phil Jackson be able to find his way back to the Middle Path?  

  All through the Houston series, Phil refused to get riled up about anything.  No comments about the officiating, nothing about his team's lack of killer instinct, didn't worry about the extra games effect on his players for the next round and never showed any sign that he thought the Rockets might pull off the upset.  That all flew out the window on Monday night.  The first time I saw his post-game press conference was in a bar with no audio, but I could tell just by how animated he was that this was a different Phil Jackson.  Turns out I was right, which to me is one of the biggest signs that the Nuggets have truly taken control of this series.  This is the first time Phil has seemed agitated in a long time and I think that's a good thing for Denver.

Can Chauncey keep Denver cool when they're in a position to take control of the game?

In all 4 games of this series, the Nuggets have had opportunities to take control of the game for good.  They've only capitalized on two of those opportunities so far.  Will Monday night's win be the tipping point?  Instead of waiting for Kob's response, will Denver take charge and put the Lakers away?  Personally, I think you'll see the Nuggets respond to the pressure as well as they have this entire post-season.

I don't think there's any doubt that the winner of Game 5 will be well on their way to the NBA Finals, and that there's still a whole lot to learn about these two teams even though we've seen them play each other 4 times in 8 days, so I'm as nervous and excited as ever for this game.  I do think we'll see more defensive focus from the Lakers and a clear attempt to get Gasol and Bynum involved offensively early on.  They're not going to concede defeat after one beat down on the road.  I don't see either team dominating the glass like Denver did on Monday, so I expect that will even out.  

The main difference I see coming into this game is that Denver's bench is riding high with confidence after returning to Denver, and I think we'll see them be effective in their time on the court tonight.  Birdman was back to being Birdman, JR found his range and even added play-making to his repertoire, Linas the Menace has continued joining in the fun for the first time this season, AC managed to make a shot, which is nice, and the best sign that the Nuggets' bench is firing on all cylinders is that Denver even ran a play for Renaldo "Blankman" Balkman!!  In the first half!!

With Denver's bench riding a wave of confidence, and LA's riding a wave of confusion, I think it will be enough for the Nuggets to take control of tonight's game.  That being said, I don't think Kob plans on letting this one slip away either.  All in all I believe this game will end in anguish of biblical proportions for Kob and his followers as the road teams comes away with a tight victory despite the Black Mamba's near heroics - 

Final Score Prediction:  Denver Nuggets 104 - LA Lakers 101

Playoff Stache Spectacular

In lieu the typical game preview I decided to give a Playoff Stache update.  More important than the update however, I decided to give a look at what the Nuggets players would have brought to this brilliant idea had I informed them of it in advance of the playoffs.  As far as Game 4 goes, I expect the Nuggets to win and I expect them to shoot the ball better as they'll have a little less adrenaline running through the system.  I also think you'll see them do everything they can to keep Kobe from getting into the lane.  Enjoy the Mustachios!

F

I kept thinking that the shooting was bound to come along.

It didn't.

I knew the bench would come through, but I didn't know they would be the only ones to come through.

Frustrating night tonight, but the good news is that I don't believe the Nuggets will shoot worse from the perimiter than they did tonight.

If it weren't for the dunks and layups the Nuggets would have only made 14 shots tonight. 14!

There were a few games in the Dallas series where the Nuggets couldn't find their stroke, but instead of continuing to jack up 3's and long 2's, they attacked the rim and got to the Free Throw Line.

As disappointed as I am, I'm looking forward to a big time bounce back game on Monday.  There's no way Melo, Chauncey and JR all shoot that poorly two games in a row at home.

That's it for now.

A Dream Fulfilled and A Game 3 Preview/Prediction Posted

I don't have much time to post a preview today as I'm DJ'ing a wedding today in an hour and 15 minutes under the alias "DJ JD aka The Palindrome", but I wanted to throw up a quick post for a couple reasons.

One is that this could be the #1 game in the history of Nuggets' hoops.  I realize we throw around superlatives like crazy these days, in fact, this might be the most superlativest time in history, but I still think that with all the elements involved, this could be the most exciting NBA game ever played in Denver.  I had to switch out my ticket for tonight's game thanks to my DJ gig, but I can't even imagine what it's going to be like in the Can this evening.  I feel confident that the Nuggets will take care of business.  It will be another hard fought game, but I don't think this one comes down to the last shot:  Denver 112 - LA 104. 

Now on to the second, and most personally exciting reason for this post.  A friend of mine directed me to this story in the Denver Post about Linas Kleiza.  In my initial post I spoke of my intention for this blog.  Above all of the normal things I wanted to get out of this blog was the dispersal of my favorite nicknames that nobody else was using: Linas the Menace and The Blankman (Renaldo Balkman).  After seeing Linas the Menace used in the comment section of a Denver Post story online, I was pretty happy, but this...  this is a dream come true.  An objective completed.  It's in print.  It may not be my story, but my nickname has been published and I'm hoping that's just the beginning.  I suspect it will catch on like wildfire, especially if the Menace's hot shooting continues tonight.  I'm glad you could all be a part of this special moment.

I'm the luckiest man in the world!

Any Questions? (WCF Game 2 Nuggetz)

None from me thank you.  The biggest remaining question for this squad was how would they respond to adversity in the playoffs?  Very well, thank you very much.  There's still a long way to go, but I think it's safe to say that Thursday night's win solidifies Denver's status as a championship contender, and I think we're in for a very entertaining Western Conference Finals.

• Much like Games 3 and 4 in the Dallas series, the recaps for Games 1 and 2 in this series can essentially be flippy-floppied.


