Nene busts out, helps Nuggets race past Mavericks

By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Sports Writer May 3, 8:53 pm EDT

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DENVER (AP)—If not for Nene’s breakout first half, Carmelo Anthony’s fourth-quarter fireworks and Anthony Carter’s defensive deftness wouldn’t have mattered much.

Nene kept Denver in it until his teammates could turn this one into another laugher, scoring 18 of his playoff career-high 24 points in the first half of the Nuggets’ 109-95 rout of the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday in the opener of their second-round series.

“‘Melo in foul trouble and kind of searching for an offensive confidence, we got it from Nene,” Nuggets coach George Karl said. “The balance of our team has quietly been a strength of who we are. In the second half ‘Melo got into the game, J.R. (Smith) jumped into the game and our defense was fantastic.”

Nene, who beat testicular cancer last year, played more minutes than ever this season and over the last month he really hit a wall. In the Nuggets’ five-game dispatch of New Orleans in the first round, he averaged 9.0 points and 7.8 rebounds.

His fantastic first half saved the Nuggets, who poured it on the second half thanks to 20 Dallas turnovers, eight by Jason Kidd, who turned over the ball just three times in the first round.

“Offensively, we were good,” Karl said, “but defensively we were really good.”

Thanks to their stifling defense, the Nuggets outscored the Mavericks 29-4 on fast breaks, but the disparity that really bothered Dallas coach Rick Carlisle was the 36-13 advantage Denver had at the line.

“We’re going to have to raise our level of aggression if that’s what’s going to get us to the free throw line,” said Carlisle, who was particularly bothered that Dirk Nowitzki took just four foul shots plus a technical.

“I’ll look at that closely, and if the referees were right they were right. But he’s being played very physically, away from the floor where the rules are different than in post play,” Carlisle said. “We’ll look at it and if there’s a complaint to be made we’ll talk to the league about it.”

Anthony found it funny the Mavs were complaining about whistles because he was in early foul trouble for what he considered questionable calls.

“Foul trouble didn’t bother him, it didn’t freak him out, it didn’t take him to a dark side that we had to worry about,” Karl said. “He trusted the team, the team did great and he came out in the second half and was a leader for us.

“His maturity, his mental involvement now is team and not individual … I don’t know who’s given him that wisdom. Is it Chauncey (Billups)? Is it a gold medal? Is it the coaching staff? I don’t care, I think he’s doing a fantastic job.”

Anthony scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, including a dunk off Smith’s behind-the-back assist that rocked the arena.

Nowitzki led Dallas with 28 points and 10 boards, and Josh Howard, Kidd and Jason Terry each scored 15.

Game 2 is Tuesday night at the Pepsi Center, where the Nuggets have won 14 straight.

The Nuggets led 82-80 when they iced it with a 15-4 run. It began with two free throws and a bucket from Chris Andersen, who blocked six shots, and two fouls shots and a jumper from Anthony.

From there on, it was the brand of basketball the Nuggets have been playing all season, with Billups and Carter taking turns leading the way at both ends of the floor.

“That’s how we win,” Billups said. “We win with our numbers and not just one or two guys having big nights.”

Nowitzki, who scored 13 of the Mavericks’ first 17 points, was thrown to the floor by Kenyon Martin in the first quarter and didn’t get an open look the rest of the day.

“I felt like in the first quarter I had some good looks there and after that, they really made me work for everything I got,” Nowitzki said.

In the first half, Erick Dampier turned his left ankle and Howard, who missed two 11-game stretches this season with a bum left ankle, turned his right one.

“I can’t avoid injuries,” Howard said. “Right now I could get hurt walking off a plane.”

Notes

Nuggets VP of basketball operations Mark Warkentien was voted the NBA’s executive of the year. … The Mavericks are 0-5 against Denver this season.

Updated May 3, 8:53 pm EDT
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118 Comments

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  1. John Michael
    118. Posted by John Michael Wed May 6 6:14pm EDT

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    I think the Mavericks will bounce back and win game 2. That's what's cool about the NBA!
  2. GHill33
    117. Posted by GHill33 Mon May 4 10:48pm EDT

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    don't know what game you were watching jail bush, but you can' get fouls when your team is just standing around the perimeter taking jump shots... mayge if you attacked the basket once in a while, you wuld actually gt some calls.. Oh and check your facts before you post, Denver outshot Dallas by 6 percent from the field...
  3. JAIL BUSH
    116. Posted by JAIL BUSH Mon May 4 8:44pm EDT

