Game 1: Nuggets 103 - Lakers 105
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 12:49 AM MDT
in Denver Nuggets: Game Recaps
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PrintTruly, the one that got away
I know this loss sucked, but believe me there is a silver screen and roll lining in it. As you were watching this game, how many times did you say to yourself, "Wow, the Nuggets are better than the Lakers!" I'm setting the over/under at 5 ...
So, I survived the jellyfish stings my friends! Otherwise this recap would not be possible as I promised to end myself Seven Pounds style if the Lakers were given open threes. I can think of two threes that hurt the most and they were both Derek Fisher daggers. The first, to end the first half (55-54 Lakers) and again late in the fourth quarter (again with KMart closing out on him waaay to late) to make it 97-96 Lakers. Those 6 points proved to be the difference last night and were both mirror images of one another ... fool me once ... you know the rest.
You have to decide right now if you are a 20% person or if you are an 80% person. ESPN flashed the stat that the team who wins game one in the conference finals, goes on to win the series roughly 80% of the time.
If Denver would have come out like last season and lost the opening game 128-114 then I'd be an 80% person for sure. But Denver made a ton of mistakes last night and only lost the game by two points. So, count me among the 20% variety.
Let's get the bad out of the way first ...
The Bad:
-George Karl played the part of the fool. He went against his own mantra and played a guy for a short period of time by giving Linas Kleiza 7 minutes of burn. Karl also went away from the bigger/quicker/stronger Dahntay Jones (16 minutes / +3) in favor of the smaller/slower/weaker Anthony Carter (15 minutes / -7 and one costly turnover.) Karl also reverted back to benching J.R. Smith as soon as the youngster looked to be in trouble on the floor. I think J.R. has earned the right to play himself out of a funk, but Karl disagreed and went to his favorite AC on Kobe matchup ... I'm sure Kobe appreciated that.
-More than anything the thing that sticks out to me is how Denver finished the last 6 minutes of the game. The Nuggets were outscored 20-12 in that final stretch and frankly, they had been closing out games very well up until last night. Kobe Bryant scored 12 points over the final six minutes and was 8-8 from the foul line and the Lakers were 10-10 as a team in that same stretch. Letting a team get 10 of their final 20 points from the charity stripe is a total gut punch.
-Free Throw Shooting. For some reason I figured Denver would shoot better than average from the foul line. Boy was I wrong. Denver finished 23-35 from the line ... good for only 65.7% aka a D! Since I'm grading I'll give Denver an F. The Nuggets shot 11 more free throws than the Lakers, but only finished +3 in the freebies department. Had I stuck to my original plan of chopping off a finger for every miss ... I would have to of gotten creative with that last chop ...
-The defensive boards were not corralled by the Nuggets. Of the possible 47 defensive rebounds Denver only grabbed 30 of them. The Lakers recorded 17 offensive boards or 36.1%.
-J.R. Smith was not the J.R. Smith we have all come to love. The kid struggled all night to get his rhythm going. He played 25 minutes, going 2-7 from the floor (2-5 from distance, 2-6 from the foul line) for 8 points, he also grabbed 5 rebounds and handed out three assists. J.R. has 3 turnovers (two of which he threw the ball out of bounds to Justin Timberlake and Jack Nicholson) and committed 5 fouls. He'll have to bounce back and I hope he can do so after bruising his knee at the end of the game.
-30 point quarters ... Denver only gave up two 30 point quarters last night, but it cost them the game. In the 2nd the Lakers got 32 points and in the 4th they got 31 ... Denver must continue to keep L.A. from getting 30+ quarters.
-Chauncey Billups. So hard to knock Billups for not having a perfect game, but he went 5-13 from the field (2-5 from deep, 6-9 f.t.) for 18 points. He handed out 8 assists and grabbed 5 rebounds. His uncharacteristic 0-3 performance from the foul line to start the game really just is an anomaly, but it was enough to stick out (especially in a close game.) I'm sure CB7 is beating himself up about as well.
The Good ...
As much as watching a game slip away can hurt ... there are plenty of things Denver did well and lots to remain encouraged about. I knew going in that Denver belonged in this series and I feel validated after watching the first game that the Nuggets can indeed win this series.
-I think we can all put to rest the, "Can Melo score on the Lakers?" question. Melo opened things up 7-8 and scored 16 points in the opening period on his way to a 14-20 (4-5 from deep, 7-8 f.t.) night from the floor for 39 points. Melo also contributed 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block. His star status is as bright as ever. It's too bad that performance was wasted, but it's good to know Melo is up for this challenge.
-The Quick start. Denver needed to prove they were not rusty and they looked like the much fresher and crisper team to start things. The Nuggets climbed out to a 13 point lead and finished the first quarter up 31-23. Denver was firing on just about all cylinders early. The defense was aggressive, while the offense was working a beautiful inside/midrange game. Denver shot a blistering 63.6% in the first, recorded 11 assists, and got L.A. to commit 4 turnovers.
-The Bigs. I was called all sorts of things for saying the Power Forward matchup and Center matchup was even. Denver is basically using Kenyon Martin, Nene, and Chris Andersen. L.A. is using Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom. Game one stats from the combined bigs:
| Points | Tot. Reb | O-Reb | Assists | Steals | Blks | TO | Fouls | |
| Denver's Bigs |
37 |
18 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
10 |
|
L.A.'s Bigs |
26 |
28 |
10 |
7 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
12 |
While's L.A.'s bigs did a better job on the boards, Denver's outscored them ... to me I think Denver's bigs had more of an impact on the game, but L.A. still gets the win.
-The defense. It was great to see Denver hold L.A. to 23 points in the first quarter and 19 in the third quarter. The defense was active all night and rotating all over the place. Fronting Pau can prove dangerous as he is able to get on the offensive boards pretty frequently, but I'll take that over him getting 2-foot baby hooks all night. Denver was allowed to get pretty physical as the refs are now accustomed to how they have been playing this post-season and that is a good sign.
-Ball movement. Denver recorded 24 assists as a team and often passed up loosely contested shots, to get wide open looks. I think the unselfish play is here to stay and that'll benefit Denver as this series wears on.
-Nene was aggressive. Nene had been pretty hesitant against big centers and particularly against Andrew Bynum for some reason. But last night Nene played with the fire we are all used to seeing. He finished 6-9 from the floor and got himself into foul trouble (eventually fouling out), but he had a nice night scoring 14 points. The Predator should get more touches inside and Billups must work him into the offense a bit more. Nene should average 12+ shots this series from here out. When Nene tries to go to work in the post he can get frustrated and try to just bull into his defender, but last night he was moving well and finishing plays with authority. If he continues to play like he did last night, then Denver must get him more involved. By doing so not only will he score points, but L.A.'s bigs will be in foul trouble again.
