What a great game 1!!!  Back and forth throughout the second half – - this is the type of close game that we should be seeing in the conference finals.  39 for Carmelo Anthony. 40 for Kobe Bryant.

The turning point?  A reach-in foul by Kenyon Martin when they had Kobe Bryant contained.  Bryant goes to the free throw line and calmly sinks both.  Then, the Nuggets had 6’1″ Anthony Carter trying to inbound the ball under intense pressure from 6’10″ Lamar Odom.  A poor decision on the pass led to the Lakers sealing this game with a couple of Kobe Bryant free throws that put L.A. up by 4 with 10 seconds remaining in the game.

Despite a 3-pointer from Chauncey Billups, the Lakers had already established control of the lead.  And with alternating possessions and free throws, those two aforementioned plays decided the game.

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