Denver Nuggets - The Next Level [Game 3 + 4]

[kibaxx7]

It's a lock for JR to win his MVP award. Well deserved.

What a block on Bron!

[Kenny]

What a flop, even Fisher can't nail that. Well goodbye to the 70 mark

I know, I was so pissed off when I saw it. He must have learnt his moves from Vlade

Tough break with that phantom charging call and missing out on 70 wins, though you're still in great shape heading into the playoffs. Nice block by Smith.

The charge was an annoying glitch, but it added a somewhat nice villain story which will hopefully be followed up in the playoffs.

I have the block on replay, so when I do my top plays of the season post, it'll be there for sure

Sucks about not reaching 70, but JR looks like a lock for MVP. Live usually uses PPG as the most important asset when choosing.

Yeah I've noticed that a lot myself. Unless you can get a guy who has relatively high ppg averaging a double-double, it's normally the highest scorer.

J.R. Smith=MVP
Try to lose one of your last two games so you don't have a 69 ( ) win season.
Hope your team continues to rage through the NBA in the playoffs.

You're asking me to tank a game?!

The Celtics have proven to be a bogey team, so who knows, I might not reach 69 even.

MVP trophy for sure

Hopefully

Definitely some controversy there with Glanville's flop. How's the transition been going between this and your 2K10 story so far?

NBA Live 10 feels more like NBA Jam after playing 2k10... but it kind of suits me more since I'm a run and gun person.

It's a lock for JR to win his MVP award. Well deserved.

What a block on Bron!

I always get great satisfaction out of blocking the King

[Kenny]

The Double Feature

Since it's an 82 game season, another 5 game summary won't work. So here's the double feature to cap the season off:

Game 1: Melo sinks Philly



Carmelo Anthony is starting to pick up the level of his play with the playoffs approaching as Denver beat Philadelphia 71-63. Melo scored 30 points and the Sprite Performer of the Game. MVP lock J.R. Smith had a relatively quiet game by his standards with 15 points, while seldom used backup forward Nicolas Batum chipped in with 12 points.

For the 76ers, Chris Paul was the standout with 22 points. Demetrius Charles was the only other player in double figures with 14, as the 3rd best scorer (Darrel Flanagan) only scored 9. Charles completed his double-double with 10 rebounds.

With Anthony coming into this kind of form just before the playoffs, the West's 8th seed would have to be worried at the prospect of the red hot combination of himself and Smith.

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DEN@PHI

DEN: 71 (Anthony 30, Smith 15, Batum 12)
PHI: 63 (Paul 22, Charles 14, Flanagan 9)

Sprite Performer of the Game: Carmelo Anthony 30 points 1 rebound 2 assists 3 steals

Rebounds

DEN: Andersen 13
PHI: Jordan 14

Assists

DEN: Billups, Perko 3
PHI: Muller 4

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Game 2: Beasley stars against former team



Michael Beasley came up with his best performance against his former team Denver in Boston's 70-63 win. He achieved a double-double as he picked up 21 points and 10 rebounds. Njabulo Nyoni scored 14 while ROY favourite Hobbes MacDonald had 11. Von Wafer rounded out the Boston scorers with 10. It would be Kendrick Perkins who would pick up the Performer of the Game, with a stellar effort on the boards picking up 16 rebounds.

For Denver, they rested Andersen, Billups and Anthony as Lopez, Mills and Batum got starts. Forgotten man Shannon Brown would be the high point scorer with 21 points. He provided backup point guard duties as he also picked up the team high in assists (4). J.R. Smith had less game time than usual and his stats proved it with only 17. Nicolas Batum reached double figures for the second game in a row with 11 points.

