The Potential Is There For Something…I Just Don’t Know What

Far be it for me to suggest that Allen Iverson has nothing to offer a team at this moment in time. But it’d appear that a player who’s now on the downside of what one might deem an illustrious career. It would probably be in his best interest to ride off into the sunset with his head held high. And let his legacy speak for itself. Rather than him now being ridiculed as the shell of the player he once was .

A seemingly happy Allen Iverson is introduced to the Detroit media having just been acquired by the Pistons in exchange for point guard Chauncey Billups who was traded to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for the former League MVP. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Gregory Shamus ............

Well at the end of the season Iverson became an unrestricted free agent. His tenure in Detroit proved to be a complete disappointment with the Detroit Pistons. Now very much his own man , though no longer an elite player. He now has to sit and wait for a team to show at least a modicum of interest in his talents. And for a player of Iverson’s undoubted talents, the days are long gone where’d be viewed as player that would command a king’s ransom for his services.

A smiling Allen Iverson in a Pistons' uniform. A rarity as such as his playing time was often pared due to recurring injuries and a loss of form . However on this occasion to be happy as his Pistons' team had just defeatd the Los Angeles Lakers 106-96 in a game played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , California,. picture appears ap/photo/ Gus Ruelas ....................

These are stark and dire times economically and teams aren’t prepared to pay top dollar for marginally above average talent. Mid-level cap exemption status or not. The fall of a once great player now seems to be resonating with a number of fans across the league. The thought that we’re now seeing a player of Iverson’s caliber struggle to even find a team seems somewhat perplexing. Albeit that it may well have something to do with the player’s perceived character and his susceptibility to recurring injuries. But one thing for sure is that we all know is that as a player, in no way does Iverson lack heart ! He gives of himself and of his body, perhaps more than is actually required in the pursuit of victory.

Iverson as a Nugget playing at the team's home venue, the Pepsi Center in Denver , Colorado,. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Ryan Williams ............

Amongst the peers of his generation , perhaps only the ‘The Big Man’, ‘The Diesel’, Shaquille O’Neal played with as much heart as Iverson in his heyday on the basketball court. But this is no longer a veteran’s game. Albeit that cerebral players such as Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett are said to be still at their peak. And those are the players from Iverson’s generation that we tend to associate him with.

And whilst we can contend that the failed experiment of Iverson’s tenure with the Denver Nuggets , playing alongside Carmelo Anthony , Kenyon Martin , J. R. Smith and Nene’ . But yet they could still not function as a cohesive unit , much less as a team. And for Nuggets’ coach George Karl , there was no end to the nightmare , as they set out on this doomed facsimile of an experiment. The Nuggets with Iverson in tow , was a team primarily built on the premise offense. Defense it would appear was never a part of their mindset. And it was understandable when the Nuggets as an organization sought to trade Iverson to the Pistons in exchange for hometown hero, Chauncey Billups , a Denver native. And in the end we all saw who got the better of that deal .

Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers seen here participating against the New Orleans Hornets in the NBA's Summer League. pictur appears courtesy of nbae/getty images/ Garret W Ellwod

The Denver Nuggets would indeed ascend whereas the Detroit Pistons, though barely having made it into the playoffs. They were jettisoned from postseason play like rancid garbage being thrown into the streets of New Delhi.

As is befitting a team and a player seemingly on the demise. The Detroit Pistons and Allen Iverson are at a crossroads as to their immediate futures. For the Pistons and their GM Joe Dumars . It is now about rebuilding a team and making them once again a perennial contender. Whereas for Iverson it’s about rebuilding his reputation and at the same time prove to any team, willing to take him. That he has indeed something still to offer a team, by way of his own contributions.

Amongst the teams or said team to be interested in Allen Iverson. It’s allegedly Donald Sterling’s Los Angeles Clippers. This couldn’t be perceived as a marriage made in heaven. But it may well have to do as far as Iverson’s career ambitions may well go.

