Portland @ Denver GameThread, Dec 22, 2008 7:00 PM MST

2008-09 Game 28: Denver Nuggets vs Portland Trail Blazers Game Thread

by Jeremy on Dec 22, 2008 1:28 PM MST in Events Comment 117 comments

Portland @ Denver

The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trailblazers have never been considered rivals. Until the 2004-05 realignment they were in separate divisions. They have only played in the NBA playoffs on two occasions, after the 1985-86 season (Denver won the first round matchup 3-1) and after the 1976-77 season (Portland won in the semifinals 4-2 on their way to their only NBA title).

Last season this matchup took a step towards becoming a rivalry. They played a very intense overtime game last season on February 4^th which was won by the Nuggets 105-103 on a last second shot by Allen Iverson. Had Portland won they would have won the season series 3-1 and at the time with both teams fighting for a playoff spot the tiebreaker seemed significant.

Fast forward to today and Portland and Denver are tied atop the Northwest Division and. Both teams appear to be in position to be contenders for the Northwest Division championship for the next few seasons. You can expect a hotly contested game.

Portland is a very good offensive team. They are second in the league in offensive efficiency at 114.0 and they play at the slowest pace in the entire league. What is strange about the Trail Balzers is most teams that play at a slow pace are defensive oriented teams. Portland is a poor defensive team and the slow pace with which they play makes it more difficult to capitalize on the offensive advantage they have over almost every team in the league.

Portland’s offensive dominance is especially impressive considering that they are a jump shooting team. Even their power forwards, LaMarcus Aldridge and Channing Frye, are long range marksmen. Their only interior big men Joel Przybilla and Greg Oden, are not scorers. Portland has a similar situation to the Nuggets in their starting lineup. They start rookie Nicolas Batum for defensive purposes as the Nuggets start Dahntay Jones. Both are at their best when they run the floor, but Batum is a better shooter. Portland has another European rookie, Rudy Fernandez, who plays the J.R. Smith role of instant offense. He is very similar to J.R. in that he has deep range, a love of taking shots with a high degree of difficulty, he is athletic, can penetrate almost at will and is also an exceptional passer.

However, as talented as the Blazers are they have one player who is head and shoulders above the rest and that is Brandon Roy. Roy is a dominant offensive player. He is a great shooter, is a very adept passer and just knows how to play basketball. He is an instinctive player who makes brilliant plays appear natural. In the fourth quarter he runs the show. Every time down the floor he has the ball in his hands and makes sure Portland gets whatever shot he wants them to. He loves to drive from the top of the circle and once he gets his defender on his hip he will stop, draw some contact and drain a little ten or 12 foot jumper. If the Blazers need a three, well, he will get it and usually make it. If he happens to miss he has a knack for ending up with the rebound. It is uncanny.

Defensively the Trail Blazers have good athletes, but give up too much penetration. They scramble well, but tend to be a step slow with their recovery.

Denver is going to have to find a way to get back to the way they were playing before this three game losing skid. They cannot hope that a red hot J.R. Smith will keep them in the game as he did in the second quarter in Phoenix. Carmleo is going to miss at least the next three games thanks to his sore elbow (and some input from his agent Bill Duffy) and it will be interesting to see if Denver will play with better flow without him. Chauncey is going to have to get back to directing the offense and demanding movement that will open up the floor.

Defensively, the Nuggets are going to have to play with a great deal of intensity and focus. They must rotate well in order to close out on Portland’s shooters. I think Dahntay Jones has a chance of frustrating Roy a little and it will be interesting to see if he can at least slow him down. If we see Anthony Carter on Roy Denver will be in big trouble. I suspect you will see more switching on the perimeter so as to ensure that no shooter is left open, but that will only create more issues as we have seen over the previous few games.

With Denver playing at home I think you will see a more spirited effort and hopefully a more intelligent floor game. If not, Denver will be in second place in the division come tomorrow morning.

