Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:19 pm
4-2 for Denver. Don't let me down!
Are you the team with the most real life players?
Are you the team with the most real life players?
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:21 pm
Top work as always with the preview. Best of luck in the series, hope you can find a way to overcome their size and that guys like Smith remain on fire. I'll also pick your Nuggets in five games.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:39 am
Dang, that's a huge frontcourt.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Wed Mar 16, 2011 4:09 am
badreligionau wrote:[/center]
Why isn't that woman in the background back in the kitchen?
Oh wait...Sounds like the Wizards have one hell of a frontcourt, but I think Bogut and Perk are capable of playing better than them. I think you'll win in 6.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Wed Mar 16, 2011 8:11 am
4-2 for the Wizards. Their size advantage might pose a problems a couple of games but you should be able to pull it out in the end.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:17 am
megarover wrote:4-2 for the Wizards. Their size advantage might pose a problems a couple of games but you should be able to pull it out in the end.
Then wouldn't your pick be 4-2 Nuggets?
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:33 pm
Andrew wrote:Nice selection.
Thanks Andrew, I was trying to get 10, but since I didn't I thought I'd put a few of them together. Replays is probably one of the stronger features on NBA Live 10 and I hope it can stay solid with Elite 12.
Justine. wrote:Good luck on the Finals! Predicting a 4-1 series in favor of you.
Thanks Justine, we'll see how things pan out
Thierry • wrote:4-2 for Denver. Don't let me down!
Are you the team with the most real life players?
I'll do my best sir; I'm not going to rest until the city of Denver gets a championship... oh wait...
Last time I checked I had the most real life players; I just feel like I get better deals with them and I know what I'm getting. Unless it's a prominent player, signing generated free agents is a lottery itself.
Andrew wrote:Top work as always with the preview. Best of luck in the series, hope you can find a way to overcome their size and that guys like Smith remain on fire. I'll also pick your Nuggets in five games.
Thanks again
Historically I've struggled against centres bigger than 7'0, which is why I have two 7-footers in my team now. And hopefully Earl's best is yet to come
Houndy wrote:Dang, that's a huge frontcourt.
Biggest one of recent memory... it atleast matches the Shawn Bradley/Dirk Nowitzki one.
Axel. wrote:Why isn't that woman in the background back in the kitchen?
Sounds like the Wizards have one hell of a frontcourt, but I think Bogut and Perk are capable of playing better than them. I think you'll win in 6.
Well, she definitely isn't playing the Wizards anymore... and that's Bosh's kitchen!
Their frontcourt is obviously the biggest worry; I can tend to limit perimeter shooters but size can definitely be an achilles heel for me.
megarover wrote:4-2 for the Wizards. Their size advantage might pose a problems a couple of games but you should be able to pull it out in the end.
Andrew wrote:megarover wrote:4-2 for the Wizards. Their size advantage might pose a problems a couple of games but you should be able to pull it out in the end.
Then wouldn't your pick be 4-2 Nuggets?
I'm a bit confused by this as well, but you're right, their size can pose problems.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Wed Mar 16, 2011 10:13 pm
NBA Finals
The First Four Games
Game 1: Denver Capitalise in Washington
Despite a poor start, Denver finished off a fading Washington side to beat them 84-65. The Wizards got off to a flyer in the series, starting off the game with an 11-0 run and at one stage had a 20 point lead. Denver managed to bring the margin back to 4 points at the end of the quarter. From there, Denver did not lose another quarter, winning the next 3 by 9, 6 and 8 respectively. The Nuggets had 5 double figure scorers, led by J.R. Smith with 27 points. Rookie star Ed Reed had another solid outing from the bench with 14 points. Andrew Bogut (13) and Kevin Durant (11) both contributed, but it was Borislav Perko who was named Performer of the Game with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists.
For Washington, gigantic centre Zach Pearson was clearly the best with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks. Reuben Walker scored 15, while Duncan O'Farrell faded out towards the end of the game after an initial flurry of points. He ended up with 11.
Denver came out and made a statement in Game 1; even though Washington were the best team all season, Denver have the experience to close out big games.
--------------------------------------
DEN@WAS
DEN: 84 (Smith 27, Reed 14, Bogut 13)
WAS: 65 (Pearson 16, Walker 15, O'Farrell 11)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Borislav Perko 11 points 10 rebounds 4 assists 2 blocks 2 steals
Rebounds
DEN: Perko 10
WAS: Pearson 12
Assists
DEN: Jennings 5
WAS: Hunt 4
--------------------------------------
Game 2: Wizards Level Series in OT
After fading out in the first game, Washington hit back in the second, winning by 113-110 in OT. Despite having a career game with 38 points, Ed Reed missed the one that mattered the most at the end of regulation; a wide open shot that could have won the game. To add insult to injury, Duncan O'Farrell would not only equal Reed's 38 point effort, but he nailed the eventual game winning 3 towards the end of overtime. J.R. Smith had a contested corner three to try and send it to a second overtime, but he missed it. Smith ended up with 37 of his own in a game full of big point scoring efforts.
