With a few kinks slowly being ironed out I’m ready to start thinking (again) the Denver Nuggets might be legit contenders. Ok, maybe that's a little bit optimistic, but after the Nuggets's domination of the Clippers, 105-85, and my taking a short break from the grind of an 82-game season. I'm re-energized for the second half of the season like the Nuggets were re-energized in the second half of tonight's game.

In the first quarter, the Nuggets got out to their typical sluggish start on the second night of back-to-back games. They turned the ball over five times to which the Clippers were able to capitalize eight points off of and even the TNT announcing crew mentioned how surprisingly poor the Nuggets have been in the first quarter this year at home despite having only lost three games so far at the Pepsi Center. For L.A., it was the  big men who got it done early. Starters Chris Kaman and Al Thornton combined for ten first quarter points and reserve power forward Craig Smith came off the bench and gave the Clippers a big lift six points in seven minutes.

Tied at 24 after one, the second quarter was more tit for tat on the scoreboard. Neither team ever got ahead by more than four points as the Clippers took the slimmest of margins into intermission, 48-47. For Denver, their main problem still appeared to be fatigue. However, if you look at the Los Angeles Clippers Schedule, you’ll see that both teams won their respective contest last night, but for some reason the Nuggets were reluctant to get out on the fast break and the Clippers took advantage of it. In fact, L.A. actually outscored Denver 8-6 in fast break points at the half - a statistical rarity.

In addition to the lethargic pace, the Nuggets continued to leak points in the paint like a sieve and Chris Kaman and Craig Smith were there to clean up the mess as the Nuggets were outscored 32-16 overall in points in the paint. Kaman scored 12 points in the first half on 6-10 from the field and Smith chipped in eight points and three boards, and steal, and a block in twelve minutes off the bench for Coach Mike Dunleavy. Another plague for the Nuggets was turnovers. After turning the ball over five times in the first quarter, Denver coughed up the rock another four times in the second and the Clippers scored a quarter of their overall point total off of said miscues.

C’est la vie in the Nuggets Nation because you focus on Carmelo Anthony’s effortless 15 points, Kenyon Martin’s six rebounds, and Nene’s ten points on 5-6 shooting while just waiting for the Nuggets to come out of their zombie-like state.

Thankfully, the Nuggets didn’t waste much time finding life in the form of an 7-0 run in the first minute of the third quarter to break their undead energy level. And contrary to the first half, it was the shorthanded Clippers who looked to be out of gas as the Nuggets blew the game open with a 29-9 run over the first 7:34. It was during this stretch that all five Nugget starters were able to score and the surprise catalyst offensively was Kenyon Martin with three assists as Mr. Big Shot got his shooting hand heated up. Chauncey scored 13 points during said run and completely decimated the Clippers with back-to-back three’s to put the Nuggets up by 19 points, 76-57.

The Nuggets continued to control the third quarter with the Clippers turning the ball over four times and Denver scoring ten fast break points in the third quarter after notching just six in the first half. It was also nice to see the Nuggets turn the ball over just twice in the third quarter after carelessly turning it over nine times in the first half.

In Denver, when it rains it pours and the Clippers got caught without their galoshes. After the Nuggets doubled-up L.A. in offensive output in the third quarter, 34-17, the Nuggets carried a 16-point lead into the fourth quarter where they are nearly unbeatable when leading after three.

The Nuggets cruised through the fourth quarter and eventually won by twenty, 105-85, with their starters on the bench. Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 28 absolutely effortless points and ten rebounds to notch his fourth double-double of the year. Chauncey capped the night with 20 points, six assists, and three rebounds to improve the Nuggets’ W/L when he scores 20+ points to 14-3. Kenyon Martin also deserves credit for his play tonight with a cascading line of 13 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two steals, but I’d also just like to point out that he is averaging over 14 points and nearly twelve rebounds per game in 2010 while recording seven double-doubles in the month of January.

And here’s your stat of the night: The Nuggets hung their hat tonight on a +30 advantage from the land of plenty. The Clippers were 0-14 from deep before hitting their final attempt and finishing the game 1-17. 

Here’s the skinny, Nuggets Nation. Eleven of the next twelve games for the Mile High Crew are against teams with above .500 records. The Nuggets were able to win 27 out of their first 41 games at the midway point of the season and have gotten off on the right foot by beating a bad team at home on the tail end of back-to-back games. But with all that being said, the Nuggets are going to truly show us if there is reason to believe they are contenders for the whole bowl of guacamole hidden in the Larry O’Brien trophy in the second half of the season.

Go Nuggets!

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