• Carmelo was the most efficient scorer in Game 1, but was outdone by Kobe in crunch time and ended up scoring just a little bit less for the game.


• Kobe was the most efficient scorer in Game 2, but was outdone by Carmelo in crunch time and ended up scoring just a little bit less for the game.


• Who's the hungriest player on the court in this series?  Without question it's Melo.  Nobody else comes close.  Whichever area he's focused on, whether it's scoring, rebounding, defending or whatever, he seems to will his way to success.


• Second place goes to Pau Gasol, whose rebounding and dare I say, tough interior play, is keeping these games from being double-digit losses for the Lakers.


• Nene looks like the old Pau Gasol, flopping for fouls, occasionally dominant, but usually confused by the different beast that is NBA Playoff basketball.


• Forget the Playoffs, welcome to the 2008/2009 NBA season Linas "the Menace" Kleiza!


• Miraculously, the Nuggets were paced offensively, until Melo's scoring outburst, by Linas the Menace and Kenyon Martin.  Without their scoring, the Nugs go down by at least 20 early in the first half.


• I'm starting to think Mark Warkentein and Rex Chapman decided to assemble this team around the mold of Melo's NCAA Champion Syracuse Orange team with Chauncey playing the part of Gerry McNamara and the freakishly athletic Birdman playing the part of the freakishly athletic Hakim Warrick.  Here's to hoping the NBA Finals end with Birdman blocking an attempted 3-point shot.


• I have to admit I was absolutely frightened when I realized that both Steve "Jobbed Me" Javie and Dick "I hope he doesn't hurt himself" Bavetta were working this game together.  Fortunately each seemed to be favoring one team or the other, so it worked itself out in the end.  Apparently sometimes two wrongs do make a right.


• I haven't felt my heart beating as fast as it was in the last two minutes of this game in avery long time.  I'm not sure if that's a testament to the exciting finish, or to my lack of cardiovascular training, but I'm pretty sure it was the finish.


• Gasol and Odom got their share of uncontested putbacks, but this time the Nuggets countered by crashing the glass on their end just as hard.

With the series shifting back to Denver, I expect we'll see a little better production out of the Nugget's energy guys off the bench.  So I think Birdman, Junior and AC will all see a boost in the next two games.  If anything, I think Kobe will be even better in the Pepsi Center as he seems to revel in quieting rowdy fans on the road, but I do think guys like Ariza, Shannon Brown, Bynum and even the emotionally unsteady Lamar Odom could be affected.  So I'm expecting to see the games remain closely contested based on the play of Kobe and Gasol, but the bench play at home will give the Nuggets the overall edge.

And so it begins...

Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, no teams dominated like the Cavs and the Nuggets.  Cleveland barely broke a sweat winning both series' in the minimum 8 games.  Denver let their oppponents hang around a couple times, but ultimately posted the largest scoring margin through the first two rounds in playoff history.

You hear a lot about how a playoff series doesn't begin until a team wins on the road.  Well I say the playoffs have just begun for these two teams after tasting defeat for the first time early in a series.  I haven't followed the Cavs reaction much after their devastating loss, but I've been very impressed with Denver's maturity and professionalism following Tuesday night's last-minute defeat.

This is the first dose of adversity and the first true test of the 2009 playoffs for both of these teams.  Cleveland has much more reason to be scared after losing on their home-court, but they also have the best player in basketball, so you can't be too worried.  Denver is much more of a wildcard.  Many "experts" probably expect a significant drop-off from the Nuggets' Game 1 effort and enthusiasm, but everything I've seen so far the spring tells me that's not going to be the case.  Denver lost a game in New Orleans by two that it could have won, they lost a game in Dallas by two that they should have won and now the same thing has happened in Los Angeles.

The only difference this time around is that it happened in Game 1 instead of Game 3 or 4, so if recent history tells me anything, it's that not only will there not be a drop-off, but there will be a significant increase in focus, effort and team-play.  Keeping in mind the current opponent is undoubtedly more talented than Dallas or New Orleans, I still see Game 2 as a great chance for Denver to get a win on the road and even their playoff road record at 3-3.  A win tonight would be a great way to swing some momentum as the series shifts to Denver where the Nuggets have been unbeatable for over 2 months now.  It would make the Lakers think a little more about how many games they've played over the last couple weeks.  It would make the Lakers think a little more about how the altitude is going to affect their tired legs.  It would be just what the Nuggets need to take control of a series that most "experts" are now ready to hand right back to LA.

If I can see these things, then the Denver Nugget organization can clearly see these things and the players will be well prepared for a game that holds a wild amount of significance for this team.  With a couple home games coming before a return to Staples Center, by no means do I think this series will be over if the Nuggets can't pull out a victory tonight, but a win tonight will provide a significant boost throughout the rest of the series and I'm looking forward to watching this team respond to their first real challenge of the playoffs.

I don't see Melo scoring 40 tonight, but I see the bench playing much stronger.  Kobe may score 40 again, but I don't see Fisher and Ariza hitting every significant 3-pointer that they take.  Gasol, Odom and Bynum may have better offensive performances, but I don't see them dominating the offensive glass the way they did in Game 1 and most importantly, I don't see the Nuggets choking away another chance for victory in Game 2.  When the game is on the line, the ball will be in Billups or Melo's hands and if that's the case, I like our chances.

Game 2 Prediction: Denver 111 - Los Angeles 104

WCF Game 1 Nuggetz

The bad news is that the Nuggets are facing their first series deficit of the 2009 playoffs.

The good news is they outplayed and outmuscled the Lakers in the Staples Center.

