May 22 2009
The Nuggets Get it Done in Game 2
The Los Angeles Lakers loss to the Denver Nuggets last night 106-103. The Lakers came out clicking on all cylinders. They led by as many as 13 points in the mid second quarter. For a moment it looked like the Lakers were going to blow Denver off the court as Kobe masterfully maneuvered his way through the Nugget defense.
Denver managed to stay close despite not playing nearly as well as in game 1. Carmelo Anthony was able to get it going in the second quarter, after scoring just two points in the opening quarter. Denver only trailed by one going into halftime.
The final half was pretty much nip and tuck. Linas Kleiza, was the x-factor of game 2. He knocked down 4 3’s, scoring 16 points in just 17 minutes of play.
There were moments when it seemed like Denver might implode. The Nuggets missed free throws that would have sealed the deal earlier, but luckily for them Pau Gasol was missing free throws too. At one point Pau missed three in a row that could’ve helped the Lakers take the lead, late in the 4th quarter.
With 7.9 seconds on the clock, L.A. had a chance for Kobe to pull out his best Michael Jordan impersonation, but Melo denied the imbound pass. Derek Fisher was forced to take a contested three pointer that never had a chance.
This was a huge win in the series. Denver finally got the monkey off their backs. They had won just 3 times in their last 24 visits to the Staples Center, including a 4-0 sweep in last year’s playoffs. Denver is playing with confidence and the Lakers could easily being going to the Pepsi Center down 0-2.
Game 3 will be a madhouse. Melo has proved he’s more than up to the challenge of handling the Black Mamba as Kobe calls himself. Carmelo Anthony has become an unstoppable force in these playoffs. Melo finally looks like the player everyone thought he’d be when he bolted Syracuse after bringing home a NCAA National Title.
The Nuggets can consider themselves lucky as well. If the Lakers continue to pound the Nuggets on the offensive boards, Denver won’t stand a chance. Clearly, Melo and Kobe are playing at high levels. Game 3 will come down to whose supporting cast can provide a spark. If Lamar Odom shows up, the Lakers will be in excellent position to steal a victory in game 3.