-KMart had his offense and defense going. Pau was frustrated last night. On a couple plays he let it known that he should have gotten the ball down low. You have to give Kenyon credit for some of that frustration as he played Pau-Pau very tough. Just like I mentioned in my preview ... KMart provided some pop on the offensive end going 7-14 from the floor and scoring 15 points. His laser runners seem like they should fall every single time and he was connecting last night. His offense will continue to be key all the way through.
Nobody was expecting this series to be a sweep and Game 1 was NOT a must win game ... no matter what Phil Jackson's record is when his teams win the first game. You can have all the historical crap you want to ... Denver is not going to go away or shy away from this soft Lakers team. I saw all I needed to see last night to know that Denver will continue to have success throughout this series.
The Lakers were the ones who ended up stealing Game 1 from Denver. The Nuggets must now look back on the one that got away and adjust in time for Thursday's Game 2. And if my dating record proves to be true ... you are much better off letting some go. It'll make you stronger and make you want to find that winning combination that much more.
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Perspective is an interesting thing.
Great post game analysis by the way, fair, complete, etc. You see a Denver team that outplayed the Lakers and lost and think “wow we can outplay the Lakers”. I see the same thing and think “wow even if the Lakers play bad they can beat the Nuggets”. Like I said perspective is an interesting thing.
I notice you used +/- in some of your post game. I like the plus/minus stat in the right context, but let me show you this from the game >>> (Kobe -5, Luke Walton +9). Not always about stats.
I expected to learn a lot about the whole series from this game, but afterward I feel like I know less than I did. The numbers heavily favor the Lakers now (Phil Jackson 42-0 when winning first game, winner of game goes on 80% of the time, etc) but the way the game played out leaves a lot to be desired as a Laker fan. I do think there were anomalies on both sides (free throws missed, Lakers shooting woes, Fisher making anything, etc.) but I don’t have a clue what it all means for the series. I guess we will see.
Anyway good analysis and thanks for not complaining about refereeing. It was atrocious on both ends, Denver got ’em early and the Lakers got ’em late. Overall I thought it was bad, but even.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
If LA has to rely on...
- Denver gagging on FT’s for a whole half
- Their team going 11-25 from 3 pt range
- Kobe playing 43 minutes and getting into the danger zone on technical fouls for the playoffs
…then LA is is serious trouble in the series.
Denver should have won, and they got spotty games from Smith and Jones. Chauncey took awhile to warm up and the whole team should be more settled in Game 2.
I just hope Smith is ok. If he is, I think Denver is in good shape for Game 2. Jackson threw everything he could at Denver but the Nuggets still should have won. Once they make a few adjustments, they should be in a very good spot. IF Smith is healthy.
by PaulFVillarreal on May 20, 2009 1:52 AM MDT up reply actions
I hope this game toyed with the Nuggets psyche.
You guys played a really good game. And lost. That does weird things to one’s psyche. Hope J.R. Smith’s okay. Carmelo’s going to be disappointed about wasting such a good game, he shot like 70% and 80% from the 3 point line. May the better team win. Which would be the LAkers.
I don't think the Nuggets played a really good game at all.
Melo played a REALLY good game. But other than that and maybe KMart’s performance … everyone has a LOT of room for improvement.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 8:18 AM MDT up reply actions
I totally agree
The Nugs were clearly jittery in the first half, which is why someone like Chauncey missed 3 or whatever FT’s then.
That should be gone by game 2. And, if Smith is healthy, so should his less than par game.
Both teams can play better, but I’m not sure if LA’s role players will do as well next game. We’ll see. I just hope JR is ready to go at full speed.
by PaulFVillarreal on May 20, 2009 9:41 AM MDT up reply actions
The problem is that "a lot" of things happened out of character for both teams, so what did we really learn?
“… everyone has a LOT of room for improvement.”
I agree, but you could say the same thing about the Lakers (minus Kobe)
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
True enough
If Bynum gets in a groove, Denver could be in trouble.
by PaulFVillarreal on May 20, 2009 10:01 AM MDT up reply actions
"wow even if the Lakers play bad they can beat the Nuggets"
That is what terrifies me and why I felt Denver had to pull out that game.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on May 20, 2009 7:40 AM MDT up reply actions
That's a good point
But Denver probably has more adjustments they can make than do the Lakers. We’ll see.
by PaulFVillarreal on May 20, 2009 9:41 AM MDT up reply actions
That was the lakers playing bad?
Both teams looked to be having their rough spots, but clearly the Nuggets were having the most problems. I saw a usual great Kobe leading his team that played very good defence and still almost lost to a team that was off their numbers completely. If the Nuggets would have just made half of their missed freethrows, which they have been doing in the playoffs so far until last night, then it would have been a different game. If and buts don’t make anything change, so we’ll have to wait till the next game. This will be the series of the playoffs.
“but clearly the Nuggets were having the most problems.”
Clearly you’re biased as am I, but the Lakers were having lots of problems. Way too many fouls for one.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
But the Lakers played better than they did in any game from round 1 or 2. So either you can say that the Lakers keep improving and Denver should watch out, or you could say that their best (so far) almost wasn’t enough (but in the end was.)
I thought that the Lakers played well for what was given them. Fisher came up huge, Pau fought and fought and fought on the boards. It wasn’t like he was missing layups or fumbling rebounds. The Lakers didn’t turn the ball over much and with the exception of some interior defense in the first half, they didn’t play horrible defense like we saw in the Houston series.
Denver, with the exception of Melo and K-Mart, performed below their ability. I’m not referring to ceiling, but rather what we’ve come to expect from them. I definitely don’t expect Chauncey to miss 3 free throws in a row, or make a terrible pass across three defenders, or take 2 3’s early in the shot clock with a hand in his face.
by NuggBuckets on May 20, 2009 11:38 AM MDT up reply actions
“But the Lakers played better than they did in any game from round 1 or 2.”
I respect where you’re going with all of this, but the comment above is just ridiculous.
We won game 5 last series by 40 points. If you think that is the best the Lakers have got then you are as dumb as I am if I think that is the best that Denver has got.
And I doubt either of us are that dumm.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
I watched the game 5 and felt like it was less what LA was doing right and more what Houston was doing wrong. I’m definitely not saying that the Lakers didn’t play well in that game, but houston’s offense was inept and the unforced turnovers were ridiculous. As far as playing in control and playing on both sides of the floor, last night’s game was the best I’ve seen the Lakers play in these playoffs.
by NuggBuckets on May 20, 2009 12:02 PM MDT up reply actions
And just so you know, I don’t think that Denver’s 58-point whalloping of New Orleans was their best game either.
