^ Not really we had some "help" from the Spurs, who uncharacteristically didn't play with poise in the fourth quarter. How as a playoff team can you allow yourselves to miss 5-8 straight shots without even trying to score from the free throw line? They kept shooting it from beyond 14 feet and didn't even look to want to take it inside. They went on to miss 17 straight. Maybe our D had sth to do with it... but I'm not so sure... things will be different in Game 2.
I have a bad feeling about this one. Something tells me that San Antonio is going to come out and spank Denver, but I hope I am wrong.
Carmelo needs to have a big game. Alothough he came around in the second half of game one, he needs to come out and have a good game shooting the ball. Reason being is, the Spurs are not going to let Andre Miller destroy them two times in a row.
Blowout!! This game is at the half and already a major BLOWOUT!! it is 63-32 at halftime!! The spurs already have 4 players, barry, parker, duncan and ginobli in double figures while the nuggets have none. Melo has 4 points on 2-10 shooting. SA is shooting 65% as apposed to Denver's 38%. San Antonio has just DOMINATED!!
omg wat a way for the spurs to come back from a lose in game 1. good for them but i still want nuggets to win the series
Well at least we did rip them one of these first two. And now, our job is to go back home and defend the homecourt. It'll be sweet if we can go up 3-1 heading back to Texas. I've yet to see the game, but from what I saw on ESPN Motion, they had that attitude, "man we beat you in Game 1, it'll be as easy this time." But of course it's the Spurs... they're former world champions... their confidence wouldn't be shaken even if we held a 3-1, 3-0 edge... unless we give it 4 times to them. Should we lose this series, I'll take it as a learning experience, and come back strong without attitude baggage next year. It'll be bitter but the best medicine is always bitter.
The series is now tied at 1-1, which is good for Denver who were on the road for both games. However, they just lost by 28 and their confidence would be down. They're going to have to play a lot better to beat a team like the Spurs, especially if the Spurs play like that again.
Game 3 should be fun, we looked like the older Nuggets out there last night before Coach Karl came along, we where force to play an half court set for almost the whole game, at least we got one in SA.
I hope that Karl can really drive home the fact that A) it's just one game and that the Nuggets have home court advantage in the series by their early work. He should make sure that the gameplan will be "fast and flowing" on offense and the Spurs started to struggle against the zone.
Doesn't really matter as long as the Nuggets realize it is just one game. It is next to impossible to win 2 games in a row in San Antonio. The bottom line is the series is tied at 1-1 and now we can play on our homecourt. Now its time to show San Antonio we wont get pushed around.
I just finished watching Game 2, and from the way I saw it, and I'm being honest, it didn't really seem the way people made it to be. It was not really about what the Spurs did... it's more about what we did not do. We seemed content to have stolen homecourt advantage through the series... we played without no passion or the fire seen in Game 1. But one important note is that the Nuggets did not panic the way a team would normally be being blown by as many as 32 points in a playoff game. They were calm, in fact, too calm, that's why I drew a conclusion that they were satisfied too early by having taken Game 1. That's where I think their only mistake was. I was satisfied as far as poise was concerned. Especially in the first 4-6 minutes of the third quarter when we went to zone and suffocated their O and outscored them 17-5 to begin the quarter. They were loose, in fact, I noticed the Spurs were beginning to rush their offense when they saw the lead reduced from 32 points to 19. I had never felt this good after watching my team lose in the playoffs so lopsidedly. I still remember the Lakers' blowout loss in Game 3 of NBA Finals in Detroit. Now, being a big-time fan then, that was a shock. The Lakers were shocked. This wasn't the same thing... the feeling is different entirely. The Nuggets will take Game 3... book it!
