Nuggets at Timberwolves: Nuggets fate is in their hands (6pm MT)

The scenario is quite simple. If the Nuggets win tonight they will face the Lakers in Los Angeles as the No. 6 seed. If the Nuggets lose tonight, they must depend on the Mavericks to lose to the Hawks to not get the No. 7 seed. Rather not take that chance?

Just win baby!

Game: 66

Records:
Denver: 37-28 (17-15 on the road)
Streak: Won 3
Timberwolves: 26-39 (13-19 at home)
Streak: Lost 1

Injuries:
Denver: Al Harrington (torn meniscus) is out for tonight’s game.
Timberwolves: Ricky Rubio (lack of good Spanish food in Minnesota) is out. Kevin Love (victim of porn stache drive by) is out. Luc Ridnour (out for season with the sudden realization he plays for the Wolves) Darko Milicic (Not gonna pile on the guy, out for season).

Season Series: 2-1 Denver

Opposition’s Take: Canis Hoopus

Short preview.

Simply put, if the Nuggets take care of business they will end up where they most desire. The No. 6 seed. In essence this is great for Nuggets fans because the team seems to be hitting their stride as the season ends. Last night’s gutty victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder (who, yes, were trying to win the game) was the icing on the cake, but the Nuggets will let all this good will and good work go to waste if they don’t win against a severely undermanned Timberwolves team this evening.

The T-Wolves have effectively shut it down for the season, but I’m sure will be somewhat motivated to knock the Nuggets off their current roll. Remember the last game where the Nuggets kinda took it easy in the second half after building a huge lead? I get the feeling that the Nuggets won’t let that happen in this game. All they have to do is manage to slightly contain Derrick Williams and Anthony Randolph and we should be good.

As for the Nuggets. I know this sounds counter-intuitive to my heading, but they need to rest players in the second half if they are up big. I’m speaking specifically about Ty Lawson, Arron Afflalo and Danilo Gallinari. Why Gallo you say? Well, it’s pretty clear that thumb is giving him fits and if he can get some extra rest then that thumb may come back stronger … one would hope. I’d like Karl to give JaVale McGee, Kenneth Faried, Jordan Hamilton and Julyan Stone tons of run in this game if it is a laugher. Also, we need to get Chris Andersen in there. Hopefully they can do that if they are blowing out the Wolves.

It's a strange thing. The Nuggets, in a weird way, NEED this game, but in another way they don't (if the Dallas Mavericks lose to the Atlanta Hawks tonight). I'd like them to keep on a roll and continue winning into the playoffs. I feel that if a team become complacent at the end of the season (OKC) then they don't come in with the momentum they need to win. If the Nuggets continue this roll then I see good things for them as they face the Lakers in the playoffs.

Song of the game

Ok, this isn't really a "song" per-se … but is is a scene from a movie that has a pretty killer song in it. I'm Gonna Git You Sucka was a Keenan Ivory Wayans film in the late 80's, right as he was starting In Living Color. You can see many of these cast members in this film. It's a very funny film if you've seen the 70's blaxploitation movies such as Truck Turner, Shaft and Supafly. Some hilarious scenes in this movie and this is just one of them. As Antonio Fargas, who starred as Huggy Bear in