| 08 March 2007
(Boulder-CO) It was comically fitting that Altitude Sports and Entertainment was experiencing technically difficulties throughout the second half of tonight’s contest because, to be honest with you, the numerous momentary breaks were a welcome surprise as the Nuggets flat out stunk during the second half. What isn’t funny about this 110-96 defeat is how the Nuggets are still not capable of winning a game when they do not score 100 or more points. Denver is now 0-20 for the season without the century mark with this loss.
The Warriors starting five really taught the Nuggets a lesson about offensive balance. Just read these numbers; Baron Davis led all Warrior scorers with 22 points and nine assists, Al Harrington scored 20 points to go with his nine rebounds, Stephen Jackson pitched in 18 and eight assists, Jason Richardson filled up the box score with 16 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three swats, and the big man Adris Biedrins squeezed 15 big rebounds to fit nicely with his 12 points and three blocked shots. That’s all five starters combining for 88 points-plus a gaggle of intangibles!
On the other hand the Nuggets couldn't have been more one dimensional.
Allen Iverson tried to be everything the Nuggets needed in the first half with a blistering 24 points, but would cool off considerably in the second to finish tonight’s game with 35 points, six rebounds, and three assists. DerMarr Johnson, in a rare start, was the only other Nugget to reach double figures in scoring with 15 points on 6-16 shooting. And you can have the rest of the Nuggets’ box score because it’s just crumbs.
What still dumbfounds me is how the Nuggets are routinely putting up quarters where they do not even score twenty points. In tonight’s game it was the 11-point third quarter that did the Nuggets in. There is no question about the fact that both teams played a sloppy quarter of basketball, but the difference was Golden State still managed to score 22 points and because of so blew this game wide open. It’s a damn shame too because the Nuggets did have a pretty good game going for them up until the halftime breather. In what one argue was a bad omen of things to come; Denver entered the break down one after a ridiculous foul by DerMarr Johnson on Baron Davis 30 feet from the basket which resulted in three made free-throws.
With this loss the Nuggets are now 29-30 on the season and still barely clinging onto their playoff hopes. Up next for Denver is a home game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night. The Pistons are 37-22 so far this season and have really toughened up since adding hometown favorite Chris Webber. The Nuggets are going to need a spirited effort to compete with ‘Troit, but win, lose, or draw it should be a fairly clear barometer for where this team is ultimately going this season.
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