Whilst on paper the team’s roster looks great with a mixture of seasoned veterans in Baron Davis , Marcus Camby, Ricky Davis, Zach Randolph and Chris Kaman. There’s also promising sophomore Eric Gordon and this year’s number #1 draft pick Blake Griffin to complement and round out the playing staff of this team. And as much as we’ve derided the Clippers over the years for their ineptitude. It has to be said that the possible addition to Iverson on this team. And the foundations could well be laid for a successful season.

Eric Gordon of th Clippers seen here playing against the Phoenix Suns in an NBA game from last season. It's hoped that Gordon and Bake Griffin will be viewed as the conerstone of the Clippers' long term future. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Anthony Kettering .............

But much of that percieved success would be predicated on the egos of some players being left at the door. It’s bad enough having the likes of Davis and his namesake Ricky Davis on the same team . In addition you’ve also got a malcontent and an enfant terrible in Zach Randolph added into the mix. That’s as volatile and combustible a mix as anyone would want to have to undertake as a coach of this team. Nevermind then adding Iverson into such an environment. Talk about a molotov cocktail . This may well be a Krakatoa type eruption waiting to happen. And in the midst of it all all you’ll have these two young players in Gordon and Griffin having to ingratiate themselves with their more experienced teammates.

It could either bring about a recipe for disaster. Or dare I say it , complete resounding success ? What Iverson can bring to this team as its elder statesman is a wise head and hopefully a calming influence to this team. But let’s not forget we are talking about the Los Angeles Clippers. Success for them as of late has been to play the entire regular season of 82 games and then to be mistakenly recognized as members of the Los Angeles Lakers. In reality the only thing these two teams have in common is that they share the same home venue and they both play in the Western Conference. As to comparing their competitive nature. That’s like comparing a highly priced bottle of vintage jeroboam champagne to a bottle of stale vinegar. It just doesn’t equate !

NB This post can also be found within The American Sports Blog http://americansportsblog.wordpress.com ………….

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The Potential Is There For Something ……I Just Don’t Know What

The Birdman Can Still Fly High In Denver But Can He And The Nuggets Join The Mile High Club?

The Denver Nuggets have resigned Chris Birdman Andersen to a 5 year deal . The deal itself is said to be worth in the region of $26m . And it’s a handsome reward for a player that seemingly resurrected his career with the Nuggets.

The high flying Chris Andersen who was resigned by the Denver Nuggets to a 5 year $27m contract. Anderson appreciatie of the commitment shown in him by the franchise. picture appears courtesy ap/photo/Mark Bartlestein ………

For coach George Karl and that of the Nuggets’ hierarchy it was a welcoming reward in the return of a fan favorite amongst the Denver crowd. He brought energy to the team’s home arena and the fans fed off that. And with his zany antics , erstwhile character and willingness to sacrifice his body in order to do the dirty work on the offensive and defensive end in terms of rebounding. It’s easy to understand why it is that the franchise were determined to retain the player.

And though the team fell short of their expectations , having been eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals 4-2 after a determined effort. It has to be said that this will be a team to be reckoned with next season. A year older but much more wiser one would hope. This augurs well for the franchise and their ultimate aim of winning an NBA championship.

Ty Lawson who was selected 18th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves is seen here with Nuggets' coach George Karl after the player was acquired by the team in a trade . Lawson will be the backup to point guards Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter . But in all likelihood he's viewed as the heir apparent to Billups. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo / David Zabulowski ............

And with the experience of having a proven winner within their midst in point guard Chauncey Billups as a well as the maturation of Carmelo Anthony. It’s easy to see why this team may well be one of the few teams in the Western Conference who could give the Los Angeles Lakers a run for their money in defending their NBA title.

Carmelo Anthony (left), Chauncey Billups (center) and Nene Hilario of the Denver Nuggets are on the sidelines during the Western Conference quarter finals game played against the New Orleans Hornets at the Pepsi Center in Denver , Colorado. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Chris Farrior .............

