vs. Season Series <font color="DarkGreen">Timberwolves 3</font>, <font color="MediumTurquoise">Nuggets 1</font> 11.18.03: Timberwolves 89, Nuggets 76 1.26.04: Timberwolves 97, Nuggets 95 3.21.04: Timberwolves 98, Nuggets 77 3.24.04: Nuggets 101, Timberwolves 92 Final Records <font color="DarkGreen">Timberwolves</font> 58-24 (.707) 1st West <font color="MediumTurquoise">Nuggets</font> 43-39 (.524) 8th West Probable Starting Lineups <u>Backcourt</u> <font color="DarkGreen">Sam Cassell</font> vs. <font color="MediumTurquoise">Andre Miller</font> <font color="DarkGreen">Latrell Sprewell</font> vs. <font color="MediumTurquoise">Voshon Lenard</font> <u>Frontcourt</u> <font color="DarkGreen">Trenton Hassell</font> vs. <font color="MediumTurquoise">Carmelo Anthony</font> <font color="DarkGreen">Kevin Garnett</font> vs. <font color="MediumTurquoise">Nene</font> <font color="DarkGreen">Ervin Johnson</font> vs. <font color="MediumTurquoise">Francisco Elson</font> <u>Sixth Men</u> <font color="DarkGreen">Wally Szczerbiak</font> vs. <font color="MediumTurquoise"> Earl Boykins</font> Injury Update <font color="DarkGreen">Timberwolves</font> Troy Hudson Ndudi Ebi <font color="MediumTurquoise">Nuggets</font> Chris Andersen Jon Barry Marcus Camby <font color="DarkGreen"><u>Minnesota's Statistical Leaders</u></font> PPG - Kevin Garnett 24.2 RPG - Kevin Garnett 13.9 APG - Sam Cassell 7.3 <font color="MediumTurquoise"><u>Denver's Statistical Leaders</u></font> PPG - Carmelo Anthony 21.0 RPG - Marcus Camby 10.1 APG - Andre Miller 6.1 Players to Watch <font color="DarkGreen">Kevin Garnett: 24.2ppg, 13.9rpg, 5.0apg, 1.46spg, 2.17bpg</font> <font color="MediumTurquoise">Carmelo Anthony: 21.0ppg, 6.1rpg, 2.8apg, 1.18spg</font> Key Matchups This should be a great matchup. Andre is going to have to use his quickness to penetrate past Cassell into the lane, and draw Kevin Garnett to him, because we all know Garnett loves to get his blocks and dish it underneath to Nene or Elson for easy buckets. He's going to have to get the fast break going, because that abviously is not Minnesota's style. Cassell meanwhile has been hitting clutch shots all year and will give Miller a tough time. He's great at finding the open man, and the Wolves will have to take advantage with the open looks they will get off the screens. This is obviously a very lobsisded matchup. The Nuggets are going to have to help Nene and double team Garnett, because he will be too much to handle for the 21 year old. Garnett is very versatile and a very good passer. His 5apg shows that, and he knows where to dish it off. Nene has to keep his composure and not get into foul trouble early. He has to try his hardest to get make Garnett work for his points and rebounds. Nene will have to use the quickness, then the power move on him. Obviously the Nuggets will look to Carmelo for most of their points, but Melo has been very erratic against the Wolves this season, and does not perform well against this defence. If he can get hot early and maybe force some double teams, he's very capable of finding the open man. Hassell always plays him good and moves well with Melo. If he can stop Melo time and time again, this series will be very difficult for Denver. <u>Keys to the series</u> <font color="MediumTurquoise">Nuggets</font> -Get off to a quick start, don't let the Wolves build early leads. -Get the fast break going, and get back on defence. -Double team Garnett. Nene cannot handle him by himself. <font color="DarkGreen">Timberwolves</font> -Limit the turnovers. The TWolves are sometimes turnover prone. -Free throw shooting. The Nuggets will sometimes commit a lot of fouls, and the Wolves have to take advantage. -Transition D. When the Nuggets start running, they are very hard to stop. cArMeLo15's take Well this is going to be a piss hard series for Denver, as they are almost outmatched in every single position, and the bench is outmatched. Denver has to steal at least one game in Minnesota so they can get the ''Here we go again'' mentality in Minnesota's minds. Carmelo HAS to be productive in this series against Hassell, or the chances of Denver advancing will get even slimmer. Even though they are my team, and I'll stick with them through thick and thin, I just can't see Denver having a chance in this series. **Minnesota moves on for the first time in 5 games.**
The series goes seven games. According to your injury report, are any of the Nuggets injuries serious (Anderson, Camby, Barry)? How is Miller's post-defending skills, because that's where Cassell can really get most teams?
I dont think this series will go into 7 games,it will be intresting to see how Melo performs because there will be alot of pressure on him if the Nuggets win this series I will be VERY suprised.T-Wolves 4-2
I think it will go to a Game 6. 4-2 in favor of the T'Wolves. But out of all the Playoff's series. I would say Denver has the best chance of pulling off an upset.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting B-22:</div><div class="quote_post">I dont think this series will go into 7 games,it will be intresting to see how Melo performs because there will be alot of pressure on him if the Nuggets win this series I will be VERY suprised.T-Wolves 4-2</div> Just saying 7 games cause he had the Wolves winning the series 3 - 1. Just a reminder.
I think Denver can really make this a series despite what many believe. The Wolves are playing with extreme pressure to get out of this first round as the number one seed. If they can stay in these games until the final minutes they have enough veterans to steal a few games. Boykins might be the biggest player on the court in this series.
I predict that the Twolves win over the Nuggets in 6 games. I would like to see how the matchup between Trenton and Carmelo. Trenton will need to defend him well. This will be a difficult series for the Nuggets. They don't really have a hig chance of winning this series but they should be able to win atleast one game against the Wolves. Earl will have a big impact in this series. He will give the Denver alot of energy and will be a spark of the bench. BTW, I don't think Jon Barry and Marcus Camby are injured but I might be wrong.
As much as i like Melo and the Nugges, they have no chance. Zero. sorry. Hassel is a very good defender, so it will be hard for Melo to be productive, Also i think the wolves will start the Kandi man which gives another big treat to the Nuggs, i think that the camby injury cost the game. wolves in game 4
Wolves 4, Nuggets 1 KG steps up and has a major series, I'l talkin' 20+ and 15+ while stuffing the stat sheet. Hassell will play Anthony very well, as he has done with many other players this season. He should deserve some votes for an all defensive team.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Asha11415:</div><div class="quote_post">Denver will win this series 4-0. Denver vs. Detroit in the Finals. Denver in 7.</div>Wow...I don't even know if that merits a reply, but I will repsond anyway. Are you crazy?
Strike a pose <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">Wow...I don't even know if that merits a reply, but I will repsond anyway. Are you crazy?</div> Are you replying to other people's posts that differ from your "thought process" and pose this question to them? Doubt it. For someone like yourself who equates a team losing badly to being raped... Your standard of choosing what merits a reply is nil. Strike a pose in front of a mirror and pose that question to yourself.
You just can't say the Nuggets are going to sweep the #1 seeded Wolves and give no reasons why. That is just stupid. If you can't back up your points than don't post them at all, as it makes you look bad. Who is going to stop or even contain Garnett? Can Andre Miller hang with Cassel? Who is going to carry this Nuggets team?
The Nuggets are showing their inexperience right now as they constantly turnover the ball. It looks like the Wolves won't get swept after all. Sam Cassel is and can't be stoped.
Denver hanging in there tonight. I dont think they are a chance in this series, but if they take a win here in minny, mentally the Wolves could go to water. Unlikely to happen. Wolves in 4 or 5.
I'm just hoping Denver can take one game at home, like they said, this will be a learning experience for them and it will be good to see how they bounce back. One of the biggest things is that Nene is strong, quick and all but he's not that good a rebounder and that's one thing that will hurt the Nuggets.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Asha11415:</div><div class="quote_post">Denver will win this series 4-0. Denver vs. Detroit in the Finals. Denver in 7.</div>There goes your theory, Wolves lead series 1-0.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">Can Andre Miller hang with Cassel?</div>Apparently not
