<div align="center"> @ <font color="royalblue">Denver Nuggets (48-31)</font> @ <font color="red">Houston Rockets (48-31)</font> Time: Sat, Apr. 16, 2005, 07:30 P.M. Eastern Time TV: <font color="red">ESPN</font> Place: Toyota Center, Houston, TX --- Ballers: <font color="royalblue">Francisco Elson</font> ( C), <font color="royalblue">Kenyon Martin</font> (PF), <font color="royalblue">Carmelo Anthony</font> (SF), <font color="royalblue">DerMarr Johnson</font> (SG), <font color="royalblue">Andre Miller</font> (PG) Top bench baller: <font color="royalblue">Earl Boykins</font> Coach: <font color="royalblue">George Karl</font> (31-6, first season with Nuggets) --- Ballers: <font color="red">Yao Ming</font> ( C), <font color="red">Clarence Weatherspoon</font> (PF), <font color="red">Tracy McGrady</font> (SF), <font color="red">David Wesley</font> (SG), <font color="red">Bob Sura</font> (PG) Top bench baller: <font color="red">Mike James</font> Coach: <font color="red">Jeff Van Gundy</font> (93-68 overall with Rockets) <font size="5"><font color="royalblue">Top</font> <font color="gold">Ballers</font>:</font> <font color="royalblue">Carmelo Anthony: 35 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists.</font> <font color="red">Tracy McGrady: 31 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists.</font> <font size="5">purpleb0n9's <font color="royalblue">Team</font> <font color="gold">Analysis</font>:</font> This is a game between two teams fighting for the 6th spot and a likely first round matchup avoidance vs. either western powerhouses San Antonio or Phoenix. Coming into this game, both Denver and Houston have the same record of 48-31, with the Rockets holding a tiebreaker on a better conference record. The winner of this game, however, will truly hold the ultimate tiebreaker as the series is tied 1-1 and they only meet 3 times this season, which should count big should they finish the season with identical records. <font color="royalblue">-D</font><font color="gold">N:</font> The key to this game is to play T-Mac straight up. He's their offensive system, he'll drive in and either finish or make a play for his teammate. Sometimes it's useless to double him because he can still score with that quick pull up or drop a dime. We should put Greg Buckner, our best perimeter defender, on him and just hope that things go our way. It's the classic approach of letting that superstar try to beat us alone and shut down the rest of his teammates. We should start and finish this game with defense. Although we're admittedly more of an offensive-oriented team than defensive, we should put an emphasis on it. <font color="red">- Houston:</font> Their key is to let Yao dominate on the offensive end. With Camby likely sitting this one out, Denver paint is suddenly looking very vulnerable. Instead of shooting many threes unless it's uncontested, Van Gundy should encourage his players to take it aggressively to the rim. He can never be thankful enough to have McGrady as the player to do that role. The Nuggets like to run and it is key to find out how to slow their pace. <font size="5">purpleb0n9's <font color="royalblue">Predict</font><font color="gold">ion</font>:</font> This will be a tight game, I can see it going either way. The Nuggets are rolling with 10 straight wins while the Rockets are playing well as of late and are looking to make a strong push in their last three games of the regular season. I know I have been predicting a Denver win for the gazonzillionth straight time, but I'm going with it again, Nuggets take it 111-104.</div>
Rockets will win this one 117-111. Denver is a fast team and the rockets should have trouble holding them, but if camby is out, then the rockets should really take advantage. Sacremento is also playing today vs Pheonix so a lot is at stake.
The first quarter was great, we outscored them 34-24... but they came back at us in the second. T-Mac's back2back 3s were huge for them... we got outscored 15-32, which could prove the ball game. We have to keep it close and not get blown out in the third quarter... it's the winning quarter for us. Alrite, it's the 3rd and T-Mac is totally killin us... let it go, just focus on the rest of the guys! What's hot will be cold. Dre could be the difference for us.
McGrady got injured but I don't know how it happened. Nuggets played pretty good in the first half, but have looked very sloppy in the second half and that's why they're losing right now.
36 pts in the 2nd and thrid quarters for us, 56 pts for them... and we're stinking it up in the 4th... all i can say is congrats the Rockets for winning. On the bright side, the loss may be a good thing for us to appreciate winning more. Sixth spot is again 1.0 game out of our reach, but there're two games to play. @ Suns next though.
