<div align="center"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"> @ </span> Venue: STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA National TV: <span style="color:red">TNT</span>Time: 10:30 pm ESTDate: Monday, 24 April 2006 <span style="font-size:36pt;line-height:100%"><span style="color:royalblue">Game</span> <span style="color:gold">Two</span></span>---</div><span style="color:royalblue"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%">Denver Nuggets (0-1)</span></span>Projected starters<span style="color:royalblue">PG: Andre MillerSG: Ruben PattersonSF: Carmelo AnthonyPF: Kenyon MartinC: Marcus Camby</span>Sixth man: <span style="color:royalblue">Earl Boykins</span>Coach: <span style="color:royalblue">George Karl</span>---<span style="color:red"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%">Los Angeles Clippers (1-0)</span></span>Projected starters<span style="color:red">PG: Sam CassellSG: Cuttino Mobley SF: Quinton RossPF: Elton BrandC: Chris Kaman</span>Sixth man: <span style="color:red">Corey Maggette</span>Coach: <span style="color:red">Mike Dunleavy Sr.</span>--- Game One RecapDidn't watch the game but I'm about to (downloading)... guess the Clippers played solid first-half D and they used it to fuel their offense. Actually the Clips = Nuggets + Outside shooting + Health + Power - Experience. As you can see they're probably the more complete team than us but experience is a factor that can't be overlooked. As struggling as we were, we came close to sending it to OT and probably winning it in the extra session, on the road. We took 23 more shots than them overall, meaning a more accurate shooting night would have won the game for us. Another positive is a hobbled K-Mart at least brings sth to the table and that's defense on Elton Brand, who had zero (0) field goal in the last 18 minutes of the game and scored only one (1!) point in the fourth quarter. Defensively, we were solid, fourth quarter especially was sparkling, when we held them to only 13 points. And according to Karl, we missed 21 open shots. That's only the misses... if the Clips keep giving us those looks they're going to be in trouble. The bad news? Only Melo and Boykins are our legitimate scoring threats and the Clips're going to throw anything at our superstar (constant double/ triple-team) and probably a defensive trap for Boykins too when he gets hot. The Clips seem to gain confidence that they can handle us in the regulars or the offs as the series progresses. And this is not the best we've seen yet from their core young players. So..? Game TwoWe need to shut them up here once and for all. It's a big statement... but I believe we can do it. The main key in this game is to keep playing physical basketball. Especially of course on defense, we need to shift our mindset a little from a running team to a defensive team for a while. All that running will come after we finish our work, which is defense. Let's take a little risk and start K-Mart at PF. I know he probably wouldn't handle 25+ mins but we need his interior defense so as to cut the Clips' inside-out options considerably. Let's risk the foul trouble, the pain... but we need a little spark from him. If we don't and the Clips throw early punches at us early we know it's going to be hard to recover. As I said, we can't play catch-ups against them... in fact, we can't play catch-ups against anybody anymore this season, not with this type of roster with such limited offensive options. Also, start Patterson instead of Buckner... our outside shooting will suffer but I feel like we're more complete as a fast-break team with him running alongside. Most importantly we need his energy, we need that physicality D on Cuttino or Cassell. We need Andre to be aggressive with the ball like he did in Game 1... but it'd be great if he continues to keep looking for teammates first before he takes his shots... he's our best playmaker, decision maker. If Patterson doesn't bring anything, we can change to Boykins who hopefully can give us some much-needed spark. If he gets going we usually get going. Looks like the Clips are going to stick to their Cuttino+someone-on-Melo defensive plan most of the game, besides Ross that is. Hopefully Melo can decide what's best for the team. If he feels he can take them on, he better do it. He's one of the best scorers in the L, I know he's got instincts when's the time he can take advantage of the D, or when he's not supposed to. It's important we keep swinging the ball... but do not help the opponents' D by holding onto it. If we sub Camby out, put Evans in. We can't afford to be bullied on the glass. Closing comments and predictionsDenver by 15. :nasty:
Now that the Nuggets are in a tight spot this post-season, I think it's time for MELO to start playing some big time team ball. I was listening to ESPN radio and one of the guys was saying that instead of taking the last shot himself, Melo could've passed the ball to a wide open Boykins at the 3-pt line. Even look at a replay and you can totally c that Melo's ball hogging needs to go away now.
