Melo Joins AI, JR, MC & Company: Nuggets 115 Grizzlies 98

Steve Kerr: "The gap between the top two teams – Dallas and Phoenix – and the rest of the NBA is widening."

Tremaine: "But, the gap between the Nuggets and the Mavs and Suns is narrowing to very little or nothing."

Was that static electricity in the air on a cold winter night or was that Nuggets basketball electricity? That was a stupid question. The home crowd could feel and hear an electric buzz in the air as the new, true Nuggets roster took the court. The Nuggets, pumped up with a huge amount of adrenalin and sheer enthusiasm for their reunited team, for the fans, and for the game, threw up everything but the kitchen sink against the Grizzlies in the first quarter alone. The Nuggets had 6 steals and 38 points in the quarter. They were so pumped that, were it not for the limited amount of adrenalin available to a human, they would have won this game by at least 40 points.

The Grizzlies, who have been able to win just two games on the road, one of them against the Nuggets back on November 28, ran into the basketball version of a pack of wolves whose prey has gone into hiding and is now so hungry that it is going after anything that moves.

Melo wasted no time. He had the first Nuggets bucket with an alley oop layup, and had 6 of the first 14 points. Then he mostly watched as A.I. and Camby went to work at the top of their games. A.I. scored 11 points in the quarter and Camby had 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals in the quarter. J.R. came in for Melo late in the 1st quarter onslaught, with about 5 minutes to play in it, and hit on everything he threw up: 3 threes and a finger role, and he also had a steal in those 5 minutes. The Nuggets had exploded for a twenty point lead after one quarter: 38-18.

In the second quarter the laws of physics said that the energy level had to come down and it did. The Grizzlies righted their ship and took advantage of a few Nuggets turnovers and a heap of Nuggets misses, such as J.R. missing 5 straight shots, 4 of them 3-pointers. I'm sure Karl told J.R. to at least try to mix up his shooting a little during the timeout. The score was 56-47 when Steve Blake sunk a three at the buzzer, for a 59-47 Nuggets lead at the intermission.

Early in the third quarter, the still over-revved Nuggets had 5 turnovers, 3 of them by Iverson, and the Grizzlies reduced the lead to 5 points at 68-63 half way through the 3rd. Now it was just a matter of finding a player or two who could bring the crowd to its feet again by converting some adrenalin into some made shots instead of into turnovers and poor shot selections, so that the Grizzlies would not be "hanging around" anymore.

The Grizzlies were knocked out of the game in the second half of the 3rd quarter mostly by Camby, with his blocks, rebounds, and good shot selection, and by J.R. Smith, on his mission to match or beat any 3-point ace the Lakers, Mavs, Spurs, or Suns might have. Smith went on his second tear of the night, this time getting 8 points in 48 seconds: a finger roll, a jumper with a made foul shot, and a 3-pointer. After Smith did his damage it was 86-68 with a minute left in the 3rd.

Memphis pulled to within 10 early in the 4th, only to fall victim to basketball excitement so extreme that it almost seems like it should be illegal. The Nugget's fans had been waiting for the Melo-A.I. duo for weeks, and now it was a reality. It was 98-80 with 7 1/2 to play when, finally, there was a play dramatic enough to make every television sports report. Iverson lobbed to Melo for the one handed jam. This was followed by a bad pass by Mike Miller of the Grizzlies, and a Blake to Nene alley oop. Then Nene stole the ball from Warrick, and there was another Iverson to Anthony alley oop dunk.

Now the score was 107-82 with 5:43 to go and fans were now divided into three groups. Most of the fans at the Pepsi Center were in sheer joy that they had witnessed the first Melo-A.I. game and that it was everything that had been anticipated and hoped for, including highlight reel plays that many of the youngest fans get a special thrill out of. After all, sports are for kids, too. As Iverson said: "That's what it's all about. It's about the kids, and about the fans that love the game and the excitement of the greatest game in the world. I'm enjoying myself. I know it's my 11th season, but this is a fresh start for me, and it feels like my first. I am having a great time and I love my situation here."

Other Nuggets fans were already looking ahead to playing squads like the Suns, the Lakers, and the Mavs, now that the Nuggets can no doubt compete. Still other worry warts, such as myself, were starting to wonder how long Karl would leave the starters in the game now that it was garbage time. To his credit, he yanked the starters in a timely fashion, with about 4 minutes to play. Way to go Karl.

Reggie Evans started at PF and played 19 minutes. He finished 2/4 and 2/6 from the line for 6 points, and he had 5 rebounds and an unusual 2 steals. Nene played 18 minutes and was 4/5 from the field and 3/5 from the stripe for 11 points, and he also had 5 rebounds, a block, and a steal. And swingman Diawara played 18 minutes and was 1/4, and 0/1 on 3's, for 2 points, and he had 2 rebounds and 2 steals. And as usual, he was working on his man to man coverage skills.

Steve Blake at the point had 12 assists. His motto must be: "all shooting stars will have to share and share alike". He himself was 2/8 and 1/4 on 3's, for 5 points.

Carmelo Anthony, sprung from living room confinement, played 33 minutes, and was 10/25, 0/1 on 3's, and a perfect 8/8 from the line, for 28 points. He added 6 assists and 5 rebounds. Before the game, he thanked everyone for supporting him and he promised the fans: "It's like a new beginning for us, and we're going to give y'all something to cheer for."

Allen Iverson played virtually the whole game as usual and was an expert 9/16, 2/3 on 3's, and 3/5 from the line for 23 points, and he had 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.

Marcus Camby, who probably has the best hand skills for playing defense in basketball, played 29 minutes and was 6/11 and 5/11 from the line for 17 points. More importantly, he had 17 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 assists, and 2 steals. His defensive presence in the paint persuaded various Grizzlies on various occassions to settle for a jumper rather than to drive to the hoop.

Whatever you do, if you are at a game when J.R. Smith comes in, don't leave your seat to go to the restroom or to buy a snack, because by the time you get back you may have missed him sinking 4 or 5 shots in 1 or 2 minutes flat. And make sure your kid doesn't take a two minute nap either when J.R. checks in. Everyone should pay attention when he comes in, because he is serious about his game and his game is serious about very quickly changing the score. Smith was given 24 minutes to work with, and he was 7/18, 4/14 on 3's, and 1/1 from the line for 19 points, and he had 5 rebounds, 2 steals, a block, and an assist.

The Grizzlies, being polite southern gentlemen, didn't even think of neck tackling Smith or any of the other Nuggets. In fact, they had very good things to say about their opponents. Said Pau Gasol regarding A.I. and Melo: "They play well together, they had a chemistry from the first moment. They have fun together and help each other out. I'm interested to see how they play together the rest of the year. They will be a very dangerous couple. It's tough to have to guard one of them. It's worse to have to worry about two great players."

Said Grizzlies coach Tony Barone regarding Melo's numerous drives to the hoop: "It shows what an incredible work ethic he has, coming onto the court and what does he do to try to win the game? He tries to go to the offensive glass, he runs the court and finished the break and does not try to be a pig. To me that's the mark of a good player. They will be a very good team as the season progresses with Allen, who was very unselfish tonight."

See what I mean, Southerners can be so polite when they want to be.

It's time for a quick flight to the great Northwest for the Nuggets, who will play the Sonics in Seattle tomorrow (Jan. 23) at 8 pm mountain time.