Nuggets Emerge as Western Power, Defeat Rockets 121-113

The Nuggets would not surrender to the rested and at home Rockets despite being heavily pressured to do so all night long. The Rockets buried a bunch of 1st half threes, but the Nuggets scrapped and scrambled to stay alive in the fight during the first three quarters, so instead of a rout it was 86-77 after 3 quarters.

And then the Nuggets pounced on the Rockets early in the 4th, surprising them with energy that only a team with real determination and spirit can bring to a back to back game on the road. The Nuggets stunned the Rockets fans (and their own watching from far away, including a star forward sitting in front of his television) by clawing their way back from 90-77 with 10 1/2 minutes left to force overtime at 108-108. In overtime, the Nuggets had their prey paralyzed, and won the extra period quickly and decisively, getting 9 of their 13 overtime points with three 3-pointers. The amazing final score was Denver 121, Houston 113, in one overtime.

It was only one game. But was it really just one game? Sometimes one game can reveal something so important that it is like watching a dozen games all at once. And, as in this case, one game can be like the earth trembling hours before a big earthquake, a signal that there is a huge change in the foundations coming. Those who are afraid of changes to the existing order of things had better get out of the way and run for cover. The earth under the Western Conference shook a little tonight, signalling the possibility of a major quake down the road, a quake that would sweep away all the assumptions of the supposed basketball experts who confidently prognosticated that the Nuggets could not possibly compete with the Big 6 (Rockets, Mavericks, Spurs, Suns, Jazz, and Lakers), even with their new expertly designed lineup.

Now that the Nuggets, with no Melo, but with an incredible amount of determination, sweat, and spirit, have gone to Texas with no rest and defeated one of the well rested Big 6 in their building, you have to ask yourself, what more needs to happen before the Nuggets are considered to be at least on the level of the Big 6? The answer: nothing except for Melo returning, which will happen on Monday. So on Monday it is done: Denver has climbed the mountain, and the Nuggets have become one of the powerhouse teams of the Western Conference.

The team, put together by front office geniuses, is a complex mix of highly skilled veteran warriors and talented young players who all seem to, whatever their shortcomings, appreciate the great motivation and happiness that comes from winning. So they tend to selflessly do what they know they can for their team rather than do what they might want to do for their careers. Other than Najera, who is no longer starting, this team does not rely on mid-career role players; it has mostly players at the beginning of their careers who don't have known roles yet, and players near the end of their careers, who have gone way beyond roles.

And then there is Melo, who in his 4th year can already be considered a skilled veteran warrior, but at the same time a talented young player. As such, his great play represents all parts of the Nugget's squad at once. The Nuggets may now be the ultimate unified one for all and all for one team.

Melo's team amazingly proved that the Nuggets are a real threat to the Western Conference Establishment while he was just sitting in his living room watching the game. His teammates, having not just survived the trials and miseries of the suspensions, but also having emerged with more determination and spirit than they had before, have already given Melo a great welcome back, saying to him, in effect, "you can depend on us to fight for every game." The standing ovation in Denver on Monday night for the League scoring leader will now be for both Melo and for the rest of the Nuggets.

The Nuggets started the suspension games in good form, winning the first 3 of 4, but then fell into a huge sink hole during the middle of the 15 game suspension period, losing 5 straight and 7 out of 8. Analysts including myself started to think that the Nuggets would never reach the heights of the West. However, in the final 3 suspension games, the Nuggets climbed out of the deep hole and emerged with a 7-8 suspension record, thus keeping the game toll from Melo's little punch and David Stern's big temper to about 3 games, a very small toll for such a huge suspension. By the time they emerged into the light, they were deep in the territory of the Western Conference elite.

True, it was just one game. But it was a win the experts thought was not possible, so things have changed.

For much of the suspension period, it seemed almost as if the Nuggets were trying to play without a professional front court. All of a sudden, with Camby's finger fracture healed, with Nene's knee problems under control, with Evans starting over Najera, and with Kleiza finally contributing, the front court has become both solid and professional. A good example is Kleiza, who played 23 minutes and was 3/8, 2/5 on 3's, and 4/4 from the line for 12 points, and he had 2 rebounds.

Nene squeezed alot of sweat and soul into just 18 minutes, finishing 5/10 and 4/8 from the line for 14 points, and he also got 5 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Diawara, who as a rookie from a low-pressure college career could not prevent the Nuggets from falling into the 1-7 sinkhole when he started, has nonetheless learned a tremendous amount about pro basketball in the past month, most of all how you play to your strengths and skills, not to your wishes and hopes. In 31 minutes he was 4/7 and 2/4 on 3's for 10 points, and he had 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

New starting point guard Steve Blake played 35 minutes and was 4/9, 3/6 on 3's, and 1/1 from the line, for 12 points, and he had 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and a block. Blake had a 4-point play in overtime, because he was fouled by Alston on a sunk 3-pointer.

Marcus Camby, who has become the ultimate defensive presence in the paint, was just working his usual routine of controlling the boards and making numerous textbook blocks, while amazingly remaining as far away from foul trouble as you can be. But all of a sudden, the determination and spirit of the Nuggets to defy the establishment and win in Texas was apparent to everyone including him, and he finally started to go to the hoop. He had only 2 points with 7 minutes to play in regulation, but finished the (overtime) game 4/8, 0/1 on 3's, and 4/6 from the line, for 12 points. Camby's huge defensive skills produced 22 rebounds and 5 blocks.

It was J.R. Smith's skill and determination that was the real key that allowed the Nuggets to win this one against all odds. He's not starting, because he is not a polished, totally dependable veteran, but his skills and potential are way above those of the average shooting guard in the League. The Rockets were leading 90-77 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation, seemingly heading to an inevitable victory over the Nuggets who had alot of determination, but seemingly little energy and no known spark at the time.

It was J.R. Smith to the rescue time. Smith, who already had a pair of 1st half 3-pointers, buried two quick threes making it 90-83 Rockets. The Nuggets were back in it, and they refused to leave the building until they were completely out of the suspension hole and emerged as an elite team to boot. Smith had another three with 7:35 to go in regulation and added one near the end of overtime, to finish 6/9 from behind the 3-point arc.

The Nuggets as a whole were a staggering 15/29 from behind that arc. This is what you must do if you want to fight in the great battles of the West. You must be able to get your share of 3-point shots. Otherwise, no amount of running and fast breaking will allow you to consistently beat teams like the Lakers and the Spurs. You can be as flashy as you can be, but they will just hang back and beat you with 3-pointers. But if the Nuggets can get their share of 3's, the Lakers and everyone else are in trouble.

So in 31 minutes, J.R. was 9/14, 6/9 on 3's, and 0/2 from the line for 24 points, and he added 3 rebounds, 1 assist, a steal, and a block.

Allen Iverson, the ultimate road warrior, played 50 minutes and finished 12/30, 2/4 from downtown, and 10/13 from the line for 36 points. He also had 10 assists, 4 steals, and 3 rebounds. It was an Iverson kind of game. The other side was heavily favored, and his team was well behind most of the night. But his determination and spirit never faltered. He played well enough to allow the Nuggets to remain in striking distance until he, J.R., and M.C. did indeed strike in the 4th quarter and in overtime. Iverson thrives in exactly this kind of a game. To him, winning when you are supposed to lose is substantially more rewarding than winning when you are supposed to win. That's another reason why A.I. likes playing for the Nuggets: the Nuggets are not "supposed to" win in the playoffs.

In the next game, Carmelo Anthony joins this big 7 squad on Monday night in Denver at 7pm mountain time to play the Grizzlies.