| 20 May 2009
(Denver-CO) Game one of the Western Conference Finals was a battle of epic proportions. Like two rams slamming each other dizzy, the Nuggets and the Lakers kept squaring off in a test of wills before Denver fumbled control after leading for a majority of the fourth quarter to eventually lose game one, 105-103. This is a stinging loss because the Nuggets seemingly played the better game and had control of what would had been an incredible start to this series before things spiraled into a one-game to nothing abyss that very few teams have ever been able to emerge out of to win a seven-game series.
The start of this game was a gift to the Nuggets. Denver opened up a, 27-14, lead with Carmelo Anthony on fire. It was crucial for Anthony to get things going offensively against a team he struggled to do so against in the regular season and ’Melo finished the first quarter with 16 points on 7-8 shooting largely in thanks to the seasoned passing of Chauncey Billups who assisted three of Anthony’s buckets and three more for a total of six dimes in the first quarter. As a team, the Nuggets were calculating with their passes as they diced up a weak interior defense by the Lakers en route to eleven assists overall in the first translating into 31 points on 63% from the field.
With the Lakers trailing, 31-23, to start the second quarter, the ease of the scoring for Denver tapered off and the Lakers were able to claw their way back to behind by two within the first four minutes after back-to-back three’s by Luke Walton and Lamar Odom. What was once a 13-point lead had evaporated in less time than it took for Denver to build it and for the duration of the second quarter the Nuggets would just barely stay ahead of the Lakers before Derek Fisher made a buzzer-beating three to give L.A. the lead, 55-54, at the half.
There was a lot of good things to point to in the first half like Carmelo’s 20 points, 17 combined assists, and shooting over 50% from the field, but for every yin there is a yang and for the Denver Nuggets there were plenty. Missing nine free-throws didn’t help the Nuggets in the first half , but allowing the Lakers 28 field goal attempts in the second quarter and 52 overall in the first half as a result of nine offensive rebounds was what was really keeping the Nuggets from ever extending a sizable lead. Denver’s bench was also a no-show through the first two quarters as six different L.A. bench players outscored J.R. Smith, Anthony Carter, Chris Andersen, and Linas Kleiza 20-3.
George Karl talked about defense in his halftime speech and preached for the Nuggets to hold the Lakers under 20 points in at least one quarter in the second half. His sermon was heard and the Nuggets acted upon his gospel by holding the Lakers to just 19 points in the third quarter. But, while Denver’s defense was stout their offense struggled out 22 points on only 15 shot attempts as a result of six turnovers in the third quarter and there was still the nagging problem of L.A. getting too many offensive rebounds. L.A. was relentless on the offensive glass grabbing yet another five offensive boards of which translated into six of L.A.’s 19 points. Furthermore, and to illustrate just how bipolar the Nuggets were in the third, L.A. was actually able to lead Denver by four points, 70-66, after a quick two minute 9-0 run in the middle of the quarter.
Thankfully, the steady hand of Chauncey Billups netted the Nuggets five straight points to put Denver back into the lead, 73-72, and with Denver finishing the quarter on an 8-2 run over the final 3:17 of the third. The Nuggets led by two entering the fourth quarter where they have previously lost only three times all season when entering the money period with the lead.
Yet while the Nuggets looked in full command throughout the fourth quarter they just could never land that knock out blow to put the Lakers on the canvas. And there’s a lot of credit to be placed on the Lakers for not folding when they were down by as many as seven midway through the final quarter. Maybe it’s having Kobe Bryant on the team, or Phil Jackson on the bench, or having just fought through a seven-game series with Houston, but L.A. never seemed rattled in front of the star studded crowd at Staples Center.
With 30 second remaining in regulation, Denver’s final chance to pocket game one of the Western Conference Finals was sunk by Trevor Ariza stealing Anthony Carter’s inbounds pass with the Nuggets trailing by two.
It’s easy to want to pin this loss on AC when all he had to do was call timeout and head back to the drawing board for such a crucial possession, but this game wasn’t lost on that untimely miscue.