Denver's only other double figure scorer was Kevin Durant with a modest 13. Washington however had 5 double digit scorers. Along with the aforementioned, the eventual Performer of the Game Reuben Walker had an impressive game with 21 points and 11 assists. Jared Butler (16) and 6th man of the Year Steven Hunt (14) both came to the party on the offensive end as well. Former Denver Nuggets player Sam Conners had his most impressive performance against his former side to date with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks. His effort on the boards was only topped by Zach Pearson, who grabbed a gargantuan 22 rebounds.
Washington showed a lot of character in this game after it was scrutinised in their first performance of the series. The series will now head to Denver.
--------------------------------------
DEN@WAS
(OT)
WAS: 113 (O'Farrell 38, Walker 21, Butler 16)
DEN: 110 (Reed 38, Smith 37, Durant 13)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Reuben Walker 21 points 2 rebounds 11 assists 1 block 1 steal
Rebounds
WAS: Pearson 22
DEN: Bogut 12
Assists
WAS: Walker 11
DEN: Jennings, Reed 5
--------------------------------------
Game 3: Sam's Return Stuns Denver
Washington stole a game in Denver by recording a 89-87 win against the Nuggets in Game 3. Reuben Walker was outstanding for the Wizards with 28 points, but the story of the game was Sam Conners' effort. Slammin' Sam spent the initial stages of his career out of the Denver rotation, but in his homecoming he proved that he was more than the Nuggets gave him credit for. He scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a dominant performance in the paint. Duncan O'Farrell cooled off a bit in this game, but he still had a solid night with 15.
For the Nuggets, J.R. Smith led the scoring once again with 26. Kevin Durant was named Performer of the Game with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks, while Ed Reed scored 15 off the bench. The interesting stat of the night was that Andrew Bogut led the Nuggets in both rebounds (14) and assists (6).
In the later stages of the game Denver sent Washington to the line intentionally. With the lead at 5 and no hope of winning the game, Kevin Durant hit the buzzer 3.
--------------------------------------
WAS@DEN
WAS: 89 (Walker 28, Conners 20, O'Farrell 15)
DEN: 87 (Smith 26, Durant 22, Reed 15)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Kevin Durant 22 points 7 rebounds 1 assists 3 blocks 2 steals
Rebounds
WAS: Pearson 14
DEN: Bogut 14
Assists
WAS: O'Farrell 5
DEN: Bogut 6
--------------------------------------
Game 4: Nuggets Draw Level in Denver
In another close finish, Denver overcame Washington by 101-98. While J.R. Smith was the top scorer with 24, Borislav Perko was the difference in the game. His ability to back down Conners close to the hoop turned the game in Denver's favour. He had 23 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Robin Lopez had his best performance of the playoffs so far with 12 points and 14 rebounds, while Kevin Durant was modest with 10.
Duncan O'Farrell turned it on again for the Wizards with 31. Sam Conners narrowly missed a double-double with 17 points and 9 rebounds, while Zach Pearson (14 points 12 rebounds) and Reuben Walker (12 points 13 assists) both got theirs.
Denver's bigs weren't scared to take on the Twin Towers of Washington and will need to continue in this vain if they are to achieve what the Bulls did in the 90s.
--------------------------------------
WAS@DEN
DEN: 101 (Smith 24, Perko 23, Lopez 12)
WAS: 98 (O'Farrell 31, Conners 17, Pearson 14)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Borislav Perko 23 points 8 rebounds 6 assists 1 steal
Rebounds
DEN: Pearson 12
WAS: Lopez 14
Assists
DEN: Perko 6
WAS: Walker 13
--------------------------------------
After 4 games, the series is level as both teams have played incredibly competitive basketball. The series could very well be a case of the last man standing wins it all. Next up will be the conclusion to the 10th season.
The First Four Games
Game 1: Denver Capitalise in Washington
Despite a poor start, Denver finished off a fading Washington side to beat them 84-65. The Wizards got off to a flyer in the series, starting off the game with an 11-0 run and at one stage had a 20 point lead. Denver managed to bring the margin back to 4 points at the end of the quarter. From there, Denver did not lose another quarter, winning the next 3 by 9, 6 and 8 respectively. The Nuggets had 5 double figure scorers, led by J.R. Smith with 27 points. Rookie star Ed Reed had another solid outing from the bench with 14 points. Andrew Bogut (13) and Kevin Durant (11) both contributed, but it was Borislav Perko who was named Performer of the Game with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists.
For Washington, gigantic centre Zach Pearson was clearly the best with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks. Reuben Walker scored 15, while Duncan O'Farrell faded out towards the end of the game after an initial flurry of points. He ended up with 11.
Denver came out and made a statement in Game 1; even though Washington were the best team all season, Denver have the experience to close out big games.
