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Teammates
"You have to show them that you're really not scared..."
Michael Jackson - Beat It
When the Rockets took the Lakers to the brink of elimination, two things happened...the so called experts said it was over for LA, and the team clicked, and destroyed Houston in the 7th and deciding game.
Savvy
The well rested Denver Nuggets flew to the City of Angels to matchup against the Lake Show. Carmelo & company played extremely great from the outset...they played well enough to win, however there were a few things that led to a 107-105 Denver loss.
It seemed as if everyone including the Lakers were watching Melo play, instead of assisting/defending him, as he was able to do whatever he wanted to the tune of 39 points. The Lakers need to make someone else beat them, and people like J.R. Smith need to get more involved.
The home team should have lost Game 1, but I honestly believe it was the inexperience of the upstart Nuggets that led to their demise. The Lakers didn't win the game...the Nuggets just lost it. For example the Kenyon Martin foul on Kobe Bryant with 30 seconds remaining...sending him to the line, where Bryant sank 2-free throws for a 101-99 lead...then Trevor Ariza stole the ensuing in-bounds pass that allowed LA to wind the clock down to 10 seconds, before Kobe was fouled again for a 103-99 lead that sealed the victory.
Experience is the best teacher, and between the lessons the Lakers learned last year, and the painful learning curve the Nuggets had last night...the door is wide open for anyone to win Game 2.
As Rasheed Wallace would say..."both teams played hard", but it was the squad that executed the best down the stretch that won the game...well that, and Bryant's 40 points didn't hurt either.
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