Not lost in all of this has been the draft of the Nuggets. There’s been astute assessment in what their requirements were. And they went about picking up a very talented player. They may well have picked up the heir apparent to Billups in acquiring former Carolina Tar Heel Ty Lawson. The player was orginally taken 18th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves , who then dispatched his rights to the Nuggets via a trade. That in ofitself could well be a blessing in disguise for the team as a whole. With Lawson they get an intense and creative offensive player . Who’s also equally adept on the defensive side of the ball. And with the team’s roster almost seeminly unchanged . The cohesiveness that we saw throughout much of the regular season and into the earlier rounds of the playoffs ought to be still there as the new season beckons.

The aspirations of the franchise won’t at all be lost on the fans in Denver. They’ve shown their loyal support to the team throughout the regular season and then into the postseason itself. And even with the disappointment of the loss to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. They could see the beginning of something fruitful as to the team’s play and the resolve shown.

Yahoo Sports.com reports: via AP Sports Writer Pat Graham …..

Anderson reaches 5-year deal to stay with Nuggets.

AP Sports Writer Pat Graham :
Denver (AP) Chris ‘Birdman’ Andersen has reached a 5 year deal to keep his high flying, shot blocking act with the Denver Nuggets , the team he revived his career with last season.

Andersen’s attorney, Mark Bryant , confirmed the agreement on Wednesday , saying it would be signed later in the day.

Andersen, who turned 31 on Tuesday could make up to $26m over the lifetime of a back-loaded contract that gives the Nuggets financial flexibility.

The Nuggets didn’t return phone calls.

Andersen will make close to $3.65 million in 2009-10, up from the $998,398 he made last season, when he averaged 6.4 points and 2.5 blocked shots in 20.6 minutes.

“You write the best scenario, think you’re dreaming and open youre eyes and it’s real,” Bryant said. “He’s very excited . They treated him as a priority.”

With his colorful tattoos and spiky hair, Andersen was an instant hit with the Denver fans, who’ve embraced his return to the court.

Andersen came back to the NBA in 2008 following a ban that lasted almost two years after he tested positive for an undisclosed “drug of abuse”.

The energetic forward known for his defensive disruption around the basket provided a spark off the bench as the Nuggets made a run to the Western Conference finals, where they fell short to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.

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The Dumbing Down Of A Franchise ……

The Detroit Pistons as a franchise team were the envy of a number of teams around the NBA. Their remarkable stretch of consistency over the past six years spoke for itself. And in their esteemed GM Joe Dumars they perhaps have one of the best young general managers in the entire NBA.

Pistons’ GM and Head Of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Ian McIntosh ………

And granted the Darko Milicic experiment went about as successfully as having one’s tooth pulled without the assist of having anasthesia in order to abate the pain. But herein lies a fact from 2002-08 they won 6 divisional titles, 2 conference titles, and to cap it all their third NBA championship title in 2004. There they defeated the league’s poster child in terms ostentatious success, the Los Angeles Lakers. Defeating the storied franchise 4-1 in the best of the seven games series finals . Less we forget the Phil Jackson coached team was ladened with stars and future Hall of Famers in the guise of Gary Payton, Karl Malone, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Byant.

An angst ridden Allen Iverson looks up at the scoreboard after a Pistons’ loss at the Palace of Auburn Hills. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Michael Russo ………

However, this past season we saw the upheaval that can be brought when a monumental mistake can be made from a disasterous decision. Dumars thought it best to trade away his erstwhile point guard Chauncey Billups to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for former NBA scoring champion Allen Iverson.And whilst no one would doubt the heart of Iverson. It has to be be said that this isn’t the same player who captivated the hearts of many from his heydays with the Philadelphia 76ers. Iverson , nowadays is more a viable candidate as a triage patient than he would be on the roster of an NBA franchise. At this juncture one would have to question the resolve of Dumars and what he might’ve been thinking at the time.

Former Mavericks’ coach Avery Johnson. He was widely considered to be the front-runner for the vacant Pistons’ head coaching position. picture appears courtesy of espn.com/nba/ Tim Arthur ………….