Bluntly stated: Kobe stole the show.
In the final 6:48, the Mamba scored 15 points, including seven straight to help the Lakers stay in the game after falling behind by seven, and the final six free-throws of the game to salt away the win for L.A.. The Nuggets didn’t have an answer other than to foul Kobe and that proved to be an ineffective defensive game plan. Kobe was 9-9 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter and his 40 points were just enough to preserve a win for the Lakers.
The loss may have spoiled a special 39-point performance by Carmelo Anthony, but the direction the Nuggets are pointed in is promising if they can remedy a few areas of concern in time for Thursday’s game two. For starters, Nene has got to put a body on Pau Gasol. Big Brazil allowed Gasol to loiter around the rim all night long and as a result Gasol finished with a game-high six offensive rebounds as the Lakers grabbed 17 offensive rebounds in total. The result of L.A.’s onslaught of offensive rebounding was the Lakers shooting 16 more field goal attempts than Denver thus giving them the ability to win the game despite shooting just 41% from the field.
The Denver bench has to also live up their hyped billing. J.R. Smith and Chris Andersen were outscored 27-16 by Laker reserves led by Lamar Odom’s seven points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks. Anthony Carter and Linas Kleiza (who were both scoreless) have to give Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony a chance to come out of the game without the Nuggets going to pieces offensively. For Linas, he’s got to find some at least one area of confidence somewhere in his game and go with it. For Carter, he’s gotta be Denver’s autopilot when Chauncey’s out of the game.
And how about the atrocious free-throw shooting by the Nuggets?
Denver was 23-35 from the line overall, but missed nine free-throws in the first half.
Those three aspects of the game were what allowed this W to slip from Denver’s clutches, but the good news for the Nuggets Nation is they are all easily atoned.
Look at it this way: somebody had to win game one. For the Nuggets, losing game one in L.A. doesn’t put any pressure on them, but rather relieves some of L.A.’s. The Nuggets still have a chance to steal home court in this series with a win in game two and knowing that a couple of free-throws here, a timely defensive rebound there, or better decisions with the basketball late in the game could have made the difference in game one is a good starting point for George Karl to start from when drawing up Thursday night’s game plan.
The start of this game was a gift to the Nuggets. Denver opened up a, 27-14, lead with Carmelo Anthony on fire. It was crucial for Anthony to get things going offensively against a team he struggled to do so against in the regular season and ’Melo finished the first quarter with 16 points on 7-8 shooting largely in thanks to the seasoned passing of Chauncey Billups who assisted three of Anthony’s buckets and three more for a total of six dimes in the first quarter. As a team, the Nuggets were calculating with their passes as they diced up a weak interior defense by the Lakers en route to eleven assists overall in the first translating into 31 points on 63% from the field.
With the Lakers trailing, 31-23, to start the second quarter, the ease of the scoring for Denver tapered off and the Lakers were able to claw their way back to behind by two within the first four minutes after back-to-back three’s by Luke Walton and Lamar Odom. What was once a 13-point lead had evaporated in less time than it took for Denver to build it and for the duration of the second quarter the Nuggets would just barely stay ahead of the Lakers before Derek Fisher made a buzzer-beating three to give L.A. the lead, 55-54, at the half.
There was a lot of good things to point to in the first half like Carmelo’s 20 points, 17 combined assists, and shooting over 50% from the field, but for every yin there is a yang and for the Denver Nuggets there were plenty. Missing nine free-throws didn’t help the Nuggets in the first half , but allowing the Lakers 28 field goal attempts in the second quarter and 52 overall in the first half as a result of nine offensive rebounds was what was really keeping the Nuggets from ever extending a sizable lead. Denver’s bench was also a no-show through the first two quarters as six different L.A. bench players outscored J.R. Smith, Anthony Carter, Chris Andersen, and Linas Kleiza 20-3.
