Denver Nuggets-Utah Jazz: Team Unity or Shady Victory?

I don't want to be that guy. You know, that guy, that blames the refs, points fingers, and makes excuses.

But heck, if Carmelo Anthony can do it, why can't I?

Ironically enough, just days after complaining that he couldn't do it "all by himself", Anthony got plenty of help, this time both from his teammates, as well as the NBA referees" target="_blank">NBA referee.

Denver fans, please reserve your comments and cries for after you finish reading this piece. The truth is, I don't hate the Nuggets. I don't love the Utah Jazz.

But when I see monstrosity in it's darkest hour , I take note. And while this type of subject never gets the popularity or recognition it deserves, my goal is to find out just how many other observers out there had a problem with the events that transpired throughout the second half in game five on Wednesday night.

While Kenyon Martin was talking about desperation and miracles, and some writers saw this win for the Nuggets as some sort of magical team unity, I saw it for what it was; a blunt hand-out from the NBA .

Here are the facts:

-Utah had a 52-50 lead over Denver at the break

-The Jazz shot just over 45 percent from the field, while Denver shot just over 50 percent

-Utah went to the free throw line 25 times, while Denver went an astonishing 42 times

Sounds like your basic, home-team in the playoffs, fighting off elimination, right? Don't be so sure.

A closer look at the tape in the second-half showed a recurring theme. The Denver Nuggets were making shot-after-shot, true, to start the third quarter, but then there came a time where it started to get a little suspicious.

They weren't just making shots and getting hot. They were getting away with blatant offensive fouls, getting "and-ones" seemingly on every other offensive possession, and having Utah's foul count rise faster than The Hulk's temper.

It was, for lack of a better term, disgusting.

In fact, there was a point in the fourth quarter, although the game was arguably out of reach, that Carmelo Anthony literally shoved his defender off of him twice during the same offensive possession, and no call was made.

This happened once or twice with Chauncey Billups, as well.

The point is, unless you saw this game, and probably unless you sit down and watch it again, this article will feel biased. These points won't matter.

Watch the tape with an unbiased approach. Tell me (and yourself) something wasn't going on there.

You'll start to think, how does a team shoot over 50 percent from the field in an NBA Playoff game? Fantastic question, I would say.

When the only misses you have are the shots you miss when the refs call fouls for you, it's pretty hard to get out of rhythm and/or lose.

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