'Melo Strikes Again!

Written by Nick Sclafani | 27 March 2010

(Denver-CO) Carmelo Anthony did it again. With his team’s back against the wall, on the road, and on the verge of losing their fourth straight game. ‘Melo gave the Nuggets the buzzer beater they so desperately needed as the Nuggets downed the Raptors, 97-96, in the most dramatic of fashions.

I’ll start off by saying that Denver didn’t really deserve to win this game. The Nuggets were out rebounded 58-28, only dished out 23 assists after having 16 at the half, and shot the ball poorly from the field, from deep, and from the free-throw line.

But somehow they did.

Traditional wisdom says Denver only turned the ball over seven times and created 19 turnovers, but even still the Nuggets were outscored 33-22 in fast break points.

So, how did they do it?

Timing and perseverance.

The Nuggets looked focused in the first quarter and jumped out to their biggest lead of the game (nine points) with under four minutes to play in the quarter. Denver was sharing the ball magnificently as eight of their eleven made field goals in the opening quarter were assisted and six different Nuggets inked their name on the score sheet. Defensively, the Nuggets were also getting things done by limiting the Raptors to a mere 19 points to carry a seven-point lead into the second quarter.

Then, defensively, things started to unravel. The Nuggets rested on their defensive laurels and surrendered 33 points to Toronto. Transition defense was were the Nuggets really fell asleep. The Raptors were able to crash the boards and beat Denver back to the other end for favorable looks at the goal and as a result were able to enter intermission down just four, 56-52.

Then, offensively, the wheels fell off. The Nuggets were 3-21 from the field in the third quarter and after fruiting just 16 points in the quarter found themselves down by nine entering the money quarter. The reason for the complete seizure offensively was due to Denver abandoning the pass. The Nuggets tallied just two assists in the third quarter after sharing the ball very efficiently in the first half. In fact, the ball became so sticky that had it not been for the Nuggets getting nine of their 16 points from the free-throw line it could have been much worse because Toronto was more than willing to allow Denver to keep shooting contested jumpers while the selfish brand of basketball they fell into kept everyone one on the floor in a spectators role.

This was about the time that I wanted to give up hope on this game, but thankfully the Anthony Carter never did. “Crafty” came in at the beginning of the fourth quarter and did exactly what he does best: Move the ball. Carter’s three assists, stingy defense (he had two steals in the fourth), and constant movement resuscitated the Nuggets and put them in a position to pull out the unlikely win after falling behind by twelve midway through the fourth.

Things turned around for the Nuggets with a three-pointer by Chauncey Billups with seven minutes remaining in regulation that cut Toronto’s lead to seven, 87-80. From that point, the Nuggets made six free-throws to further whittle their deficit to three, 89-86.

It was then with under a minute remaining that Mr. Big Shot tied the game at 95 all with a cold-blooded three off of a baseline inbounds pass right in the face of Jarrett Jack.

The Nuggets needed to play one possession of defense to have the opportunity to win after Chauncey’s big trey, but after Nene decided to reach in on Chris Bosh 20 feet from the rim I thought for sure Toronto would salt away the victory with their superstar on the free-throw line for a pair of freebies. Bosh would miss the front end and make the second and Denver would advance the ball to half court for their final possession trailing, 96-95.

Stand-in Head Coach, Adrian Dantley, admitted after the game that getting the ball to ‘Melo on the far wing, with his back to the basket nonetheless, wasn’t exactly the play he had drawn up in the timeout proceeding. However, that’s the way things unfolded and ‘Melo missed an 18-footer that would have put the Nuggets on top with ten seconds remaining on the clock before Nene tapped out the offensive rebound to J.R. Smith who had the presence of mind to swing the ball to Chauncey who made one last pass to ‘Melo who was not to miss a second chance to put his team on top.

‘Melo received the pass and drained a tough jumper, with two Raptors draped on him, from the right elbow as the backboard light flashed red.

Nuggets win!

Carmelo finished with a game-high 25 points and eight rebounds and Nene added 20 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Chauncey Billups, despite a 3-11 showing from three-point range, had 18 points and four assists.