• Despite the heartbreaking loss, it was very exciting to see the Nuggets control the post in every area other than offensive rebounds allowed.  That bodes well for the rest of the series if they can focus on boxing-out as much as they did in the first quarter.
  
• The killer in this game was absolutely the play of the bench, which had been a monumental strength in the two previous series'.  The Nuggets' bench players were playing tight and nervous and I don't expect that to continue into the rest of the series.
• While Kobe's play is correctly getting the hype it deserves, it was the timely 3-pointers by Derek Fisher that were the back-breakers in my eyes.
• How costly were those 3 missed free throws to start the game for Chauncey?
• It will be interesting to see how Melo responds to such a dominating, efficient offensive performance.  Will he try to keep up his all-around play or will he try to get into a scoring contest with Kobe.
• As well as Kobe played, especially down the stretch, I'm basically happy with how the Denver Defender's performed against him.  His looks were pretty good, and weren't heavily contested, but there was always a defender nearby and more importantly, he had very few chances to drive and dunk.
• How great was it to see Carmelo checking Kobe in crunch time.  It made me realize that as great as Kobe is, Melo can guard him pretty well and he has no chance to guard Melo at this point in his career.
• The first quarter of this game went about as well as could be expected, especially because Melo was clearly ready and there seemed to be a focus on boxing-out and securing rebounds that was lost later in the game.
• I think this is was the first sporting event that I've felt noticeably anxious about that I haven't been directly involved in.
• If it weren't for Gasol's offensive boards, the Laker's frontcourt would have been entirely ineffective.  I don't expect they'll be dominated like that in every game, but I also don't expect the Nuggets to give up 10 more offensive rebounds than they get in any other game.
• A Lakers fan posted in the comments of my series preview that this was the best the Nugs could play and their only chance at winning in LA.  I couldn't disagree more.  While Melo may have played his best possible game, and KMart was very good, every other player on the Nuggets has a lot of room to improve.
• Nene needs to figure out what he did in the first half and do it for the entire game tomorrow night.  After a great performance early on, he disappeared, partly due to foul trouble, but that can't be all of it, he needs to keep attacking offensively.
• Chauncey racked up the assists early, but I'm not sure he managed an assist in the 2nd or 3rd quarters.  When his shot isn't falling, it would be nice to see his assist totals rise a bit.
• Overall, despite the loss, I'm excited about what I saw in Game 1 and I'm looking forward to seeing how things go tomorrow night.

In summary and in conclustion, people keep talking about how the Nuggets will respond to the loss, but I'm going to be interested to see how the Lakers respond.  That game reminded me of a boxing match where the heavy favorite took some nasty blows early, but managed to win the round.  He may be happy that he's gone round 1 under his belt, but he's probably a little surprised by how strong his opponent was.  There's clearly going to be adjustments made by each team, but the Lakers have to feel as if they've taken some blows to the body, and I think if the Nuggets play with this kind of effort in every game, the every-other-day schedule will wear down this Lakers team.

Western Conference Finals Preview

This is how it should be.

As nice as it would have been to take on a depleted Rockets team, keep home-court advantage and sweep through the Western Conference Playoffs as the favorite in every round, this is the match-up the Nuggets needed in order to be taken serious as a contender.

Much has been said of Denver's easy path to Round 3 of the 2009 Playoffs, and about how they have yet to really deal with any adversity, but I think that's more due to the performance of the Nuggets rather than the shortcomings of their opponents.  New Orleans was clearly not playing great hoops in the first round, but I would certainly take them in a 7-game series with the tanking Jazz team that took on the Lakers in Round 1.  Dallas didn't look up to the challenge against Denver, but had been playing their best ball of the season leading up and in to their first round victory over San Antonio.  There's no question in my mind that Dallas would have been able to knock off the McGrady and Yao-less Rockets in less than the 7 games it took L.A.

We've been watching a Denver Nuggets team that has embraced and conquered every challenge laid in their path this post-season, and playing the Lakers will just be the next on the list.  I don't doubt the talent that Los Angeles brings to the table.  Their front-line is very formidble and it will take the best effort from Denver's big guys to match up with them.  Phil Jackson will not be rattled in the way Rick Carlisle was, and will have his team prepared as far as X's and O's. Kobe is easily the best all-around talent in the Western Conference and won't be settling for fall-away jump shots nearly as often as Dirk was, but I think these are the things that will keep this Nuggets team focused.  

My biggest worry in the playoffs has been how the Nuggets will respond to their continuing success.  All season long, they've been able to play the "Nobody Believes In Us" card, and matching up with the Lakers will allow that to continue for a little while longer.  Denver only managed one victory over L.A. in the regular season, but if you look at the line-ups in each of the 4 games, you'll see that one team or the other had somebody significant missing in each game.  The season-opener came before the Billups trade and before Dahntay Jones had made his way into the starting lineup; the second game featured Vlad Radmonovic starting for LA and Birdman missing the game for Denver; game 3, Denver's dominating victory came with Bynum sitting out and the final regular season game was played without Kenyon Martin, who is unquestionably the Nuggets' defensive spark plug.

There's no more time for excuses now.  It doesn't matter who's hurt, who's tired, who got the better match-ups and who didn't, it's all about showing it on the court.  The Lakers have been written into the Finals in ink since the start of the season, and they've been playing as if they believe it's a foregone conclusion so far in the playoffs as well.  Denver has yet to fall behind in a 2009 playoff game by more than 11 and has yet to lose a 2009 playoff game by more than 2.  I don't expect either of those numbers to stand up throughout this next series, but just as the Nuggets' play has remained consistent, my series prediction will stay the same as I'm looking forward to stealing one of these first two in the Staples Center and continuing the dominant play at home:  

Nuggets in 6.

