Denver Nuggets Dynasty (sbhzmafia)

Jeff Bzdelik Interview

with Stuart Scott

Scott: Hello, how are you doing today Coach Bzdelik?

Bzdelik: I'm doing great.

Scott: My first questions is, how confident are you in your team this season?

Bzdelik: I'm very confident as of now. We've had a great training camp so far and all the players are enjoying each other. You will see alot of team chemistry out there this year.

Scott: How do you feel about Carmelo Anthony and how well will he help your team this season?

Bzdelik: Carmelo loves to learn and never complains about anything. He knows that he is one of the leaders on this team and he must play under-control this season. He is a very nice guy and will help us win alot of games this season.

Scott: What kind of adjustments your team had to make after making so many transactions?

Bzdelik: Well it was alot of moving. We have acquired so many players and it will take time to get use to everybody. As of now, the players seem to be playing well together through training camp. We have three new starters in our lineup as well.

Scott: Last question...What do you think your record will be at the end of the season?

Bzdelik: (Laughs) I'm not good in predictions. We are just trying to get a winning season first of all. After we get a winning season, then we can start thinking about the playoffs. We will just have to take it a game at a time and midway through the season you could ask me that questions again. (Laughing)

Scott: (Laughs) Alright Coach Bzdelik. I will see you later in the year.

Bzdelik: Okay...I hope to see you soon.

Denver Nuggets 2003-04 Roster

Denver Nuggets 2003-04 Roster

C-Marcus Camby (67)
PF-Nene (60)
SF-Carmelo Anthony (77)
SG-Voshon Lenard (63)
PG-Andre Miller (68)

6-Earl Boykins (61)
7-Rodney White (60)
8-Jon Barry (60)
9-Chris Anderson (58)
10-Ryan Bowen (51)
11-Nikoloz Tskitishvili (51)
12-Michael Doleac (46)

IR1-Francisco Elson (44)
IR2-Mark Pope (41)
IR3-Jeff Trepagnier (39)

Denver Nuggets vs. San Antonio Spurs
When: October 29, 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Pepsi Center
Records: Nuggets, 0-0; Spurs, 1-0.

Denver Will Get Tested by Defending Champs

By Arthur Barclay

DENVER-The Denver Nuggets are opening up the 2003-04 season with a positive attitude. With the new acquistion of rookie Carmelo Anthony and point guard Andre Miller, this team will try to make some noise this season.

The Nuggets will have their home opener against the San Antonio Spurs who came off a win last night against Phoenix. Duncan recorded 42 pts, 13 rebs and 3 blks in an amazing season debut. "It is going to be tough containing him, but we just have to go out and play a hard fought game, said Denver's Coach Bzdelik.

The Nuggets want a complete turnaround from last season when they went 17-65 for the 2002-03 campaign.

Key Matchup:
Andre Miller vs. Tony Parker

These two point guards can be very dangerous in different areas. Andre Miller has a great post up game, and he can also dish the ball very well. Tony Parker can run with the ball and can penetrate quickly to the basket. Parker had 15 pts and 4 asts in last night's victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Probable Starters:
Nuggets
C-Marcus Camby
PF-Nene
SF-Carmelo Anthony
SG-Voshon Lenard
PG-Andre Miller

Spurs
C- Rasho Nesterovic
PF-Tim Duncan
SF-Bruce Bowen
SG-Emanuel Ginobili
PG-Tony Parker

Denver Wins An Ugly Game
Carmelo shines in NBA Debut




Nuggets
100
Spurs
69


By Arthur Barclay

DENVER-During the 1st quarter, the Nuggets went on a 12-2 run. They gained some space between the Spurs and they led 24-17 at the end of the 1st quarter. Andre Miller had 6 pts, 2 asts and 1 stl in the 1st. Tony Parker was in foul trouble early in the game. Carmelo Anthony scored 4 pts along with Camby who also had 4 pts. Duncan had 8 pts and 2 rebs in the 1st quarter.


Carmelo Anthony scored 27 pts

At the end of the 1st half, the Nuggets we're winning 47-33. Both teams we're shooting horrible from the field. Denver was shooting 33%, while Spurs we're shooting 30%. Carmelo finished with 12 pts in the 1st half. Miller scored 10 pts. Duncan had 10 pts and 4 rebs at the end of the 1st half.