--------------------------------------
DEN@WAS
DEN: 84 (Smith 27, Reed 14, Bogut 13)
WAS: 65 (Pearson 16, Walker 15, O'Farrell 11)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Borislav Perko 11 points 10 rebounds 4 assists 2 blocks 2 steals
Rebounds
DEN: Perko 10
WAS: Pearson 12
Assists
DEN: Jennings 5
WAS: Hunt 4
--------------------------------------
Game 2: Wizards Level Series in OT
After fading out in the first game, Washington hit back in the second, winning by 113-110 in OT. Despite having a career game with 38 points, Ed Reed missed the one that mattered the most at the end of regulation; a wide open shot that could have won the game. To add insult to injury, Duncan O'Farrell would not only equal Reed's 38 point effort, but he nailed the eventual game winning 3 towards the end of overtime. J.R. Smith had a contested corner three to try and send it to a second overtime, but he missed it. Smith ended up with 37 of his own in a game full of big point scoring efforts.
Denver's only other double figure scorer was Kevin Durant with a modest 13. Washington however had 5 double digit scorers. Along with the aforementioned, the eventual Performer of the Game Reuben Walker had an impressive game with 21 points and 11 assists. Jared Butler (16) and 6th man of the Year Steven Hunt (14) both came to the party on the offensive end as well. Former Denver Nuggets player Sam Conners had his most impressive performance against his former side to date with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks. His effort on the boards was only topped by Zach Pearson, who grabbed a gargantuan 22 rebounds.
Washington showed a lot of character in this game after it was scrutinised in their first performance of the series. The series will now head to Denver.
--------------------------------------
DEN@WAS
(OT)
WAS: 113 (O'Farrell 38, Walker 21, Butler 16)
DEN: 110 (Reed 38, Smith 37, Durant 13)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Reuben Walker 21 points 2 rebounds 11 assists 1 block 1 steal
Rebounds
WAS: Pearson 22
DEN: Bogut 12
Assists
WAS: Walker 11
DEN: Jennings, Reed 5
--------------------------------------
Game 3: Sam's Return Stuns Denver
Washington stole a game in Denver by recording a 89-87 win against the Nuggets in Game 3. Reuben Walker was outstanding for the Wizards with 28 points, but the story of the game was Sam Conners' effort. Slammin' Sam spent the initial stages of his career out of the Denver rotation, but in his homecoming he proved that he was more than the Nuggets gave him credit for. He scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a dominant performance in the paint. Duncan O'Farrell cooled off a bit in this game, but he still had a solid night with 15.
For the Nuggets, J.R. Smith led the scoring once again with 26. Kevin Durant was named Performer of the Game with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks, while Ed Reed scored 15 off the bench. The interesting stat of the night was that Andrew Bogut led the Nuggets in both rebounds (14) and assists (6).
In the later stages of the game Denver sent Washington to the line intentionally. With the lead at 5 and no hope of winning the game, Kevin Durant hit the buzzer 3.
--------------------------------------
WAS@DEN
WAS: 89 (Walker 28, Conners 20, O'Farrell 15)
DEN: 87 (Smith 26, Durant 22, Reed 15)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Kevin Durant 22 points 7 rebounds 1 assists 3 blocks 2 steals
Rebounds
WAS: Pearson 14
DEN: Bogut 14
Assists
WAS: O'Farrell 5
DEN: Bogut 6
--------------------------------------
Game 4: Nuggets Draw Level in Denver
In another close finish, Denver overcame Washington by 101-98. While J.R. Smith was the top scorer with 24, Borislav Perko was the difference in the game. His ability to back down Conners close to the hoop turned the game in Denver's favour. He had 23 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Robin Lopez had his best performance of the playoffs so far with 12 points and 14 rebounds, while Kevin Durant was modest with 10.
Duncan O'Farrell turned it on again for the Wizards with 31. Sam Conners narrowly missed a double-double with 17 points and 9 rebounds, while Zach Pearson (14 points 12 rebounds) and Reuben Walker (12 points 13 assists) both got theirs.
Denver's bigs weren't scared to take on the Twin Towers of Washington and will need to continue in this vain if they are to achieve what the Bulls did in the 90s.
--------------------------------------
WAS@DEN
DEN: 101 (Smith 24, Perko 23, Lopez 12)
WAS: 98 (O'Farrell 31, Conners 17, Pearson 14)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Borislav Perko 23 points 8 rebounds 6 assists 1 steal
Rebounds
DEN: Pearson 12
WAS: Lopez 14
Assists
DEN: Perko 6
WAS: Walker 13
--------------------------------------
After 4 games, the series is level as both teams have played incredibly competitive basketball. The series could very well be a case of the last man standing wins it all. Next up will be the conclusion to the 10th season.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Wed Mar 16, 2011 10:26 pm
Aside from the blowout in Game 1, it's turning out to be quite a competitive series. The eventual winner - I'm still backing the Nuggets, of course! - will certainly have earned the Larry O'Brien trophy in this one. Best of luck closing out the series and hopefully snagging the title!
