Highlights of Nuggs’ Game 1 victory over Jazz

Carmelo Anthony scored a career playoff-high 42 points as Denver ran wounded Utah out of the gym to capture game 1.  The Jazz played without Andrei Kirilenko and lost Mehmet Okur to an apparent achilles injury in the first half.

J.R. Smith changed his shoes at least three times during the game, and finally got it going in the fourth quarter help the Nuggs pull away from the pesky Jazz.  Smith scored 17 of his 19 points in the fourth, hitting back-to-back-to-back 3’s to blow the game open.

Deron Williams finished with 26 points and 11 assists to lead Utah.  Okur’s status for Game 2 Monday night in Denver is unknown.  He is slated to undergo an MRI Sunday.

This is Carmelo Anthony dropping 50 on the Knicks

Who hasn’t dropped 50 on the Knicks?  Melo finished off his career night by hitting a couple free throws in the closing seconds to help the Nuggs hold off the Knicks 128-125.

Here are the highlights, with cameos by J.R. Smith (17), Al Harrington (41 pts., 1 asst.), and Chauncey Billups (32).

George Karl deserves credit for Denver’s playoff run

Karl pulled all the right strings to lead the Nuggs to the Western Conference Finals.

The 2009 NBA playoffs have been filled with many questionable coaching decisions. Doc Rivers and Mike Brown, lauded by many as premiere NBA coaches, cost their teams games with questionable strategy and game-management. Brown, the NBA coach of the year, failed to make any adjustments in the entire series against Orlando.

While his flashy coaching counterparts blundered through the playoffs, George Karl quietly steadied the Nuggets all the way to Game 6 against the Lakers.

Karl managed to convince his offensive-minded bunch to man-up on the defensive end of the court. He pulled off one of the biggest coaching feats in the NBA: Getting J.R. Smith to buy into his system and expand his game.

His relationship with Carmelo Anthony has been rocky at times, but he has always defended his star in public.

Carmelo overcame past playoff shortcomings and now appears on the verge of becoming an NBA superstar.

Karl didn’t do anything special to turn Denver into a title contender. He simply kept pushing his team to play defense, take good shots, and be unselfish.

The arrival of Chauncey Billups certainly helped Karl push his agenda on his volatile squad.

The Nuggs played with composure throughout the playoffs, and were a couple of bad inbounds plays away from pushing the Lakers to elimination.

That poise a composure was most evident during the Second Round against Dallas, when Mark Cuban heckled K-Mart’s mom, triggering a back-n-forth that never escalated to the court – at least for the Nuggets.

Dallas, perhaps frustrated by Denver’s lack of retaliation, picked up countless technicals along the way to elimination in 5 games.

George Karl’s days in Denver seemed to be numbered before the start of the 2008-2009 season. Now, the 58 year-old Karl looks like he will have the Nuggets in contention for a long, long time to come.

Stay tuned.

Lakers-Nuggets Game 5 highlights

In case you missed it:

I’m glad this highlight package included some Hugh Hefner kissing action…talk about old, tired balls.

Western Conference Finals preview

Get ready for another exciting, physical playoff series.

The Western Conference Finals get underway tonight in L.A. in what should be a epic battle between two evenly-matched teams.  Here is a look at the intriguing matchups and storylines in this series.

Lakers need to play with intensity and focus

There isn’t much room for error against the Nuggets.  The Lakers have yet play with consistency in the playoffs, and need to get more from Andrew Bynum, Derek Fisher, and Sasha Vujacic.

Bynum looked great in Game 7 against the Rockets, but hasn’t been very involved overall.

Carmelo ready to take the next step

Melo had never gotten out of the first round of the playoffs until this year.  Now, he is one step away from going to the finals.

Although he didn’t post good numbers against the Lakers in the regular season, he has upped his game in the playoffs and should have a huge series.  He is too strong for Trevor Ariza, too big for Kobe Bryant, too quick for Luke Walton and Lamar Odom.  Ariza figures to draw the primary matchup with Melo.

The three Laker point guards

Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown have played well at times in the postseason.  Derek Fisher has not.