Earl Boykins hit a 30 foot 3 point shot at the end of the 3rd quarter. That shot put the Nuggets up 78-55. Carmelo Anthony had 22 pts through 3 quarters. Boykins and Miller had 12 pts apiece. Miller added 7 asts. Camby had 10 pts and 16 rebs. Nene grabbed 13 rebs.

The Nuggets we're outstanding in the 2nd half. They won 100-69 in an ugly game. Both teams shot under 40%. The Player of the Game was Marcus Camby. He had 10 pts and 24 rebs. Carmelo Anthony finished with 27 pts and 4 rebs. Boykins had 15 pts off the bench to go along with 2 stls. Miller finished with 14 pts, 10 asts and 4 rebs. Lenard shot 4-16 from the field, but managed to get 11 pts. Nene had 10 pts and 15 rebs in the game. There we're no bright spots for the Spurs. Duncan only scored 2 pts in the 2nd half. He finished with 12 pts and 7 rebs. Parker finished with 14 pts, 7 rebs and 4 asts.

DENVER NUGGETS FORWARD CARMELO ANTHONY(22 points, 4 rebounds)
On NBA debut...

"Well I wasn't confortable in the 1st half because of all the fans screaming. When the 3rd quarter began, I was feeling good so I start making more shots. I will be able to adjust very well to the NBA lifestyle after a few games or so. I'm just glad my team got the victory and played very well against the champs."

DENVER NUGGETS COACH JEFF BZDELIK On team defense...

"It was a very ugly game from the start. Neither team shot well from the field, but we got to the line 31 times in the game. We played Duncan excellent in this game and without him helping the offense, I knew we could come out with the W. Our team played real tough tonight and it's a great start to our season."

Last edited by -BHZMAFIA- on Sun Mar 28, 2004 8:00 am, edited 1 time in total.

Hey cool dynasty with the 'Nuggs.' I don't think anyone has attempted them yet, and I'm surprised with a team of, Anthony, Miller, Camby, Nene & Lenard.
Then on the bench, you got a white dude with some made hops in Anderson, the smallest guy in the league who's averaging some great numbers in Boykins, the experinced Barry and the second year Tskitishvili.
And for an opening game, beating the champs, that just shows you what depth you got. Great recaps and postgame section.
Comiserations about your Hawks to, that was a sweet dynasty, only getting sweeter. They were championship contenders!

Macca

Last edited by Macca on Sun Mar 28, 2004 9:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

thx for the compliment. I should have another update or 2 up sometime today.

Sweet, looking foward to it Mafia.

Macca

Denver Nuggets vs. Houston Rockets
When: October 30, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Toyota Center
Records: Nuggets, 1-0; Rockets, 0-0.

Nuggets On the Road for the First Time

By Arthur Barclay

HOUSTON-The Nuggets came off a surprising 100-69 victory over the Spurs last night. They will go on the road tonight to face the Houston Rockets who are led by 2nd year player Yao Ming.

The Rockets will have their 1st game of the season tonight. "We now have another tough team to worry about, including Yao who can be a monster inside," Carmelo Anthony said. Anthony scored 27 pts and grabbed 4 rebs in the Nuggets season-opener.

This will be Denver's 2nd game in October. They are already being tested with a back-to-back.

Key Matchup:
Marcus Camby vs. Yao Ming

Camby came off an amazing season debut agains the Spurs, grabbing 24 boards. He also scored 10 pts. Yao Ming will be a very tough challenge for Camby. Yao has the size advantage over Camby and can also use his fade-away jumper to keep Camby from blocking his shot. Expect these two to grab alot of rebounds this game.

Probable Starters:
Nuggets
C-Marcus Camby
PF-Nene
SF-Carmelo Anthony
SG-Voshon Lenard
PG-Andre Miller

Rockets
C-Yao Ming
PF-Maurice Taylor
SF-Jim Jackson
SG-Cuttino Mobley
PG-Steve Francis

Nuggets Win On the Road
3rd quarter spurt led the Nuggets




Nuggets
107
Rockets
100


By Arthur Barclay

HOUSTON-The Denver Nuggets trailed by 2 pts at the end of the 1st quarter. The Rockets led 25-23. Carmelo Anthony and Steve Francis were going at each other. Anthony scored 12 pts in the 1st, while Francis had 11.

