Jerry Sloan has his team ready to upset the Nuggets as the series returns to Utah for Games 3 & 4 this weekend
- Image by Getty Images via Daylife
After an embarrassing, mistake-filled, foul-heavy 3-point loss in Denver to the Utah Jazz, the Nuggets are in must-win territory over the next two games. They travel to Salt Lake City tonight for tomorrow night’s battle with the Jazz, and will need to win an away game this weekend to stay in the series.
Monday’s loss means that Utah has stolen the home court advantage Denver earned by winning the season series between these teams. With this best-of-seven tied at 1-1, this 1st Round playoff series effectively becomes a best-of-five. But with two games already played in Denver, three of the (potential) next five will be played in Utah.
That does not bode well for a team that has historically struggled in SLC.
Denver nearly scrapped out two wins in Utah during the 2009 regular season, but even their one win was a miraculous accomplishment. The Nuggets have long used their play against the Jazz as a Litmus Test for their abilities against the better teams in the NBA. Utah coach Jerry Sloan has maintained a near-constant level of competitiveness in his Jazz for decades, and Utah always measures up around the middle of the playoff pack.
That makes them an ideal 1st Round opponent for Denver… but also a dangerous one.
Should Denver win this series, they will have earned it. Utah will not go down without a fight in a single game, much less an entire playoff series. The Nuggets have not played up to their potential in a solid month of regular and then postseason basketball. If they have any real shot at returning to the Western Conference Finals, they will need to display the offensive consistency and defensive discipline that had them rolling over Dallas & New Orleans in 2009.
Denver had a unique opportunity to crush the Jazz in Game 2, and they let it slip away. Utah is beset by injuries, losing Andrei Kirilenko & Mehmet Okur over the last few weeks. Granted, Deron Williams & Carlos Boozer had outstanding games in Denver, but the Nuggets’ bench was absolutely useless on Monday night. If Denver’s B-Team can’t beat Utah’s C-Team, the Nuggets don’t deserve to move on in these playoffs.
Game 3 will be the first test of the playoffs for a Denver team that has looked lost since George Karl departed for cancer treatment.
Karl was at the Nuggets’ practice this week for the first time since the chemotherapy dragged him away from the Denver bench. And while Adrian Dantley will again head the Denver coaching staff come game time, perhaps the Nuggets will find strength in seeing their stricken leader pull himself willfully from bed just to see them shoot jumpers.
George didn’t speak much, a task that is undoubtedly still painful for him. But Karl’s 15-minute presence speaks volumes about his unflinching commitment to this team. Here’s hoping the Nuggets can win one for George in Utah.
Game 3: Denver @ Utah on Friday, April 23rd 8:30 MST on ESPN 2 & Altitude
Game 4: Denver @ Utah on Sunday, April 25th 7:30 MST on TNT & Altitude
