[Regularseason] Denver Nuggets: 17/82, vs. Miami Heat

[Colorado-Denver]

[Preview]

The Denver Nuggets have struggled to find their groove at home. A matchup with the Miami Heat may help.

After yet another home loss to a team with a losing record, the Nuggets look to extend a four-game winning streak against the Heat in Denver as the teams conclude their season series Friday.

Denver (10-6), which lost 98-96 to Atlanta on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center, is 5-4 at home - with all of its losses coming to teams that are below .500.

``We play differently here than we do on the road,'' Denver coach George Karl said. ``We have less focus, our shoot-arounds are looser, our general preparation habits are like, 'We're going to win it.' And when you get arrogant or too cocky in this league, the league kicks you.''

The Nuggets, though, have won four in a row at home against the Heat (8-10) since a 100-94 overtime loss Jan. 29, 2002. Denver has also won three straight against Miami overall since a 107-100 defeat Dec. 17, 2004, and posted a 112-105 road win Nov. 14.

Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony had 33 points in the most recent game between the teams, and Heat guard Dwyane Wade had 37 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in a matchup of two of the league's top players from the 2003 draft.

Anthony is averaging 26.5 points in seven lifetime games against the Heat, and Wade has countered with 30.8 points per game while shooting 50.4 percent in six contests against Denver.

Anthony was held under 30 points for the first time in seven games in Wednesday's loss, finishing with 24 and failing to break the team record he shares with Alex English for consecutive 30-point games. The fourth-year forward, though, is the NBA's leading scorer with 31.7 points per game.

Nuggets center Marcus Camby had 11 points and 15 rebounds Wednesday and came within two assists of his first triple-double of the season. The 6-11 center has 11 double-doubles this season and is averaging 10.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks.

Miami improved to 2-1 on its four-game road trip with a 93-91 overtime win Thursday at Sacramento. Wade scored seven of his 32 points in overtime and narrowly missed a triple-double with 11 rebounds and nine assists as the Heat recovered to win for the fourth time in their last six games after squandering a 12-point lead in the final 3:57 of regulation.

``He has those type of abilities,'' Heat center Alonzo Mourning said of Wade. ``We trust him with the ball. We know he will come up big for us.''

Wade has led the team in scoring in 15 straight games, averaging 29.3 points in that span and topping 30 points on nine occasions.

Mourning had 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks as he continues to play well in the place of injured center Shaquille O'Neal. The 36-year-old Mourning is fourth in the league with 2.7 blocks per game despite averaging less than 25 minutes.

The Heat - who are 5-4 on the road and 7-2 when holding opponents to less than 100 points - are 6-8 without O'Neal, who is expected to miss at least two more weeks as he recovers from knee surgery.

(8-11) 107-123 (11-6) → Nuggets "win" 2-0 

<Nuggets Roll Over Heat>

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/recaps/recap_283_miaden.asx

DENVER, Dec. 8 (AP)-- Injury, illness and irritability deprived the Denver Nuggets of three of their big men Friday night. None of it mattered thanks to J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony, the top-scoring tandem in the NBA.

Smith scored a career-high 37 points and tied a franchise record by making seven 3-pointers in the first half, and Anthony added 32 points in the Nuggets' 123-107 victory over the Miami Heat.

The Nuggets started the game without Joe Smith (ankle) and Reggie Evans (strep throat) and soon lost center Marcus Camby, who was ejected in the first quarter after spraying a cup of lozenges onto the floor.

``The game could have easily went the other way with the technical fouls and losing Camby, but the energy was there,'' said Andre Miller, whose 20 assists were the most ever allowed by the Heat.

Camby became irritated during a timeout with 2:02 left in the opening quarter after Miller was called for a technical foul for yelling at the officials after they ruled a loose ball near the Nuggets' bench went off Anthony instead of Miami's Dwyane Wade.

As the teams headed toward their benches, Camby slammed his right hand on the scorer's table, spraying George Karl's cup of throat lozenges out onto the floor. He was immediately ejected and slowly walked toward the locker room as the fans booed the officials.

