Nuggets-Mavericks: Denver Keeps Cool Late with Melo Against Dallas, Referees
For those at the American Airlines Center, this was a game that was well worth the ticket price. A display of two playoff-caliber teams putting on a show. Certainly, this can be put up as one of the best games of the NBA season.
Both the Nuggets and Mavericks came to the arena ready to play, as buckets dropped for both teams easily.
The star of the game, Carmelo Anthony, started with 12 points in the first quarter, but Denver still trailed by one (26-25) after one. The cautious observer could tell Melo was on from jump, as he nailed consecutive 20-foot jump shots to start the game.
The Nuggets' best quarter of the night came in the second, as they outscored the Mavs 32-26, and took a five-point lead into half. Melo went into the break with 20 points to lead Denver, and Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 16.
To begin the second half, two things were clear. First, the Mavericks came out on fire and erased the Nuggets lead, going on an 8-3 run, using less than four minutes of the clock to do so.
The second was that shooting from the charity stripe was going to be a factor throughout. The refereeing was somewhat suspect, as the Mavs out-shot the Nuggs 37-18 from the free throw line, scoring 16 points in the second half.
After Dallas tied the game, the Denver woke back up (much like the American Airlines crowd) opening up a nine-point lead. To cap the run, Anthony had a highlight-reel, jaw-dropping play.
Melo dashed across the court to steal an errant pass from the Mavs' backup point guard Barrea, then, as Nowitzki was standing flat-footed in front of him, Anthony dribbled the ball around Dirk's entire body. Melo continued to run, and pulled up for a pure 16-foot jumper, and his 26th point of the night.
Denver sustained the lead going into the fourth up 86-76. The fourth quarter, due in part to this being the last game of a road trip, and the referees being on Dallas' side, was the Nuggets' weakest.
Halfway through the quarter, the Mavs tied the game, and with over four minutes left, they led by as much as three. Down the stretch, the game was a see-saw battle of three pointers and free throws.
Dallas once again gained the lead by one with 23 seconds left in the game, but the Nuggets kept their heads about them and drew up a play. It consisted of inbounding the ball to J.R. Smith, who was second on the Nuggets with 22 points, who passed to Billups, who passed to Anthony.
Melo quickly drove on Nowitzki, who cannot keep up with the more athletic Anthony, laid up the ball through a great amount of contact. Carmelo, and many Nuggets' fans alike wanted a call, but got none from the refs, who favored Dallas.
The great drive turned out to be the game winner, as Dallas took Denver to the wire, 103-101.
Carmelo Anthony, the obvious pick for player of the game, finished with 43 points on 18-of-29 shooting (.620), 11 rebounds, and he made five of six free throws.
The win is truly one of the biggest of the season, as Denver now sits in the third spot in the West. At 47-26, Denver is tied with Houston, but holds the tie-breaker, and is a game and a half ahead of Portland, two games ahead of Utah, and New Orleans.
The back-to-back losses by the Hornets have dropped them from fifth to seventh in three days.
George Karl said he would be satisfied going 1-2 on this road trip, but "2-1 would be better. We would certainly like that,", before the game.
The Nuggets should be satisfied as well, as they are positioning themselves well for a deep playoff run this year.
The Weave: Nowitzki was being favored by the refs all night, as he had more than two times as many free throws as anyone else at 13. Where Dirk gets a slight bump on the arm is called, Melo gets mugged going to the hoop with no whistle.
The referees need to call games straight-up, not based on who has the ball at the moment. Denver swept the season series with Dallas, 4-0, with the win tonight.
Denver plays an already eliminated Golden State team tomorrow night at home, in the Pepsi Center.
The first thing to do is win, then sit back and hope Portland, Utah, or Houston lose; those losses would be beneficial to the Nuggets' seeding.
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