Phil Jackson will almost certainly stick with Fisher in the starting lineup, but Farmar and Brown could see big minutes against Chauncey Billups.  Both have better size and quickness than old man Fish.

Pau Gasol needs to man-up

Gasol has rebounded from a dismal performance in the last year’s finals and put together a strong postseason campaign.  But he faces a athletic, long, and physical Nugget frontline.

Kenyon Martin will try to get into his head.  Gasol needs to keep his composure and stay aggressive offensively.

Bench play will be key to series

Both teams are fairly deep, but Denver’s bench has played much better in the the playoffs.  J.R Smith has amazing ability and tends to play well when motivated.  Kobe Bryant is his motivation.

Chris Andersen and Anthony Carter play well no matter how many minutes they get.  The Lakers will struggle to match Birdman’s energy and activity off the bench.

Linas Kleiza is banged up but could see some minutes against the Lakers.

Lamar Odom leads the Laker bench.  Denver will have trouble containing him if he is aggressive and healthy.  I expect him to have a strong series in an effort to enhance his market value this offseason.

Kobe stoppers

Dahntay Jones and J.R. Smith will draw the assignment of checking Kobe.  Jones got under Kobe’s skin in a regular season meeting between the two, but he isn’t strong enough to guard Kobe in the post.

Smith’s size and athleticism allows him to make life for Kobe somewhat difficult, but he doesn’t always try on defense.

Basically, nobody can stop Kobe.

Denver wins if

The Nuggs need to maintain composure and get strong play from the frontline, specifically Melo and Nene.  Chauncey Billups should have a big series, and the bench needs to play well.

L.A. wins if

Gasol and Bynum dominate.  Kobe will get his, Trevor Ariza is much-improved, and Lamar Odom should be active.  If the Lakers play hard and smart, expect a series victory

My prediction

I don’t normally make predictions because who the hell cares what I think, but I’m going to pick a winner here.

I like the Lakers in six games.  Although Denver is fast-becoming the trendy pick, the Nuggets have played two horrible (and dumb) teams in the postseason, while L.A. managed to win in Utah and defeat a tough Rocket team.

Get ready for Kobe vs. LeBron.

Feb. 2 Fantasy Basketball Trends

Last week one of our devoted TTT readers contacted me and asked if I would do a story about fantasy basketball. Since at this point EVD and I will do just about anything – yes, I mean anything – to boost our page views, I am happy to oblige.

I love fantasy sports, and someday hope to be employed as a “fantasy expert.” My fantasy resume is extensive and impressive – when it comes to baseball. I have a couple of football championships and some pick’ems in the trophy case as well.  But I’m an awful fantasy basketball player. I have never been good, and I’m only getting worse.

Now that I have destroyed any credibility, it’s time to unveil my fantasy trends segment. I will be posting fantasy tips on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

BUY-Here are some hot commodities if you are looking to make a trade:

Al Harrington, SF/PF, New York Knicks-Harrington has supplanted Wilson Chandler in the starting lineup and is averaging over 20 ppg since joining the Knicks. He is good for around two or three 3-pointers per game, and he will also get around seven boards since he is essentially a power forward. His low FG percentage is usually a concern, but it has been better of late.

Luol Deng, SG/SF, Chicago Bulls-I hate Luol and consider him to be Mr. Softy, but he has played fairly well since his return from injury. It probably wouldn’t take much to acquire him either, since his numbers during this injury-marred season (14.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg) aren’t good. He has showed signs of turning it around, having scored 20+ in three of the last four games while averaging over eight boards per game. His high FG and FT percentages make him an attractive acquisition.

Rodney Stuckey, PG/SG, Detroit Pistons-His stats haven’t been good since his 40 point outburst two weeks ago, but I like what the future holds. He is still getting big minutes even with Rip back, and his assists are up over the last week. His scoring won’t be great unless the Pistons trade Rip or AI, but he is good for 14 ppg and 6 apg with a high FG percentage. You shouldn’t have to give up much to acquire Stuckey, so think about it.