At the end of the 2nd quarter, the Nuggets led 54-46. Boykins hit a 17 ft fade away shot with 1.1 seconds left in the 1st half. Anthony had 19 pts in the 1st half. Rodney White came off the bench and scored 9 pts. Camby was nearing a double-double with 8 pts and 7 rebs. Miller dished out 6 asts in the 1st half. Francis had 13 pts and 6 asts. Mobley scored 12 pts. Mo Taylor had 8 pts and 7 rebs at the end of 2 quarters.

Andre Miller finished with 11 pts, 10 asts and 9 rebs

The Rockets struggled badly in the 3rd quarter. Denver scored 30 pts in that quarter. The Rockets shot a horrible 4/21 in the 3rd. Francis scored 11 of his team 13 pts.

Houston made a furious comeback in the 4th quarter, but it was too late for them to send it to OT or get the victory. Denver won the game 107-100. Steve Francis scored 45 pts, 9 asts and 7 rebs. He grabbed Player of the Game honors. Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 33 pts. Camby had 16 pts and 16 rebs. Rodney White scored 15 pts off the bench. Andre Miller almost recorded a triple-double with 11 pts, 10 asts and 9 rebs. Lenard scored 10 pts for the Nuggets. Chris Anderson had 8 pts and 11 rebs off the bench. Nene finished with 7 pts and 17 rebs in the game. Boykins added 7 off the bench.

Mo Taylor finished with 8 pts and 11 rebs for the Rockets. Yao finished with 10 pts and 10 rebs. Cato grabbed 10 boards off the bench. Mobley scored 17 pts for the Rockets in a losing effort.


DENVER NUGGETS CENTER MARCUS CAMBY(16 points, 16 rebounds, 2 blocks)
On containing Yao...

"It was a very tough job especially coming off a back-to-back. The best thing for me to do was just box out and play him straight up. He recieved double teams at times, but most of the time he wasn't hitting his shots. Tonight wasn't his night and he probably just didn't have a feeling into the game because this was their first game of the season. I tried my best to contain him and it worked."

DENVER NUGGETS FORWARD CARMELO ANTHONY(33 points, 5 rebounds, 2 asts)
On playing back-to-back games...

"Those two games we're very tiring from me. Our schedule is really messed up. We already had back-to-back games in the first two games of the season. It's all about being in the NBA and I will adjust to it after a few games. I played better this game than I did last game, so the back-to-back didn't affect me too much."

HOUSTON ROCKETS GUARD STEVE FRANCIS(45 points, 7 rebounds, 9 asts)
On his performance...

"I played well tonight, but I wasn't happy with the team. We didn't play Carmelo well tonight at all. I tried to take care of Miller the best I could. Yao was off tonight and we tried to give him his touches this game. Denver really didn't have anyone to stop Yao, it was just his game was off. We thought we was going to be able to get them since this was a back-to-back for them. I would've been more satisfied about getting the win, than having a good performance."

Good to see ya got another one going Mafia, are you gonna make any changes??

Also i was wondering what your sliders are, because you are getting pretty realistic scores for the Nuggets so far.

What rosters did you use, because i think with the ones i use Miller is rated in the low 70's

Good Luck

I'm not sure if I'm going to make any changes as of now. I like the way the team chemistry is, but I am looking for a PF. I really don't want to make any unrealistic deals though.

I'm using my own sliders basically. I did take Andrew's sliders, but I changed everything around that he had. So you can say Andrew's sliders.

I'm using my own rosters. I did make some changes with alot of players though. I didn't feel like I had to edit Miller, because everything is there really.

Great game against the Rockets. Whoa!! Melo sounds like he had a pretty good game after that 40 something point win the previous night.
Camby getting a double double, back to his best, hopefully he can continue. That Lenard and Miller backcourt seems to be working out well for you too.
I think also it would be too early for a trade, maybe about late Decmeber, or mid January, if someone's not hitting their shots or whoever doesn't put in, should be traded for, like you said, a power foward or centre. Maybe Amare, he's like a younger KG. Anyways, that's my 2 cents.