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DEN@BOS

BOS: 70 (Beasley 21, Nyoni 14, MacDonald 11)
DEN: 63 (Brown 21, Smith 17, Batum 11)

Sprite Performer of the Game: Kendrick Perkins 6 points 16 rebounds 5 assists 1 steal

Rebounds

BOS: Perkins 16
DEN: Lopez 9

Assists

BOS: Perkins 5
DEN: Brown 4

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Final Standings

EAST

Cleveland 47-35
Toronto 47-35
Charlotte 46-36
Miami 44-38
New Jersey 44-38
Washington 44-38
Milwaukee 43-39
New York 43-39
---
Philadelphia 42-40
Chicago 40-42

WEST

Denver 68-14
LA Clippers 55-27
Phoenix 53-29
*Portland 48-34
*Houston 44-38
Oklahoma City 44-38
San Antonio 42-40
Minnesota 41-41
---
Sacramento 41-41
Memphis 40-42

*Portland came 4th in the West, but they didn't win their division, so Houston get the 4th seed.

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Next up will be a player review of the Denver Nuggets.

[Kenny]

2016-2017 Player Review

Much like the 10 game review, I'll be analysing each one of my 15 players. Here it is:


Chris Andersen: Towards the end of the season, the Birdman was getting into quite a bit of foul trouble, but apart from that, another great season by the veteran. He led the league in rebounds per game with 10.4 and came second in blocks with 2.1. His offensive game is no threat, but when you have the talents of J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups in your back-court, it can be forgiven.

Borislav Perko: Perko is a real workman like player. He's not going to develop into a flashy superstar, but he will fulfil a role that every team needs. An outstanding rebounder on both ends, if Chris Andersen chooses to retire at the end of the season, Denver won't lose much if they box out for Borislav Perko instead.

Carmelo Anthony: It took him a little while to get going, but at the end he was in the top 5 in MVP votes. Second on his team in points with 20.1 per game, Melo's game has become more than about scoring as he managed to lead the league in stealing with 2.2. He had to adjust to the title of "second fiddle" but when it comes down to it, Denver wouldn't have any other second fiddle in the league.

J.R. Smith: J.R. = MVP has been a popular statement during the season, and for good reason. He won the scoring title with 28.9 points per game. A much less talked about stat though is his stealing. He was second in the league with 2 per game. A more astounding stat is that he managed to score 50+ points 5 times during the season... twice against his old team Memphis. LaMarcus Aldridge is a great player, but you couldn't help but think they regretted that trade.

Chauncey Billups: Billups is a leader both on the court and in the locker room. His calming demeanor has a great effect on his team-mates... and no this isn't a euphemism for him being an unskilled player... in fact he was the third scorer for his team with 10.3 points per game. He doesn't post the numbers that he used to, but at age 40 he still provides a problem matchup for the younger guys in the league. If he stays next year, he will reach his 20th season.

Jordan Hill: Initially he broke out with some big games, but Hill calmed down a bit as the season progressed, settling into more of a defensive role off the bench. He averaged 5.3 rebounds per game in half a game, 2.5 assists and 1.5 blocks. The defense loses absolutely nothing when he comes on for Perko and with his contract expiring this coming off season, he'll be a priority for Denver to resign.

Patrick Mills: Patty's career has kind of gone on hold as he's been waiting for Billups to call it a day. In saying that though, he still gets more game time than most of his bench team mates and he produces quality game play. Not a reliable shooter, but he was great at getting to the foul line with his penetration.

Robin Lopez: Lopez proved to be a tough matchup this season. He excelled in many of the defensive tasks he was given, including one against his twin brother Brook. Robin looks to be a starter in waiting.

Taylor MacKenzie: Streaky, mercurial, inconsistant... whatever way you want to describe T-Mac 2.0, you'll be right. I believe Katy Perry might have written a song especially for this guy; for when he's hot, it'd be hard to find many players who are a tougher defensive assignment in the league... when he's cold, he looks like he's completely out of his depth. His play can keep Shannon Brown both in and out of the team.

