Sports Thread #2 for 5/27/09: Nuggets vs Lakers, Game 5 Preview and Thread

Photo from Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

The winner of this game I believe will win this series. I said the Lakers in seven games before the series start, and I still stick to just that. I feel a big Laker win tonight.

And talk about some refreshing news. Sacramento Kings forward Donte Greene saved a women's life . Just for that heroic action, 'll take back everything I said about how crazy he was to leave Syracuse after one year and be a poor man's Tim Thomas. God bless to him and that women for sure.

Now here's Sheed with the preview- Sluggah Jells

With the series shifting scenes to the sunny city of California both the Los Lakers and Denver Nuggets are seeking to seize control of the series with a crucial Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference Finals tonight at 9:00 Eastern time. Following several technicals, hard fouls and a ridiculous trip by Dahntay Jones on Kobe Bryant so deliberately grimey it looked like Jones was doing his rendition of the GS Boyz “stanky leg” the series is saturated with combustible hostility ready to erupt at anytime. They may have to enlist Rev. Jessee Jackson to serve as a peacemaker to extinguish the volatility from popping off in a large bangout, and Jackson better have a burner on him as well. Here are the keys to tonight's game for Denver and LA.

LA Lakers

Feed Pau Now
The rangy Spaniard All-NBA third-team member with everlasting arms is averaging 17.8 points, 13 rebounds and 2 swats in the West Finals. He is the only player other than Kobe who has consistently played well. Gasol is shooting a torrid 62.5 percent from the floor. There's just one problem. The man is only getting a piddly 10 shots a game!

Standing 7ft tall with a 7'8 wingspan Pau has a distinct height advantage over Nene, Kenyon “Kmart” Martin, and Chris “Birdman” Anderson. He can get his shot off over each of them at anytime in the post with his half-hook or turnaround. Pau also has the skill to beat either of Denver's bigs off the dribble and can use his acute pump fakes to draw fouls. The Lakers have to make a concerted effort to get Pau the pill more frequently. 10 shots ain't getting it done. Pau needs a minimum of 15 attempts. Kobe has been his typically sinister, remarkable self, busting 37 points a game. Getting Pau more looks will establish a post presence for the Lakers, while simultaneously alleviating the scoring burden on Kobe and give him more room to operate without getting suffocated by the Nuggets converging help defenders. Pau also needs to make quick, aggressive moves and not get caught impassively holding the ball either. Get it, make a decisive move and roast Denver's bigs like meatloaf.

O where, o where are Odom and Bynum?

Following Bynum's midseason knee injury analysts and Lakers fans couldn't wait for his return. Bynum was supposed to be the missing piece. Unfortunately, it appears he may be just that but in an inverted negative sense. Bynum could just be the missing piece that prevents LA from capturing the title most hoop pundits predicted would come to LA-LA land. Bynum has faltered since his return, failing to come remotely close to the blossoming center set to blast into stardom that dropped 26 points, 13 boards and 3 smacks a night in the 5 games prior to his unfortunate injury, and 14 and 8 overall. The 21 year-old has been unable to regain his form, looking visibly uncomfortable, pensive and leery of exploding on the tender knee. For the West Finals Bynum is averaging 9 points and 4 rebounds. Those microscopic totals ain't slicin it. Bynum needs to be an energizing post presence, grabbing boards, kicking shots and being a dominant interior deterrent defensively.

You need to send out a missing persons report to find Lamar Odom because the Jamaica Queens native has been sequestered on his own personal undisclosed island incommunicado and non-existent the first four games. Since dropping 17.8 points and 11 rebounds against Utah in the first round, LO scoring numbers have dissipated to 7.9 points in the Houston and Denver series. When Odom is focused he's the second most talented player on the Lakers roster and a multi-faceted game-changing, matchup nightmare. However, when distracted, Odom is an apprehensive, spastic player capable of putting together a slew of substandard performances.
LA needs the all-star caliber top-flight ill baller with the Queens braswado who TNT's Kenny Smith dubbed “The Goods” during his Clipper Miami Heat days. The cat who will leave a defender on icecapades and game sweeter than a freshly squeezed glass of lemonade. A facilitating, diverse double-double would be the perfect prescription for Dr. Phil Jackson.

