<div align="center"><u><font size="5"><font color="#0091D0">DENVER NUGGETS</font> @ <font color="#B84056">CLEVELAND CAVALIERS</font></font></u> <u><font size="3"><font color="#B84056">PROJECTED STARTERS</font></font></u> <u><font size="2"><font color="#B84056">CAVS</font></font></u> <font color="#B84056">C Zydrunas Ilgauskas PF Drew Gooden SF LeBron James SG Larry Hughes PG Eric Snow</font> <font color="#0091D0">C Marcus Camby PF Kenyon Martin SF Carmelo Anthony SG Greg Buckner PG Andre Miller</font> <u><font size="2"><font color="#0091D0">NUGGETS</font></font></u> <u><font size="3"><font color="#B84056">MATCHUP BREAKDOWN</font></font></u></div> <font color="#B84056">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</font> v <font color="#0091D0">Marcus Camby</font> ? Camby has been playing fantastically this season, averaging 16.8-13.3 compared with Ilgauskas? 15-7.5. These stats add up to one thing, in my opinion, a victorious night for Denver.. <font color="#B84056">Drew Gooden</font> v <font color="#0091D0">Kenyon Martin</font> ? You have two relatively powerful forwards coming up against each other, each with a distict advantage above the other in different categories. K-Mart is better at scoring, whilst Drew Gooden is better at rebounding. I?m tipping Gooden to surpass Martin, but not by much. <font color="#B84056">LeBron James</font> v <font color="#0091D0">Carmelo Anthony</font> ? The big one; the battle of the 03-04 rookie class. Anthony was playing much closer to LeBron?s level in their rookie year, but LeBron has since steamed ahead which is why I?m tipping the King to come out on top in this matchup.. <font color="#B84056">Larry Hughes</font> v <font color="#0091D0">Greg Bucknor</font> ? Buckner is to the Nuggets what Snow is to the Cavaliers ? not a lot in terms of scoring. Hughes, on the other hand has a proven ability to score and penetrate, as well as defend so he should easily come out above Buckner.. <font color="#B84056">Eric Snow</font> v <font color="#0091D0">Andre Miller</font> ? The reverse of the previous matchup; this time it is the Nuggets? Miller who should surpass the Cavs? Snow for similar reasons as the ones mentioned above, only Miller is more of a point guard than Snow. <div align="center"><u><font size="3"><font color="#B84056">OTHER NOTES</font></font></u></div> <ul> [*]Carmelo and the Nuggets lead LeBron and the Cavs 3-1 since the pair entered the league. [*]The overall score is 387-385 to the Nuggets. [*]LeBron has averaged 20-7-7 against the Nuggets. [*]The Cavs are 11-9, and are 3-7 in their last 10. [*]The Nuggets are 12-10, and are 5-5 in their last 10. [/list] <div align="center"><u><font size="3"><font color="#B84056">SCORE PREDICTION</font></font></u></div> <u> <font size="2"><font color="#0091D0">91</font> - <font color="#B84056">94</font></font></u>
Nice preview chingy0007. The LeBron vs. Melo matchup is going to highlight this game. Both have been playing at a high level and lighting up defenses. The Cavs have Ira Newble back, and I expect him to see a lot of minutes tonight trying to slow down Melo. This teams match up well, but the Nuggets don't have much of an answer for Larry Hughes. Early Boykins is a game time decision and without him at 100%, it's going to be tough for the Nuggets to match the scoring output coming from Hughes. The Cavs need this win and stop the bleeding from their current 3 game losing streak. Denver usually struggles on the road, so I'm predicting a victory for the Cavs led by Larry Hughes tonight.
24-19 Cleveland at the end of the first. LeBron: 12 Points on 5/7 shooting Carmelo: 8 Points on 3/7 shooting Looks like they could both go for 25-30 tonight.
LeBron is doing a great job of recognizing the mismatches and taking advantage of them. He's being a lot more patient on offense than Melo at this point in the game. Every shot Melo takes is a difficult one and he needs to settle down and let the game come to him. How about the no look dish by LeBron to Hendu?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">LeBron is doing a great job of recognizing the mismatches and taking advantage of them. He's being a lot more patient on offense than Melo at this point in the game. Every shot Melo takes is a difficult one and he needs to settle down and let the game come to him. How about the no look dish by LeBron to Hendu?</div> Agreed, he needs to do what he's been doing the past 3 games, which has been driving into the lane consistently and draw contact.
Denver is a completely different team without Camby. You really notice his value and presence when you watch the Nuggets play with him and a noticable lack of interior defense when he doesn't. EDIT: Denver is losing control of this game. They need to get back in it quickly.
Earl Watson has come off the bench to get the Nuggets back in this game. He's taking full advantage of Boykins being injured. Right now he has 14 points in 19 minutes to go along with 3 assists, 2 steals, and only 1 turnover.
