|
http://www.nba.com/games/20120129/LACDEN/gameinfo.html
Billups leads Clippers to 109-105 win over Nuggets
빌럽스의 활약에 힘입어 클리퍼스가 109-105로 너게츠 제압!
DENVER (AP) -
After fans in Denver showed him their appreciation, Chauncey Billups gave them one more reason to miss their native son and rue the day he left.
Billups' homecoming couldn't have gone better. He scored a season-high 32 points and drew a crucial foul in the waning seconds to help seal the Los Angeles Clippers' 109-105 victory that snapped the Denver Nuggets' six-game winning streak Sunday night.
It was Billups' first game at the Pepsi Center since the Nuggets included him in the Carmelo Anthony trade nearly a year ago.
The veteran guard received a rousing ovation during introductions.
"That was beautiful, man," Billups said. "That was beautiful."
The only visitor who got louder applause was Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, sitting courtside.
"That ovation was well-deserved," Nuggets guard Arron Afflalo said about Billups.
Those cheers quickly turned to groans the rest of the night as Billups reminded the Nuggets and their fans just what they'd lost even as Denver has won 32 of 45 since the blockbuster trade.
Just when the Nuggets started to pull away in the fourth quarter, going up five, Billups took over as he had so many times in this building.
His sixth 3-pointer tied it at 99, and his three-point play finished off an 8-0 spurt that gave the Clippers a 102-99 lead with 2:37 left.
The Nuggets regained the lead 105-104 on Nene's dunk with 47 seconds remaining. But Chris Paul's two free throws gave Los Angeles the lead for good with 36 seconds left.
Trailing 107-105, the Nuggets got the ball into Nene down low, but he pushed off against Billups and was whistled for an offensive foul with 18 seconds left.
"Yeah, we knew we were switching and I figured at some point I'd probably be on him," Billups said. "And they wanted to exploit the mismatch when they went to Nene vs. me and I was just kind of fronting him and as soon as he grabbed me, pushed me, boom, I went down."
A little overacting helped as Billups hit the floor hard.
"I mean, my back is hurting," Billups cracked. "Hey, I need a chiropractor, man."
In the other locker room, Nene said: "It was the wrong call, but that's the ruling. It was a bad call and they won."
Nuggets coach George Karl said, "We didn't get a generous whistle. I thought the last play Chauncey was actually trying to foul Nene on purpose. That is a tough call in that situation."
Paul was fouled on the ensuing inbounds and sank two free throws to cap the win. He finished with 25 points, and Blake Griffin added 17.
"Chauncey's like me. It doesn't matter where you play, you want to win," Paul said. "You couldn't care less if you're at home or you're a thousand miles away from home, you just want to win."
Actually, it meant a lot to Billups.
"It's just always good to play in front of your family and it's always good to compete against friends," Billups said.
"You'd be hard pressed to say anyone's brought more to a city, to a team, an area - sure it's special to come back," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "I'm happy Chauncey played well."
Billups had 15 points at the half and really got hot in the third quarter, sinking three straight 3-pointers, including one with Rudy Fernandez all over him.
"I think we saw Chauncey do a similar thing to Detroit when we went back to Detroit," Karl said. "When he gets in that zone ."
Billups spent 2 1/2 years in his second stint with the Nuggets, instantly turned a middling Denver team into a contender when he came over from Detroit for Allen Iverson in 2008. He guided the Nuggets to a franchise-best 54 wins and the Western Conference finals that year.
"I've told the story that if we don't make the Chauncey trade, I don't think I'm here right now," Karl said. "We were playing very ordinary basketball. Then we made the trade and we went from ordinary to good pretty quick. I remember when (former Nuggets general manager Mark Warkentien) called and said the trade was done, I was downstairs in my house and I actually think I got down on my knees and thanked God."
And Karl nearly cried 11 months ago when Billups, who starred at the University of Colorado, got caught up in Anthony's trade demand and was included in the 13-player, three-way deal on Feb. 22, 2011, that sent him to New York.
"I think everybody knows it was a sad day when we had to part with him," Karl said. "I mean, it was hard on everybody."
Billups included.
He said Sunday night he wasn't happy about getting dragged away from Denver because of Anthony's desire to play in the Big Apple.
"It really wasn't my fight - although I had to go down," Billups said. "So, that was frustrating. ... You know, I've accomplished a lot in my career and I've done a lot, being thrown in a deal for some people that haven't accomplished what I've accomplished? So, that was the frustration that I had, but it is what it is."
Billups wasn't done being dissed.
The Knicks invoked the amnesty clause that's part of the new collective bargaining agreement and cut him last fall without having to count his $14.5 million salary against their cap. Billups let it be known he wanted to clear waivers so he could go wherever he wanted, but he was claimed by the Clippers and briefly contemplated retirement.
"It was weird," Billups said. "I was hoping to get through it. Didn't. But all things happen as they're supposed to, you know? And I'm here and I'm happy to be here. We have a great, young team. I'm still able to be me and do what I do, so it's a blessing."
He's a big part of Del Negro's star-studded veteran cast that includes Griffin, Paul, Mo Williams and Caron Butler that's speeding the learning curve for younger teammates while also stealing the buzz from Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in Los Angeles.
Billups' departure led to more playing time for Ty Lawson in Denver, and he was slated to start Sunday night after missing time with a sprained left ankle, but he was a late scratch.
Unable to run the Clippers ragged, the Nuggets found themselves in a tight game and things didn't go their way down the stretch, thanks to Billups.
