Denver @ Lakers : Game 1

[corona]

Iverson had a sub-par post season in 2007. Without Bowen this time around, and with Ariza sidelined...Iverson should be able to make an undoubtedly positive impact on the series for the Nuggets. He needs to set the tone early, attack the basket and stay at home on Fisher defensively.

Last Meeting: January 21st, 2008
116-99 Lakers victory
Carmelo sprained his ankle early in the second quarter and missed the next 5 games.
Denver was down 10 at half, made a run in the 3rd quarter but couldn't maintain the energy.
Carter had 14 assists, but was 0/5 from the field
Jr Smith scored 0 points in 16 minutes
Kobe dished out 11 assists and shot just 7 times.
Fisher was 6/7 from 3 for 28 points, with most coming in the first half.
Pre-Gasol trade

Denver: 50-32
Rank 11th in offense and 9th in defense
Nene has been out with a groin strain, but Karl's said he will play in the postseason.
Iverson continues to play through a fracture in his right ring finger.

Keys to winning:
Making fast, smart rotations out of any double team or lane penetration.
Moving the ball consistently on offense.
Role players (smith, kleiza, najera, carter) making perimeter shots.

Last 5 Games:
W Memphis
W Houston
L Utah
W Golden State
W Clippers

LA Lakers: 57-25
Rank 3rd in offense and 6th in defense.
Bynum's out while recovering from a knee injury.
Ariza is out and recovering from a broken foot.
Kobe Bryant is playing with a torn ligament in his pinky finger.
Derek Fisher is playing with a partially torn tendon in his foot but hasn't seemed affected.

Last 5 Games:
W Sacramento
W San Antonio
W New Orleans
W Clippers
L Portland

Photos:










Game Chat:
http://nuggets.proboards1.com/index.cgi?action=chat
please no trolling.

Game Notes:
http://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/notes.pdf
http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/notes.pdf

Series Schedule:
Game 1: @ Lakers - Sunday April 20th, 1:00pm mountain - ABC
Game 2: @ Lakers - Wednesday April 23rd, 8:30pm mountain - TNT
Game 3: @ Denver - Saturday April 26th, 3:30pm mountain - TNT
Game 4: @ Denver - Monday April 28th, 8:30pm mountain - TNT
Game 5: @ Lakers* - Wednesday April 30th - tbd
Game 6: @ Denver* - Friday May 2nd - tbd
Game 7: @ Lakers* - Sunday May 4th - tbd

[noone]

Hopefully Karl isn't scared to play Nene. Give him minutes early in each half, and if he produces, give the remainder of the minutes based on that.

[kno]

Here is my game thread from the LAL board.

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=781844

All in all, should be an amazing playoff series, just as anything in the west is expected to be.

Good luck guys. Here's to a peaceful series!

[snaquille oatmeal]

great call on the key match up. AIs heart could be the deciding factor and if by miracle Fisher can slow him down it can swing the other way.

good luck to you team.

[Kobe_for_3]

Good luck you guys. This is going to be a very good series!

[pickaxe]

they could lose at any point and it wouldn't be considered an upset?

ok.

I think Kobe wants it more than that....just a guess.

if he doesn't.....we'll take it

[pickaxe]

Rockies/Padres a single game just got over 22 innings 6.5 hours.

Just to show a game ain't over until the final minute.

[SashAlex]

Good luck ! ... for us !

It must be entertaining !

Good luck !

[Don_eMOCION#31]

graphics will be added tomorrow

[Slava]

Good luck guys and should be really good series between high scoring teams. Hope everyone stays healthy.

[el loco]

graphics will be added tomorrow

Hey Don did you take a peek at that Laker thread. It's pretty top notch, but I have faith in you to put something together that will be equally as impressive.

[SashAlex]

-= original quote snipped =-



Hey Don did you take a peek at that Laker thread. It's pretty top notch, but I have faith in you to put something together that will be equally as impressive.

No chance ! But let's see !

[el loco]

-= original quote snipped =-



No chance ! But let's see !

I think Don and Corona can come up with something equally as impressive. We have had some of the nicest game threads all season long IMO.

[snaquille oatmeal]

The Karl family might be divided for a couple of weeks after the Nuggets' coach heard from his son, Lakers rookie Coby Karl.

"He called me at 7:15 [Thursday] morning, his time. I'm going, 'What are you doing up?' He threw some trash at me. I don't think we're going to talk much during the series," George Karl told reporters in Denver.

Won't it be hard not speaking to your son?

"Why would it be hard talking to a guy who's basically trash-talking you with insults?" Karl said jokingly. "He's earned the right to do that a little bit, they've earned the right to do that a little bit. It doesn't mean I have to put up with it."

