During last night's late newscast, 9News' Drew Soicher said that if the Nuggets manage to blow their series against the Dallas Mavericks, blamecasters will suggest that Mavs owner Mark Cuban got into their heads via his antics -- namely trash-talking about Kenyon Martin to his mom on Mother's Day weekend and then offering an obseqious apology via his blog rather than directly to K-Mart and his family.
Chances that the Nuggets-choke scenario won't play out? As close to metaphysical certitude as it's possible to calculate. I might have been worried about a Mavs comeback if they'd destroyed the Nugs in the manner that the Los Angeles Lakers blistered the Houston Rockets last night in payback for a shorthanded upset victory the last time around. Instead, Dallas barely eked out a two-point win with a big assist from referee/whistle fetishist Steve Javie. Don't expect something like that to happen again. Chris Andersen, who sat out game four with a stomach ailment, should be back and at full-strength, K-Mart will be unbelievably pissed off, and Cuban isn't expected to be at the Pepsi Center -- an indication of his lack of confidence in his squad, not to mention his fear at the thought of facing what would certainly be a beyond-hostile crowd. So don't worry the Nugs tanking in this series, Drew. Worry about how they're going to take down the Lakers in the next one.