I thought that the two close-out games against NOLA and Dallas were the Nuggets’ best games, moreso the Dallas game as they faced a tougher opponent.
by NuggBuckets on May 20, 2009 12:09 PM MDT up reply actions
Nice post
Im a Carmelo fan ever since he first stepped into the league. And tonight he just proved that he can ball with the best of them, I thought LeCrab stole the ROY award from Melo last 2004, cause you know, Carmelo led this team to the playoffs on his own. I really want him to succeed and put his name amongst the elite by being in the finals and facing/defeating LeCrab.
Chicago: Where Derrick Rose happens
Juan ... I agree.
LeBron got the R.O.Y. award b/c of hype … that was Melo’s award to win, but I would rather of made that trip to the playoffs … even though it only netted one win.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 8:19 AM MDT up reply actions
Thanks for the writeup
I’m a new member here, coming over from the Dallas Cowboys site.
You got this up very fast, thanks.
Why am I here? Because I can’t stand:
Kobe
Spike Lee (as Kobe sycophant)
Michael Wilbon (as Kobe sycophant)
ESPN as The Kobe Network
Phil Zenman Jackson
Kobe’s wife in the tunnel, with the cameras, at the half and after the game. What a joke.
The Kobe Bryant Image Rehabilitation Tour
ABC as The Kobe Network
Seriously, it was sickening tonight both during and after the game, the way ESPN and all its outlets were spinning the loss as ‘devastating’ for the Nuggets. Really?
Really, it’s devastating Melo now seems to own the Lakers?
It’s devastating a team that hasn’t won in LA forever got beat by just 2 points, when the average margin of victory was double digits?
It’s devastating that Jackson had to play Kobe 43 minutes and the Nuggets still had full control of the game?
It’s devastating that the whole world saw that the Nuggets are the better team?
Etc, etc.
Tired of the Kobe and La La spin.
If Smith is healthy, and John Lithgow Karl keeps his head and makes the adjustments, this series could look like the NBA Finals in 2005: LA squeaks out the first game and then DEN, playing DET’s role with Billups as himself, pounds the Lakers.
Birdman was huge tonight. I wish he hadn’t gotten dinged in the first half or DEN may have gone in with the lead at the break.
by PaulFVillarreal on May 20, 2009 1:47 AM MDT reply actions
wow
watch ESPN and ABC more. If you think they favor Kobe over say… the Boston Celtics or… heaven forbid… Lebron James… you got another thing coming. ESPN pays it’s dues to the best wing player over the past decade, but it’s unwilling to go any further than that.
Paul's right. It tough watching the all Kobe love fest. I hope you guys kick their ass.
by eastie Rich on May 20, 2009 12:56 PM MDT up reply actions
Hey, it’s this loser again! So you’ve come from bandwagoning the Rockets and Clippers sites to bandwagon the Nuggets in the hopes that you’ll back SOMEONE, ANYONE who can defeate the object of your hate?
Embarrassing.
by DJ Bento Box on May 20, 2009 1:16 PM MDT up reply actions
Yeah it's a disease.......
blazersedge syndrome I think it’s called.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
hahaha... Paul thanks for your thoughts and not holding anything back!
I agree it was good to see Denver play their game in the Staples Center … only a win would have much much nicer, but baby steps right? … a What About Bob reference???!!!
I also agree that Bird had a nice game … I also would have liked to of seen him on the floor more since he was playing with just 1 foul.
Thanks for stopping in and keep the thoughts coming.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 8:23 AM MDT up reply actions
Thanks for the write-up, Nate
The Kobe Image Rehab Tour just makes me ill. Look, the guy can play but he’s pretty much an aloof jerk, in my opinion. I’m SO tired of the Spike Lee BS (as you said, correctly, I thought Spike liked the Knicks), as well as Wilbon’s, etc. This could be it’s own long essay, or dissertation, on the reasoning behind such BS.
I’m not one to hold anything back; not my style. :)
If people want to see highlights of the game, I have pretty much everything up (courtesy of the NBA) on my YouTube channel here:
http://www.youtube.com
/user/PaulFVillarreal3
Just go to the playlist (right hand side on the channel page) for the NBA playoffs and you’ll find it all.
I think Birdman tweaked his leg and Karl may have either just forgot about him or else he wanted to make sure he was ok. I agree with you, he could have made a difference had he played more. He totally changed the game. Pau was forced to push him in the back on the boards (which was not called), and Odom was shooting fadeaways. He really had a huge impact, and I think he can do more damage in the next game. He also almost got the layup by Kobe which he got called for a foul on. He is such a key component.
Looking forward to Game 2 and thanks for your write-up and welcome, Nate. GREAT and quick work by you last night!
by PaulFVillarreal on May 20, 2009 9:48 AM MDT up reply actions
Nice one Nate
There’s not much for us to take away from this game, other than the Lakers won. There’s some adjustments that need to made, I tried to point out a few in my fanpost. Credit the Lakers, and bring on game 2. To me, it’s 2 evenly matched teams in a dogfight.
According to Altitude, JR Smith had his knee bent back and it’s bruised. He says he should be fine and will play.
Good, good
He is key. People who haven’t watched the Nugs play much don’t realize how important he is or how off he was tonight (save 2 big 3’s).
Will they MRI him tomorrow, for precautionary reasons? I’m not going to feel good until I know he’s ok.
by PaulFVillarreal on May 20, 2009 2:20 AM MDT up reply actions
J.R. Smith should be fine i think.
He’s a pretty good player. This game was so exciting i almost had a heart attack until kobe’s rebound sealed the deal.
I do like Kwan and Denzel as well.
But I believe the BAMF is Samuel Jackson.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 8:28 AM MDT up reply actions
so says the wallet.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Indeed!
