Lakers v Nuggets Game 1

Carmelo was good, Kobe was better. Bryant, one of the finest scorers of all time, and his 40 points fired the Lakers to a 105-103 victory in game 1 of the 7-game series.

Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets started strongly and lead by as many as 13 in the first half with Anthony leading the way. With every shot he sunk, the smile on his face grew. But the Lakers forced their way back into the game and Kobe showed the other two facets of his game for which he will be most remembered; his toughness and his ability to close games out. Bryant had to have the right finger on his shooting hand popped back into place and taped up after the game but this just seemed to galvanise him as he tore through the Nuggets in the 4th quarter. His 18 points in the quarter, 6 of which came from free throws in the last 30 seconds, decided a game that had seemed to edging the Nuggets way behind Melo's 39 points and the direction of Chauncey Billups.

Billups, however, missed his first three free throws and his team went only 12/21 from the line in the first half. Denver were hurt just as much by sending Kobe to the line late in the game. In addition, Anthony Carter failed to inbound to Billups, allowing Trevor Ariza to steal, with his team down 101-99 and half a minute left. The poor play cost his team 20 seconds and two points. 'Big shot' Chauncey hit a three to pull them back in touch but Kobe, as he has done so often, iced the game.

The Lakers managed to go in ahead at the break 55-54 but the momentum would continue to swing in the second half as first the home team, then the Nuggets built small leads with Denver up by two heading into the fourth. Anthony worked on the Lakers inside after threatening largely from the perimeter in the first half but the Nuggets could not contain Bryant and it was he who secured LA's 11th straight victory against Denver in the playoffs on the Nugget's first Conference Finals appearance in 24 years.

Game 2 will be at the Staples Centre on Thursday.