Nicolas Batum: Batum is incredibly unlucky in the sense that he plays in the rotation behind Carmelo Anthony; a bonafide superstar who demands many minutes. Nic had flashes of brilliance off the bench and proved to bring something to the table that Denver like very much. But he'll have to continue to deal with sporadic playing time in his tenure with the Nuggets.

Shannon Brown: Shannon Brown is probably more consistant than T-Mac 2.0, but he seldom gets as hot as he can get... and Brown is a guy who once scored 60+ over 4 seasons ago! In the last game against Boston, he proved that he can still take on the scoring load and come playoff time, he might feature more prominantly... but for the season, he got more DNPs than he would have wanted.

Basil Richter: An afterthought in the J.R. Smith trade, he showed glimpses of potential as he's good at getting to the basket. He must develop a jumpshot though if he's to be a bigger part of this team.

Taj Gibson: Taj played a big part in getting Brandon Bass traded away as he had a solid start to the season. But when Denver picked up Jordan Hill off free agency, his play reduced drastically as George Karl preferred Borislav Perko as a starter. In the end, he was relegated to IR. Might want to demand a trade next season if he wants to see more time.

Oleksiy Pecherov: Basically picked up because of his expiring contract. He went from being a starter for Miami to an IR player for Denver. Have to feel sorry for the guy.

Sam Conners: Came extremely close to being waived from the team and when he played, you could see why. He's got size, but he's way too slow and you couldn't trust the guy to hold a baby. Not likely to be apart of Denver's future plans, but he may pick up a ring for his troubles.

[Andrew]

Shame you couldn't end the season on a win but understandable given a few of your main guys sat out the finale. Still a great season with a record of 68-14. Good write-up to finish off the regular season, good luck in the Playoffs! Hopefully the game doesn't screw you over with the MVP award.

[Murat]

Good luck at 2016-2017

[dare]

Good luck at 2016-2017

It's already 2016-2017 in his dynasty

[Axel The Great]

No 69-win season (69 is a dirty number ).
All joking aside, your team looks dominant going into the playoffs, you have the tools necessary for another championship. It drives me crazy when a non-playoff team is a tough challenge, just like your case with Boston.

[megarover]

Beasley came up big against you. I always hate when a former player does it. It makes you regret trading them......sometimes

[Andrew]

No 69-win season (69 is a dirty number )

Only if one has a dirty mind.

[Axel The Great]

Is there something wrong with having a dirty mind?

[Andrew]

Not at all. Except when it comes to Moral Guardians protesting against such things.

[Axel The Great]

Oh god. I'm in trouble then.

[Kenny]

Shame you couldn't end the season on a win but understandable given a few of your main guys sat out the finale. Still a great season with a record of 68-14. Good write-up to finish off the regular season, good luck in the Playoffs! Hopefully the game doesn't screw you over with the MVP award.

Thanks Andrew, I always like to rest my stars in the last game (although I wasn't going to risk resting Smith for the reason you mentioned). It gives me a chance to focus on my role players for one game and gives me an idea of who should really be filling out those last spots on the bench. I found out that playing Shannon Brown at the point works quite well, so even though I had a loss, it wasn't all bad

Good luck at 2016-2017

Good luck at 2016-2017

It's already 2016-2017 in his dynasty

Indeed I am already there. I wonder if I'll make it to 2020...

No 69-win season (69 is a dirty number ).
All joking aside, your team looks dominant going into the playoffs, you have the tools necessary for another championship. It drives me crazy when a non-playoff team is a tough challenge, just like your case with Boston.

No 69-win season (69 is a dirty number )

Only if one has a dirty mind.

Is there something wrong with having a dirty mind?

* Quote Andrew

Beasley came up big against you. I always hate when a former player does it. It makes you regret trading them......sometimes

Oh god. I'm in trouble then.

Haha, I think there's absolutely nothing wrong with having a dirty mind, but since I had a 68 win season, maybe we should keep the topic to basketball

Beasley came up big against you. I always hate when a former player does it. It makes you regret trading them......sometimes

The Beasley trade was definitely a difficult one. Without him I wouldn't have won my first championship, but with the playoffs series Ty Maximilian had (I miss that guy), I had to make it and I'd probably do it again.