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    the nuggets did their share of flopping too. the difference being, they got the calls. we outrebounded and outshot them. the point difference was at the line. like they didn't foul. they could have called 20 more on them, if they had called it even. we've been dealing with this vendetta against cuban for years now. all because he had the balls to speak the truth. we're used to it. we'll see if the gangsta dummies have enough brains to get 3 more. i doubt it
  4. bassman
    115. Posted by bassman Mon May 4 8:18pm EDT

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    I hope the thuggish ruggish Nuggets beat the mavs so yall mavs could stop bein happy oh wait yall never been happy with your team cause yall keep making these trades to be better but yall never are so sad, very sad.
  5. bassman
    114. Posted by bassman Mon May 4 8:12pm EDT

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    Look i know my spurs lost and everything but im still watching the playoffs. But look finally i see comments on here which say this team dirty and this this team complaining. You see every team plays hard n yall call the spurs dirty and then you mavs fans say spurs complain haha all teams complain no matter who it is all teams play hard and a little dirty and this proves my point unless you all wanna take your words back but when all is said and done you mavs and nuggets are just gonna end up like us unless the rockets pull of the unthinkable n beat the lakers
  6. Gerald C
    113. Posted by Gerald C Mon May 4 6:41pm EDT

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    GO BILLUPS & NUGGETS!!!! From a Detroit fan who misses Billups' winning ways!
  7. Jimmy M
    112. Posted by Jimmy M Mon May 4 5:22pm EDT

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    Apparently, it was the Mavs' strategy to flop their way through the game rather than to play basketball. Every other possession had a Mav laying on the floor or flailing around wildly trying to get calls.

    It'll be interesting in game 2 to see if they toughen up! I'd like to see a series rather than a Denver blowout.
  8. Cory A
    111. Posted by Cory A Mon May 4 5:03pm EDT

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    36 free throws for denver and only 13 for the mavs. They were pushing dirk to the ground with no fouls, and then everytime the mavs breathed it was a foul. The article should say refs help nuggets past mavericks.
  9. Mary G
    110. Posted by Mary G Mon May 4 4:45pm EDT

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    Aw, come on Mav fans, quit whinning. The Denver bench whupped up on the Mavs bench and that's what happened. Only 6 points by Billups and Melo in foul trouble brought in the troops from the bench and put a whupping on the Mavs. What about the "Bird" blocking and rebounding? Give it up for the TEAM that wanted it the most.
  10. txtransplants
    109. Posted by txtransplants Mon May 4 2:53pm EDT

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    Hadn't seen Kidd play like this before, dude needs to retire, the only good matchup to watch is Smith and Terry, the Mavs are not much better than NO. Cuban, JR still could care less where you send the $25,000.00 and when did B-ball become a non-contact sport? Dallas = Finesse = 2nd round out.
  11. zzrokk
    108. Posted by zzrokk Mon May 4 2:48pm EDT

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    Kim, it looks like you need to be going to one of those learning centers by the way you post!
  12. <i>kimjwp</i>
    107. Posted by kimjwp Mon May 4 2:37pm EDT

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    wow, I cannot believe the wierd comments. The Nuggets are tough and quick Keyon gets into guys heads, thats what he is suppose to do. He also is a guy who helps out large in the community and so does Melo so shut your mouths, nless you have give 12 mil to open learning centers and thats befor he got the big contract.
  13. zzrokk
    106. Posted by zzrokk Mon May 4 2:17pm EDT

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    N)o
    B)asketball
    A)ptitude

    All of the NBA suks! It's just a glorified pick up game now days. No "D" no fundementals. If I see a proper 3 on 1 fastbreak or a team that can properly feed the post more than once it will be the first!
    Just let LA and the Cavs play now and get this garbage over with.
  14. Sarge
    105. Posted by Sarge Mon May 4 1:44pm EDT

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    This ISN'T football. But when your star doesn't have the HEART to put his body on the line drive to the hole he doesn't get rewarded with trips to the charity stripe. Flopping around at the three point line is not gonna draw the foul in the playoffs.
  15. GHill33
    104. Posted by GHill33 Mon May 4 12:57pm EDT

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    well said Joseph S
  16. John Michael
    103. Posted by John Michael Mon May 4 12:45pm EDT

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    I think the Mavericks will bounce back and win game 2. That's what's cool about the NBA!
  17. Joseph
    102. Posted by Joseph Mon May 4 12:23pm EDT