Macca

Denver Nuggets vs. Sacramento Kings
When: November 1, 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Pepsi Center
Records: Nuggets, 2-0; Kings, 2-0.

Nuggets Getting Some Respect

By Arthur Barclay

DENVER-The Sacramento Kings came into the Pepsi Center knowing that they were going to be in a dog fight. "The Nuggets are a big improvement from last season. They are slowly becoming one of the top teams in the west," Divac said.

Carmelo Anthony has been on fire in his rooke season. He is averaging 30 ppg in the 2 games of the season. "This is the best time in my life, and I'm going to play my best during this time," Anthony said.

The Kings are 2-0 and their big 3 are playing amazing basketball. Peja Stojakovic is averaging 35.5 ppg and 6 rpg. Bibby is averaging 30.5 ppg and 6 apg. Chris Webber is averaging 25 ppg and 10 rpg. They have the best scoring trio in the league. The Kings average 122.5 ppg in their first 2 games of the season.

Key Matchup:
Carmelo Anthony vs. Peja Stojakovic

It's the "sharp shooter" vs. the "rookie phenom". Both of these players are having a breakout year for the start of the season. Peja can't be stopped with his amazing range. Peja is shooting 9-14 from 3 point range this season. Carmelo leads the rookies in scoring 30 ppg.

Probable Starters:
Nuggets
C-Marcus Camby
PF-Nene
SF-Carmelo Anthony
SG-Voshon Lenard
PG-Andre Miller

Kings
C-Vlade Divac
PF-Chris Webebr
SF-Peja Stojakovic
SG-Doug Christie
PG-Mike Bibby

Nuggets Played Their Hearts Out
4th quarter heroics from Denver




Nuggets
109
Kings
106


By Arthur Barclay

DENVER-In the 1st quarter, the Kings led 24-21. Mike Bibby was putting on a show with 12 pts. The Nuggets couldn't find no one to step up in the 1st quarter. Denver shot 42% from the field, while the Kings shot 53%.

The Nuggets trailed by 4 at the end of hte 1st half 54-50. This quarter belonged to Chris Webber. He scored 16 pts, 7 rebs and 2 blks. Anthony came alive in the 2nd quarter and finished with 13 pts in the 1st half. Andre Miller had 9 pts. Camby had another solid 1st half. He had 6 pts and 8 rebs.

After 3 the Nuggets trailed by 6 pts. The Kings led 84-78. They led by as much as 11 pts, but the Nuggets made a run. Rodney White led the Nuggets in the 3rd quarter with 14 pts. Webber had 29 pts and 12 rebs. He couldn't be stopped so far in the game. Bobby Jackson came off the bench to score 16 pts.

In the 4th quarter, the Nuggets made a tough comeback. Voshon Lenard got a wide open look at a 3 pt shot and nailed with 52 seconds left that gave the Nuggets a 1 pt lead. Then, Boykins stoled the ball from Bibby with 30 seconds left and drove to the basket for an easy lay in. The Kings had the last shot, and Bibby missed the 3 pt shot at the end.

Carmelo and the Denver Nuggets are 3-0 in the season

The Nuggets won 109-106. Marcus Camby was Player of the Game with 14 pts and 17 rebs. Carmelo finished with 23 pts and 7 rebs. Rodney White was hot off the bench scoring 21 pts. Lenard had 15 pts, and he also hit a big 3 to give the Nuggets the lead late in the 4th. Andre Miller finished with 13 pts, 6 asts and 5 rebs. Boykins had 10 pts and 2 stls. Chris Anderson grabbed 8 boards in the win.

Webber finished wiht 31 pts and 16 rebs. Jackson had 24 pts in the lost. Bibby had 17 pts, 7 rebs and 6 asts. Christie and Peja both scored 11 pts apiece.

DENVER NUGGETS GUARD ANDRE MILLER(13 points, 7 rebounds, 6 rebounds)
On the Kings 1-2 punch...

"Bibby and Bobby we're very tough to guard in this game. When you have 2 PG's that can score 20 pts on any giving night, that is very tough to handle. We never played zone in the game, and I think if we would've played that, it wouldve stopped alot of penetration. I'm glad that we came out with the victory because those two had a very big game and we could've easily lost it if we didn't fight back in the 4th quarter."


