Memphis Grizzlies defeat Denver Nuggets 116-108 (Part–2)
Carmelo Anthony, who entered averaging 32.8 points per game in February, marshalled the Nuggets with 28 points - the sixth time in his last seven games he has scored at least 25 points. Nene, Ty Lawson and J.R. Smith all scored 14 points each for Denver,
who got 13 points and seven assists from Chauncey Billups. Kenyon Martin also chipped in with 12 points for the Nuggets.
The biggest disappointment of the night though was the Nuggets point guard, Aaron Afflalo. Denver’s ace perimeter defender had just two rebounds and scored only four points on a 1-of-8 shooting from the field.
Memphis shot well early on to keep pace with the powerful Nuggets offence. Five minutes into the game there were already some highlights as the teams launched a barrage of jumpers and jams. With over six minutes left in the first frame, Rudy g*y sank a triple
pointer to give Memphis a 14-10 lead. After the Nuggets, bounced back into the lead with five consecutive points courtesy of Carmelo Anthony, g*y again laid the foundation for a 13-5 run with a floating jumper.
Darrell Arthur scored eight points during that stretch, one which propelled them to a 27-20 advantage with over a minute to play in the opening quarter. The Bronchos however, pulled back within three, as Ty Lawson and Al Harrington fired from downtown on
two consecutive possessions. Arthur though, sparked the Grizzlies to a 31-26 lead entering the second quarter, as he nailed a jumper with two seconds left until the buzzer.
In the second quarter, the Nuggets were simply unstoppable. They kicked off the frame with a bang, hitting all of their first seven shots, as they rattled a 16-3 spurt to build a 42-34 lead. Rudy g*y nipped the visitors’ surge with a vicious dunk, and followed
it by slipping in a layup on his next possession. Marc Gasol then made a three-point play and g*y came to the fore again with a running jump shot to cap the spurt.
The duo of g*y and Gasol were not the only ones scoring though. The Nuggets again scored on their next five attempts as they continued to stay ahead. After connecting on 12 of their first 13 attempts in the period, it took Denver nearly two minutes to get
going again. However, when they eventually got going, they did it with style. Nene rattled the rim with a vociferous dunk, which was followed by an Alley oop from Carmelo Anthony. J.R. Smith sprinted to the rim in the ensuing possession to give the Nuggets
their first double-digit lead of the game.
Chauncey Billups then sank a triple pointer with 30 seconds to go until the break and Smith followed with a jumper, as the Nuggets went into the locker room ahead by 67-55.
Denver outscored Memphis 41-24 in the second quarter while their offensive arsenal held a 15-5 advantage over the Grizzlies in fast break points in the first half.
Although the Memphis Grizzlies started to maintain pace with the Nuggets going into the second stanza, the visitors continued to mount the offensive pressure. A long-range effort from Carmelo Anthony with less than four minutes to go in the frame sparked
the Nuggets to an 86-69 lead; their biggest of the match.
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