@ <font size="2"><font color="MediumTurquoise">Denver Nuggets (36-32)</font></font> vs. <font size="2"><font color="Green">Boston Celtics (30-38)</font></font> Previous Games Jazz 75 <font color="MediumTurquoise">Nuggets 102</font> <font color="Green">Celtics</font> 111 Wizards 102 Streaks <font color="MediumTurquoise">Nuggets</font>: Won 2 <font color="Green">Celtics</font>: Won 1 Standings <font color="MediumTurquoise">Nuggets</font> 36-32 (.529) 8th West, 14.0 GB <font color="Green">Celtics</font> 30-38 (.441) 9th East, 20.0 GB Probable Starting Lineups Andre Miller vs. Chucky Atkins Voshon Lenard vs. Paul Pierce Carmelo Anthony vs. Jiri Welsch Nene vs. Brandon Hunter Marcus Camby vs. Mark Blount Sixth Men Earl Boykins vs. Ricky Davis Injuries <font color="MediumTurquoise">Nuggets</font> -Jeff Trepagnier (IL) -Mark Pope (IL) -Ryan Bowen (IL) <font color="Green">Celtics</font> -Raef LaFrentz (Out for the season) Players To Watch Carmelo Anthony: 20.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.21 SPG Paul Pierce: 23.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.68 SPG Keys To The Game <u>Nuggets</u> -Let Carmelo in the groove -Keep getting easy fast break points -Limit the turnovers -Box out Blount and Hunter. <u>Celtics</u> -Pierce has to have a big game -Blount has to keep crashing the boards -Get back on defence right away. Denver is a run and gun team. -If Welsch gets going, good things will happen. cArMeLo's take The Nuggets are rejuvanated winning 3 of the last 4 after losing 9 of their last 11. Both of these teams are fighting for their playoff lives, and Boston has the advantage being at home. If Denver pounds it inside, then they can win. I predict the Nuggets by 5.
Nuggets by 7, this is on the road, but the Nuggets can really bring it to Boston and take this one. Brandon Hunter will likely be starting at the 4 for Boston, and we can get the ball early to Nene to take him with his quickness. I expect another big game from Melo after earning Player of the Week Honours last week I expect him to keep it going.
Nuggets have got to take this one, otherwise Utah will take the sole possession of no.8 West spot. Utah is battling Memphis as I am typing this and it seems it is going to win the game (Utah, 86-77, 1:44 left in the 4th quarter). With that win, Utah is going to lead Denver by 0.5 game. Thus, Nuggets cannot afford to lose this one against Boston. I believe this will go down a hard game, but Denver will still take it at the end, they mustn't forget to play defense and let their offense flow through it. Denver by 1.
