Barely Better Than the Worst Part Deux

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

(Boulder-CO) The Nuggets never cease to amaze me. Denver was Just barely better than the Timberwolves once before and proved to be just barely better than them again. The Nuggets are capable of beating teams like the Orlando Magic and the Spurs, but when it comes time to take care of the league’s worst team they leave us all on the edge of our seats in the final minute. On the one hand I was thinking, “Oh God, please don’t let this happen”, while on the other thoughts of, “Denver doesn’t deserve to win this game” were definitely swirling in my mind too. Thankfully, the Nuggets were lifted by Allen Iverson scoring the team’s last nine points and were able to beat the Timberwolves, 111-108, to sweep the season series.

To be quite frank with you, the Nuggets didn’t deserve to win this game. The Timberwolves played harder, made better decisions, and out shot the Nuggets 53-42% from the field. The only problem this young Minnesota team has to address now is learning how to win games they should win. The Nuggets managed to squander a 14 point lead, 56-42, with 5:20 remaining in the second period to close out the half tied at 60 with the Wolves. And to illustrate just how poorly the Nuggets played, Denver was down by as many as seven with under three minutes to play in the third quarter as well.

In the fourth, the game tightened and the Nuggets started the period with a new sense of urgency. The game was tied up at 90 on an AI three-pointer with just over eleven minutes to play and ten lead changes would ensue before the Nuggets were able to stymie the Wolves, or if you would prefer, the Wolves faltered down the stretch. The final two minutes transpired as follows:

The game was tied at 104 on the first of two made free-throws by Al Jefferson. Big Al then gave the Timberwolves a one-point lead with his second make. Anthony Carter then proceeded to miss a 22-foot jump shot that Marcus Camby grabbed the offensive rebound of and Carmelo turned it back over on an offensive foul call in the paint. Minnesota’s next possession fruited an Antoine Walker three-pointer to give the Wolves a four-point lead, 108-104. At this point, the Nuggets called a timeout. On the ensuing possession, Allen Iverson countered Walker’s three with a trey of his own and the next time down the floor Anthony Carter came up with a steal and the save to AI which developed into a blown lay-up opportunity by Iverson who was trying to draw the foul. So, with the Timberwolves clinging to a one-point lead Linas Kleiza fouled Antoine Walker putting him at the line. Walker must have been distracted by all the food in the Pepsi Center because he proceeded to miss BOTH free-throws as Al Jefferson had a toe on the baseline while fighting Marcus Camby for the rebound on the second brick. With the Nuggets next possession, Allen Iverson shook Marko Jaric and dropped a fade-away from the left elbow to give the Nuggets the final lead change, 109-108. Minnesota would once again look to Walker for a bucket, but Antoine couldn’t deliver and the frustration of the night boiled over for Al Jefferson as he would be hit with a technical foul for arguing with the official. ‘Melo would miss the freebie, but Allen Iverson was once again too much for Jaric to handle and with Marko’s fifth foul AI was icing the game from the free-throw line.

As you can see, the Wolves basically imploded and the opportunistic Nuggets were the beneficiary. This is the eleventh time that Minnesota has had a lead going into the fourth quarter and lost, and also marks the 16th straight time the Wolves have lost on the road. Poor Randy Wittman, this team really should be better than 5-34, but until they learn the finer things that separate winning from losing things are going to continue to be rough sailing.

As for the Nuggets, it was more of the same old story. Allen Iverson led all scorers with 35 points to accompany his six rebounds and five assists. Carmelo added his fourth double-double in the month of January by scoring 26 points and grabbing ten rebounds, but ‘Melo struggled from the field going just 7-19 while being saved at the charity stripe hitting 12-14 attempts. Marcus Camby also recorded a double-double of twelve points, 13 rebounds, and three blocked shots.

More importantly, this win and Portland’s, 101-94, loss to the Magic last night puts the Nuggets back on top of the Northwest Division with a half game lead on the Trailblazers. Both teams now have 24 wins, but Portland has lost one more game than Denver.

Go Nuggets!