Game 3: Nuggets 97 - Lakers 103
by Nate Timmons on May 24, 2009 11:24 AM MDT
in Denver Nuggets: Game Recaps
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This recap is not going to get the attention it deserves. It's my buddy's birthday today ... Mr. Duckworth ... Captain Quackers and I'm going to be heading out shortly to go celebrate. It's tough to celebrate after a loss, but the Nuggets are still just 3 wins away from winning this series and can still win this thing. Last night was not a must win ... it would have been nice, but it wasn't a necessity (but obviously some wins must start coming from here out.)
Live by the three ... die by the three. 5-27 ... 18.5%. The Nuggets chose to keep launching threes and went away from attacking the rim last night and it cost them the game. Melo, J.R., and Billups combined to go 5-24 from distance. I was hoping at some point that Denver would get back to attacking, but it just never happened.
The Lakers did what they needed to do and hung around the entire game until it was time to make a move. L.A. found themselves down 79-71 going into the deciding quarter and they outscored Denver 32-18 to finish the game.
Denver only gave up one 30 point quarter last night, but it was in the crucial fourth. Every one of these games has come down to execution in the final minutes and the Lakers deserve the 2-1 lead as they have out-executed Denver in two of the three final periods.
ntimmons73@yahoo.com
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Nugget-centric links scheduled for the front page of Silver Screen and Roll at 5:30 PDT this evening...
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
As a Lakers fan, I'd be concerned with all this talk of the Lakers being tired
There are a lot more games to be played here. If the Lakers are out of gas now, Denver should be licking their (tattooed) lips in anticipation.
But I hope they were just talking about being tired for this one game, not the whole series.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
Well played by L.A.
They put themselves in position to win it and did. Melo and key Nuggets were in foul trouble all night and even with missed FTs the Nuggets just could not create any real separation with a run.
I think right now what is being exposed is how weak the Nugget bench is without LK (yes, that Linas Kleiza) and J.R. Smith having a hot hand. Carter provides nothing offensively and basically creates a 5-on-4 matchup for the Lakers.
Game 4 is the next “hugest game of the season”.
The Nuggets' overall shooting wasn't hot...
…with one significant exception being Carmelo Anthony. He didn’t have nearly as many touches in the 4th as he should’ve.
The officiating in the game was terrible for both sides, and it made for a slightly unwatchable game.
"I was playing in the streets one time and my friend broke off a leg to a chair and threw it at another guy through his heart and he died." - Ron Artest, QB's finest
I have to agree with that.
I’m not one to complain about officiating, but it was glaring.
How stupid do these refs think we are?
The Lakers are 12-2 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
I'll say it
The officiating was atrocious. When they’re calling so many ticky tack stuff and then letting go some glaring fouls it’s tough to watch. Take that foul on Anderson early in the 4th when Pau spinned off…if that’s a foul then there should be a foul called on every play. Late in the quarter Melo kept trying to get to the hole and got bumped and slapped but no calls repeatedly when roughly the same stuff was sending Bryant to the line.
Still, I think the Nugs are in a good place. The Lakers need 40 point, 50% FG percent efforts by Kobe to stay in the game. He can’t do that for a series (especially the 50% FG).
atleast...
it wasn’t as bad as Cavs-Magic Game 3. Horrible officiating on all sides. 80+ free throws by both teams (Orlando had 50+ themselves). Atrocious.
Another tempo-free boxscore over at SS and R.
Always a little on the homer side, but here is the latest tempo free box score from game 3 and the series as a whole. Great statistical breakdown of how thing went wrong for Denver in 4th quarter.
http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2009/5/24/885062/lakers-nugs-game-3-tempo-free
Well, sir, you are a cowardly son of a bitch! You just shot an unarmed man!.......Well, he should have armed himself if he's going to decorate his saloon with my friend. – Will Munny
great break down from ssr.
No matter which team your rooting for…noone can say this series isnt exciting
by Kobe Won Kenobi on May 24, 2009 3:53 PM MDT reply actions
You're right.........
and I should be 6’-4" 225 with rock hard abs, but…………………….didn’t happen that way.