``I didn't think it was a right call,'' Karl said. ``I think maybe he should have gotten a technical, but to get thrown I thought was a little strong, a little steep.''

Camby, who watched the rest of the game from the players' lounge, left the Pepsi Center without comment.

``Camby's a big part of our team. He holds us down in the middle, especially on defense,'' Anthony said.

Camby's departure, however, hurt the Heat much, much more.

``It messed up our focus,'' Udonis Haslem said. ``Our focus was playing them with Camby. Our focus wasn't having J.R. Smith go off like that.''

The Heat couldn't capitalize on Camby's departure in large part because Alonzo Mourning wasn't effective playing his second game in 24 hours. Mourning had 10 points and seven rebounds.

Plus, the Nuggets pushed the pace against a tired team coming off an overtime game 24 hours earlier in Sacramento, and it all started with J.R. Smith's hot hand.

``He's an explosive offensive player,'' Karl said. ``He's given us probably a dozen games that were very meaningful. His spacing allows 'Melo better touches.''

Anthony (31.7) and J.R. Smith (16.6) are the top-scoring duo in the NBA with a combined average of 48.3 points. On this night, Smith was the main show and Anthony the sidekick for a change.

``Junior stole the show,'' Anthony said. ``Any time a guy gets it going like that, we're going to ride that train.''

While Anthony scored many of his points in the second half after the Nuggets had built a double-digit lead, Smith scored 19 in the second quarter, when Denver turned a one-point lead into a 74-56 halftime cushion.

The Nuggets stretched their lead to 23 in the third quarter before the Heat, behind Wade and Haslem, each of whom scored 21, pulled to 102-91 heading into the fourth quarter. Miami, however, allowed three quick baskets and never threatened after that.

Five of Smith's 3s came in the second quarter, one of which he turned into a four-point play.

``It wasn't our night,'' Heat coach Pat Riley said. ``They shot lights out in the first half. I think it was more or less the shots they were making and how many they made consecutively from outside had a tendency to really shock you. It took us out of what we wanted to do.''

Smith surpassed his career high of 36 points set on Nov. 21, against Chicago, which traded him to Denver over the summer for a second-round draft pick in what has quickly become the steal of the offseason.

``They have a nice combo in those two guys,'' Wade said. ``Once they get it going, it's tough for you. Smith had it going early and never stopped.''

Notes: Nuggets F Nene, who scored four points in 14 minutes, returned to action after missing 14 games with a bruised right knee, the same one he had surgically repaired last year. ... Anthony said he was surprised to hear about Allen Iverson's trade demand: ``I can't see him in another jersey.''

카멜로 앤소니(Nuggets): 32(12/27, 1/3, 7/9)-9(2/7)-5-1BS

Miami(32-24-35-16/107)

페이튼-웨이드-라이트-하슬렘-모닝

드웨인 웨이드: 21(8/15, FT: 5/6)-3(0/3)-14-4-1

우도니스 하슬렘: 21(9/13, FT: 3/4)-3(0/3)-2A

제이슨 카포노: 19(6/11, 2/5, 5/5)-2(1/1)

도렐 라이트: 11(5/12, FT: 1/1)-5(3/2)-2-1BS

알론조 모닝: 10(4/7, FT: 2/4)-7(5/2)-4BS

얼 배론: 7

안토인 워커, 크리스 퀸: 6

제임스 포지: 5

로버트 하이트: 1

* FG: 41/90(45.6%)-3P: 4/16(25%)-FT: 21/28(75%)-39(16/23)-25A-5ST-6BS-13TO-23F

Denver(35-39-28-21/123)

밀러-J. R. 스미스-앤소니-나헤라-캠비

J. R. 스미스: 37(12/18, 7/9, 6/6)-4(1/3)-1A

리나스 클라이자: 15(5/8, FT: 5/6)-4(2/2)-1BS

에두아르도 나헤라: 11(5/6, FT: 1/3)-5(1/4)-1-2-3

안드레 밀러: 5(2/6, FT: 1/1)-5(1/4)-20-2BS → TF(1Q)