Now after a lackluster season where they underperformed greatly , posting a (39-43) record , barely squeaking into the playoffs. The franchise is without a coach. As Dumars fired Michael Curry, who many felt was unable to communicate with the players on the Pistons’ roster. It almost certainly didn’t help that Iverson barely played in any games , constantly befelled by recurring injuries. And to top it all when the player was told that he would benched for the remainder of the regular season. It could be viewed that the writing was on the wall . Not only for Iverson , but also for the fate awaiting Curry, himself.

Austin Daye taken in the first round by the Detroit Pistons. Daye is seen here on stage at the Wamu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY,. picture appears courtesy of nbae/getty images/ Ivan Kusmanov ..........

Iverson for his part wasn’t at all happy with the situation , as he voiced his disapproval and discontent. But adding insult to injury was the way with the Pistons were cast aside by the LeBron James’ led Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs. That series if anything was indicative of how woefully inept this Pistons’ team had become. And it may well have been the watershed moment for Dumars. He’ll now to have to disassemble the roster and try to find the integral pieces that will once again make the Pistons a perennial contender.

Curry now formerly of the Detroit Pistons seen here coaching the team in a regular season game against the Charlotte Bobcats. picture appears courtesy of the charlotteobserver.com/sports/

In the midst of this all Dumars still has to fill the vacancy as to the Pistons’ coaching position. The person thought to to be most likely candidate was former Dallas Mavericks’ coach Avery Johnson . But as may well have been the custom the two were either not of the same mindset . Or merely from the fact that a renumeration package couldn’t be reached. The interview process obviously didn’t go all that well. Either way it leaves Dumars with the unenviable task of trying to lure a top line coach to take over the vacant position.

Chauncey Billiups (1) seen here with then teammate Richard Hamilton during a regular season game for the Detroit Pistons. picture appears courtesy of guardian.uk.co/sports/basketball/ Tony Stephenson …………

And the second candidate on Dumars’ wish list is said to to be Cavaliers’ assistant coach John Kuester. There’s also talk that the Boston Celtics’ assistant Tom Thibodeau could also be in the mix for the vacant position. Thibodeau is the primary architect of the Celtics’ much vaulted defense. At this juncture however , it can only be viewed as mere speculation.

Whatever the future may well now hold for the Detroit Pistons. It has to be said that insult was most definitely added to injury with regard to two particular maneuvers made by Joe Dumars. The first was taking Darko Milic and making him a first round draft pick. When in his stead he could have chosen Carmelo Anthony. And quite obviously the other was the trading away of Billups to the Nuggets in exchange for Iverson. While we can all agree that Dumars was the primary architect behind the franchise’s resurgence and the capturing of an NBA title . It has to be said that he’s also been behind the dumbing down of the franchise.

Former Pistons’ first round draft pick Darko Milicic seen here in a rare moment when he was actually in a Pistons’ uniform and playing well ? picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Craig McIntyre ………..

In part much of this may well have been from the fact like everyone else around him. Dumars felt it was good to try and keep up with the Joneses. But the failures have manifested themselves in such a way. That it is very hard to view the direction that the franchise now must take. Albeit that the teams now in the Eastern Conference such as the Orlando Magic, Cavaliers and Boston Celtics have gotten better . As the Pistons have regressed and entrenched themselves in mediocrity.

As a fan of the NBA , I would hope to see the franchise rise again. As its history has proven what it is capable doing. Teams such as the Pistons with their renowned history sometimes have to be beset by real adversity if they’re to learn from their mistakes. Let’s just hope that stubborn pride won’t stand in the way of Dumars as he seeks to rebuild the franchise once again.