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 9:55 AM MDT up reply actions
Damn I would love to put that quote on my sig. Don't think the swearing would fly everywhere though.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
I hope your joking but Hahaha you think those celebs
are Laker fans. They only go to the Laker games because it is LA and they want to be seen. Jack N is the only celeb in that place that actually is a true laker fan. The rest are just there to be seen. That is huge reason I can not stand the Lakers. A lot of people are Laker fans because it is the cool thing to do in Southern California. I would know I live here.
by gnarlybroncodude on May 20, 2009 4:10 PM MDT up reply actions
Tough Luck
You just caught the LAKERS at a bad moment and still fatigue from their grueling series with the Rockets. Come game 2 it will be a totally different LAKER team. Imagine, being caught napping and way way off their true form and yet still coming out with a win. What more at full strength and and at their murdering best. What we have seen so far is off-form team trying to smother its prey. The blow-out you were expecting to happen in game 1 will materialized in game 2. So don’t blink an eye, cause iot will be practically over by the 1st quarter on Thurs. See you guys at the game.
hm
well, you don’t need confidence stimulants, that’s for sure. How about:
- we make our freethrows
- Fisher may revert back to his good, old, really bad form
- If Chauncey shoots 5-13 or worse again, you’ll get a free beer from me (even though I’m about a zillion miles away)
need I go on? YOu played great at the end, shot well. We didn’t execute down the stretch, but so far, the evidence in these playoffs is this is often the other way around. But yeah, see you too at game 2
Once upon a time the Suns got out on the break... and along came Steve sucKerr
I really appreciate the knowledgeable Lakers fans who have been posting here THAT MUCH MORE now.
I’m also glad that other Lakers posters here have not made excuses for their team like “fatigue” playing a role last night.
I guess I wont “blink an eye” for Game 2 … anyone have extra eye drops??
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 8:34 AM MDT up reply actions
So when LA
was off for an extended period of time and lost Game 1 to Houston it was “rust” but when the same thing happens to Denver no one talks about them being “rusty”?
"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018
Hmmmmmmmmmm
I don’t remember you blaming the Houston win on “Laker rust” at the time.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
That's because
it’s BS reasoning. Lakers won fair and square last night just as Houston did.
"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018
by Artest4Prez on May 20, 2009 10:02 AM MDT up reply actions
Naw the Lakers weren't rusty they were just complacent.
same w/ the Lakers during the first few minutes of this game.
Perspective....
is a very interesting thing.
You say, “Look how bad we played and we lost by 2” and the Lakers say, “Look how bad we played and we won by 2”
For every
- If the nuggets make their free throws they win
- If JR gets out of his slump they win
- If Billups shoots better they win
I can give you an opposite list for why you can lose.
- If Martin doesn’t shoot 90% on those ugly shotput jumpers in the lane lakers win
- If melo comes down to earth and shoots 50% lakers win
- If the lakers get production from gasol and odom lakers win
See what I mean? See what I did there?
Every single game there will be anomolies where bad players play good and great players only play decent. The constant is that the more talented team, barring extended periods of good/bad shooting, will win the series.
I think we can all agree the more talented team is the Lakers, not by a huge margin, but by a noticeable margin none the less. Someone on the nugs is going to need to get and stay very hot and/or someone important from the lakers is going to need to get very cold if the nuggets want to win this series. If any of you think otherwise you’re being a delusional hometown fan, which is fine, but sometimes that just needs to be called out.
With all that said, I do think the series will go long, and be very contested, but for all the reasons above I see the lakers in the finals and not the nuggets. Best of luck to you nuggets fans!
Delusional hometown fans ...
I believe the kettle has just called the pot black!
I believe when your team loses it’s key to point out what they could have done better in the game … of course you can also flip it and say what the Lakers could have done better, but this is a Nuggets blog and I was talking about the Nuggets mistakes. I’ll leave the adjustments the Lakers need to make to Silver Screen and Roll.
And not once did I say, “if _ they win.” So please don’t put those words in my mouth.
And count me among those that is saying the Lakers are not “by a noticeable margin” more talented than the Nuggets. I guess that makes me delusional and I would say that’s probably about right.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 8:42 AM MDT up reply actions
Duck and cover!
Whoa Nate…nothing I said was meant as an attack of any kind. I was just pointing out to many of the other people that already posted that there are always 2 ways to look at things. And though you yourself may not have said, “if _ they win” many others here have. I didn’t realize my reply would be taken as a reply directly to you, my apologies. My comment could just as easily been written by a down to earth nugs fan, so i’m not sure how it classifies me as a delusional hometown fan. :(
Honestly, really…you don’t see the Lakers as talent wise above the nuggets? I’m not talking about heart and desire where obviously the lakers can get very….hmm…ok they just don’t care sometimes lol…I mean literally basketball talent. If you don’t think there is a noticable gap between the lakers and the nuggets i don’t know what to say.
Rshinsec ...
My bad. I wasn’t meaning to attack you either … just clearing up my view as I thought you were talking about the blog! haha…whoops! I didn’t think you were “attacking” either … just arguing with ya.
I don’t know about the talent thing. I think Denver is extremely talented and they have been known for being so all season. But perhaps I’m confusing talent with athleticism. I think the Nuggets matchup very well athletically with L.A.
I do think the Lakers have more fundamentally sound players than the Nuggets though.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 10:15 AM MDT up reply actions
No problem at all!
It was all just a little interweb misunderstanding! lol
I think you nailed it now, the Nuggets have some crazy nasty athletes, even more so than the Lakers I would wager from top to bottom. The series will come down to if that athletism is going to translate into good basketball for long enough stretches that the Nuggets can win 4 games.
Talent can win games, but does not guarantee a series win, or the Lakers would be going after a repeat championship this year. Heart, talent, intelligence, athletisim, oh and maybe a little luck, create a champion. Both teams definitely have minor advantages in each of these categories so it’s certainly going to be a great series from what I see!
I like it. And I pretty much agree with you.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 10:41 AM MDT up reply actions
My favorite part:
For every
- If the nuggets make their free throws they win
- If JR gets out of his slump they win
- If Billups shoots better they win
I can give you an opposite list for why you can lose.
- If Martin doesn’t shoot 90% on those ugly shotput jumpers in the lane lakers win
- If melo comes down to earth and shoots 50% lakers win
- If the lakers get production from gasol and odom lakers win
Five out of six are things well within the Nuggets’ control, and even the 6th has Denver being a big factor. I’ll take that anyday.
by NuggBuckets on May 20, 2009 11:43 AM MDT up reply actions
How does it feel Nate
To have Carmelo shoot like 80-something percent and still lose? Wonder what Carmelo is thinking.
Geez ... um ...
(hiding my puppy so you can’t kick it too)
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 21, 2009 12:24 PM MDT up reply actions
Hey..........
we don’t kick puppies. We give them to celebrities (cause they’re everywhere in Cali.) and then they stuff them in their purses. Duh.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Great analysis on both sides
I do agree that depending which team you are a fan of that is the side of the argument you are going to stick with. Either way, this breaks down to facts and the fact is that the Lakers won. I really do not understand though how you can look at this game and think that even though the Lakers played one of their worst games and the Nuggets played better that the Nuggets are still the better team. Especially when the Nuggets lost. Let’s see the so called “bigs” outscored the Laker bigs and the Nuggets shot more free throws but still lost, how does that equal to the Nuggets being better? That actually would seem to me as a sign of concern. Kobe unlike Melo had no one else help out offensively. There was only one player on the Lakers roster who scored more than 15pts and that was Kobe. The Nuggets on the other hand had 3 and nene had 14pts so that could easily be four. So, what is going to happen when the other Laker players contribute and they will believe me.
by PURPLE AND GOLD FOR LIFE on May 20, 2009 8:08 AM MDT reply actions
Thanks for hijacking our blog Lakers fans. Don’t you have one of your own?
