The Nuggets far exceeded expectations this season. The team ranked not as the squad most likely to scare the snot out of the Lakers, but as the old guard least likely to return to the postseason in the New World.
Chauncey Billups, Nene, Kenyon Martin, Carmelo Anthony, George Karl, Chris Andersen, J.R. Smith and Joe Dumars changed that. The opening week trade for Mr. Big Shot completely transformed the spirit of the team, as did Karl's summer decision to focus on defense, even at the expense of his stars' allegiance. Everything else went right, for the most part.
But the franchise sit has payroll cuts to consummate, and little in the way of burgeoning youth to fill the holes. By trading the promise of cap space (in the convenient form of Allen Iverson) for Billups, the Nuggets trade a minor rebuild for contention. It worked -- the Nuggets were legit contenders. But what now? How can they possibly get better?
Complaining about officiating is a tradition among NBA fans and coaches alike. After feeling like the Lakers got the short end of the whistles in Monday's Game 4 loss in Denver, Phil Jackson took to the podium after the game to vent his frustrations.
"Basketball is a game where the aggressor gets the advantage. And tonight we didn't know what a foul was and what wasn't a foul,'' Jackson noted. "Start of the game, we got guys knocked around going to the basket, they said, 'We're going to get those things go.' By the end of the ballgame little fouls were being called all over the place."
Objectively speaking, Jackson probably had a point -- the Nuggets shot 49 free throws in a 19-point blowout on Monday -- but the league didn't care, fining Jackson $25,000 for having the audacity to speak his mind and the Lakers organization another $25,000 for, well, employing a loudmouth, I suppose.
Bloggers knee-jerking on the phone + roundtable style = RoundCast.
In Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, George Karl made sure that Kobe Bryant wouldn't be the one to beat the Nuggets all by himself. Karl sent two defenders at Kobe as soon as he got the ball, which was a pretty big change from the way he chose to defend Bryant through the first four games of the series.
Will Brinson and I discussed the change in philosophy, as well as the fact that Denver's bench players (we're looking at you, J.R. Smith and Chris Andersen) were largely ineffective as the Lakers went on to take a three games to two lead in the series.
All that, plus some thoughts on the probability of the Magic being able to close out the Cavs in Game 5.
In both of the Lakers' Western Conference finals victories over the Nuggets, Trevor Ariza stole an inbounds pass late in the game that effectively sealed things for L.A. Since there were different players involved on the Denver side of things each time -- Anthony Carter was throwing to Chauncey Billups in Game 1; in Game 2 it was Kenyon Martin trying to get it to Carmelo Anthony -- maybe you just look at the one constant, which was Ariza, to figure out the reason why.
Or maybe, you look at something else -- like history. Because the fact is, before the arrival of Billups, George Karl and the Nuggets didn't believe in running plays to get the ball inbounds.
These athletically gifted and suddenly relentless Rocky Mountain folks are standing in the way of everybody's dream -- the one featuring Kobe versus LeBron during the Mother of All NBA Finals. Just like their heartless counterparts from Orlando, the Nuggets couldn't care less.
While George Karl is on the verge of leading the Denver Nuggets to their biggest playoff victory since Dikembe Mutombo was seen clutching the ball on his back chanting "Yes! We win!" in leading Denver to a shocking first-round win over the Sonics in 1994, Karl's former NBA city may be without basketball for good.
When Oklahoma City Thunder chairman Clayton Bennett left Seattle without an NBA time after 41 years in July 2008, he promised to reward the city with $30 million if antiquated KeyArena was approved for refurbishing by the conclusion of 2009 and Seattle did not have a new team by 2013.
DALLAS -- There was drama on and off the court during Game 4 of the Mavericks-Nuggets Western Conference semifinals series on Monday night.
The girlfriend of Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony had to leave her seat because fans where bothering her. Family members of Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin had to call security during the first and second half after getting into it with fans. In the fourth quarter, there were three security guards guarding Martin's mother, Lydia Moore (pictured).
DALLAS -- The pregame scene here at the American Airlines Center was calm before the start of Game 4 between the Mavericks and the Nuggets.
But the night is young.
Mark Cuban wouldn't talk much with reporters regarding his shouting match with Kenyon Martin's mom following Game 3 on Saturday night. Martin wasn't around to speak to reporters. But rapper Lil Wayne was here. He's sitting courtside before this steel cage match starts.
DALLAS -- Following the final buzzer of Game 3 of the Mavericks-Nuggets series, several players had to be restrained.
Josh Howard and Antoine Wright of the Mavericks were seen going after the referees at mid-court of the American Airlines Center. Assistant coach Darrell Armstrong almost pulled Howard's jersey off trying to get him to walk toward the locker room.
In the middle of the scrum was Denver's Keynon Martin who was laughing and yelling.
The Nuggets far exceeded expectations this season. The team ranked not as the squad most likely to scare the snot out of the Lakers, but as the old guard least likely to return to the postseason in the New World.
In Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, 
In both of the Lakers' Western Conference finals victories over the Nuggets, 
LOS ANGELES -- The 
While 
DALLAS -- The Mavericks were on the brink of ending their season and raising all sorts of questions about the direction of the team.
DALLAS -- There was drama on and off the court during Game 4 of the Mavericks-Nuggets Western Conference semifinals series on Monday night.
DALLAS -- The pregame scene here at the American Airlines Center was calm before the start of Game 4 between the Mavericks and the Nuggets.