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    Dear Dallas Fan; You know nothing about NBA basketball. I feel bad for you for the following reasons: 1) You cannot understand the difference between regular season games and playoff games. Payoffs=Physical. Did you ever watch a playoff game between the Bulls and Pistons in the 80s and 90s? 2) You collapsed in the finals vs Miami 2 years ago. You lost in the first round to Golden State last year. You were lucky to get by an injured San Antonio team this year. You traded your best player in Devin Harris for an old slow guy. Yet for some crazy reason you still think you have championship caliber team. 3) And most important....your best player is SOFT!!! You cannot win tough games without a tough leader. (see Chauncy Billups). If Dirky Wirky gets a scratch on his hand he will miss his next 6 jumpers.

    Your owner should have backed up his words and got rid of everyone.
  18. Joseph
    101. Posted by Joseph Mon May 4 12:23pm EDT

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    Dear Dallas Fan; You know nothing about NBA basketball. I feel bad for you for the following reasons: 1) You cannot understand the difference between regular season games and playoff games. Payoffs=Physical. Did you ever watch a playoff game between the Bulls and Pistons in the 80s and 90s? 2) You collapsed in the finals vs Miami 2 years ago. You lost in the first round to Golden State last year. You were lucky to get by an injured San Antonio team this year. You traded your best player in Devin Harris for an old slow guy. Yet for some crazy reason you still think you have championship caliber team. 3) And most important....your best player is SOFT!!! You cannot win tough games without a tough leader. (see Chauncy Billups). If Dirky Wirky gets a scratch on his hand he will miss his next 6 jumpers.

    Your owner should have backed up his words and got rid of everyone.
  19. Marcus
    100. Posted by Marcus Mon May 4 12:00pm EDT

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    Wow what a great game....NOT are you kidding me the nuggets are the dirtiest team in the NBA any one watching the game saw how the nuggets tried there best to injure the mavericks it was pathetic i hope the Thuggets get what the deserve when they face the lakers. GO CAVS!!
  20. log
    99. Posted by log Mon May 4 11:28am EDT

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    nuggets in 4 games, and quit crying about the foul differential, only people from texas look for such a horrible excuse as to why they lost a game to a bunch of "thugs," and if you are a lakers fan worry about them beating Houston, the way they played against the Jazz the Lakers wil be ousted by the rockets unless they start to play real ball, which is doubtful. Houston vs. Denver in the conference finals, Houston will take lakers in 6, Go Nuggets!
  21. Orlando
    98. Posted by Orlando Mon May 4 11:00am EDT

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    dam i luv the way the nuggets r playing
  22. luiscolafan
    97. Posted by luiscolafan Mon May 4 10:45am EDT

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    I am not a fan of neither but I watch that game and it so was a set game. I think the Nba needs
    better Ref's the miami game that guy got taken out for flagrant fouls something they all do but the nuggets did the same and nothing they keep him in the game .Not cool well u know who is going
    to take those games sorry Dallas I'm from Texas and they are not on ur side but I hope you can
    learn to work hard even if the refs are not on ur side and I hope U beat Denver .. Go Rockets
  23. <i>volkswoman2</i>
    96. Posted by volkswoman2 Mon May 4 10:21am EDT

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    Im a BIG fat Laker Fan, rooting for the Mavs. I dont like the THUGGETS, uncalled obvious flagrant fouls (like the one by Rajon Rondo on Brad Miller in Boston Chicago series). Call me quaint, but I dont care much for players who look like they just walked out of jail either. Whats that about?
  24. brad
    95. Posted by brad Mon May 4 10:04am EDT

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    I dont know if anyone else noticed but Jason Kidd had more than 8 turnovers and 5 or 6 careless turnovers late in the fourth quarter and in some cases he looked at and and threw the ball directly to a Nugget. I am not normally a Jason Kidd basher but one begins to wonder if he had money on this game in Vegas. Nearly 10 turnovers for a guy who is a legendary ball handler?? I was shocked. He probably hasnt had 10 turnovers in the last 5 games.
  25. David G
    94. Posted by David G Mon May 4 9:57am EDT

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    Awwwww... Are Mavs fans cranky????? Maybe we should have went to bed early????? Do you want your sippy cups??????
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Top Performers

 Top Performers
 Dallas
D. Nowitzki Dirk Nowitzki
12-22,  28 Pts
10 Rebs, 4 Assists
 Denver
C. Anthony Carmelo Anthony
7-10,  23 Pts
5 Rebs, 4 Assists

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