Game: Nov 2: Nuggets at T-Wolves

tremaine · Nov 1, 2007

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November 2, 2007 @ 8:00pm EDT, 6:00 pm MDT
Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
ALT, KSTC
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Denver Nuggets
(1-0)


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Minnesota Timberwolves
(0-0)


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<h4 align="center">Projected Starters</h4>
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PG Allen Iverson SG Yakhouba Diawara

SF Carmelo AnthonyPF Kenyon Martin C Marcus Camby


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PG Sebastain Telfair SG Rashad McCants

SF Ryan Gomes PF Al Jefferson C Theo Ratliff


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<h4>Last Season Stats</h4>
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<td class="strong">Scoring</td>
<td>105.4PPG</td>
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<td class="strong">Field Goal %</td>
<td>46.5%</td>
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<td class="strong">3-Point %</td>
<td>33.6%</td>
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<td class="strong">Rebounds</td>
<td>43.4 RPG</td>
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>23.4 APG</td>
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<td class="strong">Scoring</td>
<td>96.1PPG</td>
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<td class="strong">Field Goal %</td>
<td>46.1%</td>
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<td class="strong">3-Point %</td>
<td>35.3%</td>
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<td class="strong">Rebounds</td>
<td>40.2 RPG</td>
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>22.5 APG</td>
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<h4>Last Season Team Leaders</h4>
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<td class="strong">Points</td>
<td>Anthony 28.9 PPG</td>
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<td class="strong">Rebounds</td>
<td>Camby 11.7 RPG</td>
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>Iverson 7.2 APG</td>
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<td class="strong">Points</td>
<td>Garnett 22.4 traded/Jefferson 16.0 PPG</td>
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<td class="strong">Rebounds</td>
<td>Garnett 12.8 traded/Jefferson 11.0 RPG</td>
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>Davis 4.8 traded/Telfair 2.8 APG</td>
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<h4>Key Matchup: SG - Yakhouba Diawara v Rashad McCants</h4>

v
George Karl probably will stick with Yak over Linas Kleiza as 2-spot starter. Rashad McCants, with Ricky Davis gone, has the chance of a lifetime to get his career untracked. Will McCants explode against Diawara? It’s within the realm of possibility. It's also a very real possibility, as always, that Yak will come up almost empty offensively. If the Wolves clean up at this position, and Al Jefferson hangs tough against Camby and Martin, this will be a contest.
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<h4>Keys to the Game</h4>
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<ul>[*]Stay Cool and Confident - The Nuggets can hardly lose as long as they stay calm, cool, and confident. They need to keep turnovers and 3-point attempts within reason, and it should be a relatively easy win. But yes, I know, the Nuggets are not known in recent years for easy wins. 
[*]Distribute the Ball- Iverson, the new NBA assists leader, needs to continue to do exactly what he did against the Sonics. Iverson dishing to Kleiza on the perimeter has become a particularly deadly Nuggets weapon. A.I. should avoid the big temptation of jacking up alot of long jumpers against Telfair, and he should let Melo and Kleiza worry about the threes for now
[*]Watch out for Al Jefferson- If Nene is not playing well, or much, then Al Jefferson poses a bigger threat. Camby and K-Mart alone are going to have to make sure that Al Jefferson, who had a big preseason, is kept under control.[/list]
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<ul>[*]Contain & Limit Melo as Much as Possible - This is always one of the keys for any opponent of the Nuggets. Under the Karl regime, Melo is alot more reluctant to shoot if double teamed than he used to be, so you can always double team him if all else fails.
[*]Go After Iverson- Try to rattle Iverson by getting him into foul trouble and by pressuring him to turn it over alot. If you can rattle him enough, he might start resorting to the shoot first, shoot second, and pass third mentality, which would be very dangerous for the Nuggets.
[*]Give Rashad McCants a Total Green Light - Tell McCants to shoot at will. McCants shot 52% in the preseason, and with Minnesota emptied of high octane veterans and hurting injury wise, McCants and Telfair have a rare, wide open opportunity to get something going. So Telfair, and especially McCants, should go all out for the home opener win. [/list]
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<h4 align="center">Projected Starters</h4>
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<td>Home Team X Factor </td>
<td>Road Team X Factor </td>
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<h4>Prediction</h4>
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Most folks are predicting that the Wolves are going to lose a lot of games this year, anywhere from 55 to 70 of them. But this is their home opener, and there are young players on the team who have the chance of a lifetime to improve their games. But if you had to predict, you would predict that no one for the Wolves is going to have a huge game, and so the Nuggets will control the tempo and, by the end of the 3rd quarter at the latest, the scoreboard. You would predict that the Nuggets will be leading by 5-10 at the half and by 10-15 as the final horn sells. Don't tick me off GK: pull ALL starters for any and ALL garbage time.