"It was a good loss, if there is such a thing," Karl said. "We just have to keep our heads up and regroup and get Ty back on the court."
Notes: The Nuggets have lost three straight to the Clippers, their longest losing streak against any team. ... Billups said he's trying to get former Denver teammate Kenyon Martin to join the Clippers after his Chinese team ends its season.
Los Angeles Clippers(11-6, 23-25-29-32/109)
C. 폴-C. 빌럽스-C. 버틀러-B. 그리핀-D. 조던
[M. 윌리엄스-R. 포이-C. 버틀러-B. 그리핀-S. 존스]
[C. 폴-C. 빌럽스-C. 버틀러-B. 그리핀-D. 조던]
[C. 폴-M. 윌리엄스-R. 포이-R. 에반스-D. 조던]
천시 빌럽스(35:13) - 32(11/20, 6/12, 4/4)-4(0/4)-2A-3TO-2PF
크리스 폴(37:36) - 25(9/19, 3/6, 4/4)-6(1/5)-7A-2ST-1BS-1TO-4PF
블레이크 그리핀(40:26) - 17(7/16, FT: 3/6)-13(4/9)-3A-4BS-2TO-2PF
모리스 윌리엄스(26:44) - 12(4/6, 2/3, 2/4)-3(1/2)-3A-1ST-2TO-1PF
캐론 버틀러(28:29) - 9(3/10, 2/5, 1/2)-3(0/3)-3A-1ST-1TO-2PF
디안드레 조던(34:54) - 8(3/7, FT: 2/4)-13(4/9)-5BS-3PF
랜디 포이(13:21) - 5(2/5, 3P: 1/4)-2A-1BS-1PF
레지 에반스(11:50) - 1(0/1, FT: 1/2)-2(2/0)-1ST-2PF
라이언 곰즈(4:9) - 0(0/1)
솔로몬 존스(7:17) - 0(0/1)-1(1/0)-1PF
* FG: 39/86(45.3%)-3P: 14/30(46.7%)-FT: 17/26(65.4%)-45(13/32)-20A-5ST-11BS-9TO-18F(팀리바운드 10, 속공 점수 11, 페인트존 점수 30)
Denver Nuggets(14-6, 26-27-30-22/105)
A. 밀러-A. 아프랄로-D. 갈리나리-네네-T. 모즈고브
[J. 스톤-R. 페르난데스-C. 브루어-A. 해링턴-네네]
[A. 밀러-A. 아프랄로-D. 갈리나리-네네-T. 모즈고브]
[J. 스톤-R. 페르난데스-C. 브루어-A. 해링턴-네네]
네네(38:14) - 18(9/12)-9(3/6)-2A-1BS-3TO-4PF
다닐로 갈리나리(33:31) - 17(5/14, 2/4, 5/6)-7(0/7)-2A-2TO-4PF
안드레 밀러(36:24) - 16(6/16, 0/2, 4/4)-3(1/2)-10A-1ST-1TO-3PF
알 해링턴(25:24) - 16(6/15, 0/4, 4/4)-4(1/3)-3A-1ST-1BS-2PF
루디 페르난데스(30:30) - 12(5/8, 3P: 2/5)-6(1/5)-1A-4TO-4PF
티모피 모즈고브(23:41) - 9(4/7, FT: 1/4)-4(0/4)-1A-3BS-1TO
코리 브루어(20:31) - 6(3/5, 3P: 0/1)-6(2/4)-1A-1BS-2PF
줄리얀 스톤(11:36) - 6(2/2, 1/1, 1/2)-1(1/0)-1BS-1PF
아론 아프랄로(20:9) - 5(2/5, 3P: 1/1)-2(0/2)-2A-1ST-1PF
* FG: 42/84(50%)-3P: 6/18(33.3%)-FT: 15/20(75%)-42(9/33)-22A-3ST-7BS-11TO-21F(팀리바운드 7, 속공 점수 21, 페인트존 점수 62)
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/den
디안드레 조던(Los Angeles Clippers #6)과 다닐로 갈리나리(Denver #8)
블레이크 그리핀(Los Angeles Clippers #32)과 네네(Denver #31), 티모피 모즈고브(Denver #25)
천시 빌럽스(Los Angeles Clippers #1)와 아론 아프랄로(Denver #6)
네네와 블레이크 그리핀
모리스 윌리엄스(Los Angeles Clippers #25)와 네네
티모피 모즈고브와 디안드레 조던, 블레이크 그리핀
크리스 폴(Los Angeles Clippers #3)
천시 빌럽스
안드레 밀러(Denver #24)와 천시 빌럽스
다닐로 갈리나리와 블레이크 그리핀
천시 빌럽스와 루디 페르난데스(Denver #5)
천시 빌럽스, 블레이크 그리핀
* Next Game: RS 21/66, @ Memphis Grizzlies: 한국시간 2012.2.1(水), 오전 10시!
|
첫댓글 지난 시즌부터 LA 클리퍼스전 3연패네요. 홈 2경기 이기고, 원정 2경기 내리 졌었죠. LA 팀들 상대로는 원정에서 많이 약한데, 2월에만 클리퍼스 원정이 2경기 다 있죠. 설욕하길 바랍니다!
빌럽스 인터뷰 짠하네요 그리고 조지칼이 빌럽스 데리고 왔을때 흥분했던 이야기를 들으니 저도 같이 기분좋아지구요 다행히 빌럽스가 클맆스에 있는걸 행복해 하니 다행입니다