So because I've been "gone," I will now reflect on how our beloved Nuggets are currently up three games on the Mavs. First and foremost, I have to give my props to Nene. Before the series, I knew that Nene was going to have his official coming out party, and guess what, I was right. Nene, in the first two games scored a total of 49 points, going 24 in the first and 25 in the second. Dallas just doesn't have the physicality to compete with Nene. The only player on Dallas that has the size is Dampier, but the dude just can't move worth a lick. Nene's exposed this mainly on pick and rolls where he has slipped the pick, and gotten into the lane early. Dampier's bum knees haven't allowed him to keep up, and Nene has just abused the Mav's because of this. Nene has been the X-factor so far this series, and when he has played well, Dallas has had no answer. In the third game, Nene was frustrated early, and picked up a few fouls. Because of this, he never got into a rhythm, and the game was much closer than the prior two. Besides Nene's offense in game 3, his defense was flat out "Impregnable," as Mike Tyson would call it. Let's just say that Nene has been a beast all series long, and will continue to do so as long as these two teams face each other, which hopefully is only one more game.
Now we must talk about the man of the hour; Carmelo Anthony. Melo's game winning 3 point shot in game three was unbelievable. First off, he was fouled just before he took the shot (was intentional by Dallas). Second, he was falling perpendicular to the bucket when he began his jumpshot. And last but not least, he made the frickin shot. Within the context that Melo hit that jumper is what made it so great. It wasn't just an ordinary three pointer. It was the shot that Denver needed to win a crucial playoff game in the second round. 'Melo just never fails to amaze me in crunch time. Hell, even "Mr. Big Shot" called 'Melo "Mr. Clutch," and that says something.
Speaking of "Mr. Big Shot," he has been Denver's most valuable player so far in this offseason. Chauncey hasn't been as flashy as he was in the Hornets series, but the general has been leading his troops in every game he's played. One thing about Chauncey is that he just knows who to go to when Denver needs a bucket. With less than a minute to go in the game on saturday, and the Nuggets being down 3 points, Chauncey decided to give the ball to the struggling Nene. Of course, Chauncey made the correct decision, and Nene made a nifty layup to put the Nuggets within 1 point of the Mavs. Man, I recall many occurrences where the game was on the line, and Iverson decided that no one was more able to score than himslef. More times than not, Iverson was wrong. You could make infinite parallels with Iverson and Billups when discussing right vs. wrong. It's just remarkable that Chauncey is that far a superior player than Iverson. Without Billups, this team would be sitting on their sofas at this very moment. With him, the Nuggets are about to be in the western conference finals, and are considered to be playing the best ball in the country. Just ask Barkley who he thinks will win the title this year (Just google it). You'll be surprised.
One of the main reasons that Denver is dominating this series is it's scoring in the paint. Denver has just destroyed Dallas in the paint in every game in this series. While Dallas can get hot with it's jumpers, Denver will always be consistent in their offense because they can get to the rack at any moment. Dallas lives, and will die with it's shooting. No team in the NBA can stay that hot throughout an entire NBA playoff game. Good teams have a blend of dominant scoring inside, and good shooting on the perimeter. Denver has both, and this is why they are being regarded so highly thus far in the postseason.
Once again, Denver's bench has kept the team above all others. The Birdman changes the course of a game when he steps on the court. You just cannot entirely see the Birdman's value through the box score. The Birdman changes the energy, and the course of the game when he steps on the court. The paint is entirely shut down when Bird steps on the court. You come into that paint, and you step into the Bird's cage. The Bird will show no mercy, and you will not succeed. As for the rest of the bench, they have been superb. JR Smith is continuing his great play in the playoffs. One thing you can say about JR, is that he does not feel the pressure of a big time NBA game. The dude has no conscience. Anthony Carter has also been fantastic. While AC isn't our best scorer off the bench, he has surprisingly brought much needed points. AC will frustrate any fan with his erratic passes, but more times than not, he seems to make the right ones. When the Nuggets are rolling, AC is leading the fast break, and JR or Bird are flying on the wings and finishing at the hoop. The bench has been our biggest advantage thus far in the postseason. No other team can match Denver's bench production, and this is a big reason why we are 7-1 in the playoffs.
So game 4 is on monday, and the Nuggets can close out Dallas with a win. Los Angeles is struggling against the Rockets, and the more Houston beats LA up, the better for the Nuggs. I look for Nene to come back strong, and I expect to bring out a broom shortly after (I'll find something to sweep) because the Nuggets are sweeping the Mavs.
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