denver_nuggets

By Daniel Kline
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Both the NBA and the NHL close out the first round of their playoffs. In baseball, you’ve got the Orioles and the Blue Jays, matching up in what has to be one of the biggest questions of the baseball season. One of these teams might hang on to challenge the Yankees and Red Sox, but probably not both, making this early season tilt a little more interesting.

*All times Eastern.

Monday, May 1
NFL Europe, Berlin at Rhein (3 p.m., NFL Network)
Stop arguing about who your team drafted and check in on the sport’s minor league with this mid-afternoon match-up. Though NFL Europe might not get the attention of its big brother, the league offers a good chance to figure out which back-up players might break through come the fall.

Tuesday, May 2
Yankees at Red Sox (7:05 p.m., DirecTV, regional)
Every Yankees versus Red Sox match-up gets covered like a playoff game in Boston and New York, so expect tempers to flare in this tilt. The Sox have had the early season advantage, but that’s nothing new, as the Sox always have a division lead in the Summer – the question is whether they can hold it in the Fall.

Wednesday, May 3
Boxing (9 p.m. ESPN2)
Sharmba Mitchell takes on Jose Luis Cruz in a 10-round welterweight tilt. Cruz plays the role of the fighter on the way up, taking on former two-time champion Mitchell, who wants one more shot at the gold. Mitchell was knocked out in the sixth round in his last fight, but that was against Floyd Mayweather – one of the best in the division – so he’s aiming to prove that was a fluke and knock Cruz off the ladder of contention.

Thursday, May 4
Wachovia Open (4 p.m., USA)
A Tiger-less field should leave this one pretty wide open. Vijay Singh attempts to repeat as champion, a title he took last year in a three-way playoff with Sergio Garcia and Jim Furyk.

Friday, May 5
College Volleyball (Midnight, ESPN2)
Catch the men’s semifinal of the NCAA men’s volleyball tournament. This might be your last chance to see some of your favorite players before they turn pro and head out on the lucrative men’s volleyball tour.

Saturday, May 6
Kentucky Derby(6 p.m., NBC)
Horse racing only matters three times a year to the average fan, but the Kentucky captures the best of the sport. Because it’s the first Triple Crown race, every Derby</b> winner stands the chance of being the first horse to bring home racing’s most elusive prize since Affirmed in 1978.

Sunday, May 7
Premier League Soccer (5 p.m., FOXESP)
Two of the big powers in the Premiership face off as Newcastle battles Chelsea in an attempt to cut into Chelsea’s overall lead in the standings. Chelsea did just fall in the FA Cup semifinal, but their big lead in the regular season standings makes clinching the title almost inevitable.


Daniel Kline’s book “50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do” is available in bookstores nationwide. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com.

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The Clippers' 30-year drought is over.

Cuttino Mobley and Corey Maggette each scored 23 points, Elton Brand added 21 points and 13 rebounds, and the Clippers took command in the third quarter to beat Denver and win the first-round Western Conference Championship series 4-1.

Mobley pumped his fists repeatedly in the final minute, and his teammates waved at the Staples Center fans, who stood and cheered as the final seconds ticked off.

The Clippers hadn't won a playoff series since 1976, when the team was playing in Buffalo and beat the Philadelphia 76ers in the opening round before losing to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Clippers meet the winner of the Lakers-Suns series in the second round. The Lakers take a 3-1 lead into tonight's game in Phoenix.

Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points to lead the Nuggets.

The Denver Nuggets got back into their playoff series with the Los Angeles Clippers by getting to the line.

Over and over again, 46 times in all.

Playing without suspended forward Kenyon Martin</a>, the Nuggets relied on stellar defense from his replacements, the usual solid game of Carmelo Anthony and the well-worn whistles of Dick Bavetta, Jim Clark and Leon Wood to beat Los Angeles 94-87 Thursday night.

Half a dozen Clippers ended up in foul trouble, two fouled out and Los Angeles was whistled for 40 personal fouls altogether, including a technical on Sam Cassell for yelling at Bavetta.

Anthony's 19 free throws - he made 12 - marked the most for a Nuggets player in the postseason, eclipsing the 18 times Dikembe Mutombo went to the line against Utah in 1994.

