Records: Denver Nuggets (54-28, 33-8 Home, 21-20 Road) – New Orleans Hornets (49-33, 28-13 Home, 21-20 Road)
Regular Season Series: Tied 2-2. Each team has a win at home and on the road.
Head-to-Head Match-Up to Watch: David West vs Kenyon Martin. West is first option for Chris Paul. Anytime he drives and sees any opening for David, he’ll make the pass. Martin needs to make sure Paul can’t get West the ball when he drives, even if it means leaving Nene or Chris Anderson to contest his shot alone.
Overrated Match-Up: Chris Paul vs Chauncey Billups. Not even close. Billups can’t keep up with Paul and will be pestered by Paul’s pesky defense all series long.
Game Is On the Line: Chris Paul for the Hornets. Can shoot the pull up jumper or take it to the hoop for the and one. I’ll go experience and Billups for the Nugs.
Offense vs Defense: Denver is the fourth best scoring team in the West. New Orleans is the third best defensive team in the West.
Motivation?: Will Carmelo Anthony come out to play? Or will he decide to get a DUI on the eve of the first game? I’ll take the 2-to-1 odds on the DUI.
New Orleans will win if…: They win the first or the second game of the series in Denver and take care of business at home.
Denver will win if…: Melo shows up. Billups controls the team. Birdman learns how to fly.
X-Factor: Tyson Chandler. Chandler is still making his way back from an ankle injury, and it will be key that he steps up as the third scorer for the Hornets. Paul to West will give Chandler some extra space on alley-oops.
Chris Paul: Four playoff triple-doubles in one round? Book it. 30-12-10-5(steals). He will carry this team to the second round and most likely farther than that.
Prediction: Hornets in 5.
right amount of games, wrong winner.
our 20 dollar wager should iron out that debate
nugs won’t let me down, haven’t lost this year when i’ve been at the game.
so you have won them 3 games? and you wont be attending their games in NOLA.
i’m going to the first and last ones. so…………nugs in 5
so, Hornets win game 2 and all games at home.