FIRST QUARTER
Starting Lineups
LAL: Ariza (F), Gasol (F), Bryant (G), Fisher (G), Bynum (C)
DEN: Billups (G), Jones (G), Anthony(F), Martin (F), Hilario (C)
@ 9:03 Raucous atmosphere at the Pepsi Center in Denver. interesting starting lineup
9:07: biggest game in Nuggets history, that's what the Denver media is labeling tonight's game.
9:08: time to do as the Black Eyed Peas say, LET'S GET IT STARTED!
9:08: LAL wins tip off, and we are underway. as I typed that, Dahntay "the foul machine" Jones fouls Kobe from behind.
ALL TIMES ARE THOSE OF THE GAME
10:29 in the 1st: great play by the Nuggets, K-Mart throws it down like the colonists threw barrels of tea into Boston Harbor in 1773.
8:45 in the 1st: Nene dunks uncontested, where are you Senor Gasol?
7:53 in the 1st: Ariza is missing some good looks...
7:32 in the 1st: Bynum dunks in a most anticlimactic way...
5:31 in the 1st: woww the Nuggets getting their dunk on, pun definitely intended, TO called by the Zen Master. Jones' windmill dunk forces the first stoppage. So far Denver is feeding off the energy in the building and the Lakers look slightly fatigued from their first game in the Mile High city. LAL are not hitting their shots and Kobe has yet to find his rhythym. Game has a great flow thus far. Kobe admits to sleeping 10 hours! Incisive reporting from ESPN.
3:48 in the 1st: substitions Bynum and Ariza out, Walton and Odom enter. Martin out, Smith in for the Nuggets.
3:30 in the 1st: Pau Gasol getting involved in the game, four points so far
2:57 in the 1st: George Karl takes his full timeout. Thus far the song remains the same. Nuggets holding it down with a six point lead. Just like the first three games, the Nuggets appear to be in control. Let's see how this one finishes.
2:51 in the 1st: Pepsi Center crowd erupts as Chris "Birdman" Anderson enters and Hilario takes a seat. What a story that guy has, almost the NBA equivalent of Josh Hamilton.
1:54 in the 1st: K-Mart wastes a TO with three seconds on the shot clock, Karl does not look pleased. 18-13 Nuggets.
END OF THE 1st: Kobe hits a runner and draws the ire of the Pepsi Center crowd. Bryant has nine points in a close 1st quarter. 22-19 Nuggets. This is definitely going to be as Kevin Durant declared on twitter, a barnburner.
SECOND QUARTER
10:24 in the 2nd: alley to the BIRDMAN, who throws it down. Andersen has been the spark thus far. blocks dunks rebounds you name he's already done it. 26-19 DEN.
9:41: great lay-up by Smith, draws a massive fist pump from yours truly. all Nuggets as Vujacic travels. 30-19 Nuggs.
9:17: TO DEN. Billups takes a blow and Anthony Carter enters the fray. Fantastic start to the second from Denver as they have smothered the Lake Show on defense and have taken the second chances the charitable Lakers D has donated to them. Don't sleep on the Mamba, I expect him to start taking more shots for the Lakers. Farmar enters for LA.
9:14: BEAT LA! is the chant at the Pepsi Center. Has to be one of my favourite chants in basketball.
8:01: Farmar three's for the Lakers, Kleiza counters with a putback and a three.
7:35: Nene DUNKS again, he sure likes that, could be his favorite pastime. Lakers need to box out better if they want to hang with Denver tonight.
6:52: another Nene dunk. sweet wounded jesus where are the LAL bigs?
6:17: FINALLY! Bryant shows up hits a tough turnaround J and gets fouled by Carter, the and-1 is converted as usual by the Black Mamba. I was about to say, my prediction on Kobe looked to be as wrong as Jon Kitna saying the Lions would win ten games a few years ago...
5:45: It's weird seeing Kobe miss shots. Just as weird as it was to see LeBron become LeBrick last night in Orlando.
5:43: OFFICIAL TO. Lakers are just holding on, Nuggets are up 11. Would be even more if J.R. Smith had not decided to jettison caution to the wind by throwing a ball awkwardly down the court to Nene, who mishandles the ball out of bounds.
