Nuggets keep it rolling on the East coast
By John Livingston | November 5, 2009
The Denver Nuggets kept up their early season momentum Wednesday night as they routed the New Jersey Nets 122-94. Despite a close first quarter and a slow first half for NBA scoring leader Carmelo Anthony, the team took control and dominated the struggling Nets.
The Nuggets found themselves down 23-22 after the first quarter and many Nuggets fans had to be worried about their team coming out slow the second day of an East-coast back-to-back contest. Star small forward Carmelo Anthony had just 6 points to end that first half and the Nets maintained their one point lead heading into half-time. It was clear the Nuggets needed a spark to start the second half and they were eventually lifted by a solid second half from Anthony and stellar play from the ever exciting Ty Lawson.
Melo finished with just 22 points, a season low, and the Nuggets second leading scorer Chauncey Billups, added just 12 points. This meant the Nuggets would need the supporting players to have a big game if they were going to remain unbeaten and this is where Lawson and former Net Kenyon Martin took over.
Lawson dazzled Nuggets fans once again, collecting a game high 23 points. Lawson’s high level of play helped the Nuggets explode in the 3rd quarter as they outscored the Nets 44-26 in the quarter. Lawson clearly has the swagger and ball skills of a top notch NBA point guard and he is proving to the coaching staff that he will be a big part of this team throughout the season.
The Nuggets were also elevated last night by the play of Kenyon Martin, who added 18 points and 10 rebounds against his former team.
Martin is looking healthier than he has in a long time and if he keeps up his play he will help carry the team as well as the other Nuggets big men like Nene. The Nuggets will need K-Mart to play big when Nene gets in foul trouble or is struggling in the paint as he has at times early this year. Nene contributed 16 points and 9 rebounds against the Nets.
Not to go unmentioned is the second straight solid performance from Arron Afflalo. After the Nuggets picked up his fourth year option earlier this week, Afflalo has responded by posting consecutive 15 point games. He is playing great perimeter defense against the opposing team’s top scoring threats as he is filling in nicely for former Nugget Dahntay Jones. He is showing he can play defense as well as score when the team needs him to and he will be a key asset down the road.
The Nuggets continue their six game road trip tomorrow against Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat before traveling to Atlanta to face the Hawks for the second half of another back-to-back. These will be the last two games of J.R. Smith’s seven game suspension and it will be interesting to see if Lawson can prove to Coach George Karl that he will still be deserving of quality minutes.
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Time: November 5, 2009, 5:42 pm
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