Battle To The End But Melo Lifts Nuggets Over Blazers 97-94

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA Game Recap

When all is said and done at the end of the 2009-2010 NBA campaign the NBA Northwest Division will probably be won by either the Denver Nuggets or the Portland Trail Blazers. Those two teams faced off at the Rose Garden Thursday night and this contest went back and forth through out the evening. Carmelo Anthony dominated in the first half for the Nuggets with 20 points. Blazers star Brandon Roy got hot in the third quarter to give Portland the lead heading into the final 12 minutes.

Anthony again took over in the fourth but the game came down to the last 10.8 seconds of the contest with Denver leading 95-94 and Portland with the ball. Kenyon Martin fouled out with a holding call and Greg Oden went to the stripe to shoot two and take the lead. However Oden missed both shots and Anthony got the rebound and was fouled. The Nuggets star made both his shots and Denver had themselves a 97-94 victory over Portland. Carmelo led all player with 41 points 19 of those coming in the fourth quarter.

The real difference in that fourth quarter was four missed shots at the stripe by the Blazers as Roy missed one, Andre Miller also went 1-2 and Oden missing the two at the end. Brandon Roy led the Blazers with 30 points while Rudy Fernandez came off the bench and added 22.

Denver broke out to the lead in the first quarter holing a 24-17 advantage at the end of the period. The momentum however switched in the second quarter as Portland got the hot hand and would head into the locker room with a razor thin 43-42 lead.

Roy who was very quiet offensively in the first half found his shooting touch in the third including sinking a trey at the buzzer from about mid-court to give Portland a 67-62 lead heading into the final period. Rudy Fernandez was in the zone early in the fourth but then Melo took over and gave Denver the lead. At that point it became a battle at the free throw line and Portland’s four missed shots were the difference.

Carmelo Anthony had 41 points, 6 rebounds 3 assists and 1 steal in the Nuggets victory. Chauncey Billups was the only other Denver player to score in double figures. The veteran point guard put 22 points in the bucket, 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 1 steal.

Brandon Roy did all he could for the Blazers as he scored 30 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds. Rudy Fernandez came off the bench with 22 points, 4 rebounds and 1 steal while Martell Webster added 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist and 1 steal. Denver opens the season with a 2-0 record, they next play Sunday as they host the Memphis Grizzlies. Portland now has a record of 1-1 they will be in Houston on Saturday to face the Rockets.

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3 Responses to “Battle To The End But Melo Lifts Nuggets Over Blazers 97-94”

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