Cuttino Mobley led a balanced attack with 21 points as the Los Angeles Clippers downed the Denver Nuggets 98-87 in Game 2 of their NBA Western Conference quarter-final series.
Elton Brand totalled 19 points and 11 rebounds and Sam Cassell added 13 points and a game-high 11 assists for the Clippers, who are two wins away from their first playoff series victory since moving to Los Angeles.

They last advanced during the 1976 playoffs when the franchise was in Buffalo.

The next step in achieving that goal takes place Thursday at the Pepsi Center.

Corey Maggette scored 12 points off the bench while Quinton Ross and Chris Kaman donated 10 points apiece in the victory.

Carmelo Anthony scored 16 points on just 5-of-15 shooting and Marcus Camby recorded a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds in defeat.

Earl Boykins, Andre Miller and Greg Buckner added 14 points apiece, but the Nuggets failed to steal a game at the Staples Center.

The Nuggets won the Northwest Division, but the Clippers received homecourt advantage because of a better overall record.

With the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference Tournament postseason bracket, the Clippers make their first playoff appearance since 1997 and all sports betting fans are glad to know that the Clippers finally did it again. Last time they were swept by Utah in the First Round and Bo Outlaw still went by his birth name of "Charles."
The franchise hasn't even won a playoff game since 1993, when Larry Brown was at the helm or a playoff series since 1976, when the organization resided in Buffalo and was known as the "Braves."
This year, at least one of those streaks should come to an end, as L.A. faces a Denver team which has home court advantage. The Clippers' 47 win total was superior to that of the Northwest Division champs by three victories. Denver struggled at the end of the season; losing their last four games.
The Nuggets are perhaps the best running team in the NBA, so the match up should be interesting to watch with the Clippers' defense -- a weakness during their losing days – becoming there strength. The club led the NBA in blocks per game (6.14 bpg), second in rebounding (43.03 rpg) and 12th in the NBA in points allowed per game (95.92 ppg).
The commitment to stopping opponents paid off in the form of a second-place finish in the Pacific Division Standings.
"The core group has been playing together for the last three years," center Chris Kaman said. "We’re slowing picking up what Dunleavy’s philosophies and principles are more and more. We’re executing them better than we have”
"I don’t think we play great offensive basketball. We play good defensive basketball which helps us win games. Just the philosophy on defense and everyone playing together and working hard."
While an NBA title is a lofty goal, the Clippers' defense could certainly make them win a playoff series. Such a conclusion would give this L.A. story the Hollywood ending the Clippers seek.

Ray Allen's record-breaking performance had Seattle SuperSonics' fans chanting for more.

Allen scored 27 points and set the NBA's single-season record for 3-pointers to lead the SuperSonics to a 109-98 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Making 7-of-13 from the arc, Allen finished the campaign with 269 3-pointers, breaking the mark set by Dennis Scott in 1995-1996. He raised his career total to 1,755, second on the all-time list behind Reggie Miller.

"I've had shots to win games, but nothing felt like this tonight," Allen said. "It was special. If there was a perfect ending to this up-and-down season, then this was it."

Allen sank five 3-pointers in the first quarter and scored 20 points in the opening half to help Seattle take a 55-35 lead.

Authorities are continuing their investigation today after someone shot into the car of Denver Nuggets rookie Julius Hodge, injuring him and his passenger.

Hodge suffered wounds in his legs and the passenger, whose name was not released, sustained minor injuries on Saturday.

The Adams County Sheriff's Office says they have no suspects and they don't know of any motives.

Hodge, who was released from the hospital yesterday, says he's looking forward to wearing a Nuggets NBA's team uniform again.

The team has said the 22 year old could play again in two to three weeks.

The 6-foot-7 guard was Denver's first-round draft choice in 2005.

He was recalled from the NBA's developmental league last month after Earl Boykins broke his hand and has appeared in 14 games this season.

Dirk Nowitzki put an end to the
Dallas Mavericks' struggles.

Nowitzki collected 30 points and 12 rebounds as the Mavericks stopped a season-high three-game losing streak with a 103-79 victory over the Denver Nuggets spreads.

NBA's player Jason Terry added 21 points and Josh Howard 20 for the Mavericks (55-19), who took control of the game in the second half en route to winning for just the third time in eight games.

As all the odds say, Nowitzki led the way for the Mavericks. The All-Star forward made 10-of-19 shots and all eight of his free throws.