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 12:00 am
I like this series already.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:15 am
That frontcourt is definitely trouble, Pearson with 22 rebounds! 
Good to see Durant step up in Game 3. Looks like a good finish is in store, hopefully the Nuggets can three-peat!
Good to see Durant step up in Game 3. Looks like a good finish is in store, hopefully the Nuggets can three-peat!
Last edited by Axel The Great on Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:04 am
This is one of the best series I've seen in a while.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:24 am
As Axel said, a huge end for the season is in store for us 
Good luck man!
Good luck man!
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:23 am
Holy shit Pearson is a monster. I want to see a hard-fought games 5,6, and 7!
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:06 pm
Andrew wrote:Aside from the blowout in Game 1, it's turning out to be quite a competitive series. The eventual winner - I'm still backing the Nuggets, of course! - will certainly have earned the Larry O'Brien trophy in this one. Best of luck closing out the series and hopefully snagging the title!
They shoot a very high percentage and are very hard to guard because of that. If you sag off their shooters, they nail the shots most of the time; if you don't send the help to the post, they can kill you in there as well. I guess you need to pick your poison and hope it's the least productive outlet.
Houndy wrote:I like this series already.
Thanks Houndy, it's been one of the most memorable even up to this point.
Axel. wrote:That frontcourt is definitely trouble, Pearson with 22 rebounds!
Thierry • wrote:As Axel said, a huge end for the season is in store for us
Teams with Twin Towers are always a pain in the ass because you have to either time your rebounds perfectly or be extremely vigilant on boxing them out. With Pearson's height, boxing him out barely even works.
Hopefully the ending fulfils expectations
megarover wrote:This is one of the best series I've seen in a while.
Thanks megarover, I'm hoping the end to it will be just as good
z02 wrote:Holy shit Pearson is a monster. I want to see a hard-fought games 5,6, and 7!
That he is... did I mention he has a mid-range game as well? The dude could be as dominant as Shaq if the Live Engine is kind to him.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:43 pm
NBA Finals: The Season Finale
Game 5: Wizards Within One of the Trophy
The Washington Wizards find themselves 1 win away from the Championship with a 93-89 win in Denver. They were led by Duncan O'Farrell and Reuben Walker, who both scored 20 points each. Sam Conners had another strong night against his old team with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Zach Pearson was named the Performer of the Game with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Under performing wingman Jared Butler had another subdue night, but managed to score 12 points.
The Denver Nuggets were able to keep it close during the night thanks to J.R. Smith, who scored 30. Kevin Durant scored 16, while Borislav Perko flirted with a triple-double with 12 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists. In his second game activated in the playoffs, Crispin Erwin scored 12 points.
The Wizards now have two games in the nation's capital to win the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
-----------------------------------------------
WAS@DEN
WAS: 93 (O'Farrell 20, Walker 20, Conners 19)
DEN: 89 (Smith 30, Durant 16, Erwin 12)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Zach Pearson 16 points 17 rebounds 3 assists 1 block 1 steal
Rebounds
WAS: Pearson 17
DEN: Perko 9
Assists
WAS: O'Farrell 7
DEN: Perko 8
-----------------------------------------------
Game 6: Series to Go to 7
Denver pulled off arguably the most important win in franchise history, with a 93-85 victory in game 6. Even though Smith led the scoring once again with 25, it was a team effort with 4 other double digit contributors. After having a quiet last two games, Ed Reed scored 15 off the bench in this one. The man he backs up also came to life, as Brandon Jennings scored 12 points. Kevin Durant had another 11 point tally, while Andrew Bogut was the sole double-double for Denver with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Reuben Walker had the top score of he night with 27 points, as well as having 10 assists. Zach Pearson was once again named the Performer of the Game with 15 points, 19 rebounds and 3 blocks as he once again dominated the paint. Sam Conners produced another double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while perimeter shooters Jared Butler (11) and Duncan O'Farrell (10) had sub-par nights. That proved to be the difference in the end as well; even though the Nuggets once again got bullied in the paint, the kept the wing players from getting any rhythm from the perimeter. Washington have thrived off a superior game from beyond the arc, but they were exposed when it got shut down.
The finale for season 2018-2019 will be played in Washington.
-----------------------------------------------
DEN@WAS
DEN: 93 (Smith 25, Reed 16, Jennings 12)
WAS: 85 (Walker 27, Pearson 15, Conners 12)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Zach Pearson 15 points 19 rebounds 3 blocks
Rebounds
DEN: Perko 17
WAS: Pearson 19
Assists
DEN: Bogut 5
WAS: Walker 10
-----------------------------------------------
Game 7: Smith Carries Denver to 6th Title!
