LOS ANGELES — The 2009 NBA Finals sounded pretty exciting, all right. LeBron James versus Kobe Bryant. Commercials coming to life. Cavaliers versus Lakers. Two 60-plus win teams. Two championship teams — one has to lose, but everybody wins.
“If they want to see that matchup, they can go play (the video game) NBA Live,” Denver’s Kenyon Martin barked after his Nuggets’ 106-103 win Thursday night here, tying the Western Conference finals at 1-1. “Everybody has anointed Los Angeles as the Western champions and Cleveland as the Eastern champions. We’re not going to lay down, by any means. If it’s meant to be, then they’re going to have to beat us. We’re not going to give it away.”
In fact, they took it away Thursday night.
After losing Game 1, which certainly seemed like their best chance to steal one in L.A., the Nuggets did just that in a thrilling Game 2, which featured a courageous Carmelo Anthony (game-high 34 points), unexpected heroics from reserve Linas Kleiza (16 points with four 3s), hustler’s hustle (Martin led the team in floor burns, and Chauncey Billups forced a jump ball and made a steal in the final minute) and a moment to freeze in time (Nene lunging at Derek Fisher at the final buzzer, forcing Fisher to miss a potential game-tying 3).
They say a series doesn’t start until a team loses at home. Well, the No. 1-seeded Lakers lost at home to Denver, the first time in 12 tries by the boys in powder blue in the playoffs.
Game 3 is Saturday night at the Pepsi Center. Should be loud.
Anthony, whose performance in Game 1 made national news, was every bit as scintillating in Game 2, scoring 34 with nine rebounds and four assists.
“You’re in the mode, you’re in the zone,” Melo said when asked to describe his night. “But my main focus is not to score 34 or 39 points. That’s not my focus.”
This, of course, is the ideal description of the new Anthony, a dynamic dynamo who has given New Orleans, Dallas and now the Lakers a gym bag full of fits.
For one, Anthony is banging the boards like he’s Pau Gasol. Of his nine rebounds, five were on the offensive boards. And, second, he is playing defense with a scowl. He spent numerous possessions on Bryant (32 points) in the fourth quarter, doing an admirable job. The two were teammates on Team USA last summer in Beijing, and they joke that they stole moves from one another.
“I’m pretty sure he stole my jab step,” Anthony said.
Trailing 81-80 heading into the fourth, the Nuggets elevated their defense in the biggest quarter of the season so far, forcing L.A. to shoot just 38.5 percent and holding Bryant to eight points.
“The whole thing was there was just a demand that we had to win this game,” Nuggets coach George Karl said of the fourth-quarter defense. “There was an inner spirit. We’re a much more smart and mentally tough team than last year.”
There were a few timeout huddles in the final minute, and Karl looked at his team and saw winners. It is an amazing feeling, one could sense from hearing the coach talk about it.
“Oh yeah, I’ve sensed that all year long,” said Karl, who has coached in one NBA Finals, in 1996. “Chauncey, Kenyon, Melo. We’re growing up pretty quick. Their ability to move toward that goal, most times takes two to three years. We’re doing it in six to seven months.”
After the game, outside the winning locker room, Dr. Steve Traina had a smile tattooed to his face. For 21 years, he has worked with Nuggets teams.
“The team’s camaraderie,” the doctor said, “has never been better.”
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
