Dec. 2 '06: Air Denver Leaves the Pacers at the Terminal 121-101
Even playing on back to back nights does not slow down these explosive Nuggets, as the Pacers were left in the airport terminal as Air Denver took flight again tonight. The Pacers, on a long road trip, nontheless were in top form in the 1st quarter, particularly Harrington. But then it started to rain. It started to rain 3's. By the end of the 1st quarter, the Nuggets already had five 3-pointers. By halftime, the Nuggets were an incredible 8/12 from 3-point land. They finished the game 11-20 from downtown; J.R. Smith was an incredible 5/7; Boykins was 2/2; Melo was 2/3; and Diawara was 2/5. This 3-point shooting is a dimension which makes a running team especially deadly, so Dallas and San Antonio may have to start to worry now.
Marcus Camby led the rebounding tonight, with 15. The Pacers led rebounding 54-41 but that can only go so far against a Nuggets team that was .477 from the field and had 11 3's. The Nuggets got a free pass defensively tonight because of their offensive explosion and because the Pacers eventually ran out of gas.
The road weary Pacers had 33 personal fouls called against them by some tough refs, the Nuggets had 23.
Boykins off the bench (is this guy real or what) was 5/10, 2/2 from downtown, and 3/4 from the line, for 15 points. He also had 6 assists, and one steal. J.R. Smith was 5/9 and every single one of his scores were 3-pointers (5/7)! He was 4/4 from the line and he had 19 points.
Melo had 38 points in 3 quarters. That is not a misprint. He was pulled late in the 3rd quarter, when the game was all but over. Old George Karl may be starting to get visions of appearing in the Western Conference Championship, and he wants to avoid injuries in garbage time at all costs; good move. The Nuggets led 99-81 at the end of 3, and the entire 4th was garbage time. In 3 quarters, Melo was 14/25, 2/3 from 3-point land, and 8/11 from the line, for 38 points. He also had 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
The Nuggets now enjoy 3 full days off. The next game is not until Wednesday, December 6 at 7 p.m. Mountain Time in Denver, against the Atlanta Hawks.
