Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony combined to score 61 points for Denver in Game 2 in Los Angeles. (GETTY IMAGES)

Score one for Chauncey Billups. The chess matchup between the Lakers and Nuggets took a different turn in Game 2. Lakers Coach Jackson geared his perimeter defense to smothering Billups in Game 1, putting Kobe Bryant on him for much of the game, but Billups made the proper adjustment in Game 2 by being more aggressive off the dribble instead of settling for long-range shots.

Denver Coach George Karl should also get some credit for making a key adjustment, inserting 6-8 Linas Kleiza early in the game instead of 6-1 Anthony Carter. Kleiza rewarded Karl for the opportunity by providing some much-needed outside shooting, which opened up the court for Carmelo Anthony, and his length gave the Nuggets another rebounder.

Kleiza finished with 16 points in 21 minutes, making 4 of 7 threes, and grabbed eight rebounds. Because of Kleiza’s play off the bench and Billups’ leadership, along with Anthony’s brilliance on offense, the Nuggets were able to defeat the Lakers, 106-103, in Game 2.

“We had to win this game,” Karl said. “We’re a more mentally tough team. You look at us from last year and where we are now, it takes time to do that. They know what it takes, what it means to play hard and play with passion.”

As good as Anthony was – and Melo was an absolute beast with 34 points and nine rebounds – his offense was matched by Kobe Bryant, who scored 32 points to lead L.A. While Melo and Kobe were staging their own personal war on the court and ultimately cancelling each other out, it was Billups who stepped into the role of closer and figured out a way to beat the Lakers down the stretch. With the ball in his hands, the Nuggets were able to play more efficiently in the halfcourt set and Billups foiled the Lakers’ pick-and-roll defense by attacking the seams.

With the way the officiating was going with both teams were getting the benefit of some questionable calls, Billups basically put his head down and attacked the basket. As a result, he went to the free throw line 16 times in Game 2, converting 13 shots, and finished with 27 points. Basically, Anthony – who has 73 points in the first two games against L.A. – kept the Nuggets in the game and Billups won the game in the end.

“We’re a special team and we got a chance to do something really special,” said Billups, who committed just one turnover in 43 minutes. “Personally, I’m not worried about what they’re saying about the Lakers. They’re a great team. They’re the No. 1 in the Western Conference. I’m more worried about trying to help my team advance the best I can.”

Denver’s 1-2 punch of Anthony and Billups are two reasons why the Western Conference finals is tied 1-1 and the Nuggets now hold home-court advantage.

“We can’t wait to get back on our court. We’ve been in L.A. a little bit too long now. We want to get back home in front of our crowd,” Anthony said.

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Denver guard Chauncey Billups made just 2-of-7 3-pointers in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Los Angeles Lakers Coach Phil Jackson made the first move in the Western Conference finals and now it is up to the Denver Nuggets to adjust. Jackson put Kobe Bryant, his best defender, on Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups for much of Game 1. Even though Billups scored 18 points, he made just 38% of his field goals (5 of 13) and was just 2 of 7 from 3-point range in Denver’s 105-103 loss at Staples Center.

Entering the conference finals, Billups was shooting 54% from the field and making almost half of his 3-point shots (14 of 32). Jackson – who is 42-0 when he wins the first game of a playoff series – was definitely concerned about Billups before the series began. By putting Bryant on him early, the Lakers coach made it very clear that slowing down Billups is the key to winning the series. Jackson made a similar move during the 1998 playoffs when he assigned forward Scottie Pippen to smother Indiana Pacers point guard Mark Jackson in the beginning of that series.

Jackson was bitten by Billups before – he led the Detroit Pistons past the Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals and was MVP of the Finals – and the Zen Master was not about to let that happen again. By making Billups work for every shot, Jackson is trying to kill the head of the snake. The Lakers are willing to live with Carmelo Anthony getting 39 points. But Bryant, along with Trevor Ariza and Shannon Brown, will not allow Billups to get comfortable.

