FanPost

Countdown from 11: Denver Nuggets

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PJD is a Minnesota Vikings blogger (poorly) at Purple Jesus Diaries who has made a terrible mistake by purchasing 11 tickets this spring to Minnesota Timberwolves games. These are his game recaps highlighting what may have been the worst mistake of his life, outside of cheering for Minnesota sports teams ...

The Nuggets were coming to town for my third of 11 games I'm attending this spring, and it was pretty obvious beforehand the Puppies were going to toss this game like the winner at a midget tossing contest. On the second half of a back to back, playing against Melo and a team that has an offense clicking on all cylinders, potentially Ridnour, Webster, and Beasley all out ... This game was going to make the movie 300 look like a picnic compared to this potential blood bath. All in all, it wasn't as horrible as my brother and I predicted (will the Nugs score 140?? Will the margin of victory be 20 or 30 points??) but it was still pretty disheartening, again for the same predictable reasons. Here is PJD's game recap:

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- We went to Smalley's before the game to grab something to eat, and I can't quite understate how unappealing that place is. It used to be, what, Champ's or something beforehand? Well the food tastes just the same. I had a BBQ Pork Sandwich and it was one of the most unflattering things I've ever seen/tasted. Well, right before the Saturday night eye candy they had working behind the bar. Are we at a popular location sports bar in Minneapolis or Montevideo? So far, we've visited The Depot, O'Donovan's and Smalley's before games, and I personally have enjoyed them in that order thus far.

- Before the game I was checking my Twitter-majig and noticed that people were saying Webster, Ellington, Beasely and Ridnour may have been out of the game. Good lord. Could you imagine that match-up? The Skyforce could probably beat the remaining team, only because they know what Flynn would be doing though. Later, people were posting that Ridnour was on his way to the arena and would try to make it in time, but it didn't work out. It probably wouldn't have mattered, anyway.

- I was particularly interesting in seeing how both the crowd reacting to Love with this being his first home game back since being announced as an All-Star, and seeing what the Wolves actually did to congratulate him. It was fairly modest (no balloons, strippers, or fireworks, surprisingly) but you can really tell that the city is getting behind Love these days. People go nuts when he's announced during line-up calls, and when they called out his All-Star selection, there was a nice wave-and-clap (I don't know what that means) between him and the crowd. Dare I say it, but it's very KG-esque.

- I guess the game was OK. Straight number wise, Jonny Flynn had a decent game last night. 11 points, 4 assists, only 1 turnover seems fine, but his live action play didn't look nearly as uncontrolled and rage inducing as normal. Of course, his shooting was way off, and the fact that he was 5-13 sucks huge, but the entire team was shooting like armless men last night, so I kind of shrug that one off.

- Wes Johnson was only 4-11 as well (again, the entire team couldn't shoot you point blank last night), but I like to see him step up and take those quick shots off a pass. I want him to take those shots, because once he starts figuring out defenders and gaining confidence, he's going to start drilling those and go Sam-Cassell-Big-Balls style on people. He should take those lumps now and keep refining his craft.

- I was looking forward to getting a chance to see Ty Lawson live. As North Carolina fan peripherally, I've been happy for his success in the pros, and was kind of bummed when he was declared inactive Saturday night. Instead, we just got to watch Chauncey butcher our team and Melo go off effortlessly. Speaking of Chauncey, he received a nice round of cheers for the Target Center crowd when he was announced, which I thought was pleasant. Good for us, Minnesotans!

- We sat originally in section 213 (because we're poor, you see). Clearly, we've sat in upper level seats before, but there was something about that section, last night, that the sound system almost made our ears bleed out. Has anyone had that problem before? It was so loud I couldn't even hear the apathy of the crowd. We ended up moving to an end section (203 or something) and it was not near as face melting there. Do they only crank it up to 11 if there are good teams visiting?

- This is the second game now, first on a weekend, that my girl Natalie Kane wasn't around. I can't imagine she's all that busy filming promos for the WB or something. Wolves, you need to pay the extra money to get her in the arena and send Mike Rylander to Cleveland. Does that work in a trade?

- There's also some big fat guy that always wears a Kelly green shirt with an old school Wolves logo on it that dances like an asshat on the lower level corners every night. He was much more entertaining and not nearly as slovenly tonight. I enjoy watching him dance because I think of him as a jester while I am royalty seated on high being entertained. Is that wrong?

- Of course, after the game I come home and find out that Kahn is trying to trade all of our assets away for Eddy Curry (and Anthony Randolph). So this is the big move we were all waiting for? I can hardly contain myself. *Cries myself to sleep*

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Another good time was had of laughing at people and getting teased by good basketball (largely from the other team), despite the loss. The next game we're going to is next Saturday against the Sixers. Maybe we'll get to see Evan Turner and what could have been? At least it's a better chance for a win!