The Denver Nuggets evened the Western Conference finals at 2 games a piece after they beat the Los Angeles Lakers 120-101 Monday night in game 4 despite a gimpy Carmelo Anthony.
Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith scored 24 points each and Kenyon Martin posted a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds, and Melo battled himself all night to post a hard-fought 15 points as the Nuggets posted their eighth blowout win of the postseason but their first one against Los Angeles following three games that came down to the final seconds.
The Nuggets didn't need to worry about silly mistakes like the botched inbounds passes in the closing seconds that cost them wins in Games 1 and 3, although Kobe had another monster fourth quarter in a furious attempt to re-energize his team and insert some confidence within them now that the series shifts back to Los Angeles for Game 5 Wednesday night. Kobe, who is averaging 37 points a game in the series, scored 34, including 14 in the fourth quarter. He put a scare into the Nuggets and their fans until J.R. Smith hit back-to-back dagger 3-pointers for a 113-96 cushion.
Melo's shooting slump continued as he went 3-for-16 and missed his first 10 shots. To make matters worse, he rolled his right ankle in the first half. At the break, he needed fluids and had his ankle retaped, then returned with a dogged determination to help the Nuggets however he possibly could to pull even in the series.
Kobe and Pau (21 points) kept the Lakers in close most of the game. The Lakers cut a 16-point deficit to 102-92 on four Bryant free throws with 3:49 left thanks to technicals on K-Mart and Melo. But the Nuggets relied on a balanced attack with Melo ailing (seven players scored in double digits) and while they still didn't shoot very good from the floor (44 percent), they did work the ball around for better looks, attacked the lane more and got to the charity stripe (49 free throws). This accomplished exactly what all those misfirings couldn't in Game 3 to energize the raucous Pepsi Center crowd. The Nuggets, who haven't lost back-to-back home games all season, were coming off their first loss in the Mile High City since March 9.
Peace and Much Love To Ya :)
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