Is Kerr messing with our minds?

[efrem1]

Ask any of the West's top teams which club it most wants to avoid in the first round of the playoffs, and the answer most likely would be Denver.

The Nuggets finally are healthy and clicking, and despite a difficult schedule George Karl's team has rattled off five straight wins to squeeze past the two L.A. teams to reach the No. 6 slot in the West.

It appears that the Allen Iverson/Carmelo Anthony combination finally is working for Denver, which complements the scoring punch of its All-Star tandem with a couple of shot-blocking big men in Nene and Marcus Camby.

The Nuggets' late-season surge has included wins over Phoenix and Dallas, and they'll conclude their regular season with a game against the Spurs next week. Beating any one of those three teams in a playoff series would be a major accomplishment, but with the way Denver is finally playing, it's not out of the question.

More importantly, the Nuggets' great week has pushed them back into the Yahoo! Sports top 10 this week. I'm sure, Karl and A.I. are thrilled at the news.

Bring them on!!! :ihit

[mavs>spurs2]

Denver could potentially be dangerous but I think i'd be more worried about the L.A. Kobe's.

[trueD]

Have you checked out the Lenovo Stats? I just discovered them tonight, check this out:

http://www.nba.com/statistics/lenovo/lenovo.html


Marcus Camby has been a beast on the boards the entire year for the Nuggets, but recently has taken his rebounding game to the next level. Over the last nine games he has grabbed 13.4 rebounds a night and on Monday dominated the Lakers’ big men with a 22-rebound, seven-block performance. Camby’s recent stellar play has the Nuggets riding a six-game winning streak while putting him on six of the top seven four-player combinations on the Nuggets. For comparison's sake, Carmelo Anthony is only on two of those top seven teams.

I've got the hots for Camby's game, and Mello seriously overshadowed his stellar game against the Lakers last week. Finding this tonight was a kick in the ass.

[JamStone]

It probably won't happen, but both Denver and the Lakers have more than a "fighter's chance" to upset the Spurs and the Suns.

[Fabbs]

The Clippers did an absolute choke job vs Denver.
Props to Denver for keeping it close and accepting the gift win but your Grandmother could have been on the court for the Clips in the last sequence and won the game. Ahead by 2 but Clips give up a wide open 3 pter :elephant
4th graders have know better strategy.

vs LAL Denver choked away a dozen point 4th qtr lead and bricked FTs galore at the end to a Laker team playing a roadgame back to backer.

Yes props to Denver on their 6 game win streak and they will be a tough foe as they were in 2005 but please...

[trueD]

The Clippers did an absolute choke job vs Denver.
Props to Denver for keeping it close and accepting the gift win but your Grandmother could have been on the court for the Clips in the last sequence and won the game. Ahead by 2 but Clips give up a wide open 3 pter :elephant
4th graders have know better strategy.

vs LAL Denver choked away a dozen point 4th qtr lead and bricked FTs galore at the end to a Laker team playing a roadgame back to backer.

Yes props to Denver on their 6 game win streak and they will be a tough foe as they were in 2005 but please...
Doesn't Denver improve considerably with AI?

[Fabbs]

Doesn't Denver improve considerably with AI?
Oh yeah. Especially when he passes. But i have seen stretches where he goes back to Imeson and it hasn't worked.

As you posted, the Camby breakout and really over all team ball is what has Denver improved considerably, yes.

Still, 'melo is a marshmello. Tons of talent but a heartless punk until he shows otherwise. His swing n run earlier this season. :dramaquee Bowen will unnerve him again.

[trueD]

I like the Nugs and think AI is improving from "Imeson" :lol to a grateful sharer of the ball. Also, hasn't Mellow shown himself more worthy this year than last of being put in clutch situations?

Nugs would probably match up better with the Suns, but alas...it seems to be Suns' destiny to play Lakers in a rematch. Some karma for getting to choose them as opponents last year.

[Duncanoypi]

doesn't steve said a week ago that teams must avoid spurs in PO?

[mabber]

doesn't steve said a week ago that teams must avoid spurs in PO?

What does that have to do with him saying that the top teams want to avoid the Nuggets? He can say both.

[ploto]

Spurs have always had trouble containing AI. They have to use Bowen on Melo and so someone else has to stop AI.

Ironic, it looks like the Spurs may end up facing a team with quite the cast of big men in the first round of the play-offs.

Now the question- how often does a team face their first round opponent the last game of the regular season?