Anyway, it’s not a series until the home team loses. Few people expected the Nugs to come in and take game one. In fact, I sort of expected the Lakers to win handily. Anyone who is suggesting that the Nugs turned in one of their better playoff performances last night has clearly not watched the Nuggets much. I would be very concerned if I were the Lakers right now.
"C" is for Championship...that's good enough for meeeee!!!
by PosterNutbag on May 20, 2009 8:31 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
PNB ... I have to agree.
Aside from Melo and KMart … there is a lot to improved on for the Nuggets.
Like in boxing … you can come in and get smacked around during a round and then have a hurried fast finish and win the round on points, but it doesn’t mean you’ll win the fight.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 8:46 AM MDT up reply actions
You might want to remind all of your loyal readers.....
that all of this Laker traffic is good for you and your blog. The “this is our blog, go away” stuff is hilarious. :-)
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
hmmmm….I was under the impression that it was clicks and not comments that helped the blog. I never said Lakers fans aren’t welcome to read and to comment; however, when the majority of the comments are from Lakers fans, and many of them are antagonistic, then I don’t think that’s good for the blog.
I’m sure you have some self-righteous, indignant response rearing to go; however, I will not continue to respond/debate with you as I don’t want to get into the negative back and forth that many of you are clearly looking for for.
"C" is for Championship...that's good enough for meeeee!!!
by PosterNutbag on May 20, 2009 11:16 AM MDT up reply actions
Um.........OK
“I was under the impression that it was clicks and not comments that helped the blog.”
You can’t comment without clicking. I can assure you a blog with high comments has high clicks and vice versa. If you don’t think advertisers care about both then I have some prime Arizona oceanfront property for you.
As far as antagonistic comments. Maybe you should read your own. Mine are rarely antagonistic unless they are in response to the same.
I don’t know if you were talking to me with this comment or not………….
“Thanks for hijacking our blog Lakers fans. Don’t you have one of your own?”
I was simply making a comment to Nate that I thought he would understand (and find funny, something lost on you completely).
And for self-righteous, indignant (new thesaurus?) responses. Not my style, just logic.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
I don't mind the Laker fans
As long as they make semi-intelligent posts. With a few exceptions, they’ve done better than I expected.
by NuggBuckets on May 20, 2009 11:44 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
I don't know if I should take offense to that or not.........LOL............I guess I wont.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Come on man Carmelo was on fire dude
He was shooting 80somethign percent. That’s gotta mess w/ them psychologically.
What now?
Sure, the Nuggets came close. Yeah, they “gave” the game away to the Lakers. Whatever. The Nuggets lost. That’s all that matters. All this theorizing as to who could have done this or that doesn’t matter. Game over. What will the Nuggets do now? ‘Melo was insane, and he won’t keep this up. He may play really well, but he can’t keep it up for the remainder of the series. Do you really think the Lakers won’t make adjustments too? The Lakers played like crap too, aside from Kobe. You have to think the Lakers’ guys will respond just as well as the Nuggets.
Bottom line: This was close to the best shot from the Nuggets. Do you expect the Lakers to allow ’Melo, Billups AND Smith to go off on the same night? Maybe game 3, but not in LA. Game 2 will be a true test of the Nuggets growth. Have they truly matured, or did they just beat crap teams in New Orleans and Dallas. Time will tell.
Either way, Lakers in 7.
Take the Magic tonight with points. +9!!!
Well ...
The blog wouldn’t really be worth reading (not that it may be anyway) if I just came here and said:
Nuggets lost. Game 2 coming Thursday.
Hahahaha! I don’t know what else you want here?
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 8:49 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Why you're expected to say the Nuggets lost and they are done.
Seriously, as a Laker fan I wish that was true, but I don’t think that was either team’s best shot. But it was a great game. The guy on your team that scares me is JR Smith. When he hit a couple bombs I’m thinking, “Oh, shit!”
I like your blog and you have a really good team. A Billups-led team is not going to just go away. I’m expecting a great series. But if they’re all this close, I’m not sure I could take it.
by illcowboy on May 20, 2009 8:59 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Close games takes years off our lives!
I fully expect the Lakers to make a lot of adjustments as well and work Pau and Bynum into the offense more with more touches.
And I definitely agree that neither team had their best games last night for various reasons.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 9:27 AM MDT up reply actions
I think
sometimes you have to give both teams credit. They’re going to try and take certain things away from the other team. Maybe they were successful. I don’t expect the Nuggets to miss that many free throws again. So, I think the Lakers have to start better next game or they won’t be in it.
Next game
Both teams will make adjustments. I agree that we didn’t see the best of the Nuggets last night, but I have been watching the playoffs and think that the Lakers played about how they performed against Houston. You say “Melo was insane, and he won’t keep this one up” but he doesn’t have to since the Nuggets have so much fire power. The question is how can the Lakers keep everyone on the Nuggets in check for enough of the series to win it? This wasn’t “Close to the best shot from the Nuggets” And you can’t call Dallas and New Orleans “crap teams” when the Lakers had so much trouble against Houston and them without their star player for most of the series! The Nuggets have come a long way. While the Lakers are getting old, the Nuggets are fairly young. Melo has been in the playoffs each of his five years in the NBA and now this run to the championship. I am thinking that no matter how this series ends, the Nuggets are going to be the team to look at for the next decade within their conference.
For you Lakers fans, just hope Kobe can keep it in his pants since he has so much trouble doing so when coming to Denver, LOL j/k. This will be the series to remember in the playoffs this year!
Jump ball clarification...
How come nobody’s talking about the jump ball that happened with about 50 seconds left to go in the game? Where Odom was spooning Chris Anderson from behind, reached around him, grabbed the ball, and forced a jump ball. I always thought that doing this was a foul and should have sent Anderson to the free throw line as Denver was in the bonus.
I haven’t heard this play talked about at all but maybe I have the rule wrong. Someone please clarify this for me! Thanks…
by masterheug on May 20, 2009 9:50 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
On loose balls the Refs allow dog piles to occur and roughly 90% of the time they will call the jump ball there ...
9.9% of the time they will allow for the timeout from say Andersen and 0.01% they will call the foul.