After a closely fought series, Denver have come out of Game 7 as NBA Champions. The final score was 93-81. Even though Denver only had 2 double figure scorers, they had the most dominant player of the night in J.R. Smith. The man known as Earl was unstoppable in Game 7, scoring 43 points. With him carrying the side, Kevin Durant managed only 13, with the next best scorer being Taylor MacKenzie, who scored 7 in the 4th quarter. On offense, Smith was the catalyst, but on the defensive end it was done by two unlikely heroes. George Power grabbed 9 rebounds and 4 blocks, and in his last game, Chris Andersen crashed the boards for 7 and had 4 blocked shots. Strangely enough, the Birdman also led the Nuggets assist tally for the night with 5.
Even though they had 4 different double digit scorers, none of them were to the same ferocity of J.R. Smith. Duncan O'Farrell led the way with 19, while Sam Conners wasn't far away from that mark with 18 of his own. Reuben Walker (16 points, 10 assists) and Zach Pearson (15 points, 15 rebounds) once again reached double-doubles, but in the end there was no stopping Denver.
The Nuggets are the first team since the Bulls to win two sets of 3 titles. A great achievement from a team with a small market and aging players. Who knows what's next for this side, but for now, they will enjoy their 6th title in 10 years.
-----------------------------------------------
DEN@WAS
DEN: 93 (Smith 43, Durant 13, MacKenzie 7)
WAS: 81 (O'Farrell 19, Conners 18, Walker 16)
Sprite Performer of the Game: J.R. Smith 43 points 4 rebounds 2 assists 1 block 2 steals
Rebounds
DEN: Power 9
WAS: Pearson 15
Assists
DEN: Andersen 5
WAS: Walker 10
-----------------------------------------------
Click here to view the slideshow for the 2019 NBA Finals
-----------------------------------------------
What a season! I never thought the 10th would be my favourite (or that I'd make it this far), but it has been the most enjoyable of me at this point. I'm still not sure to what direction to take this story into for the 11th, but before I decide that, there's plenty more to come to wrap up this season. The championship team, both the reader's and my choice for a 10th annivery side and the top plays of the 2019 NBA Finals.
Thanks again to everyone that followed; hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did
Game 5: Wizards Within One of the Trophy
The Washington Wizards find themselves 1 win away from the Championship with a 93-89 win in Denver. They were led by Duncan O'Farrell and Reuben Walker, who both scored 20 points each. Sam Conners had another strong night against his old team with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Zach Pearson was named the Performer of the Game with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Under performing wingman Jared Butler had another subdue night, but managed to score 12 points.
The Denver Nuggets were able to keep it close during the night thanks to J.R. Smith, who scored 30. Kevin Durant scored 16, while Borislav Perko flirted with a triple-double with 12 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists. In his second game activated in the playoffs, Crispin Erwin scored 12 points.
The Wizards now have two games in the nation's capital to win the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
-----------------------------------------------
WAS@DEN
WAS: 93 (O'Farrell 20, Walker 20, Conners 19)
DEN: 89 (Smith 30, Durant 16, Erwin 12)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Zach Pearson 16 points 17 rebounds 3 assists 1 block 1 steal
Rebounds
WAS: Pearson 17
DEN: Perko 9
Assists
WAS: O'Farrell 7
DEN: Perko 8
-----------------------------------------------
Game 6: Series to Go to 7
Denver pulled off arguably the most important win in franchise history, with a 93-85 victory in game 6. Even though Smith led the scoring once again with 25, it was a team effort with 4 other double digit contributors. After having a quiet last two games, Ed Reed scored 15 off the bench in this one. The man he backs up also came to life, as Brandon Jennings scored 12 points. Kevin Durant had another 11 point tally, while Andrew Bogut was the sole double-double for Denver with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Reuben Walker had the top score of he night with 27 points, as well as having 10 assists. Zach Pearson was once again named the Performer of the Game with 15 points, 19 rebounds and 3 blocks as he once again dominated the paint. Sam Conners produced another double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while perimeter shooters Jared Butler (11) and Duncan O'Farrell (10) had sub-par nights. That proved to be the difference in the end as well; even though the Nuggets once again got bullied in the paint, the kept the wing players from getting any rhythm from the perimeter. Washington have thrived off a superior game from beyond the arc, but they were exposed when it got shut down.
The finale for season 2018-2019 will be played in Washington.
-----------------------------------------------
DEN@WAS
DEN: 93 (Smith 25, Reed 16, Jennings 12)
WAS: 85 (Walker 27, Pearson 15, Conners 12)
Sprite Performer of the Game: Zach Pearson 15 points 19 rebounds 3 blocks
Rebounds
DEN: Perko 17
WAS: Pearson 19
Assists
DEN: Bogut 5
WAS: Walker 10
-----------------------------------------------
Game 7: Smith Carries Denver to 6th Title!
After a closely fought series, Denver have come out of Game 7 as NBA Champions. The final score was 93-81. Even though Denver only had 2 double figure scorers, they had the most dominant player of the night in J.R. Smith. The man known as Earl was unstoppable in Game 7, scoring 43 points. With him carrying the side, Kevin Durant managed only 13, with the next best scorer being Taylor MacKenzie, who scored 7 in the 4th quarter. On offense, Smith was the catalyst, but on the defensive end it was done by two unlikely heroes. George Power grabbed 9 rebounds and 4 blocks, and in his last game, Chris Andersen crashed the boards for 7 and had 4 blocked shots. Strangely enough, the Birdman also led the Nuggets assist tally for the night with 5.
