Chauncey Billups and George Karl on closing out a series, which they were able to do last night in a 124-110 victory over Dallas to advance to the Western Conference Finals:
Asked if a team needs the mentality of a baseball closer, Billups said: "Yeah, you do. You've got to go out there and think like that. The guys on the court have got to say — all right, that play's not going to work on us. You've got to do whatever you can to stop whatever play they have rolling or whatever player they have going."
With his team up 3-1 against Dallas in this emotional series, Nuggets coach George Karl spoke Tuesday about the science of closing, as well as the art of closing. Karl said a good closer and a good "closing" team must have the professionalism to learn from "game-to-game situations and circumstances and using your advantage," which he felt his team stepped away from in Game 4. In other words, the Nuggets must win by shutting down Dallas defensively, not by outshooting the opponent.
"But it's also a professional toughness — a mental toughness — respecting as the series goes on, it becomes more difficult to beat a team. We're in a great place. I think most people thought Dallas was going to handle us, and I don't think that's happening right now. In most games we've played, we've been the team ahead of the curve. I like where we stand and I like our mental toughness — and our opportunity."