Post-Game Analysis: Nuggets @ Lakers – Game 5

 

94 – 103

 

 

The Lakers showed why they are a championship caliber team when they dispatched the Nuggets in the 4th quarter and won 103-94 in game 5 to move within a win of reaching the NBA Finals for the second straight year. Kobe Bryant led the way with his unselfish play, scoring 22 pts on just 13 shots while grabbing 5 boards and handing out 8 assists (and 7 turnovers). Carmelo Anthony was the top scorer for the Nuggets as he had 31 pts. The key to the Lakers win in game 5 was their 21-3 run spanning the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter after they fell behind by seven. This turned the seven point defecit (73-66) into an 87-76 lead with 8:11 to play. The Nuggets missed 11 straight shots over this span.

Turning Point of the Game: The turning point of last night’s game should be pretty obvious if you watched the game last night. With 4:20 to play in the 3rd and Denver leading by 5, Chauncey Billups pumped faked at the 3pt. line and tried to lean into Shannon Brown to draw a foul. But Brown did a nice job of avoiding the contact and Billups was forced to change course in midair, throwing an errant pass right to Pau Gasol at the foul line. Gasol led the 3 on 1 fastbreak with Brown on his right and Trevor Ariza on his left while Billups  sulked and let Brown run by him to create the 3 0n 1 instead of a 3 on 2. Gasol flipped the ball to Brown who took two steps and jammed over the outstretched arm of Chris “Birdman” Andersen.

With the dunk, the little used Brown got the crowd involved, inspired  his teammates and boosted the energy and moral  of a Laker team that had been outplayed up until that point. And to add to his excitement, Brown earned himself the #4 play on SportsCenters top ten plays of the day, as well as a poster with his dunk on the Birdman (I can’t wait to see what that looks like).

Karl’s Yellow Streak Underlines The Fact That He Has No Guts

After last night’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.  There’s no denying that the Denver  Nuggets’ coach George Karl really is the liability for the team as a whole.  Instead of trying to accentuate what needs to be done by his team in trying to win this series. 

Carmelo Anthony of the Nuggets and the Lakers' Lamar Odom contest a loose ball during the game . picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Tom Scott

What has been uttered from the lips of Karl has been nothing but platitudes and a list of complaints that stretch for miles.  And in no way will change the outcome of what has transpired already.

If anything this clearly shows Karl for what he really is.  And that’s a coach who appears to be way in over his head when it comes to coaching a team in the postseason.  Albeit that he’d had measured success in previous stops.  Most notably in his stay with the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle Supersonics.  And as we know what has since befallen that franchise.  As they’ve since become the Oklahoma  City Thunder.

Shannon Brown of the Los Angeles Lakers takes the ball downcourt against the Denver Nuggets during game 5 of the Western Conference Finals played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , Calfornia . picture appears courtesy of nbae/ getty images/ Andrew D Bernstein

 For three quarters the Nuggets were able to remain competitive with the Lakers before succumbing to a 103-94 loss in a pivotal game 5.  But if anything showed that the team’s heart may no longer be in this series.  Then the actions of Karl and his addressing of the press in the postgame conference was clearly indicative of this.

Rather than suggesting where he felt the team went wrong in terms of their overall play.  He was more concerned with the fact of the officiating and the fact that his team wasn’t getting their fair share of the calls.  The question I would ask of Karl is, since when did he expect there to be any semblance of consistency when to comes to the officiating in the NBA postseason?  We’ve continuously see the inconsistencies not only in the postseason, but also in the regular season itself.  And it’s not about to change anytime soon.  The vagaries of the game being what they are.  And the mere fact that even NBA Commissioner Stern feels that his officials are above reproach.

Pre-Game Analysis: Nuggets @ Lakers – Game 5

2009 Western Conference Finals

 

 

 V.S.

 

Going into game 4 down 1-2 the Denver Nuggets needed to come out with a lot of energy to avoid going down 1-3. And coming out with energy they did; with Carmelo Anthony ailing (virus and hurt ankle) the Nuggets role players stepped up big time. The Nuggets just looked like an energetic team facing elimination, and were very aggressive on the boards (winning 58-40). The Lakers on the other hand, looked like a very weary team. Aside from Kobe and Gasol nothing seemed to work for the Lakers. You could say that it was another case of Los Angeles not caring as much when they were not backed into a corner, but I just think that they were a little exhausted. The time for being exhausted will have to wait a couple more weeks as these two teams head back to L.A. for game 5.

