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(Denver-CO) It’s a brand new best of three series, Nuggets Nation. The Nuggets were able to demolish the Lakers, 120-101, in the first blowout in the NBA Conference Finals to pull the series even 2-2 headed back to the City of Angels. Denver’s bench finally showed up just in time as Carmelo Anthony fell ill with a stomach issue to give the Nuggets a 42-point boost in the biggest must-win game in franchise history.
In the first quarter, the Nuggets opened up with very uniform production with their starting five. All five Nuggets scored on alternating possessions after Kenyon Martin got the Pepsi Center juiced with the first four points for Denver. It was obvious that Kenyon was feeling both a spring in his step and a sense of urgency to establish the Nuggets interior scoring presence. The Blue Light Special scored nine points and grabbed four rebounds in the first quarter, and his added offensive boost was imperative as it was revealed shortly after the opening tip that Carmelo Anthony, who missed his first eight field goals of the first quarter, was battling a stomach virus.
Defensively, I loved everything the Nuggets were doing in the opening six minutes of the first quarter. Kobe Bryant had one point in the first half of the period with a plethora of defenders challenging everything he wanted to revert to offensively. Unfortunately, and as a testament to Kobe Bryant competitive nature, the Mamba scored the final eight Laker points of the first quarter to bring Los Angeles within three, 22-19, at the end of one.
After the starters had gotten the Nuggets off to a great start, the bench really came in a did a bang-up job in the second quarter. Carmelo continued to struggle after missing his first ten field goal attempts, but the energy and play of Chris “Birdman” Andersen and “The Prodigy” J.R. Smith launched the Nuggets to new heights. Both fan favorites in the Mile High City, the passing and shooting of J.R. Smith boiled the Pepsi Center over with emotion as the Prodigy finished the half with nine points and four assists. As for the Birdman, he spread his wings for a massive slam, two blocks, and six rebounds in the first half to have Denver soaring by seven points at the break, 52-45, after leading by as many as 15 points in the second quarter.
The Denver bench, including Linas Kleiza’s seven points and Anthony Carter’s deuce, outscoring the Laker’s bench 20-3 in the first half was just what the Nuggets needed to overcome Carmelo Anthony untimely illness. ‘Melo would leave the bench with a minute left in the first half to get an IV with just six points on 1-11 shooting. However, the bench scoring the ball in Carmelo’s absence wasn’t the only reason why the Nuggets were able to control the tempo of the first half. The real underlying reason why Denver was exhibiting such control over game four was their dominance on the boards. Nene and Kenyon Martin each grabbed seven rebounds, and Chris Andersen’s six additional boards paved the way for the Nuggets to outrebound the Lakers 31-19 in first half, including an 11-5 Denver advantage in offensive rebounds.
The Nuggets continued to massacre the Lakers on the boards in the second half as J.R. Smith as six other Nuggets finished in double figures offensively. The Lakers obviously had no answers for the offensive onslaught other than to foul at nausea or the defensive toughness the Nuggets displayed throughout game four. L.A. committed 31 personal fouls and sent the Nuggets to the free-throw line for 49 attempts where they scored 37 of their 120 points. And I hate to cut my analysis short, but it really was just that simple in Denver’s eighth blowout win in these playoffs. Kenyon Martin (15), Chris Andersen (14), and Nene (13) led the way for Denver to finish with 58 total rebounds, falling just four short of the franchise record for rebounds in a playoff game, while grabbing 20 offensive boards for only the second time this season for a total margin of +18 in the category.
J.R. and Chauncey each scored a team-high 24 points and Nene and Kenyon Martin offered double-doubles with 14 and 13 points, respectively. J.R. "Swish" scored twelve of his 24 points in the fourth quarter by way of three three's and Chauncey notched eleven of his 24 also in the fourth as the Nuggets exploded for 43 points to close out the game in the money period. Carmelo Anthony did manage to score ten points in the second half to finish with 15 points and five assists, but did so on 3-16 from the field. Linas Kleiza’s ten points and Dahntay Jones’ dozen rounded things out for the Nuggets offensively.
Kobe Byrant scored 36 points and Pau 21, but L.A. will have to get more from its role players in game five to hold off a Nuggets team that seems to be once again peaking at just the right time.
More to come in the morning. Go Nuggets! 
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