Cavaliers-Nuggets Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Mar 06 2012 4:30PM

With their leading scorer and top rebounder both back in action, things are certainly looking up for the suddenly hot Denver Nuggets.

The same can't be said for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who visit the Pepsi Center in the midst of their longest skid of the season.

Looking to extend its winning streak to five, Denver tries for a 10th victory in 12 meetings with Cleveland on Wednesday night.

Since dropping 12 of 16 from Jan. 29-Feb. 23, the Nuggets (22-17) have won four in a row to climb back into the Western Conference playoff picture.

After prevailing 117-105 at Houston on Friday and 99-94 at San Antonio on Sunday, Denver kicked off a nine-game homestand by overcoming a double-digit deficit in Monday's 119-116 overtime win over Sacramento.

Arron Afflalo scored a career-high 32 points - including three free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining in regulation - and Ty Lawson made a 3-pointer with four seconds left in OT.

"This game meant a lot for us," Lawson said. "To come back home on a back-to-back and (against) Sacramento - everybody is thinking, `Oh, we just will beat them.' I think at one point we had no business winning. This was a big win."

The Nuggets also got a boost with the return of Danilo Gallinari and Nene, who combined for 10 points in limited roles off the bench. Gallinari had missed the previous 13 games with a chip fracture in his left foot while Nene, averaging 13.1 points and a team-best 7.6 rebounds, returned from a 10-game absence (strained calf).

"It's sore and I feel discomfort, but it feels pretty good," Gallinari, whose 16.5 points per contest lead the team, told the Nuggets' official website. "Hopefully it will be better every day and every game will be more comfortable."

It's unknown if Gallinari or Nene will return to the starting lineup Wednesday. The Nuggets, however, might not have much trouble holding off scuffling Cleveland (13-23) even if they don't.

The Cavaliers have allowed an average of 102.8 points during a six-game losing streak, their longest since dropping an NBA-record 26 in a row last season.

Cleveland is coming off Monday's 109-100 defeat to Utah. The Jazz, who led by as many as 17 points, shot 50.0 percent from the field and outrebounded the Cavaliers 46-30 to snap a six-game road losing streak.

"(Monday) was one of those games that you're hoping that - sooner or later - someone in the locker room starts getting (ticked) off besides me," coach Byron Scott told the league's official website. "That's what it boils down to. We can't keep playing this way."

Rookie Kyrie Irving and Antawn Jamison scored 22 points apiece. Irving is averaging 20.3 points over his last seven games while Jamison is averaging 22.4 over his last eight.

"I think everybody has a little attitude in here, but I think that's good," Irving said. "Going on to the next game, I think we're all (ticked) off and it has to show out there on the court. There is some optimism and we've just got to get a win. It just boils down to us playing hard for 48 minutes."

Cleveland, which scores 93.9 points per game, could have a hard time keeping up with the Nuggets and their league-leading average of 104.1.

The Cavaliers have dropped five of six in Denver and nine of 11 overall in the series heading into this season's lone meeting.

Irving's layup lifts Cavs over Nuggets, 100-99

Posted Mar 08 2012 1:49AM

DENVER (AP) Kyrie Irving reminded Ty Lawson and the Nuggets what it feels like to be on the other end of a big shot.

Irving made a driving layup with four seconds left to cap a seesaw battle in the final minutes, and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Denver 100-99 on Wednesday night.

Irving scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, all in the last 2:36 of the game, and Antawn Jamison had 33 to help the Cavaliers snap a six-game losing streak.

"Kyrie down the stretch, it speaks for itself," Jamison said. "He single-handedly won the game for us."

It wasn't easy.

Neither team could pull away in the fourth quarter. Denver scored the first six points to go ahead 78-76 and the lead changed hands nine times in the final 2:36, with the point guards staging a personal duel down the stretch.

Lawson, who made the decisive baskets in wins over San Antonio and Sacramento in the last week, had five of his 18 points in the finishing flurry to give Denver a 95-94 lead.

Irving had two three-point plays and a driving layup to put Cleveland up 98-97 with 24 seconds left.

He saved his best for the final seconds.

After Nene muscled in a layup over rookie Tristan Thompson with 15 seconds left to give Denver a 99-98 lead, Irving took the inbounds pass in the backcourt, raced up the floor into the lane and made the go-ahead basket.

"I tried to deny him the ball. He got a head of steam, got me on his hip and took it all the way," Arron Afflalo said. "We would like to first keep him in front of us and if he does get by us have some help in protecting the basket. Neither one was done. You expect on the game-winning layup someone swats on the ball."

Irving said he took Afflalo's defense as a challenge.

"He picked me up fullcourt and I take it as a test when people pick me up fullcourt," Irving said. "The lane opened up when I got down there, it was a tough shot, but my teammates willed it in."

After a timeout, Lawson got the ball at the top of the key with Irving guarding him. Despite having five fouls, Irving played aggressive defense and forced Lawson into a tough layup that he missed at the buzzer.

"I got a step on him and I seen him try to time the shot," Lawson said. "I tried to step in and get him off balance. I didn't have enough lift to finish it. It hit the rim, but it's one of those shots I need to make."

Despite 22 points from Al Harrington and 16 from Andre Miller, Denver had its four-game win streak snapped.