DENVER NUGGETS COACH JEFF BZDELIK
On tonight's comeback win...

"I was very proud of our guys for not giving up in the game. They we're down the entire game and never led after 1 quarter. They started to get defensive stops on Webber late in the game. They held Peja to only 11 pts in the game which was a good defensive effort. Bobby Jackson and Mike Bibby lit us up, but we still came out with the W and that's what counts. We will work on more defensive assignments in practice."

SACRAMENTO KINGS COACH RICK ADELMAN
On his team blowing thier lead...

"We we're fooling around in the 3rd quarter when we're up by 11 pts. We shouldn't have never let them comeback. I had to let them know that the Nuggets have become a better team and you can't fall asleep on them. They messed up late in the 4th quarter and we let the Nuggets get the lead. They also had the momentum because they we're at home as well."

Denver Nuggets vs. Indiana Pacers
When: November 4, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Conseco Fieldhouse
Records: Nuggets, 3-0; Pacers, 1-2.

Nuggets Schedule Gets Tougher

By Arthur Barclay

INDIANA-
The Nuggets have already played 3 playoff contention teams in their first 3 games. They will add one more after tonight's game against the Indiana Pacers. THe Pacers are led by Jermaine O'neal who is averaging 26.3 ppg, 11 rpg and 2.3 bpg. He is averaging career-best numbers.

Denver has the rookie Carmelo Anthony on their team. He is playing like a superstar as of now. Carmelo will be guarded by all-star Ron Artest who is averaging 20 ppg, 6 rpg and 2.3 spg. "He is the toughest defender in the game. I will expect alot of tricks from him tonight," Carmelo said.

THe Pacers record may be 1-2, but they can beat you on any giving night. They can definitely play defense.

Key Matchup:
Carmelo Anthony vs. Ron Artest

Ron Artest is known as a defender, but his offensive game has risen to the occassion. With him averaging 20 ppg on the Pacers, Carmelo will have to play some tough defense himself. Ron Artest is a physical player and can hurt you in many ways. Carmelo has a great post-up game and will use it alot tonight.

Probable Starters:
Nuggets
C- Marcus Camby
PF-Nene
SF-Carmelo Anthony
SG-Voshon Lenard
PG-Andre Miller

Probable Starters:
Pacers
C-Jeff Foster
PF-Jermaine O'neal
SF-Ron Artest
SG-Reggie Miller
PG-Jamaal Tinsley

Last edited by -BHZMAFIA- on Wed Mar 31, 2004 5:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

Great game against the Kings, Melo and his team are playing really well this early on. It's great to see not such a recongnized team, winning in the big west, getting some, like you said, respect. Miller, is looking good in the assists column so far, Camby & Lenard are doing great things, Anderson..8 boards from a bench player. One word, QUALITY. This team looks very promising for the months ahead. Can't wait for the game aginst Indiana with J.O and the tough defense of Ron. Keep it up, Mafia, good work.

One question though, how's Nene fitting in & do you use set offensive plays, if so what??

Macca

P.S. My dynasty's up, come check it out mate.

Yeah as Macca said good to see the Nuggets owning out west.

I wanted to ask how you get your points with Miller, i find him quite hard to score with and i find he isnt that quick a dribble and its hard to penetrate with him, have you go any good plays for him yet?

well Nene is doing pretty bad with Denver so far. Thats why i said i need another PF. He does get rebounds, but he can barely score at times.

I do use set offensive plays sometime. I mostly use the pick and roll with miller and camby and post up with carmelo. I also use the basket cut for Rodney White.

I mainly get my points from miller from jump shots. u have to give him enough room where he will be open for the jumper. sometime i will just pro hop by the smaller guards and he can lay it up easily.

Nuggets 3-Game Winning Streak Snapped
Nuggets can't comeback




Nuggets
106
Pacers
115


By Arthur Barclay

INDIANA-The Pacers finished out the 1st quarter on an 10-2 run. They we're down 27-21 at the end of the 1st quarter. Andre Miller led the Nuggets with 6 pts. Jermaine O'neal shot 0-3 from the field and had no rebounds or blocks.