Billups is playing in his seventh consecutive conference finals, a remarkable feat considering only three players have made more consecutive trips to the conference finals since 1970. Kurt Rambis played in seven straight Western Conference finals with the Los Angeles Lakers. Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Cooper, all members of the Showtime Lakers during the 1980s, made eight straight trips to the conference finals under Pat Riley.

Billups played in six consecutive Eastern Conference finals as a member of the Detroit Pistons. When Detroit traded Billups to Denver, the Pistons went south and failed to reach the second round. In fact, the Pistons failed to win a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Billups has stabilized Denver’s once undisciplined offense and has somehow taught the Nuggets how to play defense, which was like teaching a pitbull how to cuddle. Much like a veteran quarterback who does not throw interceptions, Billups rarely makes mistakes on offense and defense.

By taking away Billups, the Lakers are banking on the fact that the Nuggets, a team they swept out of the playoffs a year ago, will revert back to their old ways.

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Boston's Rajon Rondo is averaging close to a triple-double in three games against Chicago. (GETTY IMAGES)

Here are some observations and analysis from the first week of the NBA playoffs.

Boston’s Rajon Rondo is enjoying a big time coming out party. The Celtics’ point guard has been an absolute superstar in the first round. Chicago Bulls rookie Derrick Rose got all the ink after a tremendous Game 1 at Boston’s TD Banknorth Arena but, if you take a closer look at the head-to-head matchup, Rondo has thoroughly outplayed his counterpart. The Celtics’ point guard is averaging close to a triple-double in the series and his Game 2 performance was sick – 19 points, 12 rebounds and 16 assists and five steals. Then, in Game 3 at the United Center on Derrick Rose Night, Rondo posted 20-11-6-5. He has been so hot in these playoffs that his feet started burning and had to be carried off the court by his teammates. It has often been said that reputations are made in the playoffs, and so far Rondo is earning the respect of the entire basketball community. With all due respect to LeBron James, Rondo has been the most valuable player in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

If Rondo is the MVP of the East, then so far Denver point guard Chauncey Billups has been the most impressive player in the West. Mr. Big Shot is completely undressing Chris Paul in their first-round matchup. In two games against the New Orleans Hornets, Billups has 67 points and has swished 12 of 15 shots from behind the 3-point line. More importantly, Billups has 0 turnovers. Let me say that again … Billups has 0 turnovers. For a point guard to not turn the ball over in two games is a mind-blowing stat. Especially in the playoffs. Billups is like a veteran NFL quarterback who has stabilized the offense, infused some much-needed leadership on and off the court, and managed to keep everyone happy – including Carmelo Anthony. He has turned the Nuggets from a borderline playoff team to a legit conference title contender. If Billups keeps this up, he could challenge John Elway as the mayor of Denver.

The San Antonio Spurs are looking really, really old. It’s no secret that the Spurs have logged a ton of playoff mileage during the Tim Duncan Era but – with the exception of Tony Parker – the Spurs are looking like they are carrying bricks on their shoes and their once-dominant defense now has some serious issues. They have turned J.J. Barea into an all-star. Who? J.J. Barea! This is the same guy Jason Terry once mistakenly called J.J. Barrera. On offense, the Spurs really miss Manu Ginobili. Ginobili always excelled in the postseason, and his absence may be too much to overcome. Dallas has a 2-1 series edge on San Antonio, and if the Spurs are not careful they could be watching the rest of the playoffs from home.

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Michael Jordan's greatness was on display against the Utah Jazz in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.

Larry Bird once told Reggie Miller – when the two were coach and player with the Indiana Pacers – that a true basketball “assassin” is someone who is not afraid to shoot when the game is on the line. Bird said it is easy to shoot a potential game-winning shot when the game is tied, and the worst thing that could happen is overtime. But, it takes a truly special player to shoot the ball when your team is behind and the final shot will determine the outcome.

