<div align="center"> <font color="DeepSkyBlue">The Denver Nuggets (41-34)</font> vs. <font color="purple">The Los Angeles Lakers (40-35)</font> Thursday, April 6th, 2006 The Pepsi Center 7:30 PM Pacific; TNT </div> [div=50%] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"><font color="DeepSkyBlue"> <font size="1">(A. Miller, R. Patterson, C. Anthony, K. Martin, M. Camby)</font></font></div> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Carmelo Anthony - 26.7 Leading Rebounder: Marcus Camby - 11.8 RPG Assist Man: Andre Miller - 8.4 The Bench Man: Earl Boykins (12.6 PPG, 3.8 APG, 1.4 RPG)</font> <font size="3">Backcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/andre_miller.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DeepSkyBlue">Andre Miller</font> PPG: 14.4, RPG: 4.5, APG: 8.4 He's tall and quick. Smush and bulky and strong. This should make for an interesting matchup. Whichever point guard puts their skills to use earlier and often will win the matchup. My money is on Miller, Smush struggles with quick point guards.</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/ruben_patterson.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DeepSkyBlue">"The Kobe Stopper"</font> PPG: 11.9, RPG: 3.5, APG: 1.7 The self-proclaimed Kobe stopper is going to have a tough time stopping Kobe in this one. Against Denver, Kobe averages 35 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 4.5 APG on 49% shooting. Patterson is going to have to really clamp down on Kobe, and also be effective on the offensive side of the ball.</font> <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/carmelo_anthony.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DeepSkyBlue">Carmelo Anthony</font> PPG: 26.7, RPG: 5.0, APG: 2.6 The young superstar is having on hell of a season for the Nuggets. He comes up clutch all the time. He's stronger and bulkier than Lamar Odom, so he has to use that to his advantge. He has to nullify Lamar's reach advantage, or it could be a very frustrating night for him. He can also expect to see Kobe guarding him from time to time.</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/kenyon_martin.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DeepSkyBlue">Kenyon Martin</font> PPG: 13.0, RPG: 6.4, APG: 1.4 Kenyon is very strong. Brian Cook struggle with just a normal PF, so expect to see him out of the game early, and often. Kenyon has to expect Ronnie Turiaf on him. He has to use his veteranship as an advantage over Turiaf, becuase Ronnie is no slouch defender.</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/marcus_camby.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DeepSkyBlue">Marcus Camby</font> PPG: 13.8, RPG: 11.8, APG: 1.9 Along with those very nice stats, Camby is avergaing 3.25 blocks this year, per game. He's having an incredible season. This is a really good matchup. A solid defender vs. a solid defender. I expect Camby to hold Kwame to putbacks, that's it. I expect Kwame to hold Camby to about 9-11 points. This is going to be a fun matchup to watch, and it can change the game for their respective teams.</font> [/div] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"><font color="purple"> <font size="1">(S. Parker, K. Bryant, L. Odom, B. Cook, K. Brown) </font></font></div> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Kobe Bryant - 34.8 PPG Leading Rebounder: Lamar Odom - 9.1 RPG Assist Man: Lamar Odom - 5.4 APG The Bench Man: Devean George (6.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.0 APG)</font> <font size="3">Backcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/smush_parker.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Smush Parker</font> PPG: 11.5, RPG: 3.3, APG: 3.7 Smush has been quietly improving his point guard play. Over the past 5 games, Smush has averaged 7.6 APG. He needs to continue that streak of improved court vision and passing and hit open men in this one..</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/kobe_bryant.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Kobe Bryant</font> PPG: 34.8, RPG: 5.3, APG: 4.6 In this one, Kobe has the 'Kobe Stopper,' so you know he'll get up for this one. He always plays great against Denver, expect nothing less. He could set a new franchise record for 40 point games in a season. Predicted stats: 51 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists.</font> <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/lamar_odom.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Lamar Odom</font> PPG: 14.8, RPG: 9.1, APG: 5.4 This is one of the vital matchups in the game. Lamar vs. Carmelo. Lamar needs to take him down in the post and use his speed and length advantage. He can't let Melo post him up though, as Melo would have a field day on Lamar.</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/brian_cook.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Brian Cook</font> PPG: 8.1, RPG: 3.4, APG: 0.9 I don't expect to see Cook much in the game. He's only good for offense, and Kmart's a good defender. I should put Ronny in this starting spot, but he won't start. Turiaf is going to have to be really aggressive with Kmart, but watch the fouls calls.</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/kwame_brown.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Kwame Brown</font> PPG: 6.8, RPG: 6.3, APG: .9 The most important matchup of the game, Kwame can't shy away. He normally gets up for big matchups, so I expect a solid outing. If he can shake loose from Camby, get put backs, and play solid defense, he should have a huge impact on the outcoming of the game.</font> <font size="3">Lakers Keys to the Game</font><ul>[*]<font color="purple">Final Stretch</font> - The Lakers have to realize this is their final stretch, their chance to lock a playoff birth. They should win this one, they always play Denver tough. But they can't play a hard game, they have the Suns in Phoenix tomorrow night.[*]<font color="purple">Control Pace</font> - The Lakers have to come out and control the pace of the game. It's imperative to their chances at victory.[*]<font color="purple">Team Ball</font> - The Lakers are at their best when everyone gets involved. If the Lakers come out and get everyone involved, mainly Lamar in the first half, and then Kobe in the second half. It should be an easy victory.[/list]<font size="3">Prediction</font> I have a very strong gut feeling that Kobe's going to dominate in this game. I don't see the Lakers losing.. Lakers: 104, Nuggets: 97..