Denver Nuggets Game Notes

Blazer’s Edge (one of the top handful of team blogs around has a very good outsider's point of view on the Nuggets) | Rip City Project

Last Season’s OT Game: DEN 105 POR 103

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Comments

Im actually glad melo is sitting out. We need to get back to our unselfish team ball. Lets hope alot of those minutes goto Balkman.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 2:27 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Melo being out

As of right now is a good thing. He needs to get right. Watch Balkman log heavy minutes now and the energy of the team skyrocket. I think if Melo didn’t play in the Phoenix game we win that one. Don’t take this the wrong way though, we will absolutely need a healthy and effective Melo if we want to be serious contenders.

by RyanBuff on Dec 22, 2008 2:48 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Ill be happy

as long as Melo’s minutes don’t go to Anthony Carter. Anything over 30mins for him is just plain wack

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 4:00 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

No melo?

I’m sorry but as awful as he has been over the last few games we suck without him.

0-2 over these 2 games making for a 1-5 six game stretch record. We’ll have to suck it up and absorb these losses as best we can.

by joshhopp on Dec 22, 2008 4:12 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

No

I think that Denver actually improves without Melo these two games. He has been clearly injured (as evidenced by this sit) and has been a liability on both the offensive and defensive end in the last three games. This will allow him to rest and allow one of our most talented bench players to get more minutes.

If Melo WERE to play, we probably would lose both – because he would be playing hurt.

by BeefySwats on Dec 22, 2008 6:03 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree,

The way he has been playing the past 3 games. JR, Nene, chaunc, and Kleiza, give us plenty of fire power. And with balkman hopefully pickin up more minutes we should get better one on one defense and just as good of rebounding as melo.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 4:25 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

nice analysis of the PTB

Its always good to get an outsiders view of the PTB and this one seems pretty spot on. I havent seen the Nuggets play this year, but am interested in seeing Billups run the show. Too bad Melo is out, I’d rather these two teams hash it out both being at full strength. Good luck from a Blazers Edge contributor.

Oh yea, Im a little miffed your game thread is already up and running and ours isn’t.

If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

by bow4meow on Dec 22, 2008 5:11 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

who wins this game?

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 6:58 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Portland Trail Blazers - Denver Nuggets

Portland Trail Blazers – Denver Nuggets
Live

http://www.iddaliyim.tr.gg/Canli-Mac-izle-_-salon-3.htm

www.iddaliyim.tr.gg

by milleniumprince on Dec 22, 2008 7:09 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Jr looking good already. Playin overall some nice D

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:24 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Thank god we didn't start the game down 12

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:25 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

THERE WE GO, takin it to the rim tonight, JR and Chauncey ballin.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:32 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

KLEIZA!!!

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:37 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Woa

I like The quarter, cept for some hot shooting by the blazers near the end

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 7:38 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

CHUCKY AND NO BALKMAN???

WTF

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 7:45 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

actually playin good with chucky and Ac, probably helps that nene and bird are also in. Im liking karls rotations.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:48 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Thats strange,

Everything seems to be working without Melo

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 7:49 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Recently he's been stopping the ball movement it seems.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:50 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Bird and nene together causin alot of havock

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:46 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Not many ppl posting today.

too bad, its a pretty good performance by the nuggets

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 7:48 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Hell yeah lets hope we can keep it up.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:49 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Kleiza is shooting well

but he’s a bit of a gump.

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 7:51 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Whoevers leaving RUdy wide open two plays in a row needs to stop.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:53 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

I see Carter guarding Roy

Guess Karl still doesn’t get it

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 7:53 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Horrible shot by JR.

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 7:54 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

I like how chucky actually plays point and trys to set up plays.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:55 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

JESUS GET THE REBOUND

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:57 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

there you go nene your way faster than oden take it at him.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 7:59 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Karl lineups

So Karl thinks a combo of Atkins/Carter/JR is better than 1 PG/JR/Balkman? Are you kidding me?

by cessair on Dec 22, 2008 7:59 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Though the Nugs arent lacking hustle at the moment

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 8:04 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

nene with some nice moves lol

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 8:02 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Nene is killing Oden in the low post

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 8:03 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

NENE KILLING IT

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 8:06 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

HORRIBLE NO CALL on jones FUCK aldridge pushed him.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 8:07 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Hope Dahntay is injured, then JR would get some starts

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 8:07 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Great. Airball 3 by Martin at the end of the half.

