SALT LAKE CITY — In Game 3 of the Jazz-Nuggets series Friday night, Kyrylo Fesenko made four field goals. So did J.R. Smith and Nene — combined.
Understanding that “we need everybody,” Nuggets team leader Carmelo Anthony separately pulled aside Smith and Nene and implored them to play intently and intensively in tonight’s Game 4, which Denver needs to win to tie the series.
“I told them: When they play well, we win,” said Anthony, an all-star forward. “It shouldn’t have to come down to how well me and Chauncey (Billups) play. We’re only two guys. And in the playoffs, especially Utah, they’re not going to let me beat them (single-handedly). It’s just not going to happen. I need Nene to be the Nene I know he can be. I know J.R. can come off the bench and be the guy we saw when we were playing our best basketball.”
Smith is a hot-and-cold player, and he has shot a chilly 36.4 percent from the field in this series, including 3-for-9 in Game 3 at Utah. That night featured an airball, an off-line clanked 3-pointer and a tear-drop shot that missed the basket by a good furlong.
“Our guys did a pretty good job of staying in front of him and contesting his shots,” Utah guard Deron Williams said. “He’s such a good one-on-one player that he’s hard to guard, so you put a hand up and try to defer his shot.”
Nene played 37 minutes and was 1-for-4 from the field in Game 3. Perhaps more frightening — his paltry eight points were more than Kenyon Martin and Chris Andersen combined (seven).
Asked what the center must do be more effective, acting coach Adrian Dantley said: “A lot of it’s got to be Nene. When he gets the ball, he passes a lot. We got to look for him, though. It’s a two-way street. Sometimes we get it to him and he passes it when he has a shot, other times you got to make shots.”
Frustrated all-star.
In Game 1, Anthony attempted four free throws. Game 2? Fifteen. But then in Game 3, he got to the line just three times.
“When I don’t get to the line, that makes it hard, because then I have to figure out something else to do,” Anthony said. “For me to shoot three free throws in 40 minutes, that’s tough, especially when I’m not trying to settle for a jump shot.”
Footnotes.
Dantley had lunch Saturday with Tom Nissalke, who coached Dantley in Utah. . . . Utah had just one first-half turnover in Game 3, tying a franchise postseason low. . . . Martin (knee) logged 31 minutes but got some fourth-quarter rest during Game 3. He also tallied 13 rebounds.
