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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TYSHAWN FROM PAGE 10
the positivity from Taylor. He remembers Taylor worried about playing not talking — Twitter notwithstanding.
According to Taylor, that's always the hardest part: when things start to go bad on the court your body can turn on you real fast.
"Your mind is telling you to do something and your body just isn't doing it," Taylor said. "You're shooting the same way every time and some shots just aren't going in. Then you get off the court and you have to hear about it from people that are supposed to support you."
Taylor knew the only way Johnson could get back in fans' good graces was for those shots to start falling. When Johnson started to heat up against Iowa State, Taylor knew what would happen as soon as he stepped off the court: Johnson would be treated like a hero.
Taylor also knew something else. Johnson didn't have to apologize for the dunk, but he also didn't have to dunk at all.
"I was telling myself he might as well stop at the three point line and try to hit 40," Taylor said. "I was thinking, 'pull up'
When the often-superior Johnson heard that, even he couldn't hold a smile. He giggled just long enough to collect his thoughts.
"If I deserved 40," Johnson said, "I would have made one of those three earlier in the game."
Edited by Tara Bryant
STRONG FROM PAGE 10
"It dawned on me, like, that was too strong." Johnson said.
At the moment, Johnson is pretty strong. He's enjoying his last few games with the jayhawks, but he also realizes that savoring Senior Night is important for his legacy and his relationship with the coach that's survived all this time with him.
"It just a boost of momentum going into March," Johnson said. "I feel like right now, we're off to a good start, but I'm just trying to keep it rolling."
Edited by Dylan Lysen
Denver dominates the lane for win
NBA
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Denver Nuggets' Ty Lawson (3) and JaVale McGee celebrate against the Phoenix Suns during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday in Phoenix
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHOENIX — Kosta Koufos scored a career high 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting, mostly from point-blank range, and the Denver Nuggets ran their winning streak to nine games with a 108-93 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night.
Denver dominated points in the paint 74-32, including an assortment of soaring dunks.
Corey Brewer added, 20 points and Ty Lawson 19 as the Nuggets matched their longest winning streak of the season.
Wesley Johnson scored 18 and Marcus Morris had 16 for the Sums. Hamed Haddadi scored a careerhigh 13 for Phoenix.
The Nuggets return home to face the Knicks on Wednesday night in Carmelo Anthony's first game in Denver since leaving for New York.
Denver led throughout the second half, but the Suns stayed within striking distance until the Nuggets finished the game with a 16-8 run over the final four minutes.
Neither team led by more than seven points in the first half, despite Denver's 38-16 advantage in points in the paint.
A 13-1 Phoenix run erased at 35-30 Denver lead and put the Suns up 43-36 on Michael Beasley 19-footer with 5:19 left in the half. But the Nuggets outscored the Suns 17-7 the rest of the quarter to lead 53-50 at the break.
Denver scored the first six of the second half, the first four on fast break layups by Lawson and Koufos, to go up 59-50 after Kenneth Faried's two free throws with 10:50 to go in the third.
The Nuggets took their first double-digit lead at 86-76 when Brewer made one of two free throws with 8:44 to play.
Moments later, JaVale McGeek huge dunk on a lob from Brewer made it 88-79, then Lawson's fast break dunk after a turnover put Denver up 90-79 with 6:26 remaining.
Denver's nine-game streaks matches its season best.
IF YOU'VE GOT 'EM, SUBMIT EM.
Take a creative picture of your basketball poster collection and post it to the University Daily Kansan Facebook page. The best picture will win a KU basketball jersey of your choice.
All posters from second semester home games (posters 7-13) must be included in the picture. Submit by 3/14/13.
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