Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Nuggets, Warriors still tied after both teams win

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 8, 2008 at 10:57 p.m.

Text size  
Nuggets center Marcus Camby, who had 18 rebounds, drives against Elton Brand of the Clippers during a game on April 8, 2008. The Clippers acquired Camby in part because of Elton Brand's defection from the team this offseason.

Photo by Gus Ruelas / Associated Press

Nuggets center Marcus Camby, who had 18 rebounds, drives against Elton Brand of the Clippers during a game on April 8, 2008. The Clippers acquired Camby in part because of Elton Brand's defection from the team this offseason.

Related Links

More Denver Nuggets

More stories »

The showdown is set.

The Nuggets and the Warriors both took care of business Tuesday night. They meet Thursday in Golden State, with the Western Conference's eighth and final playoff berth likely on the line.

The Nuggets beat the Clippers 117-99 at the Staples Center. The Warriors, meanwhile, defeated Sacramento 140-132 at home.

"Right after the buzzer," guard Allen Iverson said of when his Nuggets started thinking about Thursday's game.

The Nuggets and Warriors are both 47-31. Denver already has won the season tiebreaker, meaning Golden State must finish at least one game ahead to beat out the Nuggets.

"When this whole thing started six or eight weeks ago, I remember circling the game against Golden State and saying, 'We're probably going to have to win that game,' " Nuggets coach George Karl said.

Overall, the news Tuesday for the Nuggets wasn't ideal. Utah (52-26) won at New Orleans to clinch its second straight Northwest Division title. And Dallas (49-29) beat Seattle at home to maintain a two-game lead over the Nuggets and Warriors for the No. 7 spot.

It was a solid performance by the Nuggets after two embarrassing losses. They had fallen Saturday at home to Sacramento and Sunday at Seattle.

Forward Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 36 points. He has averaged 40.3 the past three games.

"These are the type of games I need to step up," said Anthony, who said the team was hard on itself after the two weekend losses.

The Nuggets also got 21 points from Iverson. Center Marcus Camby grabbed 18 rebounds, his best outing since pulling down 19 Jan. 30 at Memphis.

"We took it upon ourselves to play solid defense," Camby said. "Giving up 150 points to a Seattle team (in Sunday's 151-147 double-overtime loss) didn't sit too well for us. It definitely didn't sit too well with me. I didn't sleep too well the past two nights."

The Nuggets wasted no time in taking over against a depleted team. The Clippers didn't play normal starters Corey Maggette (hamstring strain) and Chris Kaman (sprained ankle), and guard Shaun Livingston (dislocated knee) has been out all season.

Forward Cuttino Mobley led the Clippers (23-55) with 25 points. They were the first foe not to score 100 points against the Nuggets since Memphis fell 108-86 on March 12.

"Everybody knew we had to get a win," Iverson said. "We didn't care if it was by one point or 30 points."

The Nuggets, who led by as many as 29, no doubt could have won by 30. They blew the game open by outscoring the Clippers 40-24 in the second quarter for a 63-47 halftime lead.

Then thoughts turned to the Warriors.

"If you ain't excited about playing this type of game Thursday and the one Saturday, then you don't like playing basketball," said Anthony, also speaking of Saturday's game at Utah.

Anthony called Thursday a "must win," which means Saturday's game could be diminished if the Nuggets don't win.

There also won't be any division title ramifications on the line Saturday.

"We said (Utah) had to win 52 or 53 and we made them do that," said Karl, believing the Northwest race might have been different had Nene not missed 21/2 months during the season because of testicular cancer.

Before the game, Karl was asked if he could believe his team is on the verge of winning 50 games and fighting just to make the playoffs.

"We'd have taken 46-31," Karl said of if that record had been offered to the Nuggets before the season. "We'd have bought that."

The NBA record for most wins without reaching the playoffs is 49-33 by Phoenix in 1971-72. The Nuggets and Warriors are two shy, with one in line to stay home.

"It's a big game," Camby said of Thursday. "That's why it's on TV (TNT) and at 5 o'clock (Pacific)."

ETC.: While the Nuggets are committed to assigned guard Taurean Green remaining with the Colorado 14ers through Saturday's regular-season finale, he could be brought back up after and then possibly assigned again for the NBA Development League playoffs. With Green having one assignment last December when he was with Portland, he has one left before reaching the allowable three for the season. . . . Nuggets guard Chucky Atkins hasn't played in four of the past six games, with Karl not going much past an eight-man rotation. "We have to win and we don't have time to experiment," Karl said of Atkins, who returned March 7 after missing two months with a sports hernia. . . . Nick Fazekas, who starred at Arvada's Ralston Valley High School, played the final four minutes, scoring nine points.