Even though they had 4 different double digit scorers, none of them were to the same ferocity of J.R. Smith. Duncan O'Farrell led the way with 19, while Sam Conners wasn't far away from that mark with 18 of his own. Reuben Walker (16 points, 10 assists) and Zach Pearson (15 points, 15 rebounds) once again reached double-doubles, but in the end there was no stopping Denver.
The Nuggets are the first team since the Bulls to win two sets of 3 titles. A great achievement from a team with a small market and aging players. Who knows what's next for this side, but for now, they will enjoy their 6th title in 10 years.
-----------------------------------------------
DEN@WAS
DEN: 93 (Smith 43, Durant 13, MacKenzie 7)
WAS: 81 (O'Farrell 19, Conners 18, Walker 16)
Sprite Performer of the Game: J.R. Smith 43 points 4 rebounds 2 assists 1 block 2 steals
Rebounds
DEN: Power 9
WAS: Pearson 15
Assists
DEN: Andersen 5
WAS: Walker 10
-----------------------------------------------
Click here to view the slideshow for the 2019 NBA Finals
-----------------------------------------------
What a season! I never thought the 10th would be my favourite (or that I'd make it this far), but it has been the most enjoyable of me at this point. I'm still not sure to what direction to take this story into for the 11th, but before I decide that, there's plenty more to come to wrap up this season. The championship team, both the reader's and my choice for a 10th annivery side and the top plays of the 2019 NBA Finals.
Thanks again to everyone that followed; hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 6:15 pm
Amazing series, and title won on the road.
Congrats on 6th
Congrats on 6th
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 7:00 pm
Second three-peat? Quite amazing. I know what it's like to win 1, but 2 must be very fulfilling. Congrats.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:23 pm
Congratulations! It seems only appropriate that the series would go to seven games, certainly a nail biter. Nice to see Smith well and truly get the monkey off his back as far as his past playoff struggles are concerned and conclude the season with a huge game to clinch the title. Looking forward to the wrap-up coverage and whatever you decide to do moving forward.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:17 pm
Congrats on the second three-peat! Still amazed on how much you put effort and commitment to this, looking forward to the next season!
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Thu Mar 17, 2011 11:59 pm
Hell of a series, nice job sealing the win with JR
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:30 am
Down 3-2 and you still got the ring? Kinda like the Lakers' championship this year...
FOUR-PEAT!
FOUR-PEAT!
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Fri Mar 18, 2011 3:00 am
Grand Theft 2K11 : DUB Edition wrote:Down 3-2 and you still got the ring? Kinda like the Lakers' FLUKE championship this year...
Fixed.
Congrats on the three-peat. I would've expected a much tighter Game 7, the Wizards didn't seem to give much effort there. Great to see Earl step up and silence doubters who didn't think he was a good playoff performer. (me
) It's funny how both teams won more games on the road, and to come down to win from 3-2 is a huge accomplishment, especially when you didn't have homecourt advantage. Looking forward to what's next.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:59 am
10th Anniversary Team: Reader's Choice
Your votes have been tallied! To correspond with the 10th year of this dynasty, I asked you all to vote for the players you want to see in the 10 year anniversary team. A lot of hard decisions had to be made and the snubs could possibly be a story in itself. So here it is, this is the team you voted for NLSC:
The Starters
Centre: Chris Andersen
10 years and 6 rings; the Birdman is the only one to be there for it all. The longest tenure in TNL to date, but he's not a guy who just hung around. Andersen was a 3-time All-star, the Defensive Player of the Year, a 3-time All-Defensive Player First Team selection and an All-NBA Second Team selection. The Birdman did an excellent job protecting his nest and is a fitting selection to start at centre.
Forward: Carmelo Anthony
In an argument to who was the best to play in the last 10 years for Denver, it'd be hard to go past Carmelo Anthony. Come playoffs time, he was the man the Nuggets could lean on for big performances and he has 4 Finals MVP trophies to prove it. Along with those awards, he has an impressive swagger of accolaides including being selected twice for the All-NBA First Team and an equal amount of times for the All-NBA Second and Defensive First Team, and was awarded the All-Star game MVP in 2011-2012. To this day, the people in the Mile High City still love Melo, despite his departure.
Forward: Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant provided one of the biggest talking points of this story, as he was acquired in a trade that sent stalwart Carmelo Anthony to Minnesota. Even though at times he has been the Chris Bosh-esque third wheel in Denver's offense, he has had some truly sparkling moments. In his two seasons with Denver, he has already won two West Player of the Month awards and was the feature of page 35 with the team challenge to beat his career high stats. Melo is a tough act to follow, but Durant has been doing a good job so far.
