Denver Nuggets vs. Dallas Mavericks

If not for Nene's breakout first half, Carmelo Anthony's fourth-quarter fireworks and Anthony Carter's defensive skill wouldn't have mattered much. Nene kept Denver in it until his teammates could turn it on and help him out, scoring 18 of his playoff career-high 24 points in the first half of the Nuggets' 109-95 rout of the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday in the opener of their second-round series. Nene, who beat testicular cancer last year, played more minutes than ever this season and over the last month he really hit a wall. In the Nuggets' five-game battle of the New Orleans in the first round, he averaged 9.0 points and 7.8 rebounds. His fantastic first half saved the Nuggets, who poured it on the second half thanks to 20 Dallas turnovers, eight by Jason Kidd, who turned over the ball just three times in the first round.