Coming into this series, the Nuggets were supposed to take this one from the Jazz in a hard fought series. After a strong 4th quarter in game one, then the news that center Mehmet Okur would be out for the series for the Jazz, the Nuggets were supposed to take this in five. Now the Nuggets are facing a 3-1 deficit to a team they handled in the regular season without their two star players in Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. Last I checked, the Nuggets have had those guys in the line-up, yet they are still getting owned in this series. What the hell!?!?
One reason the Nuggets are in the hole that they are is cuz the selfish Nuggets are back. Chauncey dominates the ball, J.R. Smith pops the most ridiculous treys, Nene stands arounds the rim and watches let's players drive right past him. These guys seem to not want to win at the expense of their own ego. Melo is showing up and getting his, the rest of the team has to follow suit and do what they did to get them here. Ty Lawson has stepped into the playoff picture nicely, but he is a rookie and we shouldn't expect too much from him, but he's playing likes he been there before while the rest of his teammates look like a bunch of guys wanting to play some one-on-one. I will tell you right now, if the Nuggets play like that tonight, the season is over.
Is defense so hard to play? It must be, because the Nuggets don't play much of it at all. Time after time Deron Williams has driven right to the rim and finished. Carlos Boozer is getting open jumpers eight to ten feet away from the basket and knocking them down. The perimeter guys need to get up on Williams and make him work if he wants to drive to the hole. Get a hand in Boozers face, because I promise you he will miss most of his contested shots. Nene, GET IN THERE AND PROTECT THE HOOP!!!! Dude's 6' 11", 250 and a little guy like Deron Williams is able to breeze past him with ease? No, that can't fly. Nene has probably been the single most disappointing player in these playoffs so far, and the Nuggets can't move on without him stepping up.
The Nuggets really miss George Karl, because this selfish play wouldn't fly with him. Adrian Dantley needs to demand the same respect and make a statement to his players. He never seems to get mad at his players on the sideline. Hey Adrian, you're the coach, you're in charge, act like it! Show these players who's boss and maybe then they will follow you.
It comes down to tonight. The Nuggets can forget about these last three games, because they don't matter anymore. Tonight is all that matters, and that's all they need to focus on. Play the game the right way and win, you live to play another night. Keep up the selfish attitude, then they're in for a long off-season. This is it, time to put up or shut up Nuggets.
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