얼 보이킨스: 8

야코우바 디아와라: 5

네네(TF-1Q), 더마 존슨: 4

마커스 캠비(TF-1Q): 2

* FG: 46/85(54.1%)-3P: 9/17(52.9%)-FT: 22/29(75.9%)-39(10/29)-33A-5ST-9BS-13TO-28F

에두아르도 나헤라, 카멜로 앤소니와 도렐 라이트

카멜로 앤소니와 우도니스 하슬렘

드웨인 웨이드와 카멜로 앤소니

팻 라일리 Heat H/C

드웨인 웨이드와 에두아르도 나헤라

마커스 캠비, J. R. 스미스와 알론조 모닝

드웨인 웨이드와 에두아르도 나헤라

안토인 워커와 리나스 클라이자

알론조 모닝과 마커스 캠비

조지 칼 Nuggets H/C

드웨인 웨이드, 팻 라일리 Heat H/C

J. R. 스미스

카멜로 앤소니

알론조 모닝과 네네, 안드레 밀러

야코우바 디아와라, 카멜로 앤소니와 드웨인 웨이드

드웨인 웨이드와 리나스 클라이자

카멜로 앤소니와 드웨인 웨이드

알론조 모닝, 제임스 포지

안드레 밀러, 에두아르도 나헤라와 도렐 라이트

안드레 밀러와 로버트 하이트

드웨인 웨이드

리나스 클라이자(안드레 밀러 20A 달성 순간!), 야코우바 디아와라와 도렐 라이트, 제임스 포지

카멜로 앤소니, 네네와 도렐 라이트, 우도니스 하슬렘

J. R. 스미스, 야코우바 디아와라와 알론조 모닝, 우도니스 하슬렘

J. R. 스미스와 제이슨 카포노

카멜로 앤소니와 얼 배론, 드웨인 웨이드

에두아르도 나헤라, J. R. 스미스

리나스 클라이자, 야코우바 디아와라와 제임스 포지, 얼 배론

안드레 밀러

팻 라일리 Heat H/C

카멜로 앤소니

카멜로 앤소니, J. R. 스미스

팻 라일리 Heat H/C, 드웨인 웨이드

얼 배론과 리나스 클라이자, J. R. 스미스

드웨인 웨이드와 마커스 캠비, 에두아르도 나헤라

안드레 밀러와 도렐 라이트, 드웨인 웨이드, 제이슨 카포노 外 2명... 1:5

카멜로 앤소니

카멜로 앤소니, 조지 칼 Nuggets H/C

J. R. 스미스

네네와 우도니스 하슬렘

 

조지 칼 Nuggets H/C

[BIGJT]

안드레밀러의 20어시가 묻혀버린;; 팸이 생기면 자료옮기느라 고생하시곘내요;;

[Colorado-Denver]

생길라나요~ 싸이에다 페이퍼 만들어서 담아두고 있긴 한데 ㅎ

[HEAT!Shaq32]

J.R 으휴.......미워라ㅜㅜ 디아와라 수비좀 하더군요^^ 웨이드를 풀코트로 달라붙으면서 막았던 모습이 인상적이엿어요~

[Colorado-Denver]

제가 잘못 말한 게 있는데, 디아와라 선수. 쿠바가 아니라 프랑스 출신이라네요!

[BIGJT]

경기중에는 뭐 인터네셔널 플레이어가 3명이내 뭐내 쿠바가 어쩌고 그러더니;; 그런게 아니였군요; 다이와라 이름만 보고 처음에 일본선순줄알고-_-ㅎㅎ

[Colorado-Denver]

사진 올리면서 사진 설명 보니, 프랑스로 나오네요. 저도 어디서 쿠바로 들었었는데~~~ 모르지만, 쿠바 태생인데 프랑스에서 살았다~ 뭐, 이런걸 수도 있겠네요... 아닌가-_-;;;

[Heat.Destiny.]

JR....ㅠㅠ