Show Me Your Nuggets!

A lot of people get frustrated with bandwagon fans.  I can see how it might be frustrating when you've followed a team through the bad times, threatening the all-time record for fewest wins in a season, many botched lottery picks, etc., but I guess I have a different take on it.  

I haven't been a Nugget's fan for the longest amount of time by any means, but I have been an unwavering fan through quite a few difficult periods.  I've watched through the McDyess stints, the Van Exel era, the Bzdelik era (which record-wise was awful, but could be one of the more important seasons in Nuggets' history) and now the Carmelo/Karl era and to me, seeing all the people jumping on the bandwagon is why I kept watching in the first place.  

I didn't follow them through the lean years so I could talk to the same 2 friends about the Nuggets for the next decade, I followed them because one day they'd be good enough that I could share my love for the Nugs with everybody in the state, and it appears that day has come.

So I say jump on the bandwagon, there's plenty of room.  Go out and get some sky blue and gold apparel, honk your horns, start figuring out what you're going to chant when we're closing out win #4 in the Western Conference Finals and getting ready to see the Bron/Melo Finals showdown we've all been waiting for and most importantly: Show Me Your Nuggets!

Contest #2 > Contest #1

Real quick before I sign off, I'd like to announce a new contest I will be starting while we await the Conference Finals. I'm hoping to increase the number of entrants in this contest infinity percent over my last one as it is still waiting for its first entrant. This one should be easier. Through email or comment on this thread, I'd like to read the best, most creative options for this fill-in-the blank question:

Mark Cuban was unable to attend Game 5 in Denver because he had previously scheduled __________ in Las Vegas.

(examples: "His offseason vacation" or "An appointment at the Bunny Ranch" or "Mom Sensitivity Training")

Have fun!

Round Deux, Game 5 Recap

Wow, what a night to be in the Pepsi Center.

Getting past the first round was fun, but there was an unbelievable amount of energy flowing through the Can all through the 4th quarter and well past the final buzzer.

With a record attendance that nearly topped the 20,000 mark, every shot attempt, every defensive stop by Melo or KMart on Dirk, every time somebody entered or left the game, the crowd was ready to erupt and every time it seemed like it couldn't get any better, with it all culminating on Junior Smith's alley-oop pass to KMart for a dunk that gives new meaning to the word "emphatic."

It was an epic journey.

When I say that, I'm not speaking about the game, series or playoff run. I'm not talking about the evolution of the Carmelo-era Nuggets. I'm talking about how I got to the game.

Having purchased the tickets on ticketmaster, I selected the "pick-up at a retail location" option since will-call didn't seem to be an option anymore. Before braving the 2.5 hour drive to Denver, I made sure to look up a few Ticketmaster retail outlets around Denver to give me some options. With traffic the way it was, I managed to get into my usualy parking lot next to Old Chicago at 14th and Market. From there I figured it was a short jaunt over to 16th and California where I thought I'd be able to snag my ticket before heading back to the Can. Much to my surprise, the Denver Visitor's Bureau was all locked up for the evening. This was disappointing as I believed the next closest outlet was at a record store up around Colfax and Ogden. I make the walk up that direction and come to the realization that the record store I walked to was in fact not the record store that was a Ticketmaster outlet. After checking out some street signs, I realize I have a good 15 blocks yet to go. I finally reach Twist & Shout up next to the Tattered Cover bookstore, make my way back to the back cashier and he tells me that since the game has started, my ticket will be at Will Call.

Oh.

I was lucky enough to catch a cab back with a cabby that was a fan, so I got to listen to the first half of the second quarter on the radio anyway and made it into my seat for the last 5 minutes of the half.

Anyway, now that I've rehashed the highs and lows of my evening, I'll try to throw together some thoughts on the series' past and future:

• Denver has now taken two teams that played strong in the powerful Western Conference and made them look like fringe playoff teams.


• At some point, maybe it's time to give some credit to the Nuggets instead of bashing the other team.


• I like the idea of Mark Cuban crashing into a Maverick's halftime huddle giving Will Farrell's "We've got to keep our composure!" speech from Old School.


• Speaking of Cuban, it's very convenient that he had a previously scheduled event to attend this evening. I wonder where he'd have been if this game had been played in Dallas.


• Regardless of who the Nuggets play next, I would love to see them keep working on consistent defensive intensity. There have been times this series where Dallas has had absolutely no options on offense and times where the Nuggets seem fine with allowing open jumpers. Maybe facing Kobe will be enough to motivate the team throughout the next round.

I'm going to leave it at this for now as it's late and I'll be getting up early to make the 2.5 hour drive back tomorrow, but I'll also leave you with a picture I got from my seat shortly after the final seconds ticked away on the Maverick's 2009 season:

Playoff Stache Update: Game 5 Edition.

As you can see, the 'Stache is coming along quite nicely.  I'm hoping that as the 'Stache fills in, it will mirror the maturation of this Denver Nuggets squad.

Round Deux, Game 5 Preview

One bright spot coming out of Game 4's loss to the Mavericks is that now I'll have a chance to head to another elimination game at the Pepsi Center this post-season.  The Mavs got up for their "revenge" game two night's ago and played with plenty of heart and resilience despite plenty of chances for them to quit in the style of New Orleans.  

I think Dallas will come in a focused team, but I don't see them able to match the emotion and intensity of their Game 4 effort.  A 3-0 lead allowed a much more relaxed Denver team to finally start hitting their shots from outside, and I see that continuing as they return to the friendly confines of the Pepsi Center with a 3-1 series lead and chance to close out another series in front of the hometown fans.  

