2008-09 Game 18: Denver Nuggets vs Houston Rockets Game Thread
by Jeremy on Nov 30, 2008 2:30 PM MST
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PrintHouston Rockets at Denver Nuggets, Nov 30, 2008 6:00 PM MST
This is a big game for the Denver Nuggets.
The Nuggets have faced several of the top teams in the NBA over the first month of the season. They have faced off with Utah, Boston, Cleveland, the Lakers twice, New Orleans and now the Houston Rockets. Heading into tonight’s game Denver is only 1-5 against the elite teams in the NBA. Things may not be that bad though as they lost two of those games before Chauncey Billups came back to Denver. A loss to the Rockets tonight would put another notch in the loss column against the best of the NBA and make it more difficult to make a case that the Nuggets have a shot at earning home court advantage in the playoffs.
The Rockets are coming off a blow out win against the now healthy San Antonio Spurs in Houston last night. They are playing without Tracy McGrady, but the addition of Ron Artest has helped make up for his absence. McGrady has missed the last two games and Artest has lead the team in shot attempts both of those two games.
The downside of Artest’s presence is it has somewhat marginalized Yao Ming. Yao is posting numbers comparable to his third season in the league, which was 2004-05. Compared to his career year of 2006-07, when he averaged over 25 points a game, he is playing a tad more, but is getting almost five fewer shot attempts a game. Yao is one of the handful of players around the league who the Nuggets have a very difficult time containing. The more the Rockets marginalize him the better it is for the Nuggets.
When the Nuggets have the ball it will be interesting to see how the Rockets defend Melo. They have two defenders who are capable of frustrating Melo one on one in Artest and Shane Battier. If they choose to defend Carmelo one on one, Melo must win his matchup. That does not mean scoring 30 points, but that means beating Artest or Battier off the dribble forcing the Rockets to help and open up the floor for his teammates.
Defensively the Rockets have been very good traditionally at forcing you to play defense for 15 or 20 seconds of every possession. They become more of a one on one team with Artest, but they will still dump the ball into Yao, force a double team and see how well your defense rotates.
One player the Nuggets will have to be ready for coming off the bench is Aaron Brooks. He will remind Nuggets fans of Earl Boykins thanks to his shoot first mentality and diminutive size. He is listed as a 6’ 0” point guard, which is probably a couple of inches off of his actual height, but he so far on the season he has captured more rebounds than assists.
The Nuggets have won two straight against the Rockets at the Pepsi Center, but in the past Houston has had little trouble winning in Denver. The Nuggets are going to have to play defense for more than a quarter or quarter and a half in order to win because the Rockets will defend for four quarters and they play at a very slow pace. Earlier in the season the Nuggets were winning games like that, let’s hope they can do it again tonight.
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Rooting for our bigs to have big nights
Nene early and KMart late! (And more importantly, solid defense throughout!)
Yeah! Wait, that was supposed to be my comment
That’s what I get for using my friend’s computer. Anyway, GO NUGGETS!
I can't believe how stacked the top 7 teams in the west are
The Northwest is totally brutal. Portland just took Detroit to school
Balkman
Why’s he been sitting so much lately? I love his energy plays, even when he was a Knick.
Anyway, I will take a four-point halftime lead with our two stars combining for 6 points!
Halftime Stats
Pace Factor – 86.1
Defensive Efficiency – 102.3
Offensive Efficiency – 111.5
This game is on pace to have the lowest pace factor of the season.
Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog
Nene should never pass up an open 12 footer
for a 20 footer from Dahntay Jones.
Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog
The second half has been completely difference from the first
If this keeps up with will be a taco day tomorrow.
Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog
I think that “with” was supposed to be “it,” but I am not sure. That was just a poorly conceived sentence.
Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog
I followed it
It’s funny that the promotion started when our defensive minded gameplan kicked in this season
taco bell accountants must be hoops fans
Chauncey seems intent on picking up the offensive slack
Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog
The more Artest shoots the better it is for the Nuggets
Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog
What Happened? (posting from Georgia)
I have been away from my Nuggets for the past two games and I really really hoped that I would be able to watch this one somehow. They went from up 8 on the gamecast I was watching to going up 14. head explodes
Chauncey hit some threes or what?
Chauncey has been red hot this quarter
But now they are getting too perimeter oriented.
Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog
Artest is playing like Karl Malone circa 1985
Just throwin’ beef around in the paint.
Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog
Carmelo who?
Chauncey had 14 points and 4 assists in the quarter (according to Altitude)
Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog
I get so sick and tired of the Nuggets helping
and then leaving the man with the ball wide open to shoot.
Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog
Carter
Anthony carter is single handedley letting the Rockets back into the game. Fouled 3 point shot, gambled for steal, bad pass/to in total 8 points conceded
It was six points
dude missed the first of his 3 attempts at the line and the other 2 turnovers resulted in 4 more points scored by H. I was screaming hell to AC. He did redeem himself witha nice layup from a CB assist.
The Rockets are playing small
Lets’ get LK out of there. He is a liability on the perimeter.
Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog
Anybody know why the Nuggets refuse to guard three pointers?
GO BRONCOS!!!
by UnarmingMermaid on Nov 30, 2008 8:10 PM MST reply actions
Did JR bounce that off that dude's head?
GO BRONCOS!!!
by UnarmingMermaid on Nov 30, 2008 8:14 PM MST reply actions
should be able to put this away now.
GO BRONCOS!!!
by UnarmingMermaid on Nov 30, 2008 8:17 PM MST reply actions
I tuned in late...
what’s the story with Melo?
GO BRONCOS!!!
by UnarmingMermaid on Nov 30, 2008 8:22 PM MST reply actions
seriously...
that’s not good.
GO BRONCOS!!!
by UnarmingMermaid on Nov 30, 2008 8:26 PM MST up reply actions
Man, I bet Dumars wishes he hadn't made that trade, thanks Detroit.
"Me fail english, that unpossible" - Ralph Wiggum
trade
yeah I hate to think like that cause I genuinely love AI. But man it was a great trade for us.
Guess for DET it was all about long term financial options
You have to think, but I doubt LaBron will go there over New York
"Me fail english, that unpossible" - Ralph Wiggum
No way...
he’s going to NY.
GO BRONCOS!!!
by UnarmingMermaid on Nov 30, 2008 8:30 PM MST up reply actions
Well...good day all around.
Broncos win.
Nuggets win.
SD loses.
GO BRONCOS!!!
by UnarmingMermaid on Nov 30, 2008 8:30 PM MST reply actions
Wow, great job Nuggets!
Didn’t watch the game, but stat-wise, pretty impressive. Yes, the Rockets shot 10-20 from 3-point land, but only 21-56 (38%) from inside the line! Add to that 14 blocks (5 by Birdman) and Nene/Martin matching Yao/Artest stat-for-stat… plus our best player only playing 14 minutes. Sweet.
In all a VERY solid month for the Nuggets. First place, wins over Boston and Houston, and most important to me, NO bad losses (well, not since The Trade at least). If JR can just keep having more “good” nights and we stay relatively healthy (knock on wood), I like where this team can go.
But boy, Portland scares me.
not trying to be contrarian;
but I’d have to list LAL as a “bad loss”.
GO BRONCOS!!!
by UnarmingMermaid on Nov 30, 2008 10:16 PM MST up reply actions
Sew Marlows mouth shut
Enough of this Nancy ass kiss-up den mother sicophant slak jaw sandy turd beach boy gooping it up for YOUR DENVER NUGGETS!!!
NOBODY SUCKSUP MORE, NOBODY !!!
Too bad for Hastings
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