Recap: Minnesota Timberwolves 106, Denver Nuggets 100

Andrew summed it up pretty well.  This was an unacceptable loss.  I'm going to post my individual thoughts and observations going mainly from memory and the box score, because there is no way in hell I'm going back and re-watching that...thing.  I'm still barely able to keep the bile down.

- The first half felt like another yawner.  Denver driving, dishing the ball, getting easy looks and dunks in the paint.  Up 17 at one point, there was a definite feeling the Nuggets were going to run away with another game after dropping 40 in the first quarter.

- ...but then, the second unit was inserted to start the second.  And looked flatter than a car tire after a snowstorm on I-25.  Turnovers, lazy defense, and somehow they still preserve a 14 point lead into the half.  I was still feeling good, however, a combination of post-Thanksgiving goodwill and malaise from all the turkey.

- Third quarter.  5-0 run.  Ok, no big deal.  Still up 9.  10-0 run.  We're still up 4, Denver will find their stroke and re-bury the Wolves.  12-0 run.  What is happening?!

- Midway through the third now and the Nuggets have yet to score 10 points.  Did all the Nuggets succumb to tryptophan poisoning?

- The Nuggets are now down 5 to end the quarter after scoring a grand total of 12 points on off-balance jumpers.  What did we all just watch?

- Fourth quarter.  I remark to my family "there's no way the Nuggets lose this game".  Apparently my predictive power leaves something to be desired.

- Kenyon cuts it to 4 with 3 minutes remaining.  Doable?  Absolutely.  Am I seeing something - ANYTHING - that suggests that the Nuggets will?  Absolutely not.

- Carmelo Anthony plays solid defense on Damien Wilkins for 23 seconds, then fouls him in the act of shooting to give the Timberwolves a 6 point lead with 28 seconds to play.  Ballgame.

I don't know what was worse about this game.  The fact that the Nuggets had several opportunities to pull this game out and didn't capitalize on them, or the fact that they let a 14 point halftime lead slip away.  Of the numerous failures tonight, the complete lack of defensive intensity was most troubling.  There is no reason that the Nuggets should have lost this game with a 14 point halftime lead and a full day's rest at home.  Yes, it is true: streaks are meant to be broken and the Timberwolves were certainly long overdue, but on OUR floor, against THIS Nuggets squad?

No.  I really started to get worried after Carmelo drained two threes, then took another one with 20 seconds left on the shot clock shortly thereafter.  I understand that it was a heat check for one of our most potent offensive players, but the way it was taken reeked of hubris.   I can imagine Melo thinking "We're up 10/12/14/17, we got this.  I'm going to pad my scoring line with some easy jumpers."  Hell, I can imagine ALL the Nuggets thinking that judging by the effort I saw last night.

Player notes:

- As mad as Karl wants to be at the obvious lack of effort from the team as a whole, some of this loss has to lie with him.  He too got sucked into the Nuggets free flow in the first half and did not recognize the second unit's struggle until momentum had completely swung in the opposite direction.  Carmelo should have been inserted far earlier in the game than he was.

- Chauncey was a PUTRID 2-13 with FOUR turns and only three assists.  His worst performance of the season and truly a troubling one, given the ease with which Johnny Flynn ran him out of the building (7-17 6 assists, 16 points).  It is time to seriously evaluate how Denver approaches the defense of quick guards in the future, because it is obvious to me that the step that Chauncey has had for so long has quietly disappeared.

- Carmelo scored 32, but at the absolute cost of his defense.  He lazed under screens, barely boxed out, and did not close out on jump shooters.  Melo's offense may be firing on all cylinders right now, but his defense is sputtering to say the least.

- Not sure why Kenyon martin took twelve shots this game and Nene only took 8.  What's up with that?  16/14 is a damn good effort though.  Good work, Kenyon.

- Same with Nene.  10/10/5/3/3 and ZERO turnovers is an excellent line.

- A bad as the starters were, the entire second unit was just horrific.  A grand total of 8 made FGs and 19 points.  As bad as that was, we STILL outscored the Timberwolves bench.  JR was 3-11 and 0-4 from three in one of his worst outings.

Golden State on Tuesday.  Our house.  We better run them out of the building.  That is all.