Bird and Miller were not only basketball assassins, but they were also two of the NBA’s best snipers. They both have the ability to take out an opponent from a bell tower, ala Barry Pepper from “Saving Private Ryan.” Basically, a basketball sniper is someone who has the ability knock down a game-winner from 3-point range. Jerry West was another. Magic Johnson was not a sniper like Bird, Miller or West but the Magic Man almost always found a way to make that all-important basket. Just ask the Celtics back in 1987.

Steve Kerr and John Paxson are not Hall-of-Famers, but their shooting prowess are legendary. Both have had the once-in-a-lifetime experience of ending an NBA Finals series with one shot. Chuck Person called himself “The Riffleman,” not for carrying a concealed weapon but for being able to shoot down the enemy from long range. Isiah Thomas looked like a choir boy, but everybody sang the same sad tune when the leader of the Motor City Bad Boys delivered one of his clutch shots.

But the top gun in the history of the Association is and always will be Michael Jordan. If you poll the entire league on who should take the last shot to win a game, Jordan would be on top of that list. Jordan did in college. He did it numerous times during the NBA’s regular season. And he has delivered the fatal blow in the NBA’s biggest stage – the playoffs. His legend grew with each game-winner. The shot over Craig Ehlo in 1989 runs on a loop in the NBA video archives. The Jazz were on the receiving end of two devastating Jordan moments. He secured a Game 1 Bulls victory over the Jazz with a pull-up jumper over Bryon Russell in 1997. Then, in probably the greatest series-clinching shot in NBA Finals history, he drove right, gave Russell a love tap, rose up and buried a cold-blooded shot down the throat of 18,000 screaming Jazz fans in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Now that’s a true NBA assassin.

OneManFastbreak.net rates the 12 best current crop of NBA assassins, players who are not afraid to pull the trigger when the game is on the line – especially in the playoffs:

12) HEDO TURKOGLU (aka “The Michael Jordan of Turkey”) – Dwight Howard is without a doubt the Orlando Magic’s best player; point guard Jameer Nelson may be its most important player; and forward Rashard Lewis is the best shooter on the roster. However, when Coach Stan Van Gundy draws up the final shot to win a game, Turkoglu is the man.

11) STEVE NASH (aka “The Canadian Hero”) – Nash may have lost a step in the open court but his shooting eye has not deserted him yet. In fact, Nash is shooting better than ever, even better than his MVP days. The only thing missing on Nash’s resume is a trip to the NBA Finals.

10) MIKE BIBBY (aka “The Babyface Assassin) – Looks can be deceiving because Bibby can pass for a student of the month. But don’t let the appearance fool you because Bibby can bust the trey on anyone and anytime. Bibby busted onto the scene with his breakout performance in the 2002 Western Conference finals against the Lakers.

9) MANU GINOBILI (aka “Euro”) – He proudly wears and carries the flag of Argentina but … he looks like a Euro, plays like a Euro and smells like a Euro. He’s Euro! They even invented a name for his favorite basketball move: The Euro Step. It’s the one where he runs straight at his defender and then changes direction with one cross-over step to avoid a charging call. The Euro Step is the hottest move in the Euroleague. All kidding aside, Ginobili is one of the best clutch players in the world. He’s the only Euro who is not afraid to be a hero. Most international players (i.e. Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol) tend to soften up in the playoffs, but not Ginobili. Tim Duncan may be the heart and soul of the San Antonio Spurs, but Ginobili is the oxygen that pumps air into the Spurs’ championship hopes.

8) CHAUNCEY BILLUPS (aka “Mr. Big Shot) – He earned the moniker “Mr. Big Shot” with his big-game heroics when he was a Detroit Piston. The Pistons went to the Eastern Conference finals six consecutive times because of Mr. Big Shot. Now that he’s a Denver Nugget, the Pistons will be hard-pressed to make it past the second round.