Stand Up and Represent!
The Lakers are an inherently finesse/ skill oriented team, and there's nothing wrong with that. Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spearheaded the run and gun Showtime Lakers who were also a finesse carnation. What separates Magic's Lakers from their 09 counterparts is the old Lakers had some pit bulls who weren't getting chumped out by anyone. The current Lakers are softer than tapioca pudding and have been habitually outphysicaled by Denver. LA was outrebounded 58-40 in Game 4, outscored in bench points 42-24, and surrendered twice as many points in the paint. You got major problems when your gulliest players are Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Trevor Ariza, Sasha Vujacic and Shannon Brown- each of whom are perimeters players.

It's time for the Lakers big men to collectively boss up or get tossed up. Prepare to bang and swang, get physical and don't capitulate and allow yourselves to get habitually punked in the paint, where games are won. Defend the lane, challenge Nuggets drivers, crack them on their behinds occasionally and limit their forays to the cup. Jordan Farmar, Vujacic, and Odom also need to get their games up and contribute more to offset the production of Denver's bench.

Denver Nuggets

Bash and slash
While Denver has some good flamethrowing triple makers they're at their best when they attack the rack breaking the opponents back. Chauncey Billups, who hit 24 points in Game 4 has gotten to the cup at will, attempting nearly 10 throws a night in the West Finals. The Lakers haven't been able to find anyone who can keep “Mr Big Shot” in front of them, as he's routinely chopped LA defenders up like liver. Billups, J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony will need to continue to aggressively slash to the tin, which creates easy dump-off layups for Kmart, Nene and Birdman. Denver's interior assault also puts the Lakers in a compromising position and elicits the Nuggets triple barrage, but they need to avoid getting fixated with firing three's for the majority of their offense. Get the lays and then launch the treys.

Bench Mob Do Ya Job

Denver's bench has a been a critical part of their success all year. They make an immediate impact that elevates the team's energy. J.R. Smith had a huge Game 4, busting 24 points and exhibited stellar court vision dropping 4 dimes in the first half. Smith is one of those guys that can shoot you in or out of a game. He's got absolutely no conscious, infinite range, and occasionally takes abysmal shots, but when he plays within himself Smitty can take over stretches of the game with his pyromaniac scoring ability and trampoline bounce. Smith will need to play with a “orderly havoc” tonight.

Chris “Birdman” Anderson has been very reminiscent of Marcus Camby during the New York Knicks Finals run in 1999. Birdman is the prototypical energizer, with his infectious vivacity and chaos he creates whenever he steps on the floor. Anderson 6 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks were huge in Game 4. Birdman's hustle and effort transcended his numerical totals, as his ferocious rebounding, rim-rattling bangs and enormous badminton blocks permeated krunkness throughout Denver's crew.

Anthony Carter will never be a glamorous superstar scorer, but his defense, dilligence and veteran leadership are effective. Though he's only getting 14 minutes a night Linas Kleiza has also been a vital contributor. In limited burn the Nuggets are plus 16 when Kleiza is on the court, with his floor spacing cord-ripping treyballs.

Mellow Melo

Averaging 27.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists in the postseason, Carmelo Anthony has ascended and firmly cemented himself into legit superstar status. Melo struggled in the past two games, and particularly Game 4, scoring 15 points, including a frigid 0-10 start. Anthony has to be conscious of not getting overzealous, forcing the issue offensively trying to compensate for the subpar performance. He needs to relax, be easy and let the game naturally come to him. Melo may be the best pure scorer in the league with his disgusting catalog of moves. He's a binge bucket getter and the Lakers don't have an answer for him. It's incumbent on Melo to have a good game in LA or it will be virtually impossible for them to snatch a w in LA.

Prediction

This is a must win for both teams because Denver knows they're chances of winning the series in LA in a Game 7 decreases their chances of reaching the Finals dramatically, while LA doesn't want to face a must-win at Mile High skies. As long as Denver plays disciplined, bangs and swangs and doesn't have any crackhead, idiotic meltdowns their toughness and physicality should get them the win because they've outplayed the Lakers in every game thus far.

Update 1:No signs of a Lakers blowout here. In fact, no clear signs of a Lakers win either, as the Nuggets are playing just as well in the Center as they did the first two games. 35-33 Denver
- Sluggah Jells.

The Sheed one will take you the rest of the way with the updates.