Nuggets v Spurs (game 3) <font size="8"><font color="royalblue">Round 1</font> <font color="gold">Game 3</font></font> series tied 1-1 <div align="center"> @ <font color="darkslategray">San Antonio Spurs (59-23, 2nd seed)</font> @ <font color="royalblue">Denver Nuggets (49-33, 7th seed)</font> Time: Wed, Apr. 30, 2005, 10:30 P.M. Eastern Time TV: <font color="red">ESPN</font> , RSN Place: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO --- Ballers: <font color="darkslategray">Nazr Mohammed</font> ( C), <font color="darkslategray">Tim Duncan</font> (PF), <font color="darkslategray">Bruce Bowen</font> (SF), <font color="darkslategray">Brent Barry</font> (SG), <font color="darkslategray">Tony Parker</font> (PG) Top bench baller: <font color="darkslategray">Manu Ginobili</font> Coach: <font color="darkslategray">Gregg Popovich</font> (9th season with Spurs) --- Ballers: <font color="royalblue">Marcus Camby</font> ( C), <font color="royalblue">Kenyon Martin</font> (PF), <font color="royalblue">Carmelo Anthony</font> (SF), <font color="royalblue">Greg Buckner</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> (32-8, first season with Nuggets) --- <font size="5"><font color="royalblue">Top</font> <font color="gold">Ballers</font>:</font> <font color="darkslategray">Manu Ginobili: 25 points, 6 assists, 4 steals.</font> <font color="royalblue">Carmelo Anthony: 30 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists.</font> <font size="5">purpleb0n9's <font color="royalblue">Team</font> <font color="gold">Analysis</font>:</font> <font color="darkslategray">- San Antonio:</font> After their Game 1 loss, they made starting lineup adjustment in Game 2, sending Manu to the bench and starting Brent Barry to be his replacement. The move paid off as Brent's outside shooting complemented perfectly with Tim's inside dominance to attack the Nuggets' man-to-man D early in the game . The Spurs crushed the Nuggets in the second quarter by outscoring them by 20 points. Although still looking not 100%, Tim produced much better with 24 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocked shots. Manu came off the bench to score 17 efficient points in 18 minutes. The Nuggets did not look like they wanted the game, so the Spurs seized every opportunity to avoid going into an early 0-2 hole. <font color="royalblue">-D</font><font color="gold">N:</font> The Nuggets could have seized control of the series by taking Game 2 as well, but it seemed they were too satisfied of Game 1 win to take another one, which was obviously an immature thinking on their part. If you watch the game notice how they play with the attitude, "the Spurs are gonna take this one, let's get this over with and let's move on to Game 3". That was disappointing, but to Nuggets loyal fans, let's not lose hope. You could sense that confidence still hasn't escaped them that they can win against the Spurs and it's something that we need to ride high on in Game 3. Some adjustment was made after haltfime, particularly the use of zone D, which really affected the Spurs' O as we outscored them 17-5 to begin the third quarter. Coach Karl suggested he may replace sg DerMarr Johnson with Greg Buckner in the starting lineup to get considerably tougher. DerMarr may be much more versatile on O but there's no question who plays the better overall D. As usual, if we maintain our focus, play with some kind of urgency, determination and fire, and of course D, we'll have a very good shot at taking this game, which... <font size="5">purpleb0n9's <font color="royalblue">Predict</font><font color="gold">ion</font>:</font> ... I think we will. If we lose this one, I can honestly say our chances of winning this series is reduced from 60% to a mere 20%. There's still much hope to take back the series, the Pepsi Center will be rockin and we'll win this convincingly, 123-97. Melo will also have his career playoff high in points.</div>
I think Denver will come out strong with the Pepsi Center crowd behind them. I predict Denver wins by 9 101-92.
I too think that the crowd will be into this game. I'm predicting that Denver will come out firing. I think Carmelo will have a decent 20 point, 11 rebounds and 3 assist game. I think Andre Miller will explode for a 35 point game. Denver wins 97-91.
BAM! you hit the nail on the head. The Nuggets' biggest opponet the past 2 years have been themselves. Whenever things start going their way the get satisfied.
Most definetly i think the Nugs will take this game. I was listening to melo call in on the radio the other day and he seemed to have the right attitude about the loss. He realized it was only one game, and that theyve learned what it takes to win, and what it feels like to lose. Now they just need to get out there and kik some...toosh
Go Nuggets. I don't want SA to win, Tim Duncan just bothers me and the team is so boring to watch. Go Denver, lol. They can win this one no matter what anyone says.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting raptors4life:</div><div class="quote_post">Go Nuggets. I don't want SA to win, Tim Duncan just bothers me and the team is so boring to watch.</div>amen lol
Rob Horry is killing us with those threes... Spurs up by 8 with 5 mins to play... I still have faith in my team!!! GO NUGGGGETTTSSS!!! We're losing our composure... Melo why the flagrant foul? I hope he doesn't get suspended... but it sets the tone for the rest of the series. We'll bounce back in Game 4 with or without Melo.
