Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets, Game 6

LAL: Ariza (F), Bryant (G), Fisher (G), Gasol (F), Bynum (C)
DEN: Billups (G), Jones (G), Nene (C), Martin (F), Anthony (F)

wow, fantastic introduction for the Nuggets. props to the Pepsi Center, they got me jumping up and down too!

Keys to the game:

DEN: their bench HAS to show up tonight and provide some energy and production. This mainly falls to JR Smith and Chris Andersen. Maybe JR can hit a few threes tonight like he did in Game 4.

LAL: Lamar Odom has to play a similar game to the one he played in Game 5. If the Lakers get the balanced production that led them to the best record in the Western Conference, then they will undoubtedly take the series tonight.

ALL TIMES ARE THOSE OF THE GAME

@11:35 Anthony blocks a dunk by Bynum, looks like the Nuggets are ready to play some defense tonight.

@10:16 great ball movement, Ariza hits the open 3. 5-0 Lakers, as Gasol got on the board with an elegant hook shot.

@9:35 so far two alley-oops have been missed as Anthony was unable to convert on a badd pass.

@9:01 Anthony drives to the hoop, Bynum contests Anthony's shot and fouls him in the process, but Anthony can only convert one of two FTs.

@8:33 Dahntay Jones outjumps 24 and gets the tip in, 5-3 Lakers.

@7:54 Nene J's easily over Gasol. 7-5 Lakers.

@7:18 Bryant hits both FT's after being fouled by K-Mart in the act of shooting.

@6:28 Brilliant spin move in the paint by Martin as he hits a lay in, and then Bynum travels. JR Smith enters, and Jones takes a seat.

@5:58 Mr. Softee with a nice block on a driving Smith. First break in play. So far both teams have been unable to convert some easy chances at the offensive end and the Nuggets have continually left Ariza open, which the Lakers have yet to take advantage of. Expect the Zen Master to alert them to this during the timeout.

@5:22 Bynum picks up his second foul the hard way, by killing K-Mart's arms. He takes a seat and Odom will take his place. Martin misses both FT's. The Nuggets have to make those FT's.

@4:25 SMITH WITH A THREEEEEE 13-11 Lakers

@3:39 great drive to the basket as Anthony hits his first field goal. Odom with a nice kiss off the glass before that. 15-13 Lakers

@2:59 BILLUPS THREEEEE right after Ariza with a nice turnaround dunk. 17-16 Lakers. LAL FULL TO. Well both teams have started to heat up a bit, particularly the Nuggets with Billups and Smith both connecting from beyond the arc. So far it looks as though we are in for a treat of a game.

@2:33 Bryant drives and gets a nice lay up out of the timeout. 19-16 Lakers.

@1:12 Smith with a great drive to the hoop, and converts an easy lay in.

@53.2 Ariza hits the wide open three, why aren't the Nuggets covering him!?!

END OF THE FIRST QUARTER

Bryant and Carter trade misses and the score at the end of the first is 25-20 Lakers. So far the Lakers look to have the game under control, but if Smith and CO. can get hot from behind the arc look out for a nice Nuggets run. Denver has to do a better job defending Trevor Ariza of all people and not allow him to get such easy looks at the basket.
SECOND QUARTER

@11:43 Anthony gets an easy drive to the hoop and converts the lay up. 25-22 Lakers.

@11:03 another easy drive for a Nuggets player as Smith gets an easy look and hits. 27-24 Lakers.

@10:35 terrible pass by Carter leads to a turnover and on the other end of the floor Vujacic hits the tre. 30-24 Lakers.

@9:52 dumb foul by Walton and Anthony hits both FT's, and then Smith drives again and gets the lay up. 30-29 Lakers

@8:49 Smith is making it rain on the Lakers with a great Kobe-esque step back jumper and puts the Nuggets on top for the first time in this game. 31-30 Nuggets. FULL TO LAL. The Zen Master cannot be pleased as the Lakers soft defense is allowing Smith to blow right by them on his way to the cup. If he can have it like that the rest of the game, forget about him chucking threes. Even Smith will give those up for an easy two.

@8:04 the Nuggets have their white power lineup in the game with 2 of 5 white boys as Kleiza joins Andersen, who gracelessly throws the ball away.

@7:15 great defense by denver leads to a fast break tip in by smith.

@6:38 great hook shot by Odom. 34-33 Lakers.

@5:56 Farmar travels as he starts complaining, surely no one's fault but his own. Yet he starts complaining. That's the ninth Laker turnover thus far.

@4:55 nice shot fisher, hits the three, 37-33 Lakers.

@2:58 FULL TO DEN. Denver has not scored in the last four minutes, and yet are only down six.

