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NBA Betting Preview: Denver Nuggets (0-1) at Los Angeles Lakers (1-0)

May 21, 2009

Can the top-seeded team in a conference steal a game on its own home court?

Well the Los Angles Lakers did exactly that on Tuesday when they rallied to sneak by the Denver Nuggets, 105-103, in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals at Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant scored 40 points, sank six free throws in the final 30.5 seconds and came up with the game-sealing rebound in the final moments of that one, as the Lakers stunned Denver.

The Nuggets now hope to bounce back from the tough loss tonight when play resumes in Hollywood.

Trevor Ariza came up with a huge steal in the last minute of Game 1, and Bryant had 18 of his points in the pivotal fourth quarter for the top-seeded Lakers, who were coming off a Game 7 rout over Houston on Sunday in the conference semifinals and rallied from a seven-point deficit in the final frame.

"(Bryant) was a scoring opportunity for us tonight," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson after the Game 1 win. "We had very little else going on for us tonight. He muscled his way through that game."

Pau Gasol contributed 13 points and 14 rebounds for Los Angeles, while Derek Fisher also scored 13 as the Lakers beat Denver in the postseason for the 11th straight time.

Carmelo Anthony poured in 39 points, on 14-of-20 shooting from the field, for the Nuggets, who are in the conference finals for the first time since 1985 when they lost to the Lakers in five games. Los Angeles went on to win the NBA championship that season, beating Boston.

Chauncey Billups, appearing in his seventh straight conference finals series, had 18 points and eight assists for the Nuggets, who had a much easier time in the West semis, disposing of the Dallas Mavericks in just five games. They were ahead by as many as 13 on Tuesday before faltering.

"We lost out on a great opportunity to steal this game," said Billups. "We played probably good enough, but I think we lost the game on poor free throw shooting. We missed 12 free throws and it comes back we lost by two points."

To make matters worse for Denver, two key contributors came out of Tuesday's game banged-up.

Power forward Kenyon Martin, who scored 15 points and pulled down eight boards, fractured his left ring finger, while sharp-shooting reserve J,R. Smith suffered a right calf strain. Both players are expected to be in George Karl's lineup tonight but wingman Renaldo Balkman is listed as doubtful with a right ankle sprain.

"The positive standpoint to me is we played a hell of a game," Karl said at Wednesday's practice. "And we competed the right way, did good things (on) both ends of the court. I just feel bad because I just think in finishing the game, I wish I could have done better at, and I think our players wish they could have done better."

LA also took three of four games from Denver during the regular season this year with the Nuggets lone win coming in the Rocky Mountains on February 27.

The two teams have met in the playoffs on three different occasions with the Lakers coming out on top each time. LA took a first round series in 1979, won the Western Conference finals in 1985 and swept the Nuggets in a first round set last year.

Game 3 of the best-of-seven set is Saturday in Denver.

-- SportsNetwork