George Karl talked about defense in his halftime speech and preached for the Nuggets to hold the Lakers under 20 points in at least one quarter in the second half. His sermon was heard and the Nuggets acted upon his gospel by holding the Lakers to just 19 points in the third quarter. But, while Denver’s defense was stout their offense struggled out 22 points on only 15 shot attempts as a result of six turnovers in the third quarter and there was still the nagging problem of L.A. getting too many offensive rebounds. L.A. was relentless on the offensive glass grabbing yet another five offensive boards of which translated into six of L.A.’s 19 points. Furthermore, and to illustrate just how bipolar the Nuggets were in the third, L.A. was actually able to lead Denver by four points, 70-66, after a quick two minute 9-0 run in the middle of the quarter.
Thankfully, the steady hand of Chauncey Billups netted the Nuggets five straight points to put Denver back into the lead, 73-72, and with Denver finishing the quarter on an 8-2 run over the final 3:17 of the third. The Nuggets led by two entering the fourth quarter where they have previously lost only three times all season when entering the money period with the lead.
Yet while the Nuggets looked in full command throughout the fourth quarter they just could never land that knock out blow to put the Lakers on the canvas. And there’s a lot of credit to be placed on the Lakers for not folding when they were down by as many as seven midway through the final quarter. Maybe it’s having Kobe Bryant on the team, or Phil Jackson on the bench, or having just fought through a seven-game series with Houston, but L.A. never seemed rattled in front of the star studded crowd at Staples Center.
With 30 second remaining in regulation, Denver’s final chance to pocket game one of the Western Conference Finals was sunk by Trevor Ariza stealing Anthony Carter’s inbounds pass with the Nuggets trailing by two.
It’s easy to want to pin this loss on AC when all he had to do was call timeout and head back to the drawing board for such a crucial possession, but this game wasn’t lost on that untimely miscue.
Bluntly stated: Kobe stole the show.
In the final 6:48, the Mamba scored 15 points, including seven straight to help the Lakers stay in the game after falling behind by seven, and the final six free-throws of the game to salt away the win for L.A.. The Nuggets didn’t have an answer other than to foul Kobe and that proved to be an ineffective defensive game plan. Kobe was 9-9 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter and his 40 points were just enough to preserve a win for the Lakers.
The loss may have spoiled a special 39-point performance by Carmelo Anthony, but the direction the Nuggets are pointed in is promising if they can remedy a few areas of concern in time for Thursday’s game two. For starters, Nene has got to put a body on Pau Gasol. Big Brazil allowed Gasol to loiter around the rim all night long and as a result Gasol finished with a game-high six offensive rebounds as the Lakers grabbed 17 offensive rebounds in total. The result of L.A.’s onslaught of offensive rebounding was the Lakers shooting 16 more field goal attempts than Denver thus giving them the ability to win the game despite shooting just 41% from the field.
The Denver bench has to also live up their hyped billing. J.R. Smith and Chris Andersen were outscored 27-16 by Laker reserves led by Lamar Odom’s seven points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks. Anthony Carter and Linas Kleiza (who were both scoreless) have to give Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony a chance to come out of the game without the Nuggets going to pieces offensively. For Linas, he’s got to find some at least one area of confidence somewhere in his game and go with it. For Carter, he’s gotta be Denver’s autopilot when Chauncey’s out of the game.
And how about the atrocious free-throw shooting by the Nuggets?
Denver was 23-35 from the line overall, but missed nine free-throws in the first half.
Those three aspects of the game were what allowed this W to slip from Denver’s clutches, but the good news for the Nuggets Nation is they are all easily atoned.
Look at it this way: somebody had to win game one. For the Nuggets, losing game one in L.A. doesn’t put any pressure on them, but rather relieves some of L.A.’s. The Nuggets still have a chance to steal home court in this series with a win in game two and knowing that a couple of free-throws here, a timely defensive rebound there, or better decisions with the basketball late in the game could have made the difference in game one is a good starting point for George Karl to start from when drawing up Thursday night’s game plan.
You gotta believe, Nuggets Nation.
Go Nuggets!
Go Nuggets!
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