Sick preview there KB8. Just a note, isn't Carmello out for the game against us for throwing the ball in the crowd? I know he was fined $5,000 but is he suspended aswell?
I didn't hear about a suspension, then again, I didn't look into that. If it's true, improves our chances at winning. I'll look into it when I get back from lunch.
Denver has to be shook after blowing a 22 point lead last night. The Lakers should be well prepared to beat this team once again. I always like the Lakers chances when Rubern Patterson has to guard Kobe.
Kobe always shows up to play against Denver and tomorrow night should be no different. Plus, he has even more incentive since he's going against the self proclaimed "Kobe-Stopper" (which we all know really doesn't exist) in Ruben Patterson. I say Kobe goes for 50 and the Lakers win 105-90.
George Karl is going to make this team bust their asses after that choke job against the Clippers. I expect Kobe and Carmelo to put on a show with both of them putting up 35+. I'll take the Nuggets by 4.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Moo2K4:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe always shows up to play against Denver and tomorrow night should be no different. Plus, he has even more incentive since he's going against the self proclaimed "Kobe-Stopper" (which we all know really doesn't exist) in Ruben Patterson. I say Kobe goes for 50 and the Lakers win 105-90.</div>
Our record against the Nuggets is 2-0 this season. Although to be fair, we did play them early in the season. I'm predicting a 106-93 victory to the Lakers. Kobe will drop 42.
Haha since no other laker can think of the Lakers loosing to the Nuggets, I'll go ahead The lakers will loose, Kobe will make his 40 but the rest will stay below 15. At the end Melo will caught fire and eventually score 45 as his teams beats the lakers (me starts crying) with 8. Nuggets 102 - 94 Lakers!
Dude, I was gonna drop 500 on Detroit -1 @ Miami with Alonzo, Jason Williams, and Shaq out. But I think I'm gonna drop 500 on Lakers +5.5, I honestly think Lakers can win this straight up (for some reason we always play well against Denver) and I have 5.5 cushion. Let's go Lakers!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting illmatic:</div><div class="quote_post">Dude, I was gonna drop 500 on Detroit -1 @ Miami with Alonzo, Jason Williams, and Shaq out. But I think I'm gonna drop 500 on Lakers +5.5, I honestly think Lakers can win this straight up (for some reason we always play well against Denver) and I have 5.5 cushion. Let's go Lakers!</div> I'm going Moneyline tonight +220. Go Lakers! The line for the Heat game is really fishy. All those players out and Detroit is a dog?
its going to be a tough game. we must be able to contain carmelo. he has been shooting lights out recently. also, its going to be tough because i know the whole nuggets team will be looking for vengence after that embarrassing loss to the clippers, which at one point they had a 22 point lead. the big thing to stop the nuggets is to play good defense. in the first half of the game against the clippers, they were shooting lights out. in order for us to win, we must contain them
i think these two teams are the perfect match in matchups lamar and carmelo is gonna be good to watch or kobe and melo i just hope the lakers are ready to defend that jump shot of carmelos cuz if they don't..its gonna be bad
It?s extremely rare to go almost the entire season without playing a team. We played the Nuggets twice during the opening week of the season (the last time being a Lakers victory on November 6th). In the 60+ games since we?ve played them some things have changed but a lot has remained the same. Denver has changed their roster ? adding Ruben Patterson and Reggie Evans in February trades. Gone is Earl Watson (traded) and game changer Earl Boykins (injured). The constants with Denver are that Carmelo Anthony is still their ?go-to guy? and Marcus Camby is having another good season blocking shots and hitting perimeter shots. Another part of the Nuggets that is the same is their commitment to play fastbreak basketball and create some easy shots. One characteristic of Denver that was clearly on display as they put up 77 first half points in their most recent game (vs. the Clippers on 4/4) was their desire to ?leak out? offensively. On the playground you might call it ?cherry-picking?. When Denver is on defense, whoever is guarding the shooter ? when a perimeter shot is taken - just runs towards the Nuggets offensive goal as the shot goes up. If Denver secures the defensive rebound they always immediately look long up the court hoping to get an easy basket in an advantage break situation. It is absolutely imperative that we have proper floor balance ? especially if we get guard penetration ? so we can take away this part of Denver?s game. In regards to Carmelo Anthony, they will use a variety of standard NBA play sets to get him in scoring position. They will slice him off screens to get him to the post as well as simply dropping the ball into him in the post from the elbow area. What makes their drop a little different than how most teams run this set is the action that the feeder takes. When Marcus Camby feeds Carmelo he will often hold his spot as opposed to cutting to the basket. Camby?s ability to hit the perimeter shot forces the defense to rotate a little differently than they normally would if they decide to double team Anthony. The other way that Denver creates an advantage for Carmelo is by putting him in pick and roll situations. Because of Anthony?s all-around skills he can perform either end of the pick and roll sequence. He is equally capable as the picker or the ball handler. There are two other areas of concern when facing the Nuggets. The first is the fact that due to their athleticism they are always looking for lobs. Whether it is a player spinning out of a post position or a backdoor cut, we must be aware that this is part of their game plan. In their win vs. Detroit last month, 25 of their 42 field goals made were on lobs/layups/dunks. The other is that Camby can affect the game with his shot blocking. We must really look to attack the basket when he is around.
Carmelo Anthony hit a clutch basket and Elson had a career night. If it takes those type of performances to beat us, I'm willing to live with it.
