Nuggets drop Game Three

In a devastating blow to their championship dreams, the Denver Nuggets lost Game Three of the Western Conference Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers tonight, 103-97. It was an absolutely brutal game to watch down the stretch if you like the Nuggets.

I do. As one of you noticed on my new Twitter page, I did indeed attend the game in person. Here is the requisite view from my seat:

Look familiar? It felt that way, though I was on the opposite end of the court from where I sat in Game Five of the Hornets series, meaning the Nuggets would actually come at us in the second half. Also I was two rows back, if anyone really freaking cares.

I was pretty down after the game, but now I’m not sure how to feel. It seemed like L.A. dictated a slower tempo than we like to play at home, but we still put up 97 points on a night when Carmelo Anthony was in foul trouble and we couldn’t hit a jump shot to save our lives. It’s starting to feel like J.R. Smith’s cold streak is rubbing off on Chauncey Billups, isn’t it? We were only a few made shots away from going up 2-1 in the series. But it’s pretty hard to beat the Lakers, I think, when you give away two of the first three games.

The Nuggets were up most of the second half, but it didn’t feel like they were up, and it definitely didn’t feel like it was going to last the way we were playing. Our perimeter shooting, on fire against Dallas and New Orleans, is now just bad. Our defense is slumping, too. Carmelo had some key steals, but all in all it feels like we’re counting on him to do everything. He’s carrying himself like he knows he’s the best player out there. I can still remember his first foul; I thought it was okay, because he’s good at going into the end of the game with only a few fouls. Except tonight he picked up quite a few and had to sit for too long of a stretch in the second half. That was killer.

I’ll give credit to Kobe. His three-pointer over J.R. Smith with just over a minute left was the nail in the coffin. I’d wanted Carmelo on him but I must have forgotten he had five fouls somehow.

Anyway, I’m done talking about this killer game, at least for now. Check out Twitter for more on the atmosphere at the game, etc., if you’re interested.