Just what we needed.

Props to Chauncey for passing to him

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 8:09 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

shot clock , although yes chauncey should of just took it

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 8:10 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

K-mart has been hittin that three this year though so its excusable

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 8:11 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Although its not a shot I like to see at the end of a half

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 8:12 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

if anyone want to watch the game

http://linksadoor.com/showtime/index.php?params=game/494/DENVER/

works best on IE

by Jester76 on Dec 22, 2008 8:25 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

denver is clearly outmatched in this game

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 8:30 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

outmatched? is that why portland is only in this game because they are hitting threes?

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 8:52 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

skecth officiating

isnt helping the blaze.

blake got pounded in to face and got called for the foul.

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:08 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

are you a blazers fan by any chance

because the blazers have had their share of breaks too

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:10 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

so that was a foul on blake

in your opinion?

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:25 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

ew

elbow blake in the nose and its a defensive foul?

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 8:43 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

It does not matter what part of your body hits the shooters elbow, contact on the elbow or arm of a shooter is a foul

Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog

by Jeremy on Dec 23, 2008 12:40 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

COME ON LETS SEE SOME BALKMAN

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 8:50 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Free throws nuggs!!!

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:03 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Klezaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:18 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

It's about time he gets rolling

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:18 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Good stats for LK

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:19 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Yeap.

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:20 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

With Kleiza and JR

Who needs Melo? :P

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:21 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Would be nice to see for a few games

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:25 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Cmon now CB

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:23 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

We need to close this out

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:27 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

nuggets have twice as many free throws

good job refs

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:28 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe if your blazers would stop fouling?

Blaming the refs is as low as you can get

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:29 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

relying on the refs

is much lower. well played denver. hard to beat the refs

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:30 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

But still

Who got the win?

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:32 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

the refs

which is by default, the nuggets

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:33 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Yup.

Not your blazer boys :D

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:33 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

cant fault the nuggets

for the refs being on their side

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:35 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Well seeing im not going to change your opinion

we can decide this in the game tomorrow :)

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:37 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

i wish there was some way

i could bet my life on tomorrows game. blazers win in a rout

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:53 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

You talk to much.

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 10:01 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

NICE LK

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:29 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Nugs have this in the bag

Finally a win :)

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:30 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

yup

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:31 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

you know youre bad

when you feel good about a win that was given to you by the refs

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:32 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Nice to see LK back in the groove

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:30 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

a sourpuss is in the house

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:33 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

denver loses by 25+ tomorrow

as long as the refs arent so biased

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:34 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

we will see soon enough

for now though it’s a D win

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:35 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

D as in Donaghy?

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:37 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

D as in Don't you know who won

let’s catch up tomorrow and see how the home team plays

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:40 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Hockey no offense but i saw 6 horrible calls on the nuggets in the blazers favor so please go fly a kite

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 9:38 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

GO NUGGETS, BACK in 1st BABY. Nene, kmart, and bird dominated

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 9:39 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

easy way to determine this

if the refs were bad all around tonight… who got more free throws? wayyyyyyyy more free throws

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:39 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

you have no idea what you are talking about

and you obviously don’t know basketball – foul calls are only part of the picture. The Blazers are a jump shooting team and didn’t have aggression or fire, and didn’t drive much. Those factors mean they get fouled less, and have less free throws.

They are a good team, but tonight they got outplayed. Tomorrow should be entertaining, i’m interested to see what the match up looks like with the nuggets going against a fired up blazers team.

by Missing Lynx on Dec 22, 2008 10:49 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

You need a tissue man? Blazers were outplayed go cry elsewhere

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 9:41 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

ROY WAS SHUT DOWN I LOVE IT

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 9:41 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

And we did it without Melo :O

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:42 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

haha hell yeah,

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 9:42 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

CCH

a powder day photo ?