@2:37 Kobe with an unstoppable jumper. 41-35 Lakers.

@2:01 Ariza hits another three, where is a Nuggets defender!?! 44-37 Lakers. Then Ariza picks up his third foul. I guess the Nuggets have to hope that he fouls out...

@1:24 Bryant has 13, with another jumper. The Nuggets just are not playing their style of basketball at all.

@1:04 How do you stop the unstoppable? You can't. Another jumper by Bryant.

@34 Andersen with terrible defense comes off Gasol to guard Fisher, Fisher dishes to Gasol who finishes easily for the Lakers first double digit lead of the game.

@4.1 kobe withan unstoppable three. 53-40.

END OF THE SECOND QUARTER

Terrible basketball by the Nuggets, who HAVE to play better or just show up in order to have a chance in this second half. 13 point lead for the Lakers. Kobe is hot and looks to take on his closer role unless the Nuggets can pull some magic out of their hats.

THIRD QUARTER

This quarter could be the most important quarter in Nuggets franchise history. They must come out with some energy in order to not only get the crowd going but also to get themselves back on track. For the Lakers, they have to keep doing what they already are, taking the open shots or just allowing Kobe to take over.

@11:03 WOWWWW KOBE AIRBALL!!! that was unexpected. but then Dahntay Jones gets T'd up. The Nuggets sure do know how to shoot themselves in the foot.

@10:32 Bynum dunks easily as the Nuggets have yet again failed to play any sort of defense. Denver cannot handle Gasol's passing. Just bad double teaming by the Nuggets.

@9:46 K-MART WITH THE SLAMMA finally some energy shown by the Nuggets. 58-45 Lakers.

@8:47 great individual play by Billups as he skips to his lou and gets a great lay in following some better defense by the Nuggets. 60-49 Lakers.

@8:12 Anthony goes to the line after being fouled by Walton. And hits 2 of 2 FT's. I can hear Dick Vitale yelling from I assume Tampa GOTTA MAKE THOSE FREE THROWS GEORGE KARL! AI9 (Andre Igoudala of the 76ers) commented on twitter, "Denver, get that boat ready...cause if they don't turn it around on the 2nd half, they goin fishin..." Mr. Igoudala just might be right.

@6:39 Gasol is coming out ready to party and has continued his offensive run. 66-55 Lakers.

@5:40 "you competed all year go out and compete now!" The Nuggets had best heed the call of their coach.

@5:03 KOBE SAYS YOU CAN'T GUARD ME! hits the shot and gets fouled. You kind of get the feeling that the Lakers are going for the knock out blow. 71-55 Lakers.

@4:50 Billups lobs it up to K-Mart as he throws it down, that's right, like a colonist. 71-57 Lakers.

@3:38 Luke Walton hits opens shots. Hell, my suitemate Mark Stangler would hit that shot too. 75-59.

@2:42, and the chant warm up the bus should probably be going off, Kobe with a great shot. 79-59 Lakers.

@1:57 SMITH WITH A THREEEE might be too late though 79-64 Lakers.

@1:16 Kleiza with a questionable three that will probably be reviewed and changed to a two.

@6.0 JR Smith has only himself to blame, just a dumb foul, another dumb foul, by the Nuggets. Just terrible. I can hardly bear to watch.

END OF THE THIRD

Well this series is over. I hope I am wrong about that, as everyone loves to watch game sevens, but this one is done. The Nuggets continually manage to stunt their own momentum with retarded fouls and horrid defense. All the Lakers have had to do is just make open shots.

FOURTH QUARTER

@11:40 Mr. Softee has been a force tonight with them dimes. 85-67 Lakers.

@10:59 When Lamar Odom hits threes on you, well you're done. Van Gundy just said when you put the kids to be you gotta turn off the tv. God I really don't like his comments. 88-67.

@10:29 And when Luke Walton dunks on you, I'd say that would make you more done than a piece of grilled chicken at my old dining hall (really done).

@9:54 and Walton steps out of bounds, THAT'S why you should feel bad when he dunks on you.

@9:30 Kobe hits both FT's. As if it makes that much of a difference.

@9:05 Pau Gasol again.

@8:43 reach in on Smith, who already has 5 fouls.

@7:48 Smith hits a three, after Kobe throws it down with force. 96-80.

@6:13 TO DEN, as Kobe hits another unstoppable three. Where are the Nuggets!?!?! Not here tonight.

@5:54 god this game is like watching your favourite pet slowly die... 101-82 Lakers.

Well this game is over. I'm killing this entry. The Lakers finally showed their killer instinct and have finished off the Nuggets. I figure if the people are leaving the Pepsi Center I should be allowed to as well. Thanks Nuggets for at least five games of interesting basketball. The Lakers are just too good.