Keys to Winning tonight's game
by CombatChuk on May 27, 2009 9:36 AM MDT
7 comments
1. Hustle, Hustle, Hustle:
A big part of the success in Game 4 was the elevated effort everyone put in. The trio of Nene, Birdman, and Kenyon combined for 42 out of the 58 rebounds they collected. I read somewhere (I forgot I think it was here) how the rebounding strategy changed for the Nuggets. Instead of going for the actual rebound they just tip it to someone that can easily pick it up, and it worked marvelously!
2. Phil Jackson's Crashball
Phil Jackson during the game described the Nuggets style of offense as "crashball". I'd prefer the name to be "Nuggets Ball", this type of play is what the Nuggets do best. When we deviate from that and try to be a perimeter jump shot team is when we struggle. It's ok to jump shoot every now and then to pull people away from the paint. Think of football's "West Coast Offense" when they essentially use pass plays to open up the box to set up running plays. We drive hard down the middle, the Nuggets win the game.
3. Better subsitutions
This is one thing George Karl hasn't done very successfully this series. Chauncey is a beast, but he needs some rest too, so when AC comes in relive Chauncey put him on anyone else than Kobe Bryant. AC is just too short and slow to defend him. He can be effective defending Derek Fisher and Farmar and Brown. George Karl needs to make sure he has at least JR Smith (Or Swish as I like to call him) or Dahntay Jones on Kobe. Don't forget about Linas Klieza either, if Carmelo still isn't 100% don't be hesistant to put LK in. Klieza has finally shown up and has a renewed confidence, he's fast and physical which has always provided problems against the Lakers.
4. Keep smacking the Lakers around
This isn't meant to be a hack-a-Laker defense, but a commitment to keep being physical with the Lakers. They're wearing down (Kobe to an extent) and getting beat mentally. Kenyon has this down pat, when ever a player gets hot he fouls them hard (See Trevor Ariza in Game 2). The Lakers don't respond well to that kind of adversity and literally get timid towards the lane. This is the success Boston had in last years finals. The Lakers are soft and it's showing
I'm anticipating a close game, then again the first two games at the Staples Center have been. But the Lakers are on their heels so they'll bring it, we have to be ready. If we follow these steps the Nuggets will be able to close this series out in the Pepsi Center (In perfect fashion)...
GO NUGGETS!!!!!
P.S. GO MAGIC! I would literally giggle like a schoolgirl if we have a Nuggets-Magic NBA finals
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Great points.
The Lakers always seem to play better after a loss. Laker nation is saying that game 4 and 5 are practically scripted; Lakers don’t put out the effort so the Nuggets win game 4 and then the Lakers play up to their true potential which means no one can beat them and they win game 5.
I find that disrespectful. But it’s also a great opportunity. Supposedly, this will be the Lakers playing their best ball. If we beat them tonight then not only will we have two chances to win out, but the Lakers will realize that their best just isn’t good enough. That would be awful disheartening to the Lake show. Shucks.
As far as the rebounding goes, a lot of it was that Denver has a habit of “helping” on the defense when there’s no opportunity, and going for a shot block when there’s no chance. Just staying down and in position allows them to get better rebounding opportunities and limit those by Pau and others. So that’s what they were practicing before game 4.
Let’s hope Melo is feeling better and that his ankle is less ginger. I could sure use 30+ pts out of him (and continued great play by Nene, K-Mart, and the Bird.) It would be nice to see Chauncey pull out of his mini-slump and hit some jumpers — but stay aggressive going to the paint.
by NuggBuckets on May 27, 2009 10:23 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Someone needs to tell Laker fan
that they aren’t playing the Yaoless Rockets right now. They make it sound like they are in complete control of the series, yet if the Nugs don’t implode late in games 1 and 3, this series is over. Every game has been competitive, and the only decisive win of the series was the Nugs in game 4.
If the Nugs play the way they did in game 4, and Melo is back closer to 100%, they absolutely should win tonight. No matter what the Lakers do. Kobe is the best player in this series. Gasol may be one of the top 5 players in this series. But right now, I’d say 6 of the top 8 players in this series are Nuggets. If they play as a team, they’ll win as a team. Period.
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on May 27, 2009 11:35 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
LA Radio says...
that because of all the butt hurt comments about officiating, the Lakers are going to get some calls tonight. I hope this isn’t the case because if all you need to do to get the officials to take over the game is complain (and make a $25,000 donation – thank you Phil Jackson) there are bigger problems in the NBA than tripping, etc…
Shoot one yahoo said that if, “the Lakers win [tonight] they are going to win the championship”. Miopic assinine comments aside, the Nuggs are better than anyone (here) thinks (the rest of the US seems to be noticing)!
J
J
It's not the Lakers I hate with every bone in my body, it's just the players and their fans.
I agree with all the points
I think if the Nuggets keep focused this game is ours, I understand that the Lakers play better at Staples, but the Lakers seem like a team that really is not focused from one game to another, I think that eventually like a rubber band that the Lakers are about to break from going through all this yo-yo stuff. In all honesty, we should be up three games to one and this should be a closeout game, I think the Nuggets will come out with a huge amount of energy and will blow the doors off the Lakers quickly and get them out of their mindset, Kobe I expect to have a big game, but like the Mavs series, if we keep the supporting guys in check, having Kobe score 30+ won’t hurt us in the end.
Nuggets in 6!
"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
A few changes here and there and the Nuggets win 4-0
And a few changes here and there and the Nuggs lose 0-4.
Nuggets have to play all 48 minutes. They deserved those losses in games 1 and 3 because they didn’t execute down the stretch and the Lakers did.
by NuggBuckets on May 27, 2009 12:03 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Likewise, they deserved those wins in games 2 and 4.
It’s all about heart and hustle. These teams are too evenly matched talent-wise. It comes down to who plays hardest and smartest for longest.
by NuggBuckets on May 27, 2009 12:04 PM MDT up reply actions
I have to say this is a series-making game
Basketball is very much so about momentum. After game 4 the Nuggets have it. They just laid a 44-gallon drum of Whoop-@$$ on the Lakers. I really agree with the sentiment that this game should decide the series. Denver wins and we have a really big wheel rolling down-hill for game 6. LA wins and it puts Denver’s backs to the wall with no wiggle room.
I’d love to say LA is going to fall apart, but I know better than that. As much as I abhor them, they are a very very talented team. The scary thing is that they are fairly young. PJ has done a great job with LA.
That being said, the Nuggets match LA’s talent at every level and I think our bench is a bit stronger. When the Nuggets win this series, I sure hope the Hornets, Mavs, and Laker fans give them the respect they deserve. Denver is playing for keeps.
I don’t want breakaway speed. I want break-some-poor-fool-as-I-bowl-you-over power getting 6 yards off a play that should have been stopped for 2 at most.
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