Guard: J.R. Smith
The tale of the prodigal son; J.R. Smith left Denver after their first championship, but he came back in the 2016-2017 season. The regular season he had was the best of this dynasty for Denver and he was rewarded with the MVP trophy. He was the first in franchise history to win this award, which is a massive achievement when you consider that Alex English once played for this team. That year he also was named the All-Star MVP and reached the All-NBA First Team and the All-Defensive Second Team. I mentioned before that Melo would be in the argument for the best player in this dynasty; if that was the case, J.R. Smith would probably be on the other side of that debate.
Guard: Chauncey Billups
The embodiment of Colorado basketball, Billups played his high school and college ball in the state, so it seemed like the only way to end his fantastic career would be at home with the Nuggets. Chauncey was the first Nuggets player in the dynasty to win the West Player of the Month. During his 9 year stint in this dynasty he was a 3-time All-Defensive First Team player and a 2-time All-Star. His crowning season would be his last in the NBA. He hit clutch shot after clutch shot and had a post-season nobody could forget, as he picked up the Finals MVP. Just a great servant to Denver basketball.
The Bench
Ty Maximilian
He only spent 4 seasons with the Nuggets, but in that time, Ty Maximilian became a cult figure. During a series where Rudy Gay was running rampant, Ty stepped up to the plate and not only stopped him, but poured on the points himself. From there his reputation of being "Robert Horry on steroids" continued to grow. He might not have the accolaides he deserves, but his impact on the Denver franchise is one that can't be denied.
Robin Lopez
Lopez was one of the few surviving free agency signings of the Roster Player era. This is a credit to his hard work and energy he has brought off the bench. In the 10th season, he became the first player since Moses Malone to register a 30-30 game and he has arguably superseeded his brother Brook with 3 rings. Robin is no longer known as just Brook's twin.
Taylor MacKenzie
T-Mac 2.0 earned a reputation right from his debut game as he landed the game winning 3. From that he would go on to have one of the best rookie campaigns in recent history. He had a record 53 points in the Rookie Challenge, as well as picking up two awards at the end of the season, being named the Rookie and the 6th Man of the year. It can be argued that he is a one-hit wonder or an underachiever, but when MacKenzie turns it on, he is as hard to stop as any of the players on this team.
Shannon Brown
After J.R. Smith left, Denver needed a starting shooting guard and Shannon filled the roster space excellently. He was never named to the All-Star team or won any individual trophies, but his impact for the Nuggets was profound. Along with J.R. Smith and Matt Bonner, he possibly had the best 3 point shot over the last 10 years for the Nuggets and found a way to score in bunches on any given occassion.
Borislav Perko
A personal favourite of mine so far, it seems like Borislav Perko is a superstar trapped in a role. Despite being a complementary player for the majority of the time, Perko is a guy who is a legit triple-double threat. He can not only back bigger defenders down and hit the boards, but he also has great court vision. Often in games he tallies team high assist numbers. He was named in the All-Rookie First team and played in the Rookie Challenge both years, but I still think we haven't seen the best of Borislav Perko.
Andrew Bogut
Even though he is only a recent addition to the Denver organisation, he became an integral part to the Nuggets' second threepeat. Denver looked dead in the water after trailing 3-0 to the Rockets, but Andrew Bogut was the difference. Sure, Earl scored the points, but Bogut was the interior toughness that the Nuggets needed to salvage the series. He continued his form throughout the post-season and despite a decreased role through the season, it was probably the most important one of his whole career.
LaMarcus Aldridge
LaMarcus Aldridge is the only player to make this team to have the unenviable distinction of not winning a ring in Denver. After Dirk Nowitzki retired, LaMarcus Aldridge was the big name signing to replace him and he kept Denver competitive. He was important to this dynasty as well because he played an important role in bringing J.R. Smith back. Despite not winning a ring, Aldridge is clearly very popular amongst fans of this dynasty.
IR
Here are the three guys who were close, but didn't quite make it:
Shaquille O'Neal
Brandon Jennings
Michael Beasley
Your votes have been tallied! To correspond with the 10th year of this dynasty, I asked you all to vote for the players you want to see in the 10 year anniversary team. A lot of hard decisions had to be made and the snubs could possibly be a story in itself. So here it is, this is the team you voted for NLSC:
The Starters
Centre: Chris Andersen
10 years and 6 rings; the Birdman is the only one to be there for it all. The longest tenure in TNL to date, but he's not a guy who just hung around. Andersen was a 3-time All-star, the Defensive Player of the Year, a 3-time All-Defensive Player First Team selection and an All-NBA Second Team selection. The Birdman did an excellent job protecting his nest and is a fitting selection to start at centre.
