| 21 January 2010
(Denver-CO) Chauncey Billups is known as Mr. Big Shot for a reason. His Finals MVP award and NBA Championship are merely the culmination of big time performances over the years as he has time and time again come up big for his respective team over his career. A perfect example of this was last night’s overtime win over the Golden State Warriors where Billups tied a career-high with 37 points of which he scored ten of in the overtime period.
In the six games since returning from the groin injury, Billups is averaging 26.3 points and Denver is 5-1.
But let us not forget about the previous meeting between these two teams. If you look at the Golden State Warriors Schedule, you’ll quickly recall how J.R. Smith was fouled on a desperation three-point attempt in the waning moments of regulation and sent to the line to win the game for Denver.
Could the Warriors be this season’s Oklahoma City Thunder: A team the Nuggets always take it down to wire against? We’ll see on February 25th when these two teams lock up for their fourth and final meeting of the season, but the Nuggets have now beaten the Warriors in all three meetings thus far.
This game was tied at the half, 53-53, after the Nuggets had squandered an eight-point lead in the first quarter and again lost a nine-point advantage in the second quarter due to Denver still having trouble sustaining an energy level for a full twelve minutes. With that being said, Golden State’s Monta Ellis, rookie Stephen Curry, and Corey Maggette all played with tremendous heart to not let the bruised up Warriors go quietly into the night. Ellis, who scored a game-high 39 points, finished with his third straight game with eight or more assists and the rookie Curry has been playing heady basketball in his last five games averaging 17.8 points, five assists, and six rebounds. Curry finished with 15 points, respectively, but the two of them are quickly becoming one of the most exciting back courts in the in the NBA. Partnered with the enigma that is Corey Maggette, who scored 33 points by this contest’s completion, and you have a very entertaining trio to watch - regardless of their overall record.
The Warriors were able to take their first lead of the second half with an eight-point run by Ellis and Curry midway through the third quarter and extended their lead to nine points at the three minute mark. Billups then hit a three to cut the Warriors’ lead down to six before being substituted for Ty Lawson for the final 2:38 of the third and the Nuggets’ rookie finished the quarter with a flurry of five points which included being fouled on a three-point attempt with the clock reading zeros.
Still down by one entering the fourth after Lawson made all three shots from the charity stripe and with the NBA’s top scorer having an off night shooting the basketball. It was time for a hero to emerge and who better than the hometown legend to fill the role?
Chauncey Billups scored seven of Denver’s final 13 points and handed out a critical assist on J.R. Smith’s three to give Denver a, 97-95, lead with just over four minutes remaining in regulation before Monta Ellis’ three-point bomb with :28 on the clock sent the game to overtime.
Once in overtime, Mr. Big Shot was just that. Twice on back-to-back possessions Chauncey drained three-point attempts and followed those up with a driving lay-up to put the Nuggets ahead, 111-109, before Golden State’s Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry countered with three’s of their own to give the Warriors back the lead, 117-116, with under a minute to play. But, just like in the fourth quarter, Chauncey knew after hitting the aforementioned pair of long distance buckets that he would again draw the attention of the defense and found a wide-open J.R. Smith for what would be the winning three of the game as the Nuggets pulled out a, 123-118, victory over Don Nelson’s bruised up crew.
You just have to love a guy who can lead you to victory in so many ways. Chauncey finished with 37 points, eight assists, eight rebounds, and just two turnovers while shooting 6-9 from the land of plenty and 9-11 from the free-throw line. His passing is timely, his shooting clutch, and his cool head and decision making is priceless.
Carmelo Anthony struggled offensively finishing with just 23 points on 7-22 from the field, but all five starters for the Nuggets finished with double-digit point totals. Nene and Kenyon Martin each finished with double-doubles in points and rebounds. For Martin, it was his 13th and for Nene his ninth, respectively.
Go Nuggets! 
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