Play was a non-issue in my eyes … though I was sort of hoping Birdman would get to that ball before Odom.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 9:54 AM MDT up reply actions
I thought that Bird had full control and was trying to call a timeout well before Odom got one hand in there to touch the ball — but I don’t believe it was a foul.
by NuggBuckets on May 20, 2009 11:47 AM MDT up reply actions
I can't argue with that............just another reason the NBA stands for Nothing but Arbitrary
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
That play was big
and Van Gundy said that “both players” (illegally) touched the ball before it got to its apex, but Odom “won” it? Sigh.
Great Game
Last nights game was terrific, Except I am a Nuggets fan and they lost, but still great game with a bad ending in my opinion. I’ve never seen a Nuggets team like this one! They are playing non selfish, very defensive basketball, which is all you can ask out of the team. NOt going to take anything away from the Lakers either. Both teams played very well. The nuggets can improve a bit by just making their freethrows which could turn the tide, but I honestly think that the series will go all 7 games and Lakers having home court advantage will win it. But we’ll have to see, the way the teams are playing, it might come down to who has legs left at the end. Either way, I think LEbron James and Cleavland is going to take it all, so no matter who wins this series, their not going to win the championship. Probably be too tired and cleavland would be too fresh since they had noone on their side to contend against.
In the end, all I can say is, at least I don’t have to live in LA. The Lakers are good, but what a absolute pit of a city they play in. Denver, and other teams, probably lose there just because the smog is so thick that they can’t get used to it and end up suffocating. I’m betting that not even the players for the sports teams in LA actually live there! LOL LA sucks! Can’t we just give that part of CAlifornia back to Mexico lol j/k but not to much.
Go Nuggets!
You know that Colorado was once part of Mexico too right?
Or France Louisiana purchase. Can’t remember history.
Game 1...
Is really a feeling out game for both teams. I mean both teams came into this game not knowing what their place is in this series. As much as they say that the whole “underdog” or “favorite” tag doesn’t affect them, psychologically it’s plays in your head somehow.
However, this just proves that even if the Lakers were the runaway team in the West, in the playoffs, the Nuggets have definitely closed in, if not surpassed them already. Pundits, fans and experts are all at odds with this series too because there is no clear “favorite”.
That, being said, both teams could have played better. Chauncey and Pau were substandard 2nd options. I think, the key to the Game 1 Laker win was really just a matter of execution in the end game. The Lakers won it because the Nuggets did not execute properly in the last 6 minutes.
When games are this close, there is a lot of room for improvement for both teams. I’m looking at a far more improved Nuggets team to challenge the Lakers in Game 2. The Lakers should not let this one win make them believe too much in themselves. They gotta step up to the Nuggets coz Denver will definitely bring it.
by pinoyballer on May 20, 2009 10:13 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Excellent write up Nate.
I remember the LA TImes’ Kamenetsky Brothers interviewing a blogger from PickAxeAndRoll on their podcast before last season’s series with the Lakers. Was that you? Nothing but good stuff on your blog and I look fo continued reading as the series goes on.
2009 LA Kings Hockey: thanks to Joe Sakic's snowblower, WE'RE BETTER THAN THE AV'S!!!!
by DodgerBlueBalls on May 20, 2009 10:27 AM MDT reply actions
Your quote on your handle is hilarious.
That was not me my friend. I took over for Jeremy (now of Roundball Mining Company) this season. But thanks for the compliment.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 10:29 AM MDT up reply actions
FYI..............
A guy on SilverScreen and Roll (name is Dexter Fishmore) does a great post game write up called “tempo-free boxscore”. It really breaks down the stats in an honest and un-biased way and shows where things went right and wrong. After each game he does one for the game and then the series as a whole and you start to get a trend. Case in point if you watched the Houston-Lakers series you may have a million ideas about what happened, but with his tempo-free boxscore everything was about even except “turnovers” were grossly in Lakers favor.
Anyway, I will copy and re-post here when it is done. Like I said it is just info, not bias.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Do me a favor ... post it in the FanPosts ... that way I can bump it to the front page if I like it
(which it sounds like I may)
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 10:42 AM MDT up reply actions
Great post, way to get my spirits up
Man I was totally bummed, but I agree, Lakers definately are beatable. My feeling is that it took one hell of a game by Kobe to beat the Nuggets on their home court. The thing is that I don’t think the Lakers have shown they can be consistent from one game to another, and I think that the Nuggets will definately be looking to take advanatge in game 2. I was hoping we could of stolen game 1, but I think game 2 is very winnable now.
"Me fail english, that unpossible" - Ralph Wiggum
"Duffman is thrusting in the direction of the problem" - Duffman
"Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun" - Ash from Army of Darkness
"H.I., you're young and you got your health, what you want with a job?" - Evelle from Raising Arizona
"It happens sometimes. People just explode. Natural causes." - Agent Rogersz from Repoman
I was bummed as well. But I'm definitely a glass half full guy...
Hard not to be when you live in this beautiful state …
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 11:15 AM MDT up reply actions
“…..this beautiful state …”
Bliss???
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Just a great day out here today. I'd rather get outside and maybe shoot some hoops or play some golf than be stuck in the office ya know.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 11:45 AM MDT up reply actions
I live in Palm Springs, hence the ps...........
So I know exactly what you are saying…………..and for the record I don’t like LA anymore than any of you do.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
I know what you're saying, but......
“My feeling is that it took one hell of a game by Kobe to beat the Nuggets on their home court.”
My feeling is that it took one hell of a game by Melo to keep the Nuggets in it on the road.
“The thing is that I don’t think the Lakers have shown they can be consistent from one game to another”
No doubt about that one, couldn’t agree more.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
On of these days I'm going to figure out how to quote previous posts
But for the time being I’ll just say that I expect Kobe to go off for 40 every night, and I think Carmelo’s good for 30.
by NuggBuckets on May 20, 2009 11:49 AM MDT up reply actions
I couldn't figure it out for a long time, but it's pretty easy.
Just copy and paste the quote. Then put it in “quotes”. Then type bq. before the quote. Make sure to put a space between bq. and the ".
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
oh yeah and also make sure to "preview" the comment first to make sure you did it right.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
“Just copy and paste the quote. Then put it in "quotes". Then type bq. before the quote. Make sure to put a space between bq. and the “.”
Thanks!
by NuggBuckets on May 20, 2009 11:55 AM MDT up reply actions
Of course the Lakers are beatable.
Only thing is…no one seems to beat them!
Bill Simmons has it figured out
“Denver has more talent. Doesn’t mean they will win the series, but Melo is every bit the same scorer as Kobe, they defend better, they’re tougher and they have a better bench. Don’t forget that LA only won last night because they got every call AND because Fisher and Ariza buried 2 humongous threes. They are going to live or die by the Fisher/Ariza threes this postseason because that’s the shot teams are giving them.”
