"Melloless"Nuggets End Streak at 9...Please Don't Panic. We still got this

	Poss.	TO%	FTA/ FGA	FT%	3FGA/FGA	2PT%	3PT%	EFG	TS%	OReb Rate	DReb Rate	PPP
Den.	97	16	0.34	57	0.21	45	41	48	50	23	71	0.98
L.A.	97	18	0.24	70	0.21	48	22	45	48	29	77	0.93

Well just as I thought Denver came in with all they could muster up and caught us slipping.The Lakers came out flat and tired again but this time it got the best of them. The scrappy Denver team that leads the league in not only tattoos but in scoring. have been on fire since losing one of the games leading scorers. Go figure. The game was actually pretty boring after the last 2 "chippy" games we've endured.No ejections, no shoving matches, no half naked women charging the opposing teams bench. I guess we are spoiled now. There were about 30 lead changes to this game. I wont say Denver was hanging around as much as the Lakers were lounging around. The Lakers committed way too many turnovers and couldn't make a shot at the line with a paper and pencil. The first half was pretty uneventful. With a game that actually had about 30 lead changes you would think it would be more exiting. Denver actually lead more times than LA. Pau was playing Euro ball again being soft as tissue in the paint and not handling the ball well. This time no one stepped up to help him. Gallenari showed why he was a huge asset in New York. He had 18 of his 22 points at the half way mark only 2nd to the Black Mamba who had 19. It seemed like everything was back on track when the Lakers outscored Denver 27-19 in the 2nd quarter and headed to the locker room up by 7.
The 3rd quarter was pretty much the same as the others, accept Raymon Felton of all people decided to come alive. He scored all 16 points in the 2nd half. I actually yawned a few times. I guess I felt like the Lakers. The only thing keeping me awake on a Sunday afternoon besides Mike Breen (whom I love), is Marc ( never won a ring but thinks he knows everything ) Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy arguing the whole time.
Welp to speed things along lets fast forward ....we are all tied up headed to the 4th. The reserves are in and I don't have many complaints about Steve Blake. He has carried over his greats assists and is handling the ball pretty good and being a facilitator. But, even though Jr Smith is in foul trouble he is still scorching hot. P Jax must have some of the same concerns.... or complaints rather about Shannon that I do. He is constantly going away from the offense, dribbling the ball wayyyyy to much and well into the shot clock, then he finally passes it to someone too late, or he bricks a 3 off the rim. SIGH...Well Phil had seen enough as well becuase he uncharacteristically had the Fisher/Blake duo in for most of the 4th quarter. A few hiccups here and there but they didn't do so bad. Playing as lethargic as they were I still thought the we would pull a rabbit out of a hat like they have so many times before.The Lakers scored 7 straight and were up by 6 with 3:23 to play. Then a few no calls and buckets by Jr and Felton and we were down again. But, the Lakers cut it to 4 with 1:10 remaining.Then a debateable time out was called by Galanari.Lamar and Fish had Felton trapped ( after he carried the ball) and were ready for a jump ball. Only to come back in a get a 24 sec violation. The next possession Kobe took too much time off the clock and got fouled twice but of course no call. He had one tech already but proceeded to yell at the ref anyway. FYI the game suspension for techs starts over in the playoffs. So Kobe will have a clean slate if he can hold on until then.Chandler gets a foul to put them up by 5. Lakers inbound the ball and Lamar hits a 3 to put us down by 2 with 15 secs left as Princes " Lets Go Crazy" rings out from the Staple Center speakers. Denver then  inbounds and gets it to Ne Ne who is fouled. He makes the first, then Stuttering Stanley pushes Lamar Odum under the basket and dunks it in. Then he fist pumps the air and struts  down the court yelling at fans.I would repeat what he said but of course it was hard to make out on account of his speech impediment.I'm assuming Bynum was on the bench because of a bump to his right knee.Even though he only had 8 points on the night against an obviously smaller team, I'm sure he would have boxed out AND held his ground if pushed by Kenyon. Pau Gasol actually banged his knee and had a scare as well. He went back to the locker room for a stint with 12 points and 8 rebounds,but reports say hes ok. He ended the game with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Those stats seem solid, but they are somewhat misleading. He settled for way too many jump shots and he turned the ball over more times than normal. He sited the result as his own carelessness as well as the Nuggets reaching in. Gasol plans to get an MRI on Monday just to make sure his knee is ok.
Long story short the LakersLakers  were outscored 55-33 in the 2nd half. The Nuggets shot a whopping 60 % from the feild! OUCH!! The Lakers had 20 turnovers and 10 in the 2nd half alone! That will never work.Might I add that Denver's best 2 defenders Aaron Afflalo and Birdman were on the bench with injuries.
The best thing about this day was former Laker Byron Scott on the  " NBA Go Green " shirts " I'm not wearing that crap! Ill take it home to wash my car." You tellum B Scott!!! Once a Laker always a Laker.. Players around the league sport green shirts and shoes. No Lakers complied.
After the game the Lakers didn't seem to be too worried about the loss. When Kobe was asked if they felt bad he actually laughed for a while. He finally gained composure and said " NO".  Lamar Odum was seen coming out of the locker room Yelling " 2nd Time!! 2nd Time!!" Yeah he didn't block out ( or got pushed) and his man won the game. Kenyon Martin was  lookin alot like Antonio McDyess on the way to the bus. It was 2 months ago to the day that Lamar didn't box out his man. The Lakers last home loss on Feb 3rd came after a tip in from McDyess. PJax said Lamar was " steamrolled" by Kenyon. Ron Artest called the tip  "lucky" ,Even going as far as to say Kenyon must have eaten his Lucky Charms this morning. LOL. The always jovial Ron Ron said maybe we loss because he didn't get a haircut.Yeah I was wondering when that would take place as well.. Bynum cited lack of energy for the loss. He said he thought the Nuggets would lay down, but they didn't...why on Earth would they do that?? We are the champs!! Everyone gets up for the champs!!!
Well we didn't think we would go undefeated until the Championship did we?? So we will take this pill and swallow it. Tomorrow is another day. The Champs will play Utah again and hopefully it will be a repeat of the last time. I'm asking everyone out there to cross your fingers, pray, hop up and down on one foot, or get a horseshoe, whatever your good luck method is...do it. Lets hope the knees of Pau and Drew can last until we hoist up that hardware. ***SMOOCHES**