4:46: nice shot Fisher. hits his first three. but then Smith counters. Nuggets up 12.
3:50 forget about Kobe doin' work, Spike Lee should do a Smith doin' work, 'cos that's what's goin' down! 46-34 DEN.
3:01: FULL TO LAL. LA should be happy just to be down 10 at this point. Denver is playing great basketball. Anthony looks like he's picked up a slight knock which has affected his recent shooting, hopefully it's nothing too serious.
2:54: K-MART SAYS GET THIS SHIT OUT OF HERE!
2:47: HOW DO YOU STOP THAT WHICH IS UNSTOPPABLE?? YOU CAN'T! mamba with a three.
1:47: Lakers are making a quiet comeback. 46-42 Nuggs as Gasol hits both FT's. and then Mr. Softee dunks over a sprawled out Nene.
55.2: MELO DUNK. 50-42. Anthony is still gimpy but manages to dunk through the pain. 20 second TO LAL. Anthony checks out and heads to the locker room.
END OF THE FIRST HALF: Bryant with a quiet 19 points in the first half. LAL only down seven points as the lads head into the locker room for half time team talks. Jackson should be getting on his team's case for playing a sluggish first half. Karl needs to just say as you were, the Nuggets look the better team through 24 minutes played at the Pepsi Center. Time to enjoy a halftime beverage.
THIRD QUARTER
Karl pledges Defense, and asks for a statement performance from his team. Almost time to get the second half started.
11:30 and we're underway. nothing so far, the ball is kicked out of bounds. Martin air ball's a three.
11:22: Mr. Softee Pau Gasol gets a up-and-under lay up and the foul, hits his free throw. 52-48 Nuggs.
10:30: Melo does not look his usual self, bricks a three out of bounds.
10:06: great fast break by the Nuggets, brilliant dime by Nene as Jones throws it down.
9:17: Gasol gets his 14th and 15th point, Pau looks like he wants to be involved. Lakers only down three.
8:07: Denver makes a great defensive stand, plays hot potato down the court, then Billups takes Odom on an iso, hits the shot, draws the contact, and hits the free throw. 60-53 DEN.
7:52: FULL T.O. LAL. Zen Master calls a Full TO with Jones at the line. Lakers made a push at the start of the quarter but some great rebounding by the Nuggets in addition to their assertiveness at the offensive end has put their lead back at 8. Jones hits the second.
6:55: good pull-up shot by Billups as he dekes Odom on his way to the basket. Kobe hits a nice fadeaway jumper just before that. Also, as a side note, why isn't Gasol exploiting his size advantage when he is matched up against a smaller Kenyon Martin?
6:17: Nene wants it more. Double double for him. Nuggets got three shots at the drawer and convert. Who wouldn't at those odds.
5:46: Odom knocks down a thee, maybe he wants to play an important role in the game.
5:16: the Nuggets are killing the LAL on the boards, another second chance bucket.
4:40: "gotta love the passion" Melo fouls as both he and a LAL dive for the ball.
3:54: Jones hits both FT's 72-59 Denver.
2:39 Birdman gets a put-back fires up the Pepsi Center.
1:59: Andersen attempts a three... he's off drugs right?
1:20: play stops as some retard spills his drink on the floor... turns out the delivery meathead bumped into the ref and down goes the coors (or whatever alcoholic beverage the rich dude wanted to consume).
1:08: Smith hits a huge three pointer. swappity swap swap swap goes the net. 77-63 Nuggets.
38.1: Vujacic finally hits a three and counters.
END OF THE THIRD. Why is Shannon Brown taking the last shot? Kind of indicative of how the Lakers have played this game four. The Nuggets just look like they want it more. Every rebound seems to be gobbled up by sirs Andersen, Nene, and Martin. I still wouldn't sleep on Kobe. As I type the Nike commercial about Kobe comes on, "is it possible to stop something unstoppable, is the answer to the question another question? Look out Denver. (Just so you know I'm not an ignorant Nuggets bandwagon fan.) Also, apparently McDonald's has no respect for the French language with these McCafe commercials. I guess we have something in common.