"Just keep moving forward. There's too many games to worry about one," Lawson said.

The game was tied in the third quarter before Alonzo Gee scored the next seven points to give Cleveland a 72-65 edge. The Cavs led by four heading into the fourth after Daniel Gibson's 3-pointer was ruled after the horn.

Gee finished with 19.

Jamison was the biggest reason for Cleveland leading 57-55 at the break. The forward scored 14 in the first quarter to keep the Cavaliers close, then had 12 more in the second when they overcame a nine-point deficit.

Trailing 41-32, Jamison hit two jumpers and a pair of free throws to get the margin to 45-42 midway through the second. Gee tied it with a layup, Anthony Parker hit a 3 and Jamison scored four more points during a 23-8 run that gave Cleveland a 55-49 lead.

"It wasn't really forced, it came natural and I was able to get quality shots," Jamison said.

Harrington had 12 points off the bench to lead Denver in the first half.

Notes: NBA Commissioner David Stern attended the game. Stern, who is in Colorado for a ski vacation, spoke informally with the media before the game. He said the trade last season that sent Carmelo Anthony from Denver to New York has been good for both teams. ... Irving had eight assists and five rebounds. It's the fourth time this season he has had at least 15 points, five assists and five rebounds. ... The Nuggets are now 9-1 against the Eastern Conference. ... Nuggets G Rudy Fernandez (lower back strain) missed his ninth straight game and F Kosta Koufas (strained left knee) missed his third in a row.

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Notebook: Cavs 100, Nuggets 99

Posted Thursday March 8, 2012 12:47AM

By Michael Kelly, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Kyrie Irving scored 10 of his 18 points in the final 2:36 but saved his best for the final seconds. The rookie drove the length of the court and hit a layup with four seconds left to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a 100-99 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

Antawn Jamison had a game-high 33 points and Alonzo Gee had 19 for the Cavaliers, who snapped a six-game losing streak.

Al Harrington had 22 points and Ty Lawson had 18 for Denver, which had its four-game win streak snapped. Lawson had a chance to extend it but missed a driving layup at the buzzer that would have given the Nuggets the win.

QUOTABLE: "I take it as a test when people pick me up full court. The lane opened up when I got down there, it was a tough shot, but my teammates willed it in."
-- Kyrie Irving, on his game-winning drive.

THE STAT: The lead changed hands 16 times in the fourth quarter, nine in the final 2:36.

TURNING POINT: Irving's play in the final minutes showed he's playing beyond his 19 years. He put the Cavaliers on his shoulders and carried them to the win. He started his surge with two three-point plays and finished by defending Lawson on the final play of the game. Despite having five fouls, Irving played tough defense and forced Lawson into a tough shot.

QUOTABLE II: "Kyrie down the stretch, it speaks for itself. He single-handedly won the game for us."
-- Antawn Jamison.

HOT: Jamison in the first half. He hit 8-for-13 shots, including two 3-pointers and kept the Cavaliers in the game by himself with 14 points in the first quarter. He helped lead a 23-8 run in the second quarter that gave Cleveland a 57-55 lead at half.

NOT: Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari is still working off the rust of missing a month. In his second game back from a severely sprained left ankle he went 1-for-7 from the field and had five points.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Gee has been surging the past three games. He has increased his scoring in each of those contests. Wednesday he scored seven straight points late in the third after Denver had tied it at 65. He is averaging 15 points in his last three games.

INSIDE THE ARENA: NBA commissioner David Stern was in attendance. Stern, who is in Colorado for a ski vacation, spoke with the media before the game and said how happy he is with the interest in the league, noting Sunday's doubleheader on ABC drew the highest regular-season ratings for non-Christmas Day games.

GOOD MOVE: Cavaliers coach Byron Scott put the game in Irving's hands in the last three minutes and it paid off. He played with poise and didn't settle for jumpers.

BAD MOVE: The Nuggets defense down the stretch. For all of his speed, Lawson couldn't contain Irving, and on the final play the Denver defenders parted the lane for Irving instead of clamping down.

QUOTABLE III: "I tried to deny him the ball. He got a head of steam, got me on his hip and took it all the way."
-- Arron Afflalo, on Irving's winning drive.

ROOKIE WATCH: Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried came down to earth after a 20-point, 12-rebound effort Monday. He finished with nine rebounds but he only had four points.

NOTABLE: Irving finished with eight assists and five rebounds. It's the fourth time this season he has had at least 15 points, five assists and five rebounds. ... The Nuggets lost to an Eastern Conference team for the first time. They're 9-1 in 10 games against the East.

UP NEXT: For the Cavaliers, Friday @ Oklahoma City, Sunday vs. Houston, Tuesday vs. Toronto. For the Nuggets, Friday vs. New Orleans, Sunday vs. Memphis, Tuesday vs. Atlanta.

• Cavaliers: Eyenga, Harangody
• Nuggets: Fernandez

• Cavaliers: --
• Nuggets: --

• Lead Changes: 25
• Times Tied: 15

• Arena: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
• Officials: #9 Derrick Stafford, #42 Eric Lewis, #73 Tre Maddox
• Attendance: 15816
• Duration: 2:21