[Kenny]

End of Year Honours

J.R. = MVP

J.R. Smith headlines the list of Denver Nuggets players who received honours at the end of the year, picking up the MVP trophy for 2016-2017. He is the first player in franchise history to do so. In an incredible season, he was acquired from Memphis; a perenial playoff team in this decade for LaMarcus Aldridge and Shaun Livingston. This is one of 3 honours he received, being named on the All-NBA First team and the All Defensive Second Team.

Jordan Hill was also an award recipient, but not for the award one might of thought. An outsider for the Most Improved Player award, he ended up scooping the 6th man trophy. He would become the 4th Denver player to do it in this dynasty alone. George Karl also picked up his second coach of the year award for coaching the league's best team.

In other team honours, Melo was selected in both the First All NBA and All Defensive team. Chris Andersen was named in the Second All NBA and the First All Defensive team. Chauncey Billups was the third Denver Nugget to be named on the All Defensive Team.

Rookie Borislav Perko was the third highest vote getter for the All-Rookie First Team.

The Awards

Most Valuable Player: J.R. Smith [DEN]: Smith was the clear winner of this award even from the very start of the season. He was always a player of great potential, but his attitude was often questioned. This year he got his temperament in order and produced one of the finest individual seasons in recent memory. He won the scoring championship with 28.9 points per game and he came second in the league in steals with 2 per game.

Most Improved Player: Roderick Conners [NYK]: To be honest, I don't know a whole lot about this guy. The Knicks play in the Eastern Conference, so I don't meet them a whole lot of times during the season. But his numbers read 13.5 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game and 2.1 assists per game. Solid numbers which I guess suggest there has been improvement in his game.

Defensive Player of the Year: LaMarcus Aldridge [MEM]: To prove the trade wasn't too lop-sided, LaMarcus proved to be a defensive beast once again. He came second in block shots with 1.9 blocks per game, as well as getting 8.1 defensive rebounds a game and 1.1 steals per game. That steal stat might have been the only thing seperating him from Chris Andersen for this honour.

Rookie of the Year: Hobbes MacDonald [BOS]: Now having both controlled this guy and played against him, I can safely say he is the runaway top rookie of his class. His all-round game could be compared to the King himself... or atleast developed into something similar. In his rookie year he had 14.1 points per game, 3.8 rebounds per game and 6.2 assists per game. Might not seem like out of this world stats, but his athleticism and potential make it hard to peg this guy as anything less than the next big star.

6th Man: Jordan Hill [DEN]: At the start of the season, Jordan wasn't doing much at all; but when Denver decided to move Brandon Bass to the Jazz, he was picked up off the free agency and made an immediate impact. Although he settled down as the season progressed, he proved to be an excellent defensive consolidator off the bench with 5.3 rebounds per game and 1.5 blocks per game. There could be every chance that you could see this name on the trophy again for the 6th man, because Denver would surely be resigning him in the off-season.

Coach of the Year: George Karl [DEN]: Behind every great team, there's a great coach. It seems everyone in the league has a great respect for George Karl and when he has something to say, his team generally listens. Another year where he's been deserving of this trophy.

The Teams

All NBA First Team:

[ORL] Dwight Howard
[LAL] Luther Rutherford
[DEN] Carmelo Anthony
[DEN] J.R. Smith
[NJN] Rodney Stuckey

All NBA Second Team:

[DEN] Chris Andersen
[MEM] LaMarcus Aldridge
[SAN] Rudy Gay
[LAC] Ollie Rose
[PHX] Stephen Curry

All Defensive First Team:

[DEN] Chris Andersen
[MEM] LaMarcus Aldridge
[DEN] Carmelo Anthony
[LAC] Ollie Rose
[DEN] Chauncey Billups

All Defensive Second Team:

