On Tuesday, the Celtics won their first NBA title in 22 years.

It was their 17th Championship.

The Nuggets still are looking for their first. Although, they now have some hope and look no further than Boston's win to validate what could allow the Nuggets to dream.

It has almost nothing to do with Boston going from 24 regular season wins to 66 this season. It has very little to do with the Celtics losing 18 straight games last season and winning it all this past season. Those factors give hope to every team, not just Denver. With that said, the one specific factor that works in the favor of the Nuggets simply boils down to one word: Matchups.

Here is what I mean. The Celtics were stretched to seven games by the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavs. The Hawks did not let the Celtics, the best road team in the NBA during the course of the regular season, win a road game in the series. The Cavs pulled that feat off too and gave Boston almost everything it could handle in a Game Seven. Taking nothing away from Atlanta and Cleveland, wouldn't you agree that the Lakers were better than those two teams this season? So, if that is the case, how could Boston lose a combined six road games against those two teams and be stetched to a seventh game twice yet easily handle the Lakers? The answer, at least, I think is matchups.

The Celtics were probably more talented than any team they faced and their defense was smothering. However, the Hawks were athletic enough to get out on the break and in transition and as a result could effectively neutralize the lockdown defense that the Celtics had crafted. The Cavs just had LeBron James, over the course of their series with the Celtics, do what Kobe Bryant couldn't, that is, get on track. James struggled in Games One and Two, though was nearly unstoppable the rest of the way. He had 45 points in the seventh game of that series. Bryant never got going against the Celtics. Still, the Lakers are more talented than two teams that stretched the Celtics a lot further than they could. How can that be the case? All about the matchup that was presented. The Hawks were able to take advantage of the their athletic players and a fragile Celtics road pysche (at that moment). The Cavs just had their best player get hot right whe they needed it the most. That was not enough, though it was to at least make Doc Rivers and his team sweat.

To me, this gives the Nuggets hope. They need to get a Playoff matchup that favors them. You could argue that they have among the most talent laden rosters in all the NBA but some teams just seem to find a way to take it to them. The Spurs and the Lakers are the two ballcubs the Nuggets do not want to see. Anybody else and I think the Nuggets can hang with them in the postseason. You know, maybe playing a little defense would help too.

See you on Friday, everyone.

-"z"