^ See the replay again, I beg you... Ross didn't leave Boykins until it was about <u>2 secs left</u>. Now think about it... the distance between Boykins and Melo was about almost 20 feet... if Melo passed the ball, the time would be about (approx.) less than a second... sure he might have still got it off but would it be a good shot? No. Actually if you do see the replay, Melo caught Ross coming cover and saw Boykins wide open... but he too was well aware of how much time left... he had no choice. He didn't ball-hog. Stupid articles and so-called experts just saying/ writing whatever they wanna say. In a sense, it was a smart smart defensive help by Ross, leaving Boykins open not until the time was insufficient for another pass.EDIT: If you're still not convinced, here's the game vs. Philly in the season (LINK). That was the game where Melo was in the exact same situation, down by 2, potential game-tying shot, but doubled team (by Webb and Iggy). He spotted Watson wide open on the wing and...<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Anthony got the ensuing inbounds after a timeout and skipped a cross-court pass to Watson, whose 3-pointer at the buzzer glanced off the front of the rim.</div> It was an unselfish play... but if it had to be done all over again, Melo should have taken that shot bcause the time left was not enough for a pass to travel in the air, for a pass to be received, for the ball to be shot. That was the case. Watson got it off... but it was a desperate heave. IF there were still 10 secs left, I expect Melo to pass to Watson 10 out of 10 times. Again, it was unselfish play by Melo but it was dumb simply because there was no enough time.
Here are some thoughts for Game One:First quarter: Sam immediately took charge of the offense, leading his teammates how it's supposed to be done... taking smart shots: <u>as uncontested as possible, as close to the basket as possible</u>. We, on the other hand, have only Andre Miller as our legitimate scoring threat, because he was the one who's most aggressive driving to the hoop and taking the ball wherever he wanted it to be. He's a real good threat though but he still managed to take 2 shots that should not have been taken (mostly perimeter, just a few feet inside the 3 pt line) so I really think the Clips are going to be worried BIG TIME if the aggressive Andre (the one driving to the hoop) is going to show up in Game 2. He is the one that really pushes the ball and pushes it in, and he was a magnificent one at it. But the Clips played excellent, swarming defense on us, that's why we trailed by 5 entering the second quarter. Second quarter: Then Kenyon started to get going (defensively) and led by his inspired play on the other end, we as a team started to step up too overall... playing scrappy D. Although it's not pretty looking it's much more acceptable than the first quarter's no show. K-Mart really took his D to another level like guys, including Elton, just didn't know what to do with him around... VERY VERY impressive. In fact, if he continues to play that mad D, real fans of the Nuggets can let him get away with that 90+ mil contract. Offensively, we didn't get much except from occasional jumpers by Melo and it's still Andre's show. Boykins helped by pushing the ball and getting the ball flowing real good, but when the ball fell into the hands of Camby and Patterson who immediately stunted the flow with playing one-on-one, sometimes one-on-two/three, then you know the offense got a problem. Patterson though can stay in the game in Game Two, IF he finds a way how to score without risking the Clips fouling him and sending him to the FT line (because he sucks at it). This is the quarter that the Clips are showing their inexperience, just don't know how to react to our defense... until the 4:00 mark that is when they made some adjustments: going to Livingston who posted up Boykins and we offered no help , then going to their ringleader, Sam Cassell... and then Brand also managed some points... First half conclusion: We won't beat the Clips by 15 in Game 2 <u>unless</u> they somewhat falter completely. If the Clips show up like they did in this game's first quarter, especially on D, it'll be a close game (given that we play second quarter's D ourselves and let the guys who can really make the offense flow, Andre/ Boykins, hold the ball)... guaranteed. But what's up with Camby taking every shot as soon as he touched the ball. He needs to swing it if those shots don't fall for him. MAN!Third quarter: We just played unspirited basketball... and I wonder if this is December. We fell behind by 16 pts after Mobley drained consecutive 3s and WOW our team just kept the composure. They didn't show any tingle of anxiety, they just kept playing like there'll be Game 8, Game 9, Game 10... really showed no sign of wake-up call. In a way, that's good because we didn't succumb to playing out of control... out of fear. But we must increase the level of intensity. K-Mart continued to play great D.Fourth quarter: I'm beginning to wonder if we should start Evans at C instead of Camby and start K-Mart at PF in Game 2. Camby after all didn't show or even try to show why he's one of the elite centers, grabbing boards, blocking shots. He stood around the perimeter, you'd mistake him a SF if he hunched a little. He helped little. Evans by no means is a great one-on-one defender but he's willing to mix it up, play dirty and most importantly he can damn well grab those boards. You're good around the rim with basketball because you know if it misses you have a chance at grabbing an offensive rebound. Same goes to a PF/ C like Brand and Kaman. Now, with Evans in the middle? That puts doubt into the opponent's mind... including Elton Brand There's the result too with Brand missing a 2 footer that he could have probably made blindfolded. We need Evans' rebounding in this series... that's unless Camby wants to adjust and play his usual dominant game. If not, bench him, Evans can start.With 4 mins left in the game, trailing by 10 again, we really displayed sth special, great team defense throughout, I almost mistook them with the Spurs :yess: We EASILY (E-A-S-I-L-Y) got back into it and led to that final possessions... where it's just a matter of knocking down shots. The most important thing we learn from this game is we made a great, convincing comeback behind our San Antonio defense. Now if we want to get anywhere we have to play this type of D <u>consistently</u>. I believe it can get us to as far as WCF.