As heroic as Dirk's performance was in the 4th quarter, I believe JJ Barea's hustle and Brandon Bass' play on offense and defense were the reasons Dallas was able to keep from getting blown out on their home court.  That being said, the return on the Birdman will be a defining factor that I expect will return the edge to the Nuggets as far as bench play.  It's no coincidence that Dallas was able to produce in the paint the same night Denver's most intimidating shot blocker was sidelined with food poisoning.

I'm getting more excited by the hour as Game 5 approaches and I'll be very happy to be a part of yet another historic victory by this Denver Nuggets team that continues to improve as the playoffs go forward.

Quick Game 4 Recap

Busy day for me today, so I'll keep it simple: Read all of the Game 3 Recaps and switch the teams around.

Denver was in control of this one the whole time until the final minutes just as Dallas was in control of Game 3. Frustrating loss, but I don't see it affecting the Nugget's dominant ply at home and believe this series will be over by tomorrow evening.

The X factor was clearly the Birdman's absence. I don't think JJ Barea would have been quite so heroic had the Bird been around to swat his drives to the hoop. It could be a reason for Dirk's sudden 4th quarter prowess as well with Linas Kleiza drawing the big German on many 4th quarter possessions.

Here's a question: Wouldn't Balkman be a good option when the team is looking for someone to check Dirk the Jerk and soak up a few fouls?

Round Deux, Game 3 Reaction

I realize I'm a little late on this, but I haven't been around a computer for a few days so this is the best I could do. Needless to say, I was very happy about the win and the fact that they managed to pull it off while shooting even worse than ever from the outside. I can't believe the Nuggets continue to win games in this series in which they are shooting the ball so poorly.

Here's a few Nuggetz to capture my thoughts on this whole intentional foul fiasco:

• Nothing says classy like yelling at a player's mom. Way to go Mark Cuban!
• With all the useless whining and screaming and yelling, it's nice to see that some Mavs players know how to handle themselves in a professional manner.
• As angry as Cuban seemed about the last second play, he didn't seem to mind that all of Denver's front-court was in foul trouble for nearly the entire game.
• If Antoine Wright wants to "intentionally foul" somebody, he should grab him with both arms like everyone else does at every level of basketball.
• I've never seen somebody intentionally foul by bumping them with their hips and putting their hands in the air, waving them as if they just didn't care.
• Question of the Game: How Did Mark Cuban get a hickey on the flab on the back of his arm?
• Question of the Game I'd Rather Not Have an Answer To: How did Mark Cuban get a hickey on the flab on the back of his arm?

Now that that's out of the way, I'm looking forward to seeing a more relaxed Nuggets team tonight that wont take too long to find their stroke from the outside. I can't imagine Dallas will come out firing after such a life-draining ending to Game 3. I respect the way Dirk has handled himself this whole series, and I think he's a great player, but I just don't understand how he disappears at the end of games. I think Dallas will struggle to hang with the Nuggz tonight, especially if the shots start falling as they should:

Final Score Prediction: Denver 112 - Dallas 100

Photoshop Contest

While somewhat frightened by the prospect of the results, I'd like to challenge anybody with some semblence of digital photograph manipulation ability to create an "If They Mated..." type conglomerate (for those well-versed in Conan O'Brien lor) of Dirk and his foil, Ms. Cristal Taylor. Please attach your submission in an email to NuggetsNuggetz@gmail.com

Round Deux, Game 3 Preview

It's probably a good thing these teams had 4 days in between games. Incredible foresight by the league to know that Dirk's alleged fiancee would be arrested and Josh Howard's ankle would need some rest. Without those two events, I don't think there's a whole lot more that could be written about this series. Games 1 and 2 followed a nearly identical script. The Nuggets had a few more defensive lapses in Game 2, and their 1st and 2nd quarter dominance flip-flopped, but other than that it was pretty much the same story of a tight game through 3 quarters followed by an embarrassingly dominating 4th quarter by the Nuggets.

I expect to see something different this game, though it remains to be seen exactly what that will be. I keep thinking Dallas will find a way to limit Denver's post production, but that's been very consistent so far, and the Nuggets aren't likely to miss any dunks just because they're playing on the road. I would think that outside shooting would be the main statistic that would change as a playoff series shifts from one city to the other, but so far in this series, Dallas has been the better outside shooting team by a long shot. Unless Erick Dampier finds a way to get rid of the cement blocks on his feet or Ryan Hollins and Brandon Bass bulk up to the point that they can consistently challenge Denver's post players, I just don't see the story changing when it comes to post play.

I believe the "distractions" surrounding the Mavs will only serve to help the team focus especially with as many veteran leaders as there are on the team(JET, Dirk, JKidd, etc.) so I think we'll see a Dallas team hungry to prove themselves in a series in which they've looked entirely overmatched, but until they prove they can flip the script, I just can't see things ending up any different.

While not being much of an X's and O's guy, I think we'll see something new from Dallas as far as defending Nene in a way that doesn't increase the Nuggets' chances of second chances on offense. I think we'll see Denver test out whatever scheme Dallas comes up with for that. I think Dallas will be happy to zone up until Denver's shooters prove they need to do otherwise and I think Denver's shooters will start hitting some shots as the pressure begins to lift from their shoulders. Not having the home crowd will certainly lower the energy level in the 4th quarter for the Nuggets, but in the back of every player's mind will be the two dominating 4th quarters of Games 1 and 2, so there's absolutely nothing that comes to mind that makes me think Game 3 will be much different.

Overall, I guess I'll give Dallas a slight boost thanks to strong fan support and a very good home court record, but I'm going to have to go with another Nuggets victory as they can only stay cold from long-range for so long.

