(Boulder-CO) Are we having any fun yet? The Nuggets completed their most recent four-game home stand by blowing out their last four opponents by an average of 23 points and now have won six straight! Tonight, they travel to Los Angeles to face probably the most decimated team in the league, the Clippers, in a game that could get so fugly it almost makes me feel sorry for the Clip-show. Almost. By my simple calculations, since the Clippers were recently blown out by the Bulls, 92-73, and the Bulls were just crushed last night by Nuggets, 112-91, then that must mean the Clippers are in for, hold on… carry the one, divide by pi, it’s almost Thanksgiving, AI is the reigning player of the week… a blowout by 40 points!
Seriously though, the Clippers will probably not be blown out by 40, but they are a badly bruised team. We all know that Shaun Livingston and Elton Brand have been out all year, but did you know that Corey Maggette, the team’s leading scorer, is also going to be out for tonight‘s game in addition to their top rookie draft pick Al Thornton being a scratch with a sprained right ankle? And to make matters potentially worse, starting shooting guard Cuttino Mobley is not even a for sure thing for tonight’s game with a tender groin that has been bothering him!
On second thought, the Clippers are in big, big trouble.
Denver is playing arguably their best basketball since Alex English was wearing number “2” and the city skyline was across their chests. Even when Carmelo has an off-night shooting, the Nuggets are still mopping the floors with people due to having a supporting cast, including former NBA MVP Allen Iverson, that can pick up his slack and continue Denver’s offensive barrage. We have guys like Eduardo Najera, J.R. Smith, Bobby Jones, and Yakhouba Diawara all hitting 43% or better from downtown. Add in a new defensive commitment that includes Marcus Camby leading the league in rebounds and blocks at 15 boards and 3.45 rejections a game, the Yak hounding the opposition’s best scorer all over the floor, and Allen Iverson stealing almost three balls a game and I think we may just have the ingredients for an old fashioned blowout tonight in LaLa land.
My prediction is Nuggets by 14. Put up your sails and navigate your way over to www.clipsnation.com if you think I’m wrong.
Go Nuggets!
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