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:43 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

You know it man!

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 9:47 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

that helps the nuggets

melo is my least favorite player in the history of sports. I think he is so unbelievably overrated and he only hurts the nuggets, who otherwise could be much better without him.

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:43 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

lost a close game

to a good home team, with shit refs… i’d say the blazers were better tonight

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:42 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

The nuggets are a way more agressive team man, the blazers are a jumpshooting team you don't get calls when you only shoot jump shots.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 9:43 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

well

billups got the call when he shoved his elbow in blakes face on his 3 point JUMPER

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:44 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Blake never shoots

wouln’t have made any difference

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:46 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

it was a shot by mistake

Certainly Blake would have wished he could have taken it back

by markph on Dec 22, 2008 9:47 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Look if thats all you can cry about

We can take the 3 points away.

Who still got the win?

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:46 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

thats a veteran move, you are really hung up on that huh? How bout when aldrige slammed Jones to the ground when he was driving and no call? or when aldridge pushed birdman and they called the foul on Bird? seriously shut up with the calls man

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 9:46 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

its not a veteran move

its a bush move.

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:49 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

It is, billups does it all the time, he's a smart player blake could learn a few things.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 9:51 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

What really makes beating the Blazers more satisfying

Is a crying blazers fan afterwards.

I am TOTALLY FEELING THIS WIN PEOPLE

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:53 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

you wont feel much

after tomorrows game

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 9:54 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Well in case we lose

Dont count on me to be crying on all the blazer forums about horrible reffing

by Lethalturnip on Dec 22, 2008 9:56 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah what kind of loser crys on the opposing teams blogs?

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 10:02 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

What is this guy gonna say if we win again tomorrow with out melo?

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 10:03 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

wont be able to say much

if hell is frozen over

by Hockey on Dec 22, 2008 10:04 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Hell is frozen over

Nuggs fan living in Portland and it’s reminding me of Telluride at the moment. Makes me miss home, since Portland sucks in almost every conceivable way.

Hipsters don’t know how to drive in snow. Not even their crappy fixed gears.

by MontyIII on Dec 22, 2008 11:20 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

hipsters don't drive

they take public transit….or something

no captain can do very wrong if he places his ship alongside that of the enemy.

-horatio nelson

by WhiteRabbit on Dec 23, 2008 1:47 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

I am so ashamed

that I didn’t watch this game. I was sure my Nugs would lose without Melo and I totally lost faith in our guys; I am sorry about that.

As someone has already said, the whiney Blazers fan makes this win all the more satisfying.

GO THE NUGGETS!

by joshhopp on Dec 22, 2008 10:05 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Just the opposite,

We played awesome with out melo actually.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 10:41 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Oh and Hockey, check the stats again pal, Portland : 27 personal fouls Denver : 23 Personal Fouls, Thats a 4 foul difference. Divide that by 4 quarters, portland had 1 more foul per quarter.

by CCH on Dec 22, 2008 10:47 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Hey guys,

thought I would check out the game thread over here cuz blazers edge is pretty depressing right now, (thanks a lot kleiza). Anyway, can’t help but see that you’ve got yourselves a troll! Well Dave over at blazers edge gave us a couple of pointers, and seeing as this troll has been on the Phoenix game thread during that game doing the same thing, I thought a troll alert would be good. Anyway, Dave recommends that you do not feed the troll. Don’t respond to it and it will go away on its own.

by premthegrem on Dec 23, 2008 1:34 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

I'm pleased

that Blazer’s edge has itself a better representative here. It is a superb blog, hence its enormous activity. Looking forward to the sequel in Portland.

by joshhopp on Dec 23, 2008 2:27 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks premthegrem

I was going to make the same recommendation. If you just let their silly comments slide they will get bored and go bother someone else. I responded to one of his earlier comments when I was going through the thread and after I saw more of his input wished I hadn’t.

Pickaxe and Roll - An SB Nation Denver Nuggets Blog

by Jeremy on Dec 23, 2008 2:38 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs