GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: DENVER (1-0) at MINNESOTA (0-0)

NBA: DENVER (1-0) at MINNESOTA (0-0)

<h3>New-look Timberwolves open season against Nuggets</h3>

<div class="pre">Denver (1-0) at Minnesota (0-0) 8:00 pm EDT</div>

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) - The revamped Minnesota Timberwolves beginlife without Kevin Garnett on Friday as they open the 2007-08season at home against the Denver Nuggets.


After the Timberwolves missed the playoffs for the thirdstraight season, Minnesota traded away the 10-time All-StarGarnett, as well as their second and third-leading scorers,Ricky Davis and Mark Blount.


In what should be considered a rebuilding year, Minnesotareturns only five players from a season ago, but will be withoutguard Randy Foye to begin the campaign. The second-year playerhas a stress reaction in his left knee and will be outindefinitely.


The Timberwolves will likely lean on center Al Jefferson, whowas the biggest acquisition in the trade of Garnett on July 31.The 22-year-old, who signed a five-year, $65 million contractextension on Wednesday, averaged 16.0 points and 11.0 reboundslast season for the Celtics.


Denver opened its season Wednesday with a 120-103 win overSeattle.


The Nuggets were the third-highest scoring team in the NBA lastseason and are led by Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson - whobegin their first full season together. The duo combined for 57points and 19 assists against the SuperSonics.


The game also marked the return of Kenyon Martin, who had missed106 games over the past two seasons in Denver. Martin scoredseven points and had three blocked shots in 18 minutes.

Denver was knocked out in the first round in five games by theeventual-champion San Antonio Spurs last season.

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">DENVER VS MINNESOTA - INACTIVES

DENVER MINNESOTA

PLAYER NAME REASON PLAYER NAME REASON
A CARTER HAND INJURY M MADSEN SHOULDER
C ATKINS RIGHT GROIN STRAIN R FOYE LEFT PATELLA FRACTUR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">DENVER AT MINNESOTA - PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS


DENVER MINNESOTA

F Kenyon Martin F Ryan Gomes
F Carmelo Anthony F Al Jefferson
C Marcus Camby C Theo Ratliff
G Allen Iverson G Rashad McCants
G Yakhouba Diawara G Sebastian Telfair

OFFICIALS: Tom Washington
Violet Palmer
Mark Lindsey</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 4
MINNESOTA 6 9:05 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 10
MINNESOTA 19 5:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 14
MINNESOTA 25 3:05 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 21
MINNESOTA 27 END, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DENVER 21 21
MINNESOTA 27 27 END 1ST QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER

DEN - ALLEN IVERSON 8, KENYON MARTIN 4, NENE
4
MIN - RASHAD MCCANTS 11, THEO RATLIFF 5, RYAN
GOMES 5</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 27
MINNESOTA 33 8:45 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 31
MINNESOTA 38 6:05 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 41
MINNESOTA 48 2:45 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 49
MINNESOTA 52 HALFTIME</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DENVER 21 28 49
MINNESOTA 27 25 52 HALFTIME

HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME

DEN - ALLEN IVERSON 14, CARMELO ANTHONY 11,
KENYON MARTIN 6
MIN - RASHAD MCCANTS 14, THEO RATLIFF 8, AL
JEFFERSON 8</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 54
MINNESOTA 59 9:02 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 60
MINNESOTA 66 6:19 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 66
MINNESOTA 70 2:40 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 74
MINNESOTA 77 END, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DENVER 21 28 25 74
MINNESOTA 27 25 25 77 END 3RD QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER

DEN - CARMELO ANTHONY 22, ALLEN IVERSON 19,
MARCUS CAMBY 8
MIN - RASHAD MCCANTS 18, AL JEFFERSON 16, GREG
BUCKNER 10</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 79
MINNESOTA 79 8:49 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 86
MINNESOTA 82 6:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>