Denver Nuggets: 15 greatest playoff moments of all-time

9. Chauncey Billups puts up 36, routs Hornets in front of hometown crowd

• 2009 Western Conference Quarterfinals, Game 1
• April 19, 2009 (Pepsi Center, Denver, CO)
• Denver Nuggets 113, New Orleans Hornets 84

We have reached our second of three moments from the Nuggets’ first-round series matchup versus the then-New Orleans Hornets in the 2009 Western Conference Playoffs. The first moment was Carmelo Anthony’s dominating 34-point performance to put the Hornets out of their misery in Game 5. At this time, we will touch on the first game of this best-of-seven series.

Sure, it might have only been a No. 2 vs. No. 7 matchup with the Nuggets clearly being the higher seed and the better team. But what you have to remember is that the Nuggets had not won a playoff series in going on a decade up to that point. While they made the NBA playoffs in each of Anthony’s first five years with the team, each spring prior had resulted in a first-round exit.

Simply put, the Nuggets were running out of excuses and needed to win big in the playoffs to take some mounting pressure off the Rocky Mountain ball club. Surely, the Nuggets fan base might have had its doubts about how the team would perform in the playoffs in 2009, but Chauncey Billups put all that to bed in Game 1.

The Denver native and former star for the Colorado Buffaloes scored 36 points in Game 1’s rout of the Hornets. Denver won convincingly over New Orleans, 113-84. Yes, it was largely an expected outcome, but it was one the Nuggets needed to probably prove to themselves that were capable of having success in the postseason.

Billups dismantled the Hornets in front of his hometown crowd with his game-high 36 points. He scored his buckets on 10-of-15 from the field, including a blistering 8-of-9 from 3-point land. Billups was also perfect 8-of-8 from the charity stripe in his outstanding Game 1 performance versus the Hornets.

He also had eight assists and two steals in the easy Game 1 victory over New Orleans. The only guy who seemed to approach Billups’ star level of play in that game was Hornets point guard Chris Paul. He had 21 points and 11 assists in his double-double, but only shot 7-of-19 from the field. Billups’ efficiency on the hardwood was paramount in the Nuggets taking firm control of the best-of-seven series early.

The Nuggets would clinch the first-round series 10 days later in front of the home crowd in Game 5. Denver was able to hold the Hornets to under 100 points scoring in all five contests. Winning with defense had been key to the peak of the George Karl era in Denver. It was great that the Nuggets were able to hold their ground on that end of the floor all series long.

Perhaps most importantly about this series was getting the proverbial monkey off their back. Denver won a playoff series and did so in dominating fashion. It took a few more games, but Billups’ brilliant Game 1 performance in front of the hometown faithful was surely a sign of good things to come for the 2008-09 Nuggets in the postseason. It epitomized that 2009 would be both better and different.