New Orleans are ahead of Denver in the Western Conference Semifinals 1-0 with a 115-103 upset of Denver. Denver was the favorite coming in, and it showed when they were sharp. But Denver played their hearts out and stuck around, which put them in position to capitalize on what chances they were given. "They played about the perfect game, given the team's talent," said Denver coach Bob. "[New Orleans coach] Bob did a splendid job getting them ready for the game, and they didn't give us anything for free."

Said New Orleans star Fletcher, "Coach just told us to go out there and stay focused. Told us that if we played a mistake-free game, it could be ours to win. And that's exactly what happened."

New Orleans was led by Fletcher (33 points, 13 boards, 2 assists, a steal, 3 blocks), Howie (30 points, 2 assists), Haines (21 points, 6 boards, 1 assists, 2 blocks). Denver was led by Simmons (23 points, 13 boards, 3 assists, 6 blocks), Hayes (16 points, 3 assists, a steal, a block), Fripp (21 points, a steal).

box score New Orleans roster Denver roster