Well, sir, you are a cowardly son of a bitch! You just shot an unarmed man!.......Well, he should have armed himself if he's going to decorate his saloon with my friend. – Will Munny
Well..................
In My Opinion, the NBA wants a Lakers- Cavs Final, and the officiating is showing it so far. I am obviously rooting for the Nuggets. I hope to hell it’s a Nuggets-Magic Final.
We gotta get nastier on D!!!!!!!!!
I don't think
the NBA made us miss 22 threes. I don’t think the NBA made up the strategy to not get Melo the ball enough in the 4th. If we made3 more 3 pointers, just 3 more, we win this game by 3 points. And then we would rejoice and be happy and wouldn’t say the officiating was bad. we wouldn’t care. Don’t pile this on the refs, when the Nuggets shot about – 1236 % from three, and 39% overall…
Once upon a time the Suns got out on the break... and along came Steve sucKerr
by Murcy on May 25, 2009 2:22 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
and I'm not sure
the NBA would have let Orlando win game 2 if these conspiracy theories were true
Once upon a time the Suns got out on the break... and along came Steve sucKerr
oh yeah I meant game 3
I messed it up sorry
Once upon a time the Suns got out on the break... and along came Steve sucKerr
I agree...kind of.
The NBA wants a Lakers-Cavs NBA Finals matchup. Why the hell wouldn’t they? There is an insane amount of money to be made from it and a potential Orlando-Denver Finals is as appalling to the NBA as the almost-was ’07 World Series between Colorado and Cleveland was to MLB.
That being said, I think the idea of a conspiracy behind all of this is just frustration oozing our from a clearly one-sided second half in which the refs were harsh on Denver, but the team still did nothing to help itself. Everytime it got a little momentum going, it shot itself in the foot and credit to the Lakers (albeit mostly Kobe, but still) for executing down the stretch and getting the win. Despite my frustrations with some of the mind-boggling inconsistency regarding the officiating, that last dagger 3 by Kobe is just a great player doing what great players do. And we cannot say enough about our complete inability to inbound the basketball when it matters.
If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! HOW can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!
by A.J. Haefele on May 25, 2009 4:13 AM MDT up reply actions
that'd be exciting...
about as exciting as a Pistons-Spurs / Spurs-Nets / Pistons-Blazers Finals.
There’s tons of ways to look at this and market it. Melo makes his first Finals, and now all of the Holy Trio have atleast made it to the final showdown. Howard does what Shaq could not, and brings a title to Orlando (cementing his place as the real Superman?).
And even a Melo-James Finals has plenty of opportunity. Kobe will only be a contender for another 3-4 years, atleast, as the primary scoring option (he could still be on a contender as a veteran second or third option). Melo and James could have battles for YEARS to come, although I’d see Anthony as Jim Kelly to Lebron’s Troy Aikman. (And Wade is Steve Young).
oh..
and let’s not forget what would be wildly popular idea of Kobe’s Lakers falling to the Howard’s Magic (Orlando did beat LA twice this season), proving once and for all that Kobe made the biggest mistake by running Shaq outta town, as karma has come back to bite him in the ass with the second coming of Superman, and from Orlando no less.
LOL
“proving once and for all that Kobe made the biggest mistake by running Shaq outta town,”
How is life under that rock?
Well, sir, you are a cowardly son of a bitch! You just shot an unarmed man!.......Well, he should have armed himself if he's going to decorate his saloon with my friend. – Will Munny
take the salt
it’s a “fictional” storyline. I personally feel the Lakers made the right move by going with the younger star in his prime.
Gotta Give LA Credit
I didn’t think they had much of a chance in this game, but they got it done.
by PaulFVillarreal on May 25, 2009 8:59 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
This team still executes really badly when the ball isnt in Melo or Chaunceys hands
Other teams see this aswell
http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2009/5/24/885062/lakers-nugs-game-3-tempo-free
http://www.poundingtherock.com/2009/5/25/885723/ten-random-yet-obvious
Melo has tried to force some Lebron style possesions (Melo initiating offense from behind the arc) but They havent practice this enough over theyear.
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