FOURTH QUARTER
"we got a lot of intensity" George Karl
11:46: Bynum wow where have YOU been? Bynum hits a two to get the Lakers on the board in the fourth.
10:44: Bynum again. The Nuggs bench has outscored LAL's 25-10.
10:23: GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY! (thanks Kevin). Billups is just an amazing player. Throws himself into Bynum, hits the lay up and draws the foul. hits the resulting free throw. 80-70 Nuggets.
10:01: Billups cannot be stopped at the moment. Pepsi Center explodes as he hits a three over Andrew Bynum.
9:32: Smith just powers his way through the middle to catch another Nene dime to slam it home. Nuggets up 13.
9:11: Walton gets a retarded technical for pushing Nene, Byrant shakes his towel-covered head on the bench as Billups hits the FT.
9:02: Bynum wants to stand up and be counted this quarter, maybe I should stop calling players out. Hits the shot and is fouled, but cannot convert the resulting FT.
8:43: Kleiza hits a three at the other end. 89-73 Nuggets having it Burger King style for the biggest lead of the game. OFFICIAL T.O. "AI9 (andre igoudala) jr got it goin...and denver beastin them on the glass..."
7:40: the Nuggets seem to have momentarily lost the plot as Smith misses a lay-up off the side of the backboard and Farmar drives the floor and gets fouled and makes his lay-up, but misses from the charity stripe. Kobe is still on the bench... 89-76 Nuggets.
7:09: Smith gets a technical for, yelling? I really don't understand. A slight elbow I mean come on. Vujacic hits a three. Almost time to call in the closer.
6:44: Melo fouled on his way to the basket. Ariza picks up his fifth. Enter Kobe. Melo makes both FT's. 91-79 Nuggets.
6:11: Bynum flagrantly fouls Andersen, who removes his headband in exasperation. Just as an aside, Kobe is scoreless in the fourth quarter... Nuggets to shoot two FT's and get a possession. DEN FULL T.O. Andersen clutch with two FT's as the ESPN boys argue about the flagrant call.
5:16: Kobe gets on the fourth quarter scoresheet. but then Melo just says hey I'm clutch too, hits a shot and gets the and-1. and hits the FT. 96-83. Kobe hits again.
4:17: Kobe hits a great three. look out. but then Smith hits the same. net gain of zero for the Lake Show. 100-86 Nuggets.
3:55: Walton fouls out without really doing anything all game. the Nuggets are +16 on the boards tonight and boy is that reflected on the scoreboard. Melo knocks down both.
3:49: apparently tonight's giveaway at the Pepsi Center was technical fouls. This time Melo picks up one for a friendly pat on the chest of Bryant. and then K-Mart gets one. I mean really, this is just ridiculous. Just allowing Kobe to hit FT's with no time coming off the clock. 102-92.
2:51: FULL T.O. LAL. you me and my 480 friends on facebook couldn't keep Denver off the boards tonight. another offensive rebound. Billups gets fouled and hits both FT's. 104-92. Denver's No. 7 has 22 on the night. "We're the better team let's go prove it." George Karl during the T.O. 36-17 Denver's bench has dominated. Not really surprising considering that Ariza and Vujacic have done nothing all game.
2:39: great defense from the Nuggets leads to a fast break lay up by Billups. Bryant is going to start chucking three's now.
1:19 DAGGER BLOW!?! Smith hits the three. 110-96. again @ 1:40. 113-99, after Farmar hits a three. Nuggets up 14. DEN 20-SECOND T.O.
46.2: The Lakers bench looks like the new Will Ferrell joint. Nene hits a lay up and gets the and-1. Anthony and Billups come off to a standing ovation from the sold out Pepsi Center. Nene hits the FT. Nuggets take three shots and on the third Jones is fouled. hits both FT's, 118-99 Nuggets. Jones then dunks, pretty much the icing on that Nuggets ice-cream cake in the Mile High City. 120-99.
GAME OVER. Sometimes you just expect superstars to bend all conventional constructs of how things should be. Kobe found his breaking point tonight, as LeBron went so did he. 120-101 final from Denver. This is a huge win for the Nuggets. HOW WILL KOBE RESPOND!?! We'll find out Wednesday night.
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