"We had a lot more of a sense of urgency early on, said Nowitzki, who scored at least 20 points for the 21st straight game. "Our defense was actually really solid today."

Nowitzki scored seven points in an 18-3 run in the third quarter of the game that turned a tie game into a 69-54 lead. He capped the burst with a 3-pointer at the 3:01 mark.

(Sports Network) - The Northwest Division-leading Denver Nuggets go for their third straight win when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at FedExForum.

Denver owns a commanding six-game lead over the second place Utah Jazz in the Northwest.

The Nuggets play the sixth of a season-long seven-game road trip. They are 4-1 on the current swing. On Wednesday, Carmelo Anthony drained a contested jumper from the right wing with 2.2 seconds left then watched as Peja Stojakovic's three-pointer from the top of the circle rimmed out, as Denver knocked off the Indiana Pacers, 101-99, at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Andre Miller scored 21 points and dished out nine assists, while Ruben Patterson finished with 14 points in the win over the Pacers for Denver, which has won six of its last seven games overall.

Denver, which will visit the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets on Saturday in the finale of the swing, is 16-17 on the road this season.

Memphis plays the third of a six-game homestand. On Tuesday, Jake Tsakalidis paced a balanced Memphis attack with 19 points and a career-high-tying 16 rebounds as the Grizzlies soundly defeated the Boston Celtics, 93-76, at TD Banknorth Garden.

Chucky Atkins ended with 18 points in the win over the Celtics for Memphis, which snapped a two-game skid. Mike Miller netted 14 off the bench and Eddie Jones and Pau Gasol both scored 13 in the victory.

The Grizzlies, who are 1-1 on the homestand and will also host Utah, Indiana and the Clippers on the current stand, are a solid 20-10 at home this season. They are the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference playoff race.

This is the third and final meeting of the season between the clubs. Denver won the two previous

Not even 'Melo's migraine could help the Memphis Grizzlies end their mile-high misery.

Carmelo Anthony overcame a throbbing headache to score 35 points and lead the Denver Nuggets to a crucial 115-101 win over the Grizzlies on Monday night.

Anthony said his migraine hit him when he got to the arena.

``I shot an airball the first play of the game. I couldn't see the goal. The goal was moving,'' Anthony said. ``The lights are too bright in here - seriously. This is the only place I catch migraines in. I never get them nowhere else.''

The lights, the floor, the altitude, the noise, the Grizzlies don't like anything about the Pepsi Center, where they fell to 0-14 despite 22 points from Bobby Jackson.

The teams might meet in the first round of the playoffs and Denver's two wins in the season series - the teams play their third and final game later this month - give the Nuggets the tiebreaker, which would mean home-court advantage.

That could prove invaluable for Denver because the Grizzlies are the only NBA team that has never won at the Pepsi Center.

``For two days, George (Karl) has been constantly stressing that this is a team that we'll be playing against,'' Anthony said. ``We kind of wanted to make a statement that if we play you in the playoffs, this is what you're going to see.''

The Grizzlies insisted it's too early to worry about playoff positioning, but center Pau Gasol acknowledged it was something they had all pondered.

``You think about it,'' said Gasol, who shot just 3-for-10. ``We thought about it before the game, but not while you are playing. They beat us the first two here. Now we get hope to get them at home.''

The Nuggets shot a Pepsi Center-record 64 percent from the floor, outrebounded Memphis 41-21 and blocked 11 shots to the Grizzlies' two. The 21 boards were the fewest ever for a Denver opponent.

With Kenyon Martin (knee) sidelined for the second straight game, Karl put 6-foot-5 swingman Ruben Patterson on the 7-foot Gasol, then rotated Marcus Camby, Francisco Elson and Reggie Evans on the NBA's Western Conference player of the week.

``I want him to feel the heat, feel the energy,'' Karl said before tip-off.

Gasol must have felt both, because he was held to seven first-half points as the Grizzlies stumbled at the start, trailed 57-40 at halftime and fell behind by 26 before mounting a futile fourth-quarter push.

``He's the type of guy who doesn't like to play physical, so I tried to deny him, take the ball out of his hands,'' Patterson said. ``He was frustrated. Every time he got the ball we were doubling him. We took him out of his game, so that was a good game plan.''