| 07 February 2009
(Denver-CO) I called for it and the Nuggets delivered. Back at full strength with Chauncey Billups and Kenyon Martin in the line-up, Denver completely humiliated the Wizards after getting out to a bit of a slow start, 124-103, in a game that resembled a Rucker Park slam dunk contest. I’ve got a combination of raw numbers and anecdotal recounts to sum up this blowout of which the Nuggets were leading by 36 points at one juncture, but the bottom line is the Wizards are a team in disarray and as fun as this game was to watch. The Nuggets need to forget about it quickly because the upcoming games against the Heat and the Magic are going to be a lot tougher.
In the first quarter, we should have known it was going to be an offensive mismatch when Dahntay Jones scored eight of the Nuggets’ first ten points on four consecutive made jump shots. But, it wasn’t all smooth sailing early as the Nuggets found themselves down by seven, 21-14, after the Wizards opened up a 13-2 run and outscored Denver 14-0 in the points in the paint. At this point, the Nuggets were all jump shots offensively and the selfish play on that end of the floor translated into sluggish and sloppy defense on the other.
That all changed with the insertion of Chris Andersen.
What I love about the Birdman is he instantly changes our complexion defensively. On plays that Kenyon, ‘Melo, or even Nene would just assume let the opposition make their lay-up and take the ball out of bounds without the possibility of drawing a foul. The Birdman challenges those shots, blocking many of them and altering even more, and gives the Nuggets a huge attitude adjustment on the defensive end. And when he gets involved offensively, his charisma is just as contagious as his defense. Carmelo Anthony hit the Bird with a great no-look pass of which Andersen flushed with authority to bring the Nuggets back to within one, 21-20.
Tweet, tweet for the Bird as he and the Nuggets were about to soar.
Andersen made four straight free-throws to give the Nuggets a three-point lead and the Nuggets offense transformed from a jump shooting monstrosity into a slashing, passing, slam-a-thon. Denver finished the first quarter on a 16-2 run and leading by seven, 30-23, and things were about to get ugly.
J.R. Smith started the second quarter with a long three to put the Nuggets up by ten before Chris Andersen once again provided the avian flu with a huge stuff from a great dish by the Prodigy. The Nugget offense was a thing of beauty with constant penetration and dish basketball that had the Wizards scrambling for answers with dunk after dunk being thrown down by various Nuggets. In fact, 17 of the Nuggets’ first 24 field goals were assisted with the end result being a 20-point lead at the half, 68-48.
I’m gushing at this point because Chris Andersen had played superb basketball in the first half. Bird scored 12 points, blocked four shots, and was a perfect 6-6 from the free-throw line. Brrrrrrrrr!
The mood in the Verizon Center was somber as Wizard fans seemed more interested in the entertainment during timeouts than they were during the actual game in the second half. No bother, the Nuggets were going to put on a 34-point offensive exhibition in the third quarter consisting of all facets of the game. Highlights were Chauncey Billups mercilessly draining a three to get things started and, perhaps not wanting to be left out of the long distance party, Carmelo Anthony tossing in another trey right after to open up a 26-point lead with 9:30 to play in the third. What happened next was so nasty I had to get up and brush my teeth. Carmelo Anthony went streaking down the right sideline on the fast break and right about at the three-point line tossed a lob to Dahntay Jones who not only caught the pass from way above his head, but also pulled it back for exclamation and to dodge a weak attempt to stop the alley-oop, before slamming it through the goal with disrespect!
The Denver offense was clicking on all cylinders and with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter the Nuggets had blown this game away with a, 99-63, lead. George Karl pulled Anthony, Billups and Martin out for the entire fourth quarter. Which made perfect sense, given that the score was 102-70 after three and the Nuggets were coasting to their fourth consecutive victory.
The Wizards finally pulled the game within 30 points, 109-80, with 7:45 to play in the fourth before conceding without a peep, 124-103. Seven different Nuggets scored in double figures led by Carmelo Anthony’s 23 points from the starters, and Linas Kleiza and the Birdman each pouring in 13 off the bench. And in a statistical anomaly, Kenyon Martin was a +40 in the +/- as the Wizards collectively as a team were all in the red. The Nuggets handed out 30 assists on 49 made field goals and only turned the ball over ten times. Anthony Carter led the march of dimes with seven assists off the bench while Carmelo Anthony issued six assists, four of which were finished with dunks. No Nugget played more than 28 minutes as Denver improved to 20-1 in games against teams with losing records. Dahntay Jones finished with a season-high 18 points on 8-10 shooting and with their 34th win of the year the Nuggets have established their best 50-game record since they joined the NBA in 1976.