JONES IN MIX

The Nuggets are considering signing guard Dahntay Jones, averaging 25.3 points for the NBA Development League's Fort Wayne (Ind.) Mad Ants. Jones' agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed having talks with Nuggets executive Mark Warkentien, who recently saw a 37-point game by Jones.

The Nuggets soon are expected to sign a prospect for the rest of the season with a nonguaranteed deal for next season, and there are several candidates. A sticking point on Jones is Bartelstein doesn't "necessarily want to take (Jones) off the free-agent market."

The Nuggets have been looking for several weeks for a prospect to evaluate during the summer and have contract flexibility. One candidate, forward Gerald Green, doesn't seem willing to sign a deal that includes next season.

NENE SITS AGAIN

Nuggets forward Nene missed his second straight game Tuesday with a strained right groin, but athletic trainer Jim Gillen didn't rule out a return Thursday at Golden State.

To put Nene more at ease, he was given a magnetic resonance imaging exam. Gillen said it revealed a muscle strain, which wasn't bad news.

"We're trying to get him feeling confident," said Nuggets coach George Karl, being careful with Nene because of him recently missing 21/2 months with testicular cancer. "I don't think there's any question we've got to cater to his passions and desires."

Karl said the injury hampers his desire to gradually increase Nene's minutes.

HE SAID IT

"If it's changing, I ain't playing."

Kenyon Martin, Nuggets forward, asked if he must change his game because of the fact any flagrant foul the rest of the season will result in a suspension.

Chris Tomasson

Comments

  • April 9, 2008

    5:53 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    BalltownIA7 writes:

    At least the Nuggets provided me my best laugh of the season last night, early in the game I saw Camby and Carter running a pick and roll. I almost fell out of my chair and milk almost came out of my nose. Best belly laugh since the TV writers walked out.

  • April 9, 2008

    9:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    BigMikeColorado writes:

    Too many egos on this team for it to go anywhere in the playoffs, even if they do make it in. I'm almost 50 and have followed the NBA for nearly all of it, and I cannot recall a year when the gap between first and worst was THIS close. A team winning 49-50 games could end up NOT making the playoffs. Poor Vegas (pun intended), how do you decide betting lines when a #1 seed is only 5 games better than the #8 seed?

  • April 9, 2008

    9:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    TONE writes:

    NO!!!!! STOP WINNING!!!!!
    No more 1st round elimination PLEASE!!!
    Let Golden State have that spot!!!
    NO MORE WINNING!!!!

  • April 9, 2008

    10:24 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Highcountry writes:

    These posters are knuckleheads. Most of the yokels who post here are. The rest of us are behind you boyz. Melo is unbelievably impressive, K-Mart is a monster (again), Iverson is blessed ballplayer and a fine leader, Camby is one of the MVPs, Carter has played great D and propels the team's offensive flow and J.R. and Kleiza are on the rise. Keep this team together! Add Nene and look out. I haven't given up on Karl, but he is the one on the hot seat.

  • April 9, 2008

    10:40 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    kmeissner writes:

    Highcountry- it's about time we get some Nuggets FANS on these threads. If these other fools don't like our team, stop watching them! Melo has been playing up to the level we expect from him lately. If the defense comes together on Thursday, there's no doubt in my ind that they'll get that last playoff spot. I just hope we don't play San Antonio in the first round!

  • April 9, 2008

    2:42 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    musicman80 writes:

    Go Nuggz!

  • April 9, 2008

    2:43 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    musicman80 writes:

    Go Nuggz!

  • April 9, 2008

    3:39 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    DENVERJOE7 writes:

    I STILL BELIEVE IN THE NUGGETS,KNOW MATTER HOW TOUGH OUR SCHEDULE LOOKS. HOPEFULLY WE WILL MAKE IT. IF NOT...............WELL I'M BACK TO READING SOME MORE OF LEE ANN WARD'S BOOKS. SHE'S ALOT BETTER LOOKING THAN MELO ANY DAY.

  • April 9, 2008

    4:22 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    JustPuked writes:

    Karl needs to sign Gerald Green immediately and see what he can do in a starting role against the Warriors. Peeps in Boston and Minny say he's got a world of talent. Maybe even bring up Taurean, another outstanding prospect, and start the all Green back court. Nuggets have to shake it up, do something different when they visit the Yayo tomorrow. BigMikeColorado has money riding in Vegas and unless the Nugs change it up, he won't know how to bet. Tone already put his money on GS, time to protect the bet. Protest China’s Human Rights Record by boycotting the Warriors game.

  • April 9, 2008

    6:17 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    aragornzxl writes:

    This was and has been the problem for the nuggets. they dont win unless they got a fire lit under their a**. For teh past two games against weak opponents, they didnt win because they didnt feel the fire and the need to, and they won because they had to win yesterday. That torch should come from within every game now, and not in the hands of the warriors.