Forward: Carmelo Anthony
In an argument to who was the best to play in the last 10 years for Denver, it'd be hard to go past Carmelo Anthony. Come playoffs time, he was the man the Nuggets could lean on for big performances and he has 4 Finals MVP trophies to prove it. Along with those awards, he has an impressive swagger of accolaides including being selected twice for the All-NBA First Team and an equal amount of times for the All-NBA Second and Defensive First Team, and was awarded the All-Star game MVP in 2011-2012. To this day, the people in the Mile High City still love Melo, despite his departure.
Forward: Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant provided one of the biggest talking points of this story, as he was acquired in a trade that sent stalwart Carmelo Anthony to Minnesota. Even though at times he has been the Chris Bosh-esque third wheel in Denver's offense, he has had some truly sparkling moments. In his two seasons with Denver, he has already won two West Player of the Month awards and was the feature of page 35 with the team challenge to beat his career high stats. Melo is a tough act to follow, but Durant has been doing a good job so far.
Guard: J.R. Smith
The tale of the prodigal son; J.R. Smith left Denver after their first championship, but he came back in the 2016-2017 season. The regular season he had was the best of this dynasty for Denver and he was rewarded with the MVP trophy. He was the first in franchise history to win this award, which is a massive achievement when you consider that Alex English once played for this team. That year he also was named the All-Star MVP and reached the All-NBA First Team and the All-Defensive Second Team. I mentioned before that Melo would be in the argument for the best player in this dynasty; if that was the case, J.R. Smith would probably be on the other side of that debate.
Guard: Chauncey Billups
The embodiment of Colorado basketball, Billups played his high school and college ball in the state, so it seemed like the only way to end his fantastic career would be at home with the Nuggets. Chauncey was the first Nuggets player in the dynasty to win the West Player of the Month. During his 9 year stint in this dynasty he was a 3-time All-Defensive First Team player and a 2-time All-Star. His crowning season would be his last in the NBA. He hit clutch shot after clutch shot and had a post-season nobody could forget, as he picked up the Finals MVP. Just a great servant to Denver basketball.
The Bench
Ty Maximilian
He only spent 4 seasons with the Nuggets, but in that time, Ty Maximilian became a cult figure. During a series where Rudy Gay was running rampant, Ty stepped up to the plate and not only stopped him, but poured on the points himself. From there his reputation of being "Robert Horry on steroids" continued to grow. He might not have the accolaides he deserves, but his impact on the Denver franchise is one that can't be denied.
Robin Lopez
Lopez was one of the few surviving free agency signings of the Roster Player era. This is a credit to his hard work and energy he has brought off the bench. In the 10th season, he became the first player since Moses Malone to register a 30-30 game and he has arguably superseeded his brother Brook with 3 rings. Robin is no longer known as just Brook's twin.
Taylor MacKenzie
T-Mac 2.0 earned a reputation right from his debut game as he landed the game winning 3. From that he would go on to have one of the best rookie campaigns in recent history. He had a record 53 points in the Rookie Challenge, as well as picking up two awards at the end of the season, being named the Rookie and the 6th Man of the year. It can be argued that he is a one-hit wonder or an underachiever, but when MacKenzie turns it on, he is as hard to stop as any of the players on this team.
Shannon Brown
After J.R. Smith left, Denver needed a starting shooting guard and Shannon filled the roster space excellently. He was never named to the All-Star team or won any individual trophies, but his impact for the Nuggets was profound. Along with J.R. Smith and Matt Bonner, he possibly had the best 3 point shot over the last 10 years for the Nuggets and found a way to score in bunches on any given occassion.
Borislav Perko
A personal favourite of mine so far, it seems like Borislav Perko is a superstar trapped in a role. Despite being a complementary player for the majority of the time, Perko is a guy who is a legit triple-double threat. He can not only back bigger defenders down and hit the boards, but he also has great court vision. Often in games he tallies team high assist numbers. He was named in the All-Rookie First team and played in the Rookie Challenge both years, but I still think we haven't seen the best of Borislav Perko.
Andrew Bogut
Even though he is only a recent addition to the Denver organisation, he became an integral part to the Nuggets' second threepeat. Denver looked dead in the water after trailing 3-0 to the Rockets, but Andrew Bogut was the difference. Sure, Earl scored the points, but Bogut was the interior toughness that the Nuggets needed to salvage the series. He continued his form throughout the post-season and despite a decreased role through the season, it was probably the most important one of his whole career.
LaMarcus Aldridge
LaMarcus Aldridge is the only player to make this team to have the unenviable distinction of not winning a ring in Denver. After Dirk Nowitzki retired, LaMarcus Aldridge was the big name signing to replace him and he kept Denver competitive. He was important to this dynasty as well because he played an important role in bringing J.R. Smith back. Despite not winning a ring, Aldridge is clearly very popular amongst fans of this dynasty.
IR
Here are the three guys who were close, but didn't quite make it:
Shaquille O'Neal
Brandon Jennings
Michael Beasley
Last edited by Kenny on Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Denver Nuggets - The Next Level
Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:41 am
Huge job man, congratulations Did Earl win Finals MVP? Hope so.
Did Earl win Finals MVP? Hope so.