[SAC] Brook Lopez
[LAL] Luther Rutherford
[LAC] Josh Smith
[DEN] J.R. Smith
[NJN] Rodney Stuckey

All Rookie First Team:

[BOS] Hobbes MacDonald
[SAC] Caleb Jackman
[DEN] Borislav Perko
[NJN] Dan Garcia
[CHI] Igor Martin

All Rookie Second Team:

[PHX] Brad Bell
[DAL] Casey Whelan
[CLE] Vincenzo MacMahon
[PHI] Darrell Flanagan
[OKC] Andrew Morgan

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As mentioned, 4 players in this dynasty have received 6th man awards. Apart from Jordan Hill, who were the other three? See if you can get the answer without looking back through the pages.

Next up will be the playoff preview for the first round... and the answer to the question. *edit* scrap that, I want to put the preview up soon, so I'll put the answer in after a few people have had a go.

[Kenny]

NBA Playoffs 2017
Round 1 Preview



Denver Vs Minnesota

The Lineups



The Starters

| Chris Andersen | Borislav Perko | Carmelo Anthony | J.R. Smith | Chauncey Billups

The Bench

| Jordan Hill | Patrick Mills | Robin Lopez | Taylor MacKenzie | Nicolas Batum | Shannon Brown | Basil Richter |

IR

| Taj Gibson | Oleksiy Pecherov | Sam Conners |



The Starters

| Al Jefferson | Alexis Ajinca | Kevin Durant | Cameron Robin | Roy Kohler |

The Bench

| Johnny Williams | Daniel Gibson | David Lee | Ethan Billups | Jasper Eaton | Nathan Hayes | Boris Diaw |

IR

| Bartholomew David |


Keys

Denver's wingmen: Much of Denver's success is going to rely heavily on J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony. Smith was the regular season MVP, but Anthony has been the Finals MVP 3 times. If both of these guys catch fire in the playoffs, Denver might be able to get the broom out. Even if one of them does, they should be able to get this one.

The Durantula: Kevin Durant has been known to play big against Denver in the playoffs. Apart from him and Jefferson, the Wolves look vunerable on offense, so if Minnesota are to complete one of the biggest upsets in playoff history, the Durantula needs to come up big in every game.

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The first 4 games of the series will be up next. Can Denver complete a sweep on the 8th seed?

[Kenny]

The Top Plays of the Season

Before I get to the first four games of the playoffs, I just remembered that I have a bunch of highlights to show you. I tried to get 10, but I ended up with 9. Here they are:

#9: Borislav Perko finishes the alley-oop
#8: The 6th Man shows his defense
#7: J.R. gets the hoop and harm
#6: Michael Beasley assists Patrick Mills... wait... what?!
#5: Billups drives, gets the basket and the contact
#4: Perko blocks Rudy Fernandez... and poses
#3: Some MVP defense on LeBron
#2: J.R. steals and finishes with style
#1: Birdman's prayer answered

Enjoy

[Justine.]

Great grabbing the awards and good luck on the Playoffs. Just wonderin' what is the rating of David Lee?

[Bucket]

Sweep

[Andrew]

Great recap, congrats on all the awards. It's definitely been a successful season for you so far, here's hoping you can continue that form all the way to another championship.

[Axel The Great]

Don't get the broom out, get a mop out . This T-Wolves team is built around 2 great players, well I guess 3 with David Lee, but why put him on the bench?
Apart from your series with the T-Wolves, I'm also interested in the Rockets-Blazers series.

[kibaxx7]

Don't know if a sweep with Al Jeff and Durant. A 4-1, I would say.

What's Ajinca's rating, starting over Diaw? (I know Diaw is kinda old here)

[Martti.]

who cares about Diaw, what about Lee?

[kibaxx7]

who cares about Diaw, what about Lee?

Oh, didn't see him. What about Lee, then?

[Wyze]

Absolutely loving this, good luck in the playoffs