Denver 104 - Dallas 98

National Media Lovin'

Finally. It took a series of team records and a series and a half of dominating playoff victories, but finally the Nuggets are getting some love in the national media. Both Kenny and Charles are talking about the Nugs as contenders now and I just finished reading the recent articles by ESPN's resident Mavs fan Marc Stein and ESPN NBA numbers guru John Hollinger.

Let's hope the Nuggets players haven't been fueling their playoff fire with a "Nobody Believes in Us" attitude, because people are most definitely believing now.

Playoff Mustache Update

Considering the long wait between games, I thought I would update the status of my playoff mustache while we're waiting. If I have time tomorrow I'll try to post a Game 3 preview.

Dunkfest 2: Electric Boogaloo (Round 2, Game 2 Nuggetz)

Excellent performance by nearly the entire team tonight, hell, even Linas the Menace got into the action a bit. It was a somewhat sloppy first half for both teams, an excellent 3rd quarter that was everything I've been expecting of this series and another unbelievably dominant 4th quarter for this Nuggets team. Great to hear the Pepsi Center rockin' on national TV.

On to the Nuggetz:

• I started watching this game part-way through the 1st quarter when the score was tied 14-14 as I was busy being dressed up as the Monopoly Man's evil twin and chased around by 20 6th graders demanding I return their brownies.  All part of the job as an educator I suppose. 

• Dirk got his points again, but he seems entirely unable to score any points against Denver's post players.  He's got an ugly shot to begin with, but it seems to get uglier as the game goes on, and more importantly, it stops going in.

• With apologies to Nene, who had a great first half, JR Smith was the reason the Nuggets went into the second half with a lead.  He settled a little too much for his outside jumper for my liking, but once again he showed off his all-around play and decision making.  Other than his terrible shot that lead to Jason Kidd's half-ending 3-pointer, JR was spectacular.

• It was very disappointing to lose Josh Howard for the game, he's a solid player and I would have loved to have gotten to see him battle with Melo.  Hopefully the long break will get him enough rest to make another appearance in this series.

• I've been very surprised at the Denver defensive approach this series so far.  They have shown absolutely no desire to fight through screens and seem content to switch out and play out the rest of the shot clock with those match-ups.  Other than an equally surprising switch to zone early in the 3rd quarter, this has been the base defense and somehow has kept Dallas out of the paint for the most part.

• One area I'd like to see Denver improve in as they head into Dallas is defensive focus coming out of timeouts.  I didn't keep track, but it seemed like every time Dallas came out of a time out, they got an easy hoop or free throws.

• JJ Barea seems completely uncomfortable out there in this series.  Denver's guards are quick enough to stay with him, and the bigs are too intimidating in the post for him to even attempt a shot in the paint.

• I think I would have reacted in exactly the same way Kenyon Martin did when Ryan Hollins was cupping his pectorals.  The commentators seemed convinced that Hollins was holding him up, but I'm pretty sure KMart would have been just fine without the Purple Nurple perpetrated on him by Hollins.

• The Nuggets seemed to lose defensive focus in the second quarter and for much of the third.  It's amazing that they manage to hold on to these leads when they give Dallas so many easy buckets in the middle of the game.

• Other than a couple bursts of 3 pointers, the Nuggets continue to be cold from the outside.  It's a testament to their aggressive offensive play that they're able to stay-in, and even dominate these games at certain points with very little production coming from 15 or more feet out.

• The Mavs' bench should be happy with how they played tonight.  They were badly outplayed in Game 1 and were one of the reasons it was such a dominating performance by the Nuggets, but tonight, the Mavs' bench had the energy level and production that should be expected out of them.

• If I weren't emotionally tied to either team, I would consider tonight's 3rd quarter the best ball of the series.  Both teams were going to their bread and butter and were successful.  The Nugs were attacking and pounding the ball into the paint and the Mavs were moving the ball around the perimeter and hitting open shots.

• There were times tonight when the Nuggets seemed content with not challenging Dallas' shooters and it seemed like every time that happened, the Dallas player nailed the shot.

• Every time these two teams have moved into a fast-paced transition-style game, the Nuggets seem to pull away.  I don't know if it's the athleticism or what, but I think the Mavs only hope is to slow the game down.  I realize that's not how they like to play, but I just don't see them having any chance to match Denver in the transition game.

• Every single one of the Denver Nuggets should be proud of how they played in the 4th quarter.  It seemed like on every possession, somebody new was stepping up to make a great play, from AC, to JR, to Melo, Birdman and everyone else.

• AC is quietly having a great postseason.  He's doing everything we could hope for from a backup point guard.

• Gutty performance by Melo in every sense of the word.  Clearly in pain, Melo was not afraid to do the dirty work tonight.  Whether he got it or not, Melo was in the paint fighting for rebounds and fighting through defenders on his way to the rim.

• Least believable comment of the night: "It's Really Funny."  This is what PJ Carlissimo said in response to the promo for Meet the Browns.  Maybe he really is a big fan, but I just don't believe it.

• When the Nuggets went on their 16-2 run to start the 4th quarter, they only took one shot from more than 15 feet out.  It was a miss from just outside the foul line by Carmelo.  Maybe Denver should just give up on jump shots until Dallas proves they can defend the paint.

• Somebody should tell Ryan Hollins that his team was losing a playoff game by 17 points when he celebrated his emphatic dunk.

• If the game had ended with 4 minutes remaining, my final score prediction would have been very good.  Turns out, my final score prediction was not very good tonight.

