Jameer Nelson: "The Mighty Mentor" Takes over the End Game
Jan 24, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Utah Jazz center Boris Diaw (33) defends against Denver Nuggets guard Jameer Nelson (1) in the fourth quarter at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets defeated the Jazz 103-93. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Jameer Nelson silenced his critics against the Jazz.
A six foot bull of a man, Jameer Nelson , showed his class and character and how he could rebound from adversity.
He showed his teammates what it means to want it so bad you will not be stopped. He showed what happens when you have faith in yourself. You gotta’ have faith.
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The previous game, Jameer Nelson, the 34 year old previous all-star for the playoff climbing Nuggets, was the goat. At the end of the game, Jameer was handed the job of making the game saving three pointer, forced to take a bad shot, and missed.
He didn’t play well those last few minutes.
We heard: “Trade him to Cleveland, he’s too old. Even though he is such a great locker room team mate, and leader, he is keeping Jamel Murray from developing and is too slow for our Nuggets.” … after the loss.
But against the tougher Utah Jazz, Tuesday night, Jameer took the game over. He hit seven straight points with two minutes left in the game, and brought it home for dinner.
This is just like he has done in so many games during his proud and illustrious career.
So for one more night, in the cold Denver Mountains, with the game slipping out of the Nuggets hands, Jameer Nelson laid his critics to rest.
Do I hear the crunch, crunch of Professor Nelson’s dis-tractors, eating crow?
Oct 30, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Darrell Arthur (00) shoots the ball during the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Pepsi Center. The Timberwolves won 95-78. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Coach took a Doctor from the Bench to Repair the Damage
The Nuggets starters didn’t start well, once again. Come on guys, be ready to play. Drive and get stops or fouls or something. You just don’t seem ready to start sometimes. Run, move, pass! Cut, screen! Steal the ball! Rebound!
With the Jazz starting their tune and hitting all the notes and going up the scale 18-10 during the first quarter, coach Malone had to reach in his tool kit and pull our his wrench from the bench.
In this case, his wrench was Dr. Arthur. Dr. Darrell Arthur, that is.
Dr. Arthur then went to work. D.A., with his restricted minutes because of his naughty knee, hit back to back threes and the Nuggets were back in it.
Dr. Arthur had the prescription, because during the 2nd quarter, he, and protein-laden egg yolk Jokic started cookin’. The Nuggets had a 20 to three run. 20 to three! 51-39 at half and the Nuggets looked good.
How about Gallo’s pasteurization dunk! Did you miss Jamal Murray’s Jordan-esque ‘go for the dunk, switch hands mid-air and gently put the baby left handed in the basket’ drive? Where was your tongue, Jamal?
And Dr. Arthur was still operating, sewing his season high 14 stitches to that point. He had 16 for the night, his season high. The score was 80 to 63 going into the 4th, Nuggets.
Jamal Murray emulating his Michael Jordan move. Jamal is also relentless on defense and it’s only a matter of time….
Defense, Defense, Offense
For the game, it was the Jazz shooting 41.2%, 31.8% from three. The Nuggets were 46.1% from the field, 38.5% from three. Good offense. 28 assists. That’s good NBA basketball.
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So Denver also played defense. They actually held the Jazz under 100 points.
They have won 5 out of 5 when they do that prior. They were on their men for most of the game, and each of our players, and the team, took the responsibility for their defensive assignments seriously.
“Energy on the defensive end”…. Gary Harris (Steady Eddy).
Except for not being able to stop Derrick Favors, who hit 2 point jumper after 2 point jumper and kept his team in the game with 18 points, Denver’s bigs prevailed.
Jokic: 23 points, 6 assists, 11 boards;
Gobert: 11 points, 1 assist, 9 boards.
Who is still the man! And you can improve, Nikola. Coach says watch your turnovers (4).
14 turnovers for the team isn’t too bad either. Just don’t try fancy passes.
Surprisingly, Gallo also matched the Jazz’ all-star candidate Gordon Haywood who had 9 points. Gallo had 11.
The last four minutes is more important than the previous fourty-four, and Chess Master Malone will win more of these
The Chess Game
The last four minutes of an NBA game may be more important than the previous 44 minutes in many instances. This is where games are won or lost, championship are won or lost.
It was a little scary. The Nuggets were doing it again! They had a lead in the final quarter in the battle of the mountain men and almost squandered it.
When coach Malone put his senior team back in with 6 minutes left, the Nuggets watched their 94-84 lead avalanche. It happened the game before and everyone braced to see it happen again.
The end game is a chess game. Let’s not guess what we should do and hope. Let’s know our probabilities.
What defense are they using? How can we beat it?
What does that team plan to do with their strengths? How do we counter?
Do we know who has the highest probability to score for the opposition to defend?
Do we know who has our hot hand for our team?
Do we know who is playing with together with momentum?
Do we call a time out? Can we surprise the opposition?
Last night, the men stood up, Jameer and Jokic along with Dr. Arthur, and we won the game big league style. The learners from this burner were that:
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