Wolves at Nuggets R2G1

[60WinTim]

LFG!!!

Can we just call this the Tim Connelly series? He built a championship team in Denver. And in just two years he has built a championship-level team in Minnesota. Yeah, he's not the one who drafted ANT, but he is the one who built the supporting cast around ANT. He has made this ANT's team. And he has made it possible for ANT to elevate his game at an incredibly accelerated pace.

So now it is up to ANT to maintain the high level of play he displayed in the Suns' series. Of course, he'll need scoring contributions from a handful of other players, whether it's KAT, NAW, Naz, Mike and/or Jaden. But this team will only go as far as ANT takes it.

Oh, and defense travels!

[FNG]

All is right in the world now that 6WT (um...60WinTim) has kicked off the GDT! His willingness to allow the Wolves to go OVER 60 wins will be a big factor in winning this one today!

Such an interesting series...feels weird to have our Minnesota Timberwolves talked about so much on NBA Radio. The cross pollination is remarkable...ex-Nuggets TC and Finchie are running the Wolves, and ex-Wolves Saunders and Adelman sit right next to Malone! I don't think there are many secrets between the two teams.

Then there's the injury to Finchie. Where will he be during the games, and will it really matter? Might it even be a positive? Let's win one for Finchie (and Conley)! Nori is known as a basketball savant...maybe his in-game decisions might be better than Finchie's.

I sometimes need someone to hate in an opponent to get more fired up for a game. I had Grayson Allen in the last series. But I don't dislike anyone on the Nuggets. And it's hard to find a more likable guy than the Joker...he is incapable of providing any bulletin board material. Can anyone give me someone to hate on this Nuggets team?

This will be a difficult series to win...just look at the Vegas odds. But I think everyone can agree on this: The Nuggets are pretty much the same team they were last year...maybe a little worse because of their bench. And the Wolves are a much better team than last year for several reasons. I like the way that sounds.

I think I will feel pretty good after this one is over tonight. I'll either be celebrating a nice steal on their court, or thinking we played them close and will take the second one. We don't need to win Game 1, we just have to win one game!

[davemang]

I think when you look at things on paper it’s easy to see how you could pick the wolves and why they’ll be relatively in control of their own destiny by the 4th quarter. The question still looms about 4th quarter offense, how smart we play as a team (and how smart ant plays if he’s the one closing) when every possession is a dogfight. We saw ant close a tight game 4 to sweep the the suns, but that was a fairly low pressure situation being up 3-0 against a team that was obviously going to lose the series (although I don’t buy into the narrative that the suns were just a garbage team and the wolves proved nothing in that series).

[BloopOracle]

KAT is the X factor as usual, will he play smart basketball out the gate in this series?

[FNG]

Nice start...love Ant on Murray

[FNG]

Nuggets fans can stand up all night...all right by me

[60WinTim]

Great start! Early fouls on ANT and KAT. They need to be smart.

[FNG]

Well. well. well...except for the foul by KAT in the first second, could we ask for anything more? Ant is like glue on Murray, and when he gets tired, we have NAW and Jaden to continue the 48 minutes of Hell. Great start...let's build on it!

[TAFKASP]

Rudy in space!

[FNG]

Rudy in space!

Yeah, you know Porter Jr. thought he had a mismatch...he didn't.

KAT playing with poise. Gordon defends him so well, KAT knows he may have to facilitate more.