• As impressive as they've been playing and as much respect as the TNT crew is showing this team, I don't think I'll be content until the national broadcasters learn how to pronounce Linas Kleiza's name.
  

Final Nugget:

Another impressive 4th quarter performance by the Nuggets and another impressive playoff victory.  Normally a team can expect to shoot the ball a little worse when they head out on the road, but I don't think that's possible for this Nuggets team.  I expect that they'll actually be a little looser on offense as they head into Dallas as they wont be pressing to impress the hometown fans.  The main thing I'll be watching for is if the defensive intensity is there when the crowd isn't there to back them up.  They did it in New Orleans, so there's no reason to think they wont be just as focused as they head into their first road games of the second round, but I'm still not totally sold.  I don't think Dallas will fade in the 4th like they have in Denver once they get back to their home court, so it'll be important for the Nuggets to jump out to a big lead if possible to take the crowd and confidence out the arena.

Round Deux, Game Duex Preview (Rhymes intended)

Before I begin, I would like to hereby upgrade Dirk's foul on Sunday to a type two Flagrant Gesticulation penalty and fine him 25,000 Deutsche Marks. Enough said on that subject.

After a surprisingly dominant performance by Denver in the paint on Sunday, I feel like the Nuggets will be loose enough for the shooters to warm up a bit on Tuesday night. That being said, I expect to see Karl test the waters with Nene in the post early on to see if he still has the attitude he showed in the second quarter of Game 1. It will be interesting to see what Dallas decides to do defensively against Nene as Erick Dampier might as well have just set up a table and started signing all of the Nene posters he's soon to be featured on.

As far as Dallas' response, I think we'll see a team that's less likely to settle for the long jumper in Game 2. While they're very talented from long-range, a team just cannot expect to win 4 of 7 games when they're taking the majority of their shots from more than 15 feet out. Rick Carlisle pointed to the foul disparity, and if I could, I would point to the Points-in-the-Paint disparity as a response. You're not going to get calls when you're settling for jump shots, and I don't expect the Mavs to do so quite as often in Game 2.

I'm also looking forward to seeing how Denver decides to guard Dirk in Game 2. Despite his early success, he was clearly flustered by the end of the second quarter. I don't know if they'll decide to play him loose again, allowing for the fallaway jumpshots, and switching on screens allowing for the mismatch, but I have a feeling Dirk's going to see a lot of different looks as this series progresses. I think that the penalty assessed to KMart today will only serve to motivate him more, and I'd love to see him come out and play just as hard as he has throughout the postseason, especially when he's matched up against Dirk.

Overall, I expect to see a very different game on Tuesday night. I think Denver will test out the paint offensively, but will ultimately find more success with the outside shooting, and I think Dallas will be far more aggresive on both ends of the court as well as much more disciplined with the ball. I don't think we'll see the dominace of Game 1, but I do think the swagger and home-court success will continue as the Nuggets take a 2-0 lead into Dallas: Denver 104 - Dallas 96

Round Deux, Game 1 Nuggetz

Wow. We could be watching something really special here. The energy, agressiveness, and attitude that the Nuggets are showing right now are unprecedented as far as anything I've seen before and the scary thing is that I think that as well as they're playing, they're just going to get better as each guy gets another playoff game under his belt. If they can keep their focus as well as they did in the first round, this series could be over faster than most people, myself included, thought.  

On to the second half and final Nuggetz:

• Dallas came out firing in the 3rd quarter and seemed like they wanted to push the pace of the game.  Both teams are comfortable playing a fast-paced game, but neither really got a chance to play that style in their first round matchups against San Antonio and New Orleans.


• Initially the Nugs seemed flustered by the increased pace, but it didn't take long until they took over, seemingly driving in for layups and dunks at will.


• While the scoring played out much like I thought it would in the second half, it came in a surprising way.  I thought for sure the Nuggets shooters would heat up and provide some separation, but Denver continued to pound the paint and find success there.


• Denver has played aggresive defense regardless of how the officials have been calling the game.  I love that they don't seem concerned with drawing fouls early in the game.  Even if it hurts the offense, it has to be frustrating and disheartening for the opposing teams to have to play against a team that attacks so relentlessly on defense.


• The Mavericks simply cannot stop the Nuggets in the paint.  They have the shooters to steal a game or two, especially at home, if a player or two go off from 3-point range, but I just can't picture a team that is so overmatched in the post pulling out 4 wins.


• At one point in the 4th quarter, Hubie Brown said, "We're seeing Denver at their best right now."  I couldn't disagree with that statement more for these reasons:

Denver was absolutely horrible shooting the ball from the outside today.  According to ESPN's shot chart, Dallas sank 22 shots from 15 or more feet out to Denver's 11 in this game and 5 of Denver's 11 makes came in the 4th quarter with the game already well in hand.

If Dallas hadn't been so hot from outside, this game would have been over much closer to halftime.  They were sinking a ton of shots from the perimiter, many of which were well-contested by Nuggets defenders.

The Nuggets missed 11 Free Throws tonight and were out-rebounded by 7.

• JR didn't put up the numbers that he has in the past, but I would argue that this was his best overall game of the playoffs so far.  He was energetic on defense, drove to the hoop and only settled for long-range shots occasionally.  If only he didn't shoot 1-5 from the charity stripe.


• Carmelo was extremely patient tonight.  He was pretty much a non-factor offensively until the second half, but he ended up with 23 points on 7-10 shooting, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.  That's a line I'll take  from him any day of the week.


• Another Nugget with some excellent scoring efficiency was Nene who ended up with 24 points on 13 shots.  Nene looked winded throughout the Hornets series, so seeing his intensity today bodes very well for the Nuggets chances to keep this run going.


