Cleveland (0-3) @ Denver (2-1) Wednnesday, 8:00 pm ET Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio (Cavs home opener) TV: ESPN Previous Game Cavs 85 @ Blazers 104 Buggets 60 @ Pacers 71 (Melo 1-13 FG and 2 pts)) Head Coaches Paul Silas/Jeff Bzdelik Probable Starters Zydrunas Ilgauskas/Marcus Camby Carlos Boozer/Nen? Darius Miles/Carmelo Anthony Ricky Davis/Voshon Lenard LeBron James/Andre Miller Injury Lists Cleveland Cavaliers Dajuan Wagner Ira Newble Bruno Sundov Denver Nuggets Chris Marcus Mark Pope Jeff Trepagnier Keys To The Game Cleveland - For cryin' out loud, drive to the basket! The Cavs have been shooting the ball pretty well, the D has not been too bad, and they have been rebounding, but when you shoot a lot of jumpers you give the opposition transition opportunities. So drive to the basket, get the contact, and shoot your freethrows, it very well could help them win this game. Carmelo Anthony loves to drive to the basket, so it will be important for Miles to stay in front of him at all costs. The Nuggets love to rebound, so Big Z and Boozer will have to do a great job of boxing out in this game. Denver - The Cavaliers weaknesses have been exposed, play a zone, clog the middle, force them to shoot the basketball, and take advantage of their sloppy ball handling and execution. Rookie Carmelo Anthony should have a feast in this game because he loves to drive to the basket and creat contact. The Nuggets have 2 solid big man defenders in Camby and Nen? which should give the Cavs fits much like Wallace and Randolph did for the Balzers. Keep the double teaming going on LeBron James and don't allow him as many chances to creat scoring opportunities for his teamates. The King's Take The time is here people! LeBron James vs. Carmelo Anthony for the very first time in an NBA game. These 2 rookies have been amazing so far, and the atmosphere at the Gund should be electric. I personally don't like the Cavs chances in this one, because it seems like Cleveland's weaknesses are Denver's strengths. We will see if playing at home for the first time will make the Cavs hussle a little more and play more focused which will result in fewer turnovers. Tossup
This will be a nice match up of two great rookies. Mello has the advantage since he has the better team. The Nuggets are coming off two impressive victories and should handle the Cavs if they stick to their game. The Cavs have played competive thus far so it should be a good game. Nice preview KJ, you've got me excited.
For the season, here is what LeBron and Carmelo are doing after 3 games. LeBron James 18.0 pts, 7.7 ast, 7.3 reb, 2.3 stl, 0 blk 40.7 MPG, 46.9 FG%, 58.3 FT%, 12.5 3PT%, 3.7 TOPG Carmelo Anthony 17.7 pts, 7.3 reb, 3.3 ast, 0.3 stl, 0.3 blk 34.7 MPG, 41.9 FG%, 64.0 FT%, 20.0 3PT%, 4.7 TOPG Bron is doing better statistically, but Melo has the wins. Should be great going head to head.
Should be a great match-up....Melo v Lebron wil be good to see.Nuggets should win the game but I think Lebron and Melo will have the same kind of stats and excite the crowd very well
Cant wait for this game. Very nice preview KJ, gotta give you props. I think that Bron will come up big to get the Cavs a win, even though Nuggets have a better team. I think Bron will have marginally better stats than Melo.
For the Cavs to win this one the other players would have to stop watching Lebron and play basketball..They seem to depend on him too much so far...Miles,Big Z,Davis,Boozer,Bremer need to get going and take it the Nuggets defense...which by the way has been very good so far...Cavs will also need to find a way to slow down Earl Boykins as whenever he comes in the game he is a big spark for his team and is a difference maker.
i think melo will have the better game...but i am a little biased towards him...good game ill be watching it
I think 'Bron will bring his big game to this one, he'll relish a matchup with Carmelo and bring the Cavs a win IMO. Who would have thought last year that the Cavs/Nuggets game would be a blockbuster?! Haha
Nuggets play the Pacers today, could be a key factor as many teams this year on the 2nd game of a back to back have been tired (Spurs) Any more opinions on the game fellas?
Nice preview KJ Its nice to see that the Cavs are returning home. The road hasnt been well for them. The Nuggets have played great ball so far and seem to be gelling as a team. The game should be a close one. Its a tossup, lets hope the Cavs get the edge due to their home crowd behind them. Melo vs Bron should be exciting as well.
Thanks Ice, I look forward to the day when JBB has more talent here and every team forum is like this. That would put a lot of the current mods on the hot seat I biggest thing I am looking forward to is the crowd reaction. Can the Gund come close to how Richfield was?
King I?ve got to hand it to you! You?ve done a great job here and have now set the bar for the rest of us. As far as the match-up is concerned I have to echo the sentiments I?ve read from a few people in the league... This would not have been news last year. Denver and Cleveland? It?s amazing how quickly fortunes can turn and how the laughingstock of the league can become the next big thing. ?Melo seems to be the one out to prove himself. He said that he?s already tiring of hearing his name connected to James? and I think that he?ll be there to show that he?s just as good as our biblical friend King James. I doubt that it will be a meaningful game as far as this season is concerned (they?re not likely to meet in the playoffs but they are likely to meet again and again and?(you get the point) so as long as these two players keep doing what they?re doing we?ll keep watching them and the teams that surround them. On the court Drama is what the league has been craving and that?s what we?re going to get here. I hope this rivalry lasts a long, long time.
Thanks How_High78, that is all I am about right there, raising the bar. I must thank shapecity a bit too, he would hound me if he saw me do somthing that he knows was not my best work.
27/16 Denver after one. Miles is killing us with turnovers, airballs, and not putting any kind of D on anybody. I would bench him until the 2nd half.
Carmello has really impressed me. This is the first game I have really seen him play...very impressive but expected.
Rudeezy, get the name right, it's NOT "Carmello" it's Carmelo"!!! 46/44 Nuggets at the half. Melo: 12, 2 reb, 1 ast Bron: 7, 6 reb, 3 ast
Cavs woes continue, even at home. Nuggets continue their hot streak. Another impressive game from Mello, more importantly, another win for the Nugs.