The 2009 Colorado Rockies: Expect the Unexpected
LOL.......
quoting Bill Simmons about the Lakers is like quoting OJ Simpson about the Nevada legal system.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
I don't agree w/ Simmons about the Lakers getting all the calls at all.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 11:46 AM MDT up reply actions
I think we got a couple late.........but overall, no, we didn't get "all the calls".
An OB call on Chauncey at the end would have been nice… :-)
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
That's how I see it.
I think there was a lot of bad calls in the paint. Carmelo’s charge late in the game was iffy to me.
I thought it was a well-officiated game.
And by “well-officiated” game I mean it was crap. For both sides. There were some very questionable calls and non-calls for both sides. I don’t think it favored either team though I can mention a few calls in particular.
Chauncey getting whalloped by Kobe on his first 3-point attempt and no-call. AC’s block on Kobe, yet Kobe goes to the line. K-Mart’s block from behind on Pau’s put-back yet Pau goes to the line. Ariza getting called for a reach-in though Melo pushes off with his elbow. Chauncey stepping on the line for his last three (which didn’t matter but could have,) etc.
But no, the Nuggs definitely did not lose this game because of the refs. Make your damn free throws.
by NuggBuckets on May 20, 2009 11:54 AM MDT up reply actions
Me either...
The Lakers had more fouls called on them than Denver did.
Now, you might argue a few calls Kobe got down the stretch, but I can’t agree with the “Lakers got all the calls” claim. That’s false.
I do think Denver is more talented, or at least more athletic, and I hope JR is good for Game 2.
This “Denver is so devastated” stuff is nonsense. Last time I checked, they only need to win 1 game in LA. Doesn’t matter if it’s Game 1, 2, 5 or 7. But the media is so caught up in the Lakers hype that they can’t even see that.
You heard nothing about Denver’s rust last night, just how tired LA was from the Houston series.
Just the talking heads “Doin’ Work” for Kobe and the Lakers.
by PaulFVillarreal on May 20, 2009 1:19 PM MDT up reply actions
I don't buy that Denver is devastated either.
If they get blown out by 40 tonight, OK. But not gonna happen. I expect another great game.
The officiating seemed to be fair if you evened it out over the course of the game. Some calls
were made, others missed. It seemed like the ref.s were letting them play. But, in the final minutes calls were made in favor of Kobe where no fouls took place( 9 points on ft.s). Just enough to get the Lakers over the top. But the onus is on Karl, what was he doing having Carter inbound the ball on the last posession? That’s not the kind of mistake I’d expect Karl to make.
Josh Powell baby!
Hey Nate, remember how you forgot to put Josh Powell in your player matchups? :)
Thank god for Powell. Without those 4 HUGE points (found money!), Denver wins.
Take EVERY player seriously on the Lakers roster. It isn’t considered the most talented team 1-12 in the league for no reason.
The sun shines on a dog's ass at least once a day right ...
haha…yep Powell had 4 big points and was 2-2 from the foul line … I guess he really showed me! ha.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 2:20 PM MDT up reply actions
I'm so tired of hearing
about this “Lakers talent.”
Kobe – At LEAST a top 3 player in the league.
Gasol – big man with good moves, has a tendency to get soft sometimes.
Ariza – Coming along nicely – 3 pointer has been falling despite ugly shot and a history of bad 3 point shooting. Good in transition.
Odom – Overrated underachiever.
Bynum – Overrated underachiever.
Fisher – Can’t buy a bucket.
Vujacic – Can’t buy a bucket.
Farmar – Finally starting to come around after a terrible slump.
Brown – Pretty good at getting the hole and a decent 3 ball shooter.
Mbenga – Who the hell knows? Pretty good shot blocker I guess.
Walton – PF trapped in a SF’s body. Too bad he’s not very strong either.
Morrison – haha
Powell – decent I guess.
Sun Yue – He’s a ghost. (Is he even active?)
Did I miss anybody?
"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018
Ron Artest (overrated underachiever) ????
Oh wait are we only talking Laker players?
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Yeah.
And I just realized “Overrated underachiever” is kind of paradoxical – so I’ll just go with overrated.
"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018
I think I fall under the category ...
Under achieving underachiever.
Seems right for me.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 2:43 PM MDT up reply actions
I am more of a procrastinating go-getter myself....
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
are you sure
it’s not Leon Powe?
"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018
Well thank god we have you to meaure...........
the unmeasurable.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
I must be the only Laker fan...
…that would go with Lebron here. Last night he was amazing. The difference in athleticism between him and Howard was shocking (shown best in Lebron’s two blocks on Dwight). Someone who has never seen a game of basketball in their life would still know they are witnessing something special. I think that is true about Kobe too, but to a lesser degree.
I somewhat understand your confidence but...
It almost always seems (perhaps just homerism) that when a team falls to the Lakers their confidence comes from “we did this this and this and we still only lost by however many points.” Granted this is one of my plights as well, but do they think the Lakers were playing at their best? I would love for them to come in 100% day in and day out like Houston Game 5, but it seems this inconsistency is usually not accounted for unless teams aren’t playing the Lakers. Teams love to assume they won and lost to other teams at their best, but especially when going against a team like the Lakers, alot of it is praying for their inconsistency.
Now I don’t mean to say the Nuggets played the perfect game either (i.e. turnovers and freethrows, but Melo did play one heck of a game), and I admire the Nuggets’ strength and consistency throughout the playoffs – it’s a mentality I wish the Lakers had. But the “Phil Jackson threw everything at us and that’s it? I’ve seen all I needed to see to know that we’ll crush the Lakers” sort of mentality seems disrespectful and ignorant of what the Lakers have accomplished over the season and their ability to step up (if they decide to).
I look forward to a great series, I love the new Nuggets team w/ Billups, perhaps my 2nd fav. team in the West, but if Lakers show up to play all 48 minutes and Kobe finds his rhythm, I like our chances.
FromDowntown ...
I hope you are not referring to just me in the above.
But the "Phil Jackson threw everything at us and that’s it? I’ve seen all I needed to see to know that we’ll crush the Lakers" sort of mentality seems disrespectful and ignorant of what the Lakers have accomplished over the season and their ability to step up (if they decide to).
I don’t think Phil threw everything at Denver and I don’t think the Nuggets will “crush” the Lakers. Not my words at all.
