Got to Love the Nuggets

(Boulder-CO) What can I say? I love when the Nuggets make me look good. I’m talking about my heads-up match with Nick from http://thefullcourtpress.wordpress.com/, otherwise known as Defense Wins Championships, picking the outcomes of the Nuggets games this week. Head over there and check it out. I’m one for one so far!

This game tonight was a relief to say the least. Any games that the Nuggets can stash in the win column while they have so many players, ehhh hmmm, out of the line-up are certainly needed. Denver beat the Celtics tonight 116-105 being led by Allen Iverson.

AI torched the C’s for 28 points, 13 assists, four steals, and two rebounds. He is seeing the floor amazingly and once again was short changed in the assist column on a couple of occasions. Guys just need to keep their heads on swivels and their hands out of their pockets to fully utilized AI’s passing ability. This is Allen’s second double in as many game with the Nuggets.

One Nugget who is enjoying the open looks that AI’s penetration is creating is Earl Boykins. The Mightiest Micro, as I like to refer to him as, hit 4-5 three-pointers on his way to a 28 point-four assist evening of his own. With Earl and Iverson running the ball up the floor the opposition is looking winded and annoyed as they try and scramble back on defense.

And no game recap would be complete in which I didn’t mention the three, yes that is right, three double-doubles by the Nuggets front court. Eddie Najera banged the Celtics for 16 points and eleven big boards, Nene grabbed 14 rebounds and twelve points, and Reggie Evans went crazy for 14 points and just as many boards. Read ‘em and weep, Celtics fans. The Nuggets bigs exploded for 42 points and 39 glass-clearing snatches and were the difference in this game.

A side note to the game was Delonte West leaving the game after he attempted to block a shot by Earl Boykins on the break and came down very awkwardly after the play. The Celtics are a very banged up team and I hope that West does not miss any time for Boston.

An area of annoyance for me right now is how the Nuggets are shooting free-throws. Friday night was embarrassing, but tonight was just marginally better. Denver was horrible in the early goings and finished 29-43 from the line. Tonight it didn’t turn out to burn them, but in closer games with better opponents the Nuggets WILL get scorched if they do not pick up the percentage from the free-throw line. Mark my words.

Thursday night brings the basement-dwelling Sonics to town in a game that I predict the Nuggets will win. Without J.R. and Melo the Nuggets are 2-1 with twelve games still to wait before Anthony returns. Imagine this team with those guys back on the floor and tell me that you don’t love the Nuggets. I dare you!