Your Denver Nuggets take their one of a kind tattoo show to Dallas with revenge on their minds. The question is…will they be too tired and short handed to put up much of a fight?
Here are the particulars
Records:
Denver Nuggets (3-2)
Dallas Mavericks (3-1
Injuries:
Denver: Kenyon Martin (knee, out), Chris Andersen (knee, out), Nene (groin strain, will be a game time decision)
Dallas: Rodrigue Beaubois (fractured foot)
The Dallas Mavericks seem to be quite an enigma this year. They are old. One could say they are quite old. With a starting front court consisting of two guys over 30 (Dirk Nowitzki, Caron Butler) a guard who’s approaching AARP levels (Jason Kidd), and a center who’s held together with duct tape and bailing wire (Tyson Chandler) Yet, they are a well put together team, nicely coached by Rick Carlisle and have terrific leadership all around. They are off to a good start and have not played (ironically) since they were in Denver on Wednesday.
This will be a tough challenge for the Nuggets.
Some Marvelous Mavs
As always, Dirk Nowitzki lit up the Nuggets for 35 points and 12 rebounds on Wednesday night. With Nene's sudden absence in the lineup, and well known Nowitzki pest Kenyon Martin sidelined Dirk was virtually unstoppable. While he always get's his, the Nuggets usually are able to annoy the tall German enough to where he's just a bit off his game. This, unfortunately, was rarely the case on Wednesday
Jason Kidd, while soon able to collect social security, has played better at the start of this season than I've seen in quite some time. Timely three-point shots and lazer point dimes in the half court set are plentiful. Kidd has become more of a half court point guard than a break leading one, and will take the open shot if you give him a hairs breadth of room
Notable role players Caron Butler and Tyson Chandler seem to be more comfortable in the Mavericks system under Carlisle and Jason Terry is a dynamic player who when he gets hot (like he did in the third quarter on Wednesday) the Mavs are virtually unstoppable.
Rick Carlisle seems to be recovering nicely from his fainting spell in the preseason. He is a solid coach who seems to get alot from his players. Tough and defensive minded.
Nuggets of Wisdom
This is another “gut check” game like the Houston Rockets game from last week. The Mavericks are a good and well rested team and the Nuggets are coming off a well played (yet exceedingly late) victory against the LA Clippers last night. While it’s completely understandable if the Nuggets lose, my hope would be that they reserved enough energy to beat a hated rival in Dallas. Nuggets need another great all-around game from Carmelo Anthony, as well as Al Harrington and Ty Lawson to gut this game out.
Hopefully Nene will be able to play this game. The big Brazilian is perfect to break the zone than Carlisle employed to slow down the Nuggets Wednesday. One thing is for sure, a fully healthy Nuggets team has very little trouble beating the Mavericks that game. I hope that feeling of letting one slip away overcomes the exhaustion of flying late into Dallas.
Opposition Take: Mavs Moneyball
Please remember to join Nate, Andrew and I TONIGHT at the second annual "Stiffs Night Out" at Jake's Food and Spirits, It's going to be a blast!
