<table border=2 cellspacing=5 cellpadding=10 width=80%> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>Date</td><td>Team</td><td>Result</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>03/14/08</td> <td>TORONTO RAPTORS</td><td>W 137-105</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>03/16/08</td> <td>SEATTLE SONICS</td><td>W 168-116</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>03/18/08</td> <td>AT DETROIT PISTONS</td><td><font color="red">L 120-136</font></td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>03/19/08</td> <td>AT PHILADELPHIA 76ERS</td><td><font color="red">L 113-115</font></td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>03/21/08</td> <td>AT NEW JERSEY NETS</td><td>W 125-114</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>03/23/08</td> <td>AT TORONTO RAPTORS</td><td>W 109-100</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>03/24/08</td> <td>AT MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES</td><td>W 120-106</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>03/27/08</td> <td>DALLAS MAVERICKS</td><td>W 118-105</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>03/29/08</td> <td>GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS</td><td>W 119-112</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>03/31/08</td> <td>AT PHOENIX SUNS</td><td><font color="red">L 117-132</font></td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>04/01/08</td> <td>PHOENIX SUNS</td><td>W 126-120</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>04/05/08</td> <td>SACRAMENTO KINGS</td><td><font color="red">L 115-118</font></td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>04/06/08</td> <td>AT SEATTLE SONICS</td><td><font color="red">L 147-151</font></td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>04/08/08</td> <td>AT LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS</td><td>W 117-99</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>04/10/08</td> <td>AT GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS</td><td>W 114-105</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>04/12/08</td> <td>AT UTAH JAZZ</td><td><font color="red">L 97-124</font></td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>04/13/08</td> <td>HOUSTON ROCKETS</td><td>W 111-94</td></tr> <tr align"left" valign"top"> <td>04/16/08</td> <td>MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES</td><td></td></tr> </table>
18 games left for the Nuggets and at this point in the playoff race, all of them should be treated as must wins. Lets see if all of their talent is able to play hard and be focused.
hopefully we can put together at least a 7 game winning streak to start things off. These are all very winnable games if we can just start playing a little D and put together some momentum before the playoffs.
The fun little 3 game home stand is now over and the Nuggets start a five game road trip against Detroit. Denver is 3 games back of Utah for the Northwest Division lead and 1.5 games back of Golden State for the 8th playoff spot. Note: There are only 3 Eastern Conference teams with a better record than the Nuggets
I'm thinkin that for the remainder of their games the Nuggets could go 12-4. That should be enough to boost them into the playoffs and maybe into the lead for the division. This is the same time that the Nuggets got hot last year, and that huge win last night could really give this team some much needed confidence.
I'm very curious to see how they play against Detroit. In the last three games the Nuggets have faced virtually no defensive resistance and the opposing offenses haven't made the Nuggets work hard.
At least one of the bench guys - JR, Chucky or LK - is going to need to play an outstanding game tonight against Detroit. With the way they slow the pace down and defend, the shooting they can provide and therefore the floor spacing that goes with it will be key.
It's most likely a loss unless Chucky Atkins and Allen Iverson get at least a dozen assists. You can't run a wide open pick-up game type of offense against the Pistons, this is a serious defensive team. You have to have playmakers who can break down the defense to some extent. I don't really care how many assists Carter gets, because he just can't compete with Atkins, Iverson, or J.R. Smith as a scorer. Carter belongs on a losing team, not on the Denver Nuggets who are on the verge of being America's chump team.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tremaine @ Mar 18 2008, 02:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It's most likely a loss unless Chucky Atkins and Allen Iverson get at least a dozen assists. You can't run a wide open pick-up game type of offense against the Pistons, this is a serious defensive team. You have to have playmakers who can break down the defense to some extent. I don't really care how many assists Carter gets, because he just can't compete with Atkins, Iverson, or J.R. Smith as a scorer. Carter belongs on a losing team, not on the Denver Nuggets who are on the verge of being America's chump team.</div> There is zero reason to dump on Anthony Carter. It isn't his fault that Karl overplays him. He is a fine reserve PG for a winning team.
I cant stand Carter. Hes done a descent job this year, but he definitely isn't what this team needs in a pg. As for the game tonight, should be a good one and I can't wait to watch it. The pistons are a great team, but i think the Nuggets helter skelter type of play usually messes them up because they don't know what to expect or how to defend it. If we win this win, it would set us up very nicely for the rest of the season.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tremaine @ Mar 18 2008, 01:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It's most likely a loss unless Chucky Atkins and Allen Iverson get at least a dozen assists. You can't run a wide open pick-up game type of offense against the Pistons, this is a serious defensive team. You have to have playmakers who can break down the defense to some extent. I don't really care how many assists Carter gets, because he just can't compete with Atkins, Iverson, or J.R. Smith as a scorer. Carter belongs on a losing team, not on the Denver Nuggets who are on the verge of being America's chump team.</div> Playing the way he has, he could get at least as many minutes on many other teams and hardly anyone would complain. For the Nuggets, you have to complain about it, because the position is too important and the Nuggets have too much offensive talent to settle for Carter as a PG starter and 20+mpg player. The recent 3 straight routs by the Nuggets reminds us that the Nuggets can't be "settling" for things when there are better options available. They have no business being in 9th place, in great danger of missing the playoffs. So criticisms that might seem kind of tough have to be made, because I want this team to get where it is supposed to be.
The Nuggets played too much zone defense and the Pistons picked them apart. The Nuggets defense was especially bad when one of Camby and Kenyon was on the bench because Eddie is a poor match for the Pistons' front court. However, no time to look backwards as a game against the improving Sixers is on tap. Lets go Nuggets, give AI the win in his first visit back to Philly and shut down Dre.
The Nuggets put themselves in a really bad spot by not showing up against the Sixers. Then Golden State won to give themselves more separation. Last night the Nuggets caught a small break with the Lakers taking down the Jazz
Nuggets finished out the 5 game road trip with a 3-2 record. They are now within .5 games of Golden State (thank you Lakers) and 1.5 games of slumping, Dirk-less Dallas.
Just like that, the Nuggets are now in the playoffs. 1/2 game (1 win) lead over the Warriors. Next up: back-to-back against Phoenix, and then 3 sub-.500 teams.
After a 5 game winning streak took the Nuggets all the way to the 7th spot because of tie breakers, the Nuggets decided not to play the second half against Phoenix last night. They are back to 9th place
7 games left to go with only 3 of them against teams in the playoff race With the Nuggets win and the Warriors loss last night, the Nuggets are back into 8th place
The Nuggets dropped the first of their final 7. It was a horrible a loss as it was a home game and a game against a lottery team. Yes, Stu Jackson screwed the Nuggets a second time this season by taking Kenyon's hit to the face of Diaw (damn what a flop that was) from a technical to a flagrant 1. That forced Kenyon over the flagrant points for the season and forced him to be suspended for the Kings game. However, the Kings played without Artest and Brad Miller. Damn this is a hard team to follow
Sacramento Kings come to the Warriors rescue for the second year in a row. Last year when GS was battling the Clippers for the last playoff spot Sac beat the Clippers down the stretch and from there I believe the Warriors didn't lose again and streaked into the playoffs.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Run BJM @ Apr 6 2008, 12:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Sacramento Kings come to the Warriors rescue for the second year in a row. Last year when GS was battling the Clippers for the last playoff spot Sac beat the Clippers down the stretch and from there I believe the Warriors didn't lose again and streaked into the playoffs.</div> Yeah, the Kings helped, but what do you guys have on Stu Jackson that allowed them to help you?