Leandro Barbosa, PG/SG, Phoenix Suns-The Suns are setting, but Barbosa’s stock is rising quickly. He won’t do much besides score, but he can really score. After failing to score against the Bobcats, the Brazilian Blur has scored 20+ in three of the last four games, including a 32 point explosion Saturday against the Bulls.

Ramon Sessions, PG/SG, Milwaukee Bucks-Sessions will shoulder more of the scoring load without Michael Redd. He is very capable, and has averaged 15.5 ppg and 4.5 apg since Redd’s injury.

Jason Thompson, PF/C, Sacramento Kings-Since he plays in ‘Mento, Thompson doesn’t get much attention but he has been solid as a rookie. The Kings are trying to move Brad Miller, and the former Rider star has gotten more minutes as of late. Expect his current numbers (10.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg) to increase as the Kings continue to suck this season.

SELL-You don’t want these guys anymore, but other people might:

Stephen Jackson, PG/SG/SF/PF, Golden State Warriors-The fact that Jackson can play four positions in most leagues makes him attractive player. He is vastly overrated and will likely tail off as the season winds down. His numbers (19.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.9 apg) are pretty good on the surface. But he will kill you in FG percentage and turnovers. Captain Jack is shooting a woeful 39 percent this season and commits 3.9 turnovers per game. People think he is good, so trade him for someone who is actually good.

J.R. Smith, SG/SF, Denver Nuggets-Smith is very talented but woefully inconsistent. George Karl can afford to put Smith back into his doghouse now that Carmelo is back, but his numbers are good enough that there might be some takers in your leagues. He is averaging 14 ppg and 4 rpg while making two 3-pointers in just 27 minutes per game. But with Linas Kleiza playing well, expect his minutes to dwindle. Wait until he has a big game and then look to move him.

Rudy Gay, SG/SF, Memphis Grizzlies-This is a little obvious, but you don’t want Rudy. He hasn’t gotten better since Lionel Hollins took over in shitty Memphis, and probably will be traded after the season. He is probably asking, “What’s my motivation?” His FG percentage and ppg have been on the decline over the past two months, and it will only get worse. His name carries some weight, especially if he does well in the dunk contest. Trade him to that really dumb guy in your league – the same guy that probably drafted Gerald Green two years ago.

Jason Kidd, PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks-Kidd is over the hill to say the least, but still somewhat productive. His scoring is down but his all-around game has him ranked highly in most leagues. Raymond Felton and Chris Duhon will finish strong this season and have more value than J Kidd.

Eddie House, PG/SG, Boston Celtics-For those of you who are deep leagues, Eddie House could be traded for a more consistent player. Fast Eddie has erupted for 20+ points in three of the last five games, making a combined 22 3-pointers in those games. His hot streak might make him difficult to part with, but remember that he has never been a consistent scorer.

HIDDEN GEMS-Here is a look at some ballers who might be worth a look in deep leagues:

Amir Johnson, PF/C, Detroit Pistons-Johnson had 8 points and 7 rebounds yesterday – in the third quarter. He didn’t get any minutes in the fourth quarter, proving once again that Michael Curry is an idiot. Johnson has gotten more minutes lately and is a decent option if your league is deep. Really deep.

Joakim Noah, PF/C, Chicago Bulls-Most fantasy owners probably dropped Noah, if they were paying attention. He is still a glaring failure, but he has showed improvement over the last month. He has managed to start ahead of Aaron Gray during the last 11 games, and he has scored in double-figures in three of the last four. His real value is on the boards; he is averaging 7 rpg during the last month.

Flip Murray, PG/SG, Atlanta Hawks-Flip is averaging 13.5 ppg during the last month and figures to keep getting minutes to spell Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson. He has a high FG percentage and will also help in the steals category.

Chris Mihm, C, Los Angeles Lakers-Mihm has hardly played this season, but should get a look now that Andrew Bynum is out for 8-12 weeks. The Lakers will probably play Gasol at center and give Lamar Odom and Luke Walton minutes at power forward during Bynum’s absence. Mihm will provide some scoring and rebounding if he gets minutes, so pay attention to the next couple of games.