Key to the Game:

Lakers

1. For the love of God, can they get the ball inside to Pau Gasol? It was very evident at the end of game 3 when the Lakers won to go up 2-1; that Pau Gasol could not be contained. In game 4 he finished with a solid 21 points on 11 shots, but saw the ball very seldom in the second half managing only 4 shot attempts. That is a very disturbing and unacceptable stat. instead of giving him the ball to continue his dominance in the low post the Lakers thought it would be a better idea to hoist up an unbelievable 31 shots from behind the arc. If this continues to happen don’t expect the Lakers to go back to Denver ahead in this series.
2. The Lakers Bigs need to act like it and start showing some dominance on the glass. As stated before they were killed on the boards 40-58. That is just an unacceptable margin with a roster that boast two seven footers (Gasol, and Bynum) and a very athletic 6’10 power forward (Odom); these three only had 23 between them with Gasol having 10 of them. The Nuggets had 20 offensive boards leading to many second chance points and that left the Lakers with very little chance of winning game 4.
3. My last point is asking Coach Phil Jackson to have a sense of urgency, and treat this game like an elimination game. In a sense it is the Lakers do not want to go back to Denver down 2-3. By urgency I mean leave Kobe in the game 48 minutes or until the game has been decided; in game 4 Kobe took what I felt was too long of a break and the team suffered Denver just extended their lead with him on the bench. He also needs to make it a point to his players to get the ball inside to Gasol and occasionally Bynum; if the ball is getting inside he needs to call a few timeouts and remind his players what needs to be done. I also would like to see Coach Jackson use Shannon Brown A LOT more. I understand everything that Fish has done for us, and Phil’s loyalty to him; but he is s-t-r-u-g-g-l-i-n-g. He cannot seem to find his shot and simply isn’t the same on defense as he was in the past.

We’re All Vulnerable, But Some Are More Than Others

Over the  Memorial   Day   weekend    my   buddies  and   I  got   together.    The girlfriend  saw  fit to  return  to  Orlando  to  check  on  her  apartment   there  as  she  resides   in that   city.   I   only  make  the  city   the  place of my  work.   Which  is  soon   to change  as  I’ve  just been   offered a   position within a  noted  law firm  to work  within  their  corporate  business   division,  in terms  of   mergers  and   acquisition.  

And  being  the  sport’s  oriented testosterone  driven  males   that  we  are    the  subject  of  sports   arose.   And  in  particular the    NBA   and  the  plight  of the  Detroit   Pistons.

We  didn’t  feel  in the  mood  to  be   discussing  the  wars  in Afghanistan  or  Iraq , given the  fact that each  of   us   in  our   own  way  have   seen  and  been  in the  service  of  our contry  in one  form  or  another.  

I’d  spent   6  1/2  years  myself  as   a  Marine  in  the  British  military  .  And  I  saw   active   service   serving in  Ireland  during  the   early to mid   eighties.  And  whilst  there  I   lost   several  comrades   there.    Furthermore   I’d   also  served   in  various  parts   of Europe  and   North  Africa  with  the British military  as part  of  a   UN  peackekeeping  force. 

 

Darko Milicic on draft day in 2003 . Milicic was the Pistons' #1 draft pick on the day. The franchise had the chance to take Carmelo Anthony at the time but they forsook the choice. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Richard Curtis ................

But  the   crux  of  this  piece  really   gathers  and  is   about  the  fortunes  and  shall  we  say   the  demise  of the  Detroit  Pistons  as  a  franchise.   For  six   straigth  years  the  franchise  had  ridden  on the  crest  of a  wave   having  been  part of   six   straight   appearances   in the  Eastern  Conference   Finals. 

However  somewhere along  the  way   things  started  to  fray  around  the edges  for the  franchise  under the  custodianship of  GM Joe  Dumars.   My  colleagues  and  I as  we  discussed   this   came  at the  topic   in  differing   directions.   

