Mile-High Surprise

What has been the biggest story of the NBA playoffs so far?

You could pose that question to 10 different people and get 10 different answers. You'll hear all sorts of responses: Cleveland winning every game by double digits; Boston and Chicago playing an epic series; questionable officiating; players being suspended; Mark Cuban vs. Kenyon Martin's mom.

All of those answers are near the top of the list; they've all been big stories this postseason.

And they're all wrong.

The real answer to the question of what has been the biggest story of the NBA playoffs: the Denver Nuggets.

Maybe it's because they've played late at night, or because they don't have one player that has just completely dominated, or because they've made quick work of both of their opponents, or a combination of all of the above, but Denver has flown under the radar for most of this postseason.

However, the Nuggets have quietly been the most impressive team in the postseason, and unless you're Charles Barkley, you're probably not talking about them.

During Game 5 last night, as the Nuggets were putting the finishing touches on yet another one-sided home victory (more on that in a minute), my brother, watching the Nuggets play for an extended period of time for the first time this playoffs, asked, "Do you think they can beat the Lakers?"

Without even having to think about it, I said, "Absolutely."

If you've read In the Rotation or any of these columns since the playoffs started, you already know that my answer to that question is surprising. It's no secret that I love all things Kobe Bryant and Los Angeles Lakers.

And if he would have asked me two weeks ago, I would have given my answer just as much thought, and came back with, "No (bleeping) way."

Now, I'm not so sure that the question wasn't worded wrong. The more I think about it, the more I find myself asking, "Can the Lakers beat this team?"

Think about it, where exactly do the Lakers have the advantage against the Nuggets? The Lakers have two bigs in Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum that command attention down low; the Nuggets have the toughest interior defense of any team left.

The Lakers haven't been able to stay in front of either starting point guard they've faced so far this postseason; the Nuggets have in Chauncey Billups the best starting point guard left.

The Lakers' bench has been marred by inconsistency the entire postseason, highlighted by the fact that they don't have a backup point guard and their designated "shooter", Sasha Vujacic, is just 9-of-30 in the playoffs from deep; the Nuggets' bench is as consistent as a second unit can get. You know what to expect from every player, and time and again this postseason they've delivered.

The Lakers have had the advantage in the first two rounds when they get out and run on their opponents; the Nuggets are dying for teams to turn the game into a track meet, especially in the Pepsi Center.

The Lakers have already lost a game at home this postseason, and have squandered away a few big leads in the games that they have won at Staples; Denver has squeaked out three road wins already in the playoffs, and if they steal home-court advantage, they could be very dangerous, since, as I've written before, I'm not sure anyone can beat them at home.

And to make matters worse, the only player on the Lakers team that has a chance to slow down Carmelo Anthony defensively is Kobe Bryant. We saw in the Finals last year when Kobe had to guard Paul Pierce, having to be the best player on the floor on both sides is a daunting task, even for Kobe.

Still, I've seen this Laker team play so good at times recently, both during the regular season and in the playoffs, that I have a hard time believing that any team can beat them when they are clicking on all cylinders. I don't care how good Denver is, the Lakers are the best of the best when they want to be.

So when I was asked, "Can the Nuggets beat the Lakers?" as a diehard NBA fan and an objective writer, I had no choice but to answer "absolutely." It's the only realistic answer to the question.

But ask me again minutes before tip-off of Game 1 and I guarantee there's only one response that comes to mind: "No (bleeping) way."

The NBA: where blind faith in your favorite team ... happens.