It was mostly all Pacers in the 2nd quarter. They outscored Denver 36-28 in the 2nd. Tinsley had 13 pts, 4 rebs and 4 asts. Reggie MIller finished with 12 pts. Al Harrington came off the bench and scored 10. Artest was in foul trouble for most of the 2nd half. Jermaine O'neal came alive in the 2nd quarter and had 8 pts. Camby had 10 pts and 5 rebs in the 1st half. The Nuggets trailed 57-55 in the 1st half.

At the end of the 3rd quarter, the Nuggets trailed 79-76. Reggie MIller was hot in the 3rd with 19 pts for the game. White scored 12 pts for the Nuggets. Carmelo had 11 pts. The Pacers defense made the NUggets shoot 33% in the 3rd quarter.

The Nuggets were down by 16 in the 4th quarter. THey came back to cut the lead to 4 pts. The Pacers kept everyone on the Nuggets team in check. After some missed oppurtunities by Denver, the Pacers won the game 115-106. The Player of the Game was Reggie Miller who had 28 pts, 5 asts and 4 rebs. Tinsley finsihed with 23 pts, 8 rebs and 7 asts. Harrington scored 18 pts off the bench for the Pacers. Johnathan Bender scored 13 off the bench. Jermaine O'neal finished with 12 pts and 5 rebs.

Carmelo Anthony finished with 22 pts on 8-21 shooting. He also had 4 rebs and 4 asts. Jon Barry scored 15 pts off the bench. Camby finished with 14 pts, 10 rebs and 2b lks. White had 12 pts and 4 rebs for the Nuggets in a losing effort. The Nuggets shot 41% from the field, while the Pacers shot 50%. The Nuggets bench outscored the Pacers bench 48-38 in the game. The Nuggets move to 3-1 in the season. The Pacers are 2-2 and have won 2 straight.

DENVER NUGGETS COACH JEFF BZDELIK
On overall team-effort...

"We had the oppurtunities late in the game and we stayed close throughout the entire game. We missed alot of easy baskets and could not stop the Pacers on defense. Reggie and Harrington burned us badly late in the game after we cut the lead to 4 pts. It was tough to make a big comeback especially since we we're on the road. We will have to rebound from that game and try to get the win over Cleveland."

INDIANA PACERS COACH RICK CARLISLE
On team defense...

"This was a wake-up game for us. We kept the Nuggets under 45% and we did all the little things to help us when this game. We had players like Harrington and Bender coming off the bench and providing a huge spark for us. We did not let this team get alot of momentum in the game and that's how we stopped them. None of Denver's guards shot over 45% in the game."


INDIANA PACERS GUARD REGGIE MILLER(28 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds)
On his big 3 pointer...

"Well, I have been doing this for awhile now. After they cut the lead late in the game, I knew we had to do something to slow down their momentum. I was surprised to be so wide open and next thing I knew we we're up by 7. After that, we took control of the game and we didn't let them make another comeback."

I love your dynasty, it is very real

Bad luck about the loss mate. It's tough, but you're still in great form. Anthony is doing very well, ahead of his time, Camby is working well in this team. Nene is still devoping, but is prominsing. Lenard and Miller continue to dominate the backcourt. And with all this in mind, you still have a good team, and you can win. So keep it up mate, the Pacers are only one bump in the road, you're going to face tougher than that.
Reggie Miller, on a hot night can do nothing wrong, he'll even pass the ball and help out on the rebounding if he's hot. And you can't stop hime, you can slow him down, and that would not have worked. J.O had an alright game, same with Tinsley. Great dynasty so far mate, looking foward to next game.

Macca

sorry for not updating today...i will update tomorrow because i have been a lil busy lately

Denver Nuggets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
When: November 5, 8:00 p.m.
Where: Gund Arena
Records: Nuggets, 3-1; Cavaliers, 1-2.

Denver Will Try to Rebound Off Their Loss

By Arthur Barclay

CLEVELAND-The Denver Nuggets lost a heartbreaker against the Indiana Pacers last night. After leading mostly throughout the game, the Nuggets we're ice cold late in the 4th quarter.

They will host the Cleveland Cavaliers (1-2) tonight who are led by rookie sensation Lebron James. They also have all-star center Zydruunas Ilgauskas. Ilgauskas is leading the Cavaliers with 21.3 ppg, 10 rpg and 2 bpg. Lebron James who is a very close friend to Denver Nuggets rookie Carmelo Anthony is averaging 16 ppg, 8 rpg and 4 apg. "It's going to be fun going up against each other like we did in high school," Carmelo said.

