Getting to the conference finals never gets old for Kenyon Martin and Chauncey Billups. Losing in the playoffs, however, does.
Including this season, the two have 10 conference finals between them — seven consecutive for Billups and three for Martin. Neither had been this far in the Western Conference until now. And neither is satisfied just getting here.
“I come to win, man,” Billups said. “I try to do the best I can every night for one reason. That’s to win. Not for anything else, but to try to help my teammates win. And I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of some great teams, obviously. Getting to the conference finals seven times in a row, I’ve been lucky.”
Said Martin: “We’ll see how this one goes. You’re trying to get better each and every time you get there. I’ve been to the (NBA) Finals twice and came up short. It’s not a good feeling by any stretch of the imagination.”
Billups, Martin and the Nuggets continued preparation for the Western Conference finals, which begin Tuesday night in Denver against the Houston Rockets or in Los Angeles against the Lakers. The opponent will be determined today, with the Lakers and Rockets playing Game 7 of their West semifinal series in Los Angeles.
Billups has lost his last three conference finals series, all with Detroit.
Martin has won both times he’s been to the conference finals (2002 and 2003) with the New Jersey Nets. In 2003, his Nets beat Billups’ Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals. Billups’ Pistons returned the favor in 2004, in a conference semifinal series, on their way to winning the NBA title.
Losing does not sit well with Martin. It sticks with him well after the season’s last game.
“I’m a sore loser,” Martin said. “I don’t know what it is. I don’t take it out on people, but I’m not my normal self. I don’t go around cussing people out or bad mouthing anybody, but I ain’t no fun to be around. I don’t know what it is; I just can’t get it out of my system. I’ve been that way forever.”
Martin insists there is no heightened urgency to win as the years go by. He professes to put the same amount of seriousness in every playoff series in his career, whether it is the first round or the NBA Finals.
“I’m not satisfied with the Western Conference finals or just making it to the (NBA) Finals,” Martin said. “I’m hungry, man. I’m trying to win it. So whatever I can do to help, I’m going to do it.”
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
