The Denver Nuggets have taken care of business on a tough Game 1 of the Western semis against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Nuggets started the game a little flat, allowing Dallas to even take a 9 point lead, thanks to the 6-6 on the field in which Dirk Nowitzki started the game. Kenyon Martin decided that all this playing from the Mavs' star was enough and fouled Nowitzki, while frustrated, pushed the German to the ground and got a technical foul. Carmelo Anthony got in foul trouble, and this was a problem for the Nuggets because, with only 16 points in the 1st period offense was required. Dallas got 24 points at the end of the 1st.
Luckily, Nene got the Nuggets in the game in the 2nd period with explosive transition dunks, and a 3-point play opportunity in transition when Dampier fouled him on the way to the rim. This streak by Big Brazilian kept the Nuggets in the game, regaigning the lead quickly, while Dallas just started turning the ball over and over again.
The game went to halftime with Denver having a 4 point lead.
After the halftime, Denver made an interesting run at the very beginning of the 3rd, but Jason Kidd kept the Mavericks alive with three jumpers in straight plays for the Mavs, two of them were 3-pointers.
But that was before Carmelo Anthony started making some plays after his foul trouble, and Anthony Carter, Birdman and J.R Swish also started playing great defense and getting steals.
Dallas was sort of hanging in the game, without being killed, until, when they were trailing by 10, they switched to a zone defense, which left Carmelo open for a right-wing 3-pointer with 7 minutes left that, in my opinion, killed both the game and the Mavs' hopes on coming back and winning Game 1. Then, with the game almost over, Carter passed the ball to J.R who, over the back, made a non-look pass to Melo for the easy dunk that energyzed the whole Pepsi Center (and all Nuggets' fans watching the game on TV like me).
I liked today's win because the Nuggets showed that they could win without Billups being a real factor, because all the wins in the first round came with Billups playing real good basketball.Nene was in his best version as a basketball player, and this really gives me hope for the Nuggets' chances in the Playoffs. We need this version from Nene to be succesful, and he really killed Dampier tonight, showing the whole country (for the ones that didn't know) that the weakest point of the Mavs is the lack of a presence in the paint.
Hopefully, the Nuggets can analyze with some tape the flat playing of the 1st period, and Melo can stay out of foul trouble so we can have an easier Game 2 on Tuesday night.
GO NUGGETS!!!
