| 2012/2013 NBA Playoffs First Round: Game 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
vs |
|
|
0-0 (47-35 regular season)
|
0-0 | |
| April 20th, 2013 – 3:30 PM (MT) | ||
| Pepsi Center – Denver, CO |
||
| Altitude / ESPN / 950 AM / 104.3 FM The Fan | ||
| Probable Starters | ||
| Stephen Curry | PG | Ty Lawson |
| Klay Thompson | SG | Evan Fournier |
| Harrison Barnes | SF | Andre Iguodala |
| David Lee | PF | Wilson Chandler |
| Andrew Bogut | C | Kosta Koufos |
| Notes | ||
| Golden State of Mind | Blogs | Denver Stiffs |
| Draymond Green (knee tendinitis) & Andris Biedrins (back) are both questionable, Brandon Rush is out | Injuries | Kenneth Faried (ankle) is day-to-day, Danilo Gallinari (ACL) is out |
| 19-22 on the road in the regular season | Stat | 38-3 at home in the regular season |
The Golden State Warriors are about to have a Denver Nuggets Problem.
I've read so much stuff and written so much on this match-up that I feel like we have the ins-and-outs covered pretty well.
Want to know what the Warriors will try to do against Denver? Click here.
Want to know what play the Nuggets will see from the Warriors a lot in this series? It's the 'Elevator Doors' play and you can see it broken down by clicking here.
How about a play the Nuggets have been thriving off this season? The Wilson Chandler pick-and-fade is broken down and you can read about that by clicking here.
All that is left to do is fill up the Pepsi Center, have the fans spend a couple hours losing their voices, glue yourself to the TV or computer, and see how Game 1 unfolds.
Go Nuggets!
X-Factors:
The Nuggets have counted on guys all season to get the job done off the bench. Before the regular season started, Karl called Ty Lawson, Andre Iguodala, and Danilo Gallinari his studs. Outside of those three – the performances from everyone else needed to be big on a nightly basis and different guys have stepped up all season to give the team major contributions.
"The way our team is made up, we got to have high level performances off the bench," said Karl. "I think everybody is ready to go, ready to do it."
I still point to JaVale McGee as a guy that could easily swing this series in Denver's favor. If he's not special in this series, the Nuggets can still win it, but he could make a sweep a reality.
Wilson Chandler on former teammate and current defensive assignment David Lee:
Lee was drafted by the Knicks, out of Florida, in 2005; Chandler was picked by New York in 2007. The two spent three full seasons together with the Knicks before Lee was traded before the 2010-11 campaign. Chandler knows Lee well.
"He's a good guy both on-and-off the court," said Wilson Chandler. "He's even handed. He wants to go left more than right, but he can finish with both hands. [Runs the] pick-and-pop, great rebounder."
Sometimes playing against people you have a friendly relationship with can elevate the level of competition out on the floor.
"I think it's friendly competition," Chandler said. "But it's the playoffs; so friends off the court, but on the court you want to beat the guy."
Lee will offer Chandler many challenges on the defensive end, but Chandler also poses an interesting match-up for Lee when the Nuggets are on offense.
"Just a little mismatch," said Chandler. "Me being on the perimeter more than being down low, like most post-players he is used to playing against."
Injury update:
Kenneth Faried said that he was going to come in today and see how things felt. We should know more closer to game-time. I'd be surprised if he played because of the severity of the injury, but I know it's hard for him to sit out any games.
"I think [Julyan] Stone will probably be activated tomorrow." said George Karl.
I caught up with Stone before he left Pepsi Center on April 19th and he said his knee was feeling pretty good. He participated in practice and was playing in the 5-on-5 scrimmage that was going on when the media was let into the practice gym.
During that same 5-on-5 scrimmage, Corey Brewer was not playing and was on the far end of the court sitting in a chair talking with assistant coach Patrick Mutombo. After practice Karl was asked about Brewer's hip and the coach said Brewer was good to go and didn't seem concerned. Brewer also ran in the sprints after practice and looked just fine.
