1st round report: Mr. Big Shot

There's just three little words that put a big grin on the faces of fans in Houston, Los Angeles and most recently San Antonio.

Big

Shot

Bob.

Robert Horry sat atop his sniper's perch as Tony Parker penetrated the Denver defense and dished to the far corner where Horry did his best cheese impression. He stood alone. No Nugget defender was close enough to attempt to put a hand in his face. Not like it would have done any good. Horry has made a career out of hitting big playoff shots late in the game. The Game 3 clincher is simply another in his Anthology of Clutch.

The Nuggets, who got off to a great start in this series by winning Game 1 in San Antonio, now find themselves losers of three straight and on the brink of elimination as they head back to the Lone Star State.

I'm surprised the Nugs couldn't win at least one game in the Rockies, but now they will have a heck of a time getting back there - at least getting back there for another game. San Antonio should put this game away Wednesday night in Game 5.

Denver will be a great team next season. AI and Melo together for a full year; I can't see too many Western Conference teams excited at the idea of playing that duo. But that offensive duo has two of the league premiere defenders standing in their way in Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen. The Spurs are a championship-caliber team, and they have the experience and now the momentum in what has turned into a one-sided series.

Plus if they get in trouble, they can always look down the bench for those three little words that always seem to make the biggest impact.