• Enough cannot be said about the Nuggets front-court trio of Nene, KMart and Birdman.  Their energy was without a doubt the catalyst for this victory.  They all seem to want to out-do each other defensively and that energy carried over into Nene's offensive dominance today.

I'm left feeling pretty much exactly how I felt after the Nuggets' victory over New Orleans in the first game of Round 1.  I think Cautious Optimism is still the best way to describe it, but as they proved to me against the Hornets, the Nuggets can stay focused and I'm moving further away from the "Cautious" side of things and more towards the "Optimism."  Denver's dominance in the paint was a total surprise to me, and I hope it can continue through Game 2 and into Games 3 and 4 as they head to Dallas.

Game 1, Round Deux Halftime Thoughts

• Dirk certainly started off hot, but if all he shoots is fallaways for the whole game, I feel good about that.  Interesting that Kenyon hasn't locked onto Dirk though, kind of surprising.


• Erick Dampier has looked totally lost.  Denver's frontline is just too athletic for him.


• Offensively, the Nugs look really tight.  The only points they're getting are in the paint so far.


• Kenyon's hip-check/forearm shiver on Dirk was pretty nasty looking, but that's the type of thing that's going to get into Dirk's head and also seemed to give Kenyon an energy boost too.


• Interesting to see LK enter the game so early on.  All I can think is that George saw how the refs were calling the game and decided to use up a few fouls with Linas the Menace.


• Glad to see Josh Howard back out on the floor.  You hate to see a team lose one of their top guys in the first game of a best of seven series.


• I'd like to officially welcome Nene to the 2009 Playoffs!  This could be the match-up that wins it for the Nugs.


• Dirk's antics are reminiscent of Tim Duncan's non-call incredulance and WoManu Ginobili's flailing limb approach to basketball.  No sir, I don't like it.


• This first half reminds me a whole lot of Game 5 against the Hornets.  The Nuggets are keeping themselves in the game by keeping the Mavs out of the paint, and attacking the basket offensively.  Once those shots start falling, the Nugs could put a little room between them on the scoreboard.

Round 2 Preview

With the opening game of Round 2 quickly approaching, I figured it was time to weigh in with my thoughts heading into this series. There's no question that the Mavericks are playing their best ball of the season right now, and combine that with the fact that all 4 of Denver's wins in the regular season came in hard-fought, exciting games and I think this could turn into a great series. On the other hand, going into the final week of the season, I was absolutely sure that the Mavericks were the best match-up for the Nuggets and I tend to still feel that way, and here's why:

• Two of Dallas' 3 main scoring options happen to match up against Denver's two best one-on-0ne defenders with Dahntay Jones checking Jason Terry or Josh Howard and Kenyon Martin taking on Dirk.

• When Howard is in top phyical condition, he has a chance to frustrate Carmelo a bit, but I don't think he's hitting on all cylindars at the moment, and the ones he is hitting on should be focused more on scoring during this series. Regardless, The Mavs don't seem to have anybody who can match Carmelo's speed and size.

• Despite the fact that the regular season games were close and that the post-season is a different beast, I don't think you can overlook the fact that the Nugget's managed to close out all 4 games against the Mavs with wins.

• Erick Dampier is the type of player that can have a dominant night on the glass one night, then appear as though he's asleep for the next four games. I don't think he'll be able to match the energy that Kenyon and Birdman bring. When the Nuggets are doing their job on the boards, they're tough to beat.

• With the limited minutes that Linas the Menace and Blankman have been seeing, I think it's safe to say that the Nuggets' depth hasn't even really been tested thus far in the post-season, and should it be tested this series, I think the bench will come through.

With all that being said, I don't think the Nuggets will run away with every game quite like they did against New Orleans, but I still believe they have enough match-up advantages to make their way into the Western Conference Finals. Denver in 6.

Stop the Press! I Have Received a Media Alert!

I received an email today informing me of a promotion that Qwest will be running to give away two courtside tickets to Sunday's Game 1 against the Mavericks. Instead of keeping this information to myself in hopes that nobody else finds out about it, I figured that since I'm apparently a member of "the media" I should pass this along to my faithful readers. So mom and dad, this is for you:

FANS EMBARK ON “TICKET QWEST” FOR DENVER NUGGETS PLAYOFF TICKETS

Qwest to Give Away Two Courtside Seats Through Twitter Treasure Hunt

DENVER, May 1, 2009 – Fans searching for seats for Sunday’s Denver Nuggets playoff game now have a chance to win them through a Twitter treasure hunt from Qwest.

Beginning today, to win the tickets, fans must follow “@ticketqwest” on Twitter, where they will see a stream of clues to find the tickets, as well as clues for a code word to claim the tickets.

These clues will culminate on Sunday, May 3 at noon, when Rich Karlis, Qwest Sponsorships director, will be at a fixed location in downtown Denver with four tickets for courtside seats to that afternoon's game. The first two @ticketqwest followers to find Karlis and tell him the code word will each receive two tickets and be escorted into the game immediately. Karlis will be identified by a bouquet of big, blue balloons.

To join the fun, follow @ticketqwest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ticketqwest.

Winners must be at least 18 years of age. Total prize value is $866. Tickets are not transferable and each set of two tickets will be awarded to individual, separate parties.

I'm not sure whether to be more excited about the tickets or about the possibility of meeting Rich Karlis. Either way, this sounds neat. I like it.

Mustache May/Playoffs Mustache.

Here's the first edition of my celebration of Mustache May. Should they agree to it, I'll add some examples of my co-workers contributions. It's really a lot more full in person. I swear. I hear the camera subtracts 500 follicles.