Go Nuggets!
In the first quarter, we should have known it was going to be an offensive mismatch when Dahntay Jones scored eight of the Nuggets’ first ten points on four consecutive made jump shots. But, it wasn’t all smooth sailing early as the Nuggets found themselves down by seven, 21-14, after the Wizards opened up a 13-2 run and outscored Denver 14-0 in the points in the paint. At this point, the Nuggets were all jump shots offensively and the selfish play on that end of the floor translated into sluggish and sloppy defense on the other.
That all changed with the insertion of Chris Andersen.
What I love about the Birdman is he instantly changes our complexion defensively. On plays that Kenyon, ‘Melo, or even Nene would just assume let the opposition make their lay-up and take the ball out of bounds without the possibility of drawing a foul. The Birdman challenges those shots, blocking many of them and altering even more, and gives the Nuggets a huge attitude adjustment on the defensive end. And when he gets involved offensively, his charisma is just as contagious as his defense. Carmelo Anthony hit the Bird with a great no-look pass of which Andersen flushed with authority to bring the Nuggets back to within one, 21-20.
Tweet, tweet for the Bird as he and the Nuggets were about to soar.
Andersen made four straight free-throws to give the Nuggets a three-point lead and the Nuggets offense transformed from a jump shooting monstrosity into a slashing, passing, slam-a-thon. Denver finished the first quarter on a 16-2 run and leading by seven, 30-23, and things were about to get ugly.
J.R. Smith started the second quarter with a long three to put the Nuggets up by ten before Chris Andersen once again provided the avian flu with a huge stuff from a great dish by the Prodigy. The Nugget offense was a thing of beauty with constant penetration and dish basketball that had the Wizards scrambling for answers with dunk after dunk being thrown down by various Nuggets. In fact, 17 of the Nuggets’ first 24 field goals were assisted with the end result being a 20-point lead at the half, 68-48.
I’m gushing at this point because Chris Andersen had played superb basketball in the first half. Bird scored 12 points, blocked four shots, and was a perfect 6-6 from the free-throw line. Brrrrrrrrr!
The mood in the Verizon Center was somber as Wizard fans seemed more interested in the entertainment during timeouts than they were during the actual game in the second half. No bother, the Nuggets were going to put on a 34-point offensive exhibition in the third quarter consisting of all facets of the game. Highlights were Chauncey Billups mercilessly draining a three to get things started and, perhaps not wanting to be left out of the long distance party, Carmelo Anthony tossing in another trey right after to open up a 26-point lead with 9:30 to play in the third. What happened next was so nasty I had to get up and brush my teeth. Carmelo Anthony went streaking down the right sideline on the fast break and right about at the three-point line tossed a lob to Dahntay Jones who not only caught the pass from way above his head, but also pulled it back for exclamation and to dodge a weak attempt to stop the alley-oop, before slamming it through the goal with disrespect!
The Denver offense was clicking on all cylinders and with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter the Nuggets had blown this game away with a, 99-63, lead. George Karl pulled Anthony, Billups and Martin out for the entire fourth quarter. Which made perfect sense, given that the score was 102-70 after three and the Nuggets were coasting to their fourth consecutive victory.
The Wizards finally pulled the game within 30 points, 109-80, with 7:45 to play in the fourth before conceding without a peep, 124-103. Seven different Nuggets scored in double figures led by Carmelo Anthony’s 23 points from the starters, and Linas Kleiza and the Birdman each pouring in 13 off the bench. And in a statistical anomaly, Kenyon Martin was a +40 in the +/- as the Wizards collectively as a team were all in the red. The Nuggets handed out 30 assists on 49 made field goals and only turned the ball over ten times. Anthony Carter led the march of dimes with seven assists off the bench while Carmelo Anthony issued six assists, four of which were finished with dunks. No Nugget played more than 28 minutes as Denver improved to 20-1 in games against teams with losing records. Dahntay Jones finished with a season-high 18 points on 8-10 shooting and with their 34th win of the year the Nuggets have established their best 50-game record since they joined the NBA in 1976.
Go Nuggets!
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