Key Matchup:
Carmelo Anthony vs. Lebron James

These two rookie phenoms are no doubt the best rookies in their class. Lebron is trying to help his Cavaliers get into the playoffs, after having the no.1 pick in the 2003 nba draft last year. Carmelo has Denver starting off good with a 3-1 record. Both of these players are very familar with each other games.

Probable Starters:
Nuggets
C-Marcus Camby-16.8 rpg
PF-Nene-13.8 rpg
SF-Carmelo Anthony-26.3 ppg
SG-Voshon Lenard-10.3 ppg
PG-Andre Miller-7.3 apg

Cavaliers
C-Zydrunas Ilgauskas-21.3 ppg
PF-Carlos Boozer-8.3 rpg
SF-Eric Williams-1.3 spg
SG-Lebron James-16 ppg
PG-Jeff McInnis-4.7 apg

Last edited by -BHZMAFIA- on Fri Apr 02, 2004 12:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Denver Couldn't Get the Steal on the Road
Carmelo was the focal point




Nuggets
87
Cavaliers
88


By Arthur Barclay

CLEVELAND-The Nuggets we're off to a pretty good start leading over the Cavs 23-19 at the end of the 1st quarter. Carmelo was hot with 10 pts. Lebron had 8 pts, but was shooting 4-13 from the field. Andre Miller dished out 5 asts.

At the end of the 2nd quarter, the game was tied 43-43. Carmelo had 14 pts in the 1st half. Nene had 8 pts and 5 rebs. Lebron scored 10 pts in the 1st half to go along with 2 blks. Jeff McInnis and Wagner combined for 10 asts in the 1st half. Rodney White added 6 pts off the bench for Denver.

The Cavaliers were ahead early in the 3rd quarter and finished out the quarter leading 70-60. Carmelo and Lebron had 21 pts apiece. Andre Miller and Jeff McInnis had 8 asts apiece. Jon Barry scored 10 pts off the bench for Denver. Eric Williams scored 15 pts in the 3rd quarter.

What a 4th quarter! The Nuggets were coming back with under 2 mins. Carmelo was unstoppable with 33 pts for the game. Denver was only down by 1 point with 2.6 seconds left. They inbounded the ball into Carmelo who was guarded by Eric Williams. Melo shot the turnaround jumper and the ball rolled of the back of the rim. The Nuggets lost their 2nd straight game 88-87. Carmelo finished wtih 33 pts, 3 asts and 3 rebs. Camby finished with 10 pts and 10 rebs. Barry had 10 pts off the bench. Andre Miller had 8 pts and 9 asts.

Lebron James scored 23 pts, 5 rebs and 2 blks in the game. Williams had a big game with 19 pts and 9 rebs. Ilgauskas finished 11 pts, 6 rebs and 2 blks. The Nuggets held Zydrunas under 45% in the game. The Nuggets moved to 3-2 in the season.

DENVER NUGGETS FORWARD CARMELO ANTHONY(33 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds)
On game-winning shot...

"I wasn't nervous at all about the shot. I just couldn't get the shot to go and I was already guarded tightly by Williams. It was a tough shot and I kinda shot if off balance. If I could do it again the shot would definitely go in. This was my first time being in a big game situation in the NBA and I'm glad its over with already. Next time, I will be more prepared to win the game."

DENVER NUGGETS COACH JEFF BZDELIK
On 2-game skid...

"It's not like we have been playing terrible basketball. We have been playing well in the 2 games we lost. The problem is, the other team just played better than us. We have to learn how to close out games and we just haven't been doing that. It is too early in the season to go on a 2 game losing streak. This 2 game slide won't hurt us that much, because its stil early in the season. We will try to win the game tomorrow against the Clippers."

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS GUARD LEBRON JAMES(23 points, 2 blks and 5 rebounds)
On facing good friend...

"It was a great game for both of us. It was a good show for the fans and I'm glad that we came out with the win. We we're talking throughout the entire game and it was fun playing against an old friend. As for the Nuggets, I hope they can rebound off this loss and I wish them good luck for the rest of the season."