Coby Karl is on loan to the Lakers' Development League team, but will return to the Lakers after the D-Fenders' playoff run is over.

[Princerod]

My hope is to win in 6, stealing this one, plus three home wins. That's a huge game, and I want the home-court advantage after this one.

A few things:

1)I want AI to attack and attack the basket again and again all night. I don't want any jump-shot except if it's a wide open one. I just want the referees don't steal us on this side.

2)JR Smith is the key: if he does a correct job guarding Bryant alone (I don't want double team on him), giving some work to Kobe (who'll have to work a little on AI to save Fisher, he likes that"ala Jordan", but he just lose energy without beeing really a factor), he'll gain his starter spot and we might win the serie.

3)Inside on the defensive aspect, Martin will kill Gasol, and I hope Camby will calm down Odom from attacking the basket with a few early huge blocks.

4)If Nene can play, give him touches, there is butter in front of him.

5)I think AI has to be the number one scorer on this serie. I hope Melo'll have great all around games, beeing the first option if he's hot or AI doubled every time. And not too much long jumpers, they're not the Spurs.

GIVE IT ALL. HERE'S THE WAY TO WIN THE TITLE

[big123]

My hope is to win in 6, stealing this one, plus three home wins. That's a huge game, and I want the home-court advantage after this one.

A few things:

1)I want AI to attack and attack the basket again and again all night. I don't want any jump-shot except if it's a wide open one. I just want the referees don't steal us on this side.

2)JR Smith is the key: if he does a correct job guarding Bryant alone (I don't want double team on him), giving some work to Kobe (who'll have to work a little on AI to save Fisher, he likes that"ala Jordan", but he just lose energy without beeing really a factor), he'll gain his starter spot and we might win the serie.

3)Inside on the defensive aspect, Martin will kill Gasol, and I hope Camby will calm down Odom from attacking the basket with a few early huge blocks.

4)If Nene can play, give him touches, there is butter in front of him.

5)I think AI has to be the number one scorer on this serie. I hope Melo'll have great all around games, beeing the first option if he's hot or AI doubled every time. And not too much long jumpers, they're not the Spurs.

GIVE IT ALL. HERE'S THE WAY TO WIN THE TITLE

If I was Phil Jackson, I'd double down AI and make the less mature Carmelo/JR try to beat them. I hope they get it done, but they need to play consistently smart throughout the series and I don't know if they can do it.

I think the series will ultimately come down to how smart Melo and JR play. I think AI, Kenyon and Camby will be fine given their experience.

[hermes]

good luck to you guys, should be a great series

[el loco]

If I was Phil Jackson, I'd double down AI and make the less mature Carmelo/JR try to beat them. I hope they get it done, but they need to play consistently smart throughout the series and I don't know if they can do it.

I think the series will ultimately come down to how smart Melo and JR play. I think AI, Kenyon and Camby will be fine given their experience.

I think you have hit on it right there. We need that 3rd scorer to step up and take some of the load off of AI and Melo. Everyone needs to be involved on both ends of the floor. If someone is getting trapped, cut to the basket or go to the ball and help them out. I hope we don't see any of the stagnant (standing around) offense that we have a tendency to put on display.

If the Denver team that moves the ball and gets around the 30 assist mark shows up to play in every game, this series can be won by the 8th seed.

[big123]

If I was Phil Jackson, I'd double down AI and make the less mature Carmelo/JR try to beat them. I hope they get it done, but they need to play consistently smart throughout the series and I don't know if they can do it.

I think the series will ultimately come down to how smart Melo and JR play. I think AI, Kenyon and Camby will be fine given their experience.

I think you have hit on it right there. We need that 3rd scorer to step up and take some of the load off of AI and Melo. Everyone needs to be involved on both ends of the floor. If someone is getting trapped, cut to the basket or go to the ball and help them out. I hope we don't see any of the stagnant (standing around) offense that we have a tendency to put on display.

If the Denver team that moves the ball and gets around the 30 assist mark as a team shows up to play in every game, this series can be won by the 8th seed.

I agree. Play smart and as a team. If your scared, go to church

[MHZ]

-= original quote snipped =-



If I was Phil Jackson, I'd double down AI and make the less mature Carmelo/JR try to beat them. I hope they get it done, but they need to play consistently smart throughout the series and I don't know if they can do it.

I think the series will ultimately come down to how smart Melo and JR play. I think AI, Kenyon and Camby will be fine given their experience.

I disagree. I think you make AI beat you over Melo. Look what happened last season against the Spurs. I think you keep the ball out of Melo's hands, make AI/JR be the ones to beat you.

If they put Kobe on AI, AI needs to run him all over the court. Really make him work defensively. If he's on Melo, same story, but I think Melo should post him up.