All I said above is that the Nuggets will continue to have success as they did last night. Now I know success is measured in Wins and Losses and yes, Denver lost last night.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 2:26 PM MDT up reply actions
Phil Jackson said before the game
That the Lakers have had very little time to game plan specifically for the Nuggets, with only one practice btwn the rounds. So I would guess that Denver was the more prepared team coming in, in terms of scouting and knowing how to play your opponent. So in fact, both teams will be adjusting from here on.
Specifically the Lakers will look at how to get around the defense that denied post-entry passes, and how to use Denver’s tendency to overplay against them. Denver will come up with more schemes to double and trap Kobe, and to get Billups shots, etc.
One thing Denver did very well was to have Kmart, Nene and Birdman attack off the pick and roll – Lakers bigs were often slow to rotate. In that sense, Denver played a better game because they consistently got good shots, whereas the Lakers stayed in the game because Kobe was making plays, Denver missed fts., and LA hit 3’s at the end.
by vonislav waferdenko on May 20, 2009 3:02 PM MDT up reply actions
Nugs injury update
From the Denver Post:
JR Smith: Strained calf (maybe more), did not run at practice. Expects to play Game 2
K-Mart: Fractured left ring finger. Should play Game 2
Balkman: Sprained ankle, will be available for Game 2
Let’s hope all 3 are in good for for tomorrow
by PaulFVillarreal on May 20, 2009 1:33 PM MDT reply actions
EDIT
“are in good shape for tomorrow.”
by PaulFVillarreal on May 20, 2009 1:34 PM MDT up reply actions
Denver Free Throws in Game 1
Billups said if his team made more free throws, they would have won the game, period…simple as that. Most Denver fans agree.
That’s a little bit of a one dimensional view, isn’t it?
Well, let me offer a counter-argument: Well, if the Nuggets made more free throws, then maybe the Lakers would have played differently and not fouled that much, thus less opportunities for free throws? Or if more free throws were made by Denver, then the Lakers would have kicked into another gear and actually exploded offensively?
My point is….you can’t just simply go back and claim that had you done something differently (i.e. make free throws), you would have won the game. You see, a change in one thing triggers a change to the next. Nothing remains constant for even a simple change.
Indeed sir ... I think most logical people would agree with you here. I know I do.
Would have been nice to get those 3 Billups misses added on thought right? hahahahaha! (contemplating diving out window)
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 2:28 PM MDT up reply actions
Don't dive out window!!!
It’s only a game!
No longer contemplating window dive after realizing it's just a game!
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 2:42 PM MDT up reply actions
I posted that "tempo free boxscore" in Fanposts, but it doesn't show up on the list.
Did I do something wrong?
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
never mind.........
I was looking at recently active……instead of recently posted.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
How high is the window???
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Have I been erased and banned?
Bummer if so. So much for the home team getting the calls, eh?
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
Just erased I think, not banned.
At least I didn’t get banned. I think.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Good
My last flurry of erased post was an attempt at peace making. Accept?
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on May 20, 2009 3:09 PM MDT up reply actions
Oh...............alright if I have to............ :-)
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Nate says
so we do. Peace dude. I’ll try to focus more on hoop observations from here forward.
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on May 20, 2009 3:11 PM MDT up reply actions
and I'll try to keep my emotions in check as well.
Nice to see you’re a hockey fan though. I hate the Wings myself, I’m a Ducks fan.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Hating the Wings
very big plus in my book.
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on May 20, 2009 3:14 PM MDT up reply actions
Yeah..........but I hate them for the wrong reason though........
because they keep winning every damn year.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Well
We could start complaining to Nate about our freedom of speech? ;)
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on May 20, 2009 3:17 PM MDT up reply actions
Sure.............
you first :-)
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
Actually Nate's rope is pretty long.............as SBNation moderators go.
Try saying anything even remotely negative at CelticsBlog or BlazersEdge.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
There ya go fellas ... a little deleting by me and some common ground on hockey and wa-la ...
Back to decent terms! I feel like a proud parent!
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 3:39 PM MDT up reply actions
more common ground
we both hate you for messing with our freedom of speech and deleting our posts!
Just kidding, of course. ;)
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on May 20, 2009 4:31 PM MDT up reply actions
Watching Around the Horn.........
Man Plaschke is just a douche. He is such a Laker homer…………..unless they are losing.
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
funny how the national media uses.........
the same flawed statistics to back up the same flawed arguments as the rest of us……….LOL
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
I'm starting to grow more and more into a blog fan myself ...
SB Nation blogs offer some nice insight and do also offer criticism of the teams they are blogging about.
National stories are just hilarious.
All I’ve seen today (I may be missing a lot) has been, “Kobe with a great performance” yada yada … now he did have a nice game, but what if L.A. loses? Then all you are going to hear is … Denver made it Kobe vs. the Nuggets … Kobe took too many shots … yada yada …
Frontrunning at its finest! I don’t know … maybe I do it to. My head is starting to hurt.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 3:43 PM MDT up reply actions
That's called "winning cures all"
At the end of the day, winning is all that matters.
Winning changes everything and makes mistakes disappear.
Winner takes all.
Indeed it is ...
I’d just rather read about what teams did right and wrong and such …
Don’t much care for the national media glorifying guys that they’ll burn as soon as they have an off night. Flip flop, flip flop blah blah blah…ha.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 3:47 PM MDT up reply actions
Lakers are 112-0 when Kobe dunks and is fouled at the same time during a game.
So if you see Kobe dunk and is fouled, your team is in serious trouble.
Where's that stat coming from (just interested)
That’s pretty freaking crazy.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 3:48 PM MDT up reply actions
TNT...Kenny Smith & Co.
During their playoff coverage.
Crazy, eh? They keep all kinds of crazy stats.
Wish I would have seen that one ... that is nutty.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 20, 2009 4:12 PM MDT up reply actions
Time to change this stat
I heard on the radio this morning that Phil Jackson, as a coach, is 42-0 in playoff series after winning the first game. Please make that 42-1 Nugs!
Also, Nate, for some reason this stupid 3G phone ad has hijacked your site a few times on me. I don’t think I’ve clicked on anything either time. Any ideas as to what might be going on?
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on May 21, 2009 10:28 AM MDT reply actions
Yes ... the 42-0 stat is crazy and must be destroyed!
I’m working on a preview for the gamebo now.
Not sure on the 3G phone ad my man … I’ll investigate.
Pickaxe & Roll.com: 5,280 reasons to be a Nuggets fan
by Nate Timmons on May 21, 2009 12:24 PM MDT up reply actions
You think that stat is crazy, how about this one......
Cleveland is 0-1 all time in the playoffs when Lebron scores over 48 points. :-)
"Don't I know you from somewhere"?. "Nah, that ain't me, I'm from Buffalo" - Axel Foley
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