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NUGGETS INJURIES OUT: Anthony Carter suffered a 3rd metacarpal fracture on his right hand and underwent successful surgery on 10/10. He is expected to miss 4-6 weeks OUT: Chucky Atkins suffered a severe right groin strain at Phoenix on 10/25 and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks. WOLVES INJURIES PROBABLE: Guard Greg Buckner: Missed the Oct. 26 preseason finale vs. Milwaukee due to a sore left knee, but is listed as probable for tonight's contest. OUT: Guard Randy Foye: Sidelined indefinitely with a stress reaction in his left patella, an injury that caused him to miss five preseason contests (Oct. 15-23). OUT: Forward Mark Madsen: Underwent surgery on Aug. 17 to repair the pectoral muscle in his right shoulder, and is expected to be sidelined until mid-November.

Dark Defender · Nov 1, 2007

I picked up Antoine Walker on one of my fantasy teams so I'm pulling for you guys but I'm hoping for a big night from him.

Very nice game thread btw.

Shapecity · Nov 1, 2007

Nice preview Tremaine I'm glad you got the template working for you!

Denver coasted in the 2nd half last night, so their starters should be ready to run and gun again tonight. Iverson was a thief last night snatching 8 steals and I expect him to torment a Telfair tonight.

The pace of the game should be similar, Minnesota will stay close in the first half, but Denver will overwhelm them in the 2nd half.

Answer_AI03 · Nov 1, 2007

I think if they should try to estabolish a post game with K-mart/Melo/Nene and just dominate, and get ready to bang inside with the other teams in the west. This team just needs to get their defense and their inside games set and they should be set to take the west.

Shapecity · Nov 1, 2007

Nene needs to establish some weight loss before he dominates in the post. He has no lift when he jumps and his shooting mechanics are rusty.

I was really surprised at how explosive KMart looked in the Seattle game. He was out jumping everyone on the court and still has great timing on his shotblocking despite all the time off.

cpawfan · Nov 2, 2007

I want to see how Karl defends AlJeff. Against the Sonics in the first half, he didn't have anyone put a body on Wilcox until he got deep position and then tried to double him. After he made his shots in the first half, Kenyon and Camby pushed Wilcox further out and limited his effectiveness.

CelticKing · Nov 2, 2007

Tough game for the Wolves aka former Celtics. haha

Nuggets 115 - 98 Wolves

Melo 30pts 6rbs 4assts
BigAl 25pts 10rbs 3blks

CelticBalla32 · Nov 2, 2007

Too bad I can't watch this game, I'm very interested to see how Telfair does in a transition matchup like this one. That's where he thrives. I expect him to get eaten alive defensively by AI, but hopefully he can run the show well.

Denver wins by double-digits.

Shapecity · Nov 2, 2007

Nuggets win after a lethargic 1st half.

Antoine Walker managed to take 7 shots eventhough he only played 13 minutes. You gotta love it.

Marcus Camby ripped down 21 boards and Melo woke up in the 2nd half finishing with 33 points to lead the way.

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Game: Nov 2: Nuggets at T-Wolves

tremaine To Win, Be Like Fitz

Dark Defender The Dark Passenger

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

Answer_AI03 JBB JustBBall Member

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

cpawfan Monsters do exist

CelticKing The Green Monster

CelticBalla32 Basketball is back in Boston

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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Game: Nov 2: Nuggets at T-Wolves

tremaine To Win, Be Like Fitz

Dark Defender The Dark Passenger

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

Answer_AI03 JBB JustBBall Member

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

cpawfan Monsters do exist

CelticKing The Green Monster

CelticBalla32 Basketball is back in Boston

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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