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'Banner' season still eludes Nuggets
Over the weekend, the Colorado Mammoth won the National Lacrosse League title, joining the Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Crush as Denver teams that will have championship banners hanging from the Pepsi Center’s rafters.
So, how much longer before the Denver Nuggets are able to hang a NBA championship banner in the arena? Two appearances in the Western Conference finals (losing to Seattle in 1978 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985) are as close as the Nuggets have come to smelling the NBA Finals since joining the league in 1976.
The Nuggets are one of 10 franchises currently in the NBA have not yet made an appearance in the Finals. The others? The Cleveland Cavaliers, L.A. Clippers, Miami Heat, New Orleans Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Bobcats.
The Clippers, who have not yet reached a conference championship series since joining the league (as the Buffalo Braves in 1970), and the Heat, Cavaliers and Mavericks still are alive in this year's playoffs.
Three of the four original American Basketball Association teams still in the NBA -- Indianapolis, New Jersey and San Antonio -- have played in the Finals. Denver, which is the fourth, will spend yet another off-season trying to figue out what it takes to get there.
If you think the Nuggets have waited a long time to reach the Finals, consider the wait that has gone on with the Sacramento Kings franchise, which hasn't claimed a league title since 1951, when the club was known as the Rochester Royals.
NOTEWORTHY
The Colorado Crush defeated the Arizona Rattlers in the regular-season Arena Football League finale for both teams. The win gave the defending champion Crush a bye week and homefield advantage throughout the American Conference playoffs. Afterward Crush fullback/linebacker Rich Young celebrated his 31st birthday with teammates, coaches and front-office staffers at Elway's restaurant in Cherry Creek. Included in the group was lineman Chris Snyder, who was keeping in shape at a gym in Indianapolis before getting the call during the week to play for the injury-depleted Crush.
The Babe Lind Youth Golf Foundation benefit tournament will be held June 13 at John F. Kennedy Golf Course. Registration deadline is May 31. Call 720-937-6426 for more information.
The Colorado Rockies open a three-game homestand tonight at Coors Field against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The first-ever game played between the two teams occured on May 21, 1993, in Los Angeles. The Dodgers won 8-0, with Orel Hershiser pitching a complete game.
Bring in Michael BiBBy and a SHOOTER and the uptempo game is in tack.
Posted by Tomas Rael on May 17, 2006 10:44 AM