(AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)(Boulder-CO) What a difference a day makes. After getting humbled by the Boston Celtics by 26 points last night, tonight the Nuggets were the ones holding the switch as they whipped the Wizards by the exact same margin, 118-92.
The major difference in tonight’s game versus the debacle the night before was the focus on team work. The Nuggets passed out 32 assists and had seven players score in double figures tonight. Along with the shared offensive load, the Nuggets all chipped in defensively with nine different players recording a steal.
Honestly, this team tonight didn’t even look like the team from the night before!
The Nuggets shot 51% from the field, 48% from downtown, 84% from the line, and not a single player played 40 minutes. Guys gave quality minutes and relied on their teammates to do their job. And when guys got beat, teammates stepped up! Denver held the Wizards to just 38% from the field and limited Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison to a combined 56 points.
It was almost like if um… if Denver played like a, what’s the word…. Oh yea! A TEAM!! And leading this team were the duo of Marcus Camby and Carmelo Anthony.
The Captain just missed a triple-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and four steals in just 31 minutes. Carmelo scored a game-high 32 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished five dimes, and stole three balls in only 35. But more importantly, it was ‘Melo ingniting 16 points and Marcus Camby locking it down defensively in the third quarter that cemented the win for the Nuggets. Led by their captains, Denver pushed it into a completely different gear after leading by nine at the half and pasted the Wizards, 33-11, in the third allowing them to coast to an easy victory.
Hallelujah!
Next up for the Nuggets is a visit to Canseco Field House for a match-up with the Indiana Pacers tomorrow night. Tail end of back-to-back games for both teams with the Pacers losing tonight to the Bobcats, 96-87.
Go Nuggets!
1 comment:
Great win, but to be fair the Wizards did everything short of shooting at their own basket to hand us the victory. They looked TERRIBLE. Hopefully the nugs see this game for what it was and avoid overconfidence so they can go to Indiana, focus, and get their first win against a team that's not 0-something. Also, I thought Melo's offensive explosion in the third was in large part a result of him moving and coming off screens for open looks. Hope he makes a habit of it. Melo's such a good catch and release shooter these days (as he proved time and again with the National team) that I find myself scratching my head when he spends his time on the court standing around and holding the ball.
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