Denver Takes Game 2!

With Denver facing a 0-2 hole, Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, and the rest of the Nuggets showed up to come back from a 14 point deficit to win Game 2 of their Western Conference Finals series.

Denver clawed their way back from a 14 point Laker advantage to deal the Lakers with their first loss of the series. The funny thing was, it happened almost exactly the same way as the Lakers' game 1 victory. If you can remember in Game 1, the Lakers rallied from a 13 point advantage in the first half to win the game. The key play was a steal by Lakers forward Trevor Ariza, stealing an inbound pass with the Lakers up by two to seal the victory for the purple and gold. This time around, it was Ariza who cost the game for the Lakers. Trevor lost the ball to the Nuggets Nene with less than 20 seconds on the clock and with the Nuggets up by 2. A free throw battle ensued after but the Nuggets Chauncey Billups sank 4 clutch free throws to push the score to 106-103 before Derek Fisher missed the last chance that the Lakers had.

Melo continued his dominance in the playoffs by leading Denver with 34 points and 9 rebounds. He got help from Chauncey Billups, 27 points, and reserve Linas Kleiza who sparked the Nuggets off the bench with 16 points and 8 boards. Leading the way for Los Angeles was Kobe Bryan who got 32 points and Trevor Ariza who chipped in 20 points in the loss. Game 3 will be on Saturday, May 23, at 8:30 PM Eastern.

Game 2 Preview: Nuggets and Lakers

The Denver Nuggets were able to have a day off to think about what happened that lead to their Game 1 loss. They were up by 13 at one point, pushing the defending Western Conference Champs against the ropes. Then, it all disappeared and in no time the Lakers were back in the game. It ended with a sloppy inbound pass by guard Anthony Carter which was easily picked off by Trevor Ariza which pretty much sealed the coffin for the Nuggets.

That is now just a distant memory, as the Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets try to prove that their Game 1 loss was just a fluke. Standing in his way is the Lakers' Kobe Bryant who scored 40 points en route to the series opening win. If Melo will stand any chance at winning tonight he would need the help of his teammates, most of which were non-factors in the first game. Chauncey Billups scored in double digits but did not have a good shooting game, Nene was in foul trouble, and Denver's bench was limited to 16 points. The Lakers on the other hand needs to continue exploiting the weaknesses of the Nuggets, beating them in the rebounding category as well as shooting very well from downtown.

Game 2 proves to be yet another exciting chapter in this series that may very well go the distance if the experts' predictions are correct. Game 2 will be later tonight at 9 Pm Eastern Time.

LeBron's 49 Comes Up Short, Magic Steal Game 1

LeBron James, the NBA's regular season MVP, came up with an amazing game yet the Cavaliers fell in the clutch to the Orlando Magic in their Game 1 tiff earlier tonight. James scored 49 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists to lead the Cavaliers, who at one point lead by as much as 16. The Magic's first half performance was less than desired, with only Dwight Howard being the lone bright spot for the team. But during the second half, the rest of the Magic showed up, sparked by Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, and reserve Mickael Pietrus, rallying to take the lead during towards the end of the third quarter. From there it became a see-saw match, exchanging baskets both teams did not want to budge. It went down to the last few seconds, with the Cavaliers up by 2, 106-104, Rashard Lewis hit a clutch 3-point basket that quieted the home crowd and gave the Magic the 1 point lead. Lebron and the Cavs had one more chance with the last possession, but a three point attempt by Delonte West and a jumper off a jump-ball by Mo Williams failed to find their target leaving the score 107-106 for the Magic.

Dwight Howard lead Orlando with 30 points and 13 rebounds and getting help from Rashard Lewis who finished with 22 points. Game 2 is on Friday, at 8:30 PM ET, with the Cavs trying to escape an 0-2 hole.

Eastern Conference Finals Preview: Can Superman Dethrone the King?

The NBA's Eastern Conference Finals will begin later tonight, showcasing two of the league's exciting, young stars. LeBron James, the regular season MVP, will be leading the charge for the Cleveland Cavaliers team who have yet to suffer a defeat for the duration of this year's play-offs. On the other hand, Dwight "Superman" Howard will be spearheading the Orlando Magic team coming fresh off a tough game 7 victory over the defending champion Boston Celtics.

The Cavs are well rested, having taken cared of their previous assignment, the Atlanata Hawks, in 4 games. They have been sailing through this years play-offs with two sweeps and are sailing with much ease, without even breaking a sweat. The Magic on the other hand have had a different experience so far. They went 6 games with the Philadelphia 76ers and more recently went the distance with the Celtics pushing them to the limit but coming out with an impressive and momentum building win dethroning last year's champs.

The Magic, despite losing starting point guard Jameer Nelson to a shoulder injury during the regular season, is a much better team than they were a year ago. Supporting Howard are sharpshooters Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, Rafer Alston, Mikael Pietrus, and surprise rookie Courtney Lee. The Cavaliers on the other hand has likewise improved their rosters. with the addition of a legitimate scoring threat in Mo Williams, the comeback of Delonte West, and the free agent acquisition of Joe Smith, the Cleveland is now the team to beat in the league with the leadership of their young MVP.

This series proves to be fast paced, exciting, and with lots of scoring. Will Superman soar high and be able to take a crack at the Cavs' perfect post-season so far or will King James show his dominance and continue to push their streak to 9-0? We will know the answer to that in a matter of hours.

Game 1 will be held later today at 8:30 PM Eastern Time