I  took  the  stance that  the  malaise started  when   Dumars  chose   to  take   as his   number  one   pick   Darko  Milicic    and  second  overall    in  the    NBA  draft of 2003 .  When  he  could’ve  at the  time  taken  then   star  of  the   NCAA  Tournament   that   year ,  Carmelo  Anthony.  Carmelo if  one  remembers   led the Syracuse  Orange men to   the  national  title  that  year as a sophomore.      The  others who  were   part  of the  discussion   felt   it  was  just     the  mere  fact   it  was  a  misguided choice.  Milicic  for  his  part  never   truly   fitted  in what   it  was  perceived   Dumars   required   from  him  as  a player.

 

Joe Dumars GM of the Detroit Pistons seen here with Allen Iverson recently after the player's trade to the team from the Nuggets in exchange for Chauncey Billups. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Richard Crouch .........

 

And  when  choices  such  as this are  made   and  they  don’t  eventually  pan  out  to  something   tangible.   They  can   and    do  tend   to set  a  franchise  back   a  number of  years.  Especially  when    the  player  is  or  has  been  viewed  as   a  franchise  player  and  the  linch   pin  of  the  organization  for   the  forseeable   future.  That being  said   if  the   error  isn’t  immediately   rectified    you often  see  a  player   who’s   not  contributing  much  that team.    And  then  comes  the  lack  of  confidence  on  both  fronts   from  the  player  and  that  of  the  coaching  staff.   For  Milicic   it  didn’t take    long   for  him   to  prove  that   Dumars’   faith  in  him   wasn’t  justified at  all.  

 

Iverson seen here who at the time seemed in a much happier place. picture appears courtesy of nbae/getty images/ Terry Shaw .............

 

And  though  some  might  say   that  it  hasn’t  been  until  this  year that we’ve   seen  Carmelo Anthony  produce  some of the  best  play  of  his  career  thus  far.   We  all   knew  that  there  had to  have been   something   special about the  player. Otherwise   why  would   they  have   voted   him    player of the  tournament   during   the  Final  Four  of  the  NCAA Tournament  when  Syracuse won  it all  ? 

Post Game Analysis: Lakers @ Nuggets – Game 4

 

 

101 – 120

 

 

For the first time in this exciting, dramatic Western Conference Finals, the team that led after the first quarter was able to end up on top as the Denver Nuggets throughly outplayed the Los Angeles Lakers en route to a 120-101 win in game 4. Denver was on top from the start, leading for all but one minute in a thrashing of the defending western champions. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 34 pts on just 10-26 shooting while Pau Gasol added 21 pts and 10 rebounds. The second seeded Nuggets received 24 pts each from Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith to offset a poor night from Carmelo Anthony who was held to 3-16 shooting from the field.

The Lakers did not listen to our keys to the game as they came out sluggish, while the Nuggets came out strong in the first quarter, taking a 7 point lead only to see the Lakers cut the defecit to 3 after one quarter. But Denver responded, led mostly by its bench as J.R. Smith (9pts and 4 assists in 2nd quarter) and Linas Kleiza (7pts in the quarter) combined to lead the Nuggets on a 17-7 run and take a 39-26 lead midway through the 2nd quarter. Kobe Bryant’s 19 first half points allowed LA to stay within striking distance as Kobe repeatedly got to the line and knocked down his jumpers. The key to the Nuggets’ first half success was its passing, which led to easy baskets and open jump shots. J.R. Smith was effective in driving the ball into the interior of the Laker defense, causing LA’s bigs to step up to stop him. This left Nene open underneath for an easy slam and led to a Linas Kleiza wide open 3 pointer.

Denver also did an excellent job of contesting every shot by Kobe Bryant. Kobe took multiple shots falling away with a hand in his face so give credit to the Nuggets for executing their game plan. They also dominated the boards, outrebounding LA 58-40 including 20 offensive rebounds which led to tons of extra possessions.