7) GILBERT ARENAS (aka “Agent Zero”) – When healthy, Arenas is one of the game’s best fourth-quarter players. He would be rated much higher if his knees were sound. Agent Zero is fearless when it comes to shooting the 3-pointer and has gunned down many opponents with his late-game heroics. Very few players in the league has the shooting range of Arenas, who has been known to sneak into the Wizards practice facility late at night to take (and make) 1,000 jump shots.

6) LeBRON JAMES (aka “King James”) – His inconsistent “J” is well publicized and, until he can elevate his mid-range game and raise his 3-point percentage, teams are going to give him the perimeter shot and pack the paint. Despite the lack of a mid-range game, LeBron is still one of the most unstoppable players in the clutch because of his powerful ability to get to the rim regardless of how many defenders are on him.

5) DWYANE WADE (aka “The Flash”) – Former Miami Heat teammate Shaquille O’Neal gave him the nickname because of his uncanny ability to get to point A to point B in a flash. He nearly became a flash in the pan with an injury plagued 2007. But after going back to the lab with renowned Jordan trainer, Tim Grover, D-Wade got back to elite status in a hurry. His coming out party came during the 2004 playoffs when Wade (then a rookie) dropped a floater in the paint over Baron Davis at the buzzer.

4) PAUL PIERCE (aka “The Truth) – The truth is, when the game is still up for grabs and the Boston Celtics need a big shot, they turn to Pierce to deliver the telling blow. Pierce is not afraid to go gangster on the opposition. The reigning NBA Finals MVP saves his best for last – as in last minute. No one was able to handle The Truth during last year’s playoffs.

3) RAY ALLEN (aka “Jesus Shuttlesworth”) – Whether it is on the hardwood or Hollywood, Ray-Ray is a prime-time player. His performance in “He Got Game” may not have earned him an Oscar, but how many NBA superstars can hang with Denzel Washington? In Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals against the Lakers, Allen sized up Sasha Vujacic, got to the rim and scored on a left-handed layup over Pau Gasol to ice the game and the series for the Celtics. ABC commentator Mark Jackson said this on the air: “Ray Allen says I want to play one-one-one with Vujacic…and it’s time to dance! This is for all the marbles.”

2) JAMES POSEY (aka “Strike-a-Pose”) – TNT’s Kenny Smith calls him the “New Robert Horry,” which is probably the highest compliment you can give a role player. It takes a special player to come off the bench and deliver in the clutch. Posey is the ultimate “hired gun,” someone who knocks down the competition from anywhere on the court and for anyone who is willing to pay for his services. As a member of the 2006 Heat bench, Posey knocked down several critical 3-pointers during the Heat’s championship run, including the dagger into the hearts of the Dallas Mavericks during the waning moments of Game 6. Posey did it again in 2008, this time for the Celtics. He was the catalyst in the Celtics’ come-from-behind victory in Game 4 at Staples Center and his championship experience rubbed off Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. This season, the New Orleans Hornets are hoping Posey can influence Chris Paul and David West.

James Posey, right, shot down Lamar Odom and the L.A. Lakers during last season's NBA Finals. (ESPN)

1) KOBE BRYANT (aka “The Black Mamba”) – A black mamba can strike in rapid succession. That’s what Kobe Bryant can do. He can strike at any second. No player in the world has the array of shots Kobe has. He can kill you off the dribble with either hand, he can post you up, he can posterize you, he can drop a floater in the paint, he can cross you over, he can pull up for a mid-range jumper (something 90% of the league can’t do) or he can step back and stick a 3-point dagger into your heart. Basically, if you are a defender, all you can do is pray he misses, which does not happen very often. Kobe is the game’s best closer. He is the closest thing to a sure thing. A Sports Illustrated poll was taken last year to rank the most feared players in the league. Kobe was rated No. 1. Michael Jordan always told his Bulls teammates that if they can keep the game close for three quarters, he can win it for them in the fourth. Kobe is cut in the same Jordan mold. If the Lakers can negotiate a game for three quarters, Kobe will most likely close the deal in the fourth.

Kobe Bryant is the most feared player in the NBA when it comes to late-game heroics.

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