Chauncey Billups froze in mid-air, lunging toward the 3-point line, fate in his hands.
Nuggets fans held their breath as he beat the buzzer from the top of the key late Monday night, but Mr. Big Shot couldn’t hit the big shot.
Billups’ last-second heave bounced off the rim, and the Nuggets lost 114-111 to Utah in Game 2 of the Western Conference opening round playoff series. The series is tied 1-1.
The Nuggets now have three long days to think about their meltdown heading into Friday’s Game 3 at Energy Solutions Arena, where the Nuggets have historically struggled.
Utah was without two key players, but it was Denver that looked loose and out-of-sync for most of the game.
The Nuggets put more energy into talking about playing defense during the off-day than playing it Monday. In the first half, the short-handed Jazz did what it wanted at the offensive end, shooting 67.7 percent.
For the game, the Jazz shot 52.9 percent, led by 33 points from point guard Deron Williams, who disregarded Denver’s defense as he maneuvered his way around the court all night, also tallying 14 assists (and, to be fair, seven turnovers).
“He had control of the basketball,” Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said of Williams. “He’s a terrific player and he gets more confidence as he goes on. We needed everything we could get to win tonight.”
The furious final minute kept hearts pounding. There was a charge by each team and a peculiar sixth foul by Carmelo Anthony with less than 30 seconds left while guarding C.J. Miles near midcourt. Miles made both free throws to put Utah up 110-107, and the Jazz sank their remaining free throws to seal the game.
With 11.3 seconds left, and Denver down three, Billups bricked a 3 from the top of the key, but Kenyon Martin’s putback cut the lead to one. With six seconds left, two Kyle Korver free throws gave Utah a 114-111 lead, setting up Billups’ last-second shot.
It was an ugly, bruising game, with hard fouls, bodies flying, nasty dunks and seemingly 20 hands going for every rebound.
With 4:10 left, Utah’s Paul Millsap soared from a baseline dunk and Nene crunched him in midair.
Anthony and Williams, teammates on Team USA but two of the proudest competitors on the court, had numerous physical run-ins, including a play where Melo grabbed the back of Williams’s jersey and threw him to the floor, earning a flagrant foul. Later, Melo shoved D-Will with an elbow.
After arguably his best professional game, a 42-point effort in Game 1, Anthony could not find his offensive rhythm. He finished 9-for-25 but scored 32 points, thanks for 14-of-15 shooting from the foul line.
“All day, I read articles where (former Jazz player) Matt Harpring was saying the Jazz need to ‘dirty the game up,’ to hold, grab and lean on Melo as much as possible,” said Rex Chapman, Denver’s vice president of player personnel. “I guess the players read those quotes as well. It looked like they took it to heart.”
When Carlos Boozer scored with 7:06 left in the third, the Jazz led 76-62, but the Nuggets went on a 14-0 run. Just like in Game 1, J.R. Smith changed the complexion of the game. Denver was down 76-66 in the third, but Smith swished his first shot attempt, a 3. The crowd went bananas, and before it quieted down, Melo scored a tricky layup in transition. Denver was down just five.
But later Korver swished a 3 for a 108-106 lead in the fourth quarter, a lead the Jazz would not surrender.
Live updates
The Nuggets and Carmelo Anthony are going for a two-game series in their first round Western Conference playoff against Utah tonight at Pepsi Center. The Denver Post had live updates throughout the night:
Utah wins
Kyle Korver hit two free-throws with :06 seconds remaining for Utah and Chauncey Billups’ running, desperation 3-point try at the buzzer was off the mark as the Jazz beat the Nuggets 114-111 in Game 2.
Utah tied the first-round playoff series at 1-1, with Game 3 to be played Friday in Salt Lake City.
Melo out
With 25.2 seconds left, and Utah leading 108-107, Carmelo Anthony fouled out after reaching in in the front court.
Ready, set, go
With 7:29 remaining, the game is tied 95-95. From here, it’s a sprint to the finish.
Chauncey has them back
After the J.R. Smith got a second straight steal, the latter a strip of Deron Williams on the Jazz end, Chauncey Billups broke free down the floor and pulled up for a 3-pointer that finally gave the Nuggets the lead back at 92-91 with 9:40 remaining.
Final quarter up
If the game — with Utah leading 88-82 through three quarters — ends up a free-throw shooting contest, Carmelo Anthony may give the Nuggets an edge. He shot 10-for-10 through three periods so far. He averages nine free-throws a game. With Chauncey Billups also perfect at the line (6-for-6), the Nuggets are 25-for-29 as a team.
Deron Williams continues to lead Utah with 29. Anthony has 24.
Run continues
The Nuggets extended their run to 14-0 to tie the game at 76-76, before Deron Williams’ two free-throws gave back the lead to Utah. But Kyle Korver hit back-to-back jumpers to put Utah back on top.
Nuggets awake
A J.R. Smith 3-pointer and Carmelo Anthony’s drive against three Jazz defenders on a breakaway for two points have the Nuggets back alive. They cut the lead to 76-71 after a 9-0 run. The Jazz were forced into a timeout.
Boozed
Carlos Boozer’s monster jam off a rebound — he blew right through three Nuggets players around the hoop — put Utah ahead 76-62 with 6:58 remaining in the third quarter. It forced the Nuggets to take a timeout to stop the bleeding.
Utah streaking
The Jazz went on a 17-3 run in the second quarter, behind Deron Williams’ hot hand, and Utah took a 12-point lead into halftime, leading 63-51. Williams led all scorers through two quarters, with 23 points. He shot 6-for-8 from the floor and had seven assists. Carlos Boozer also scored well, with 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting — most from in the paint.
The Jazz are scoring at a very win-able clip. They shot 67.7 percent in the half.
Carmelo Anthony paced Denver with 16 points, but he was kept in check in the second and missed his final five shots of the half. He’s at 5-for-15 from the field.
Defense lacking
Through the first period — led by the Jazz 33-30 — the Nuggets’ defense allowed Utah to shoot a spiked 73.3 percent from the floor. The Nuggets finished a 56 percent from the field.
Stars are on
It was a battle of stars in the first quarter, as the Nuggets and Jazz swapped leads and the Jazz gained a 33-30 advantage. Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 10. Deron Williams, after returning from the lockerroom with an ankle injury, paced all players with 15 points, on 5-of-5 shooting.
All fall down
Carmelo Anthony’s hard foul on Deron Williams in the first quarter, as Williams broke free through the lane toward the bucket, gained Anthony a flagrant-2 foul. And it sent a grimacing Williams to the lockerroom with a limp. But Williams, who was checked for a right ankle injury, returned to the bench moments later.
Jazz scrambling
Before the game, there was some thought that in the absence of center Mehmet Okur, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan might play his all-stars, Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams, for all 48 minutes, given that Game 3 won’t be played until Friday.
“I wouldn’t be surprised at that,” Nuggets coach Adrian Dantley said.
Jazz key on Melo
You don’t need a Red Auerbach-level basketball IQ to know the key tonight for the Nuggets.
Get Carmelo Anthony the ball.
The Jazz have failed to slow down Anthony all season. In three games against Utah, Anthony averaged 36.3 points and 6.6 rebounds. And he’s shooting 60.8 percent from the field.
He torched the Jazz on Saturday for 42 points in Game 1.
“I know it’s coming,” Anthony said today of the Jazz’s focus on him. “So I just want to get ready for it, stay composed. Not let them try to get in my head, which I know they are going to try to do. That’s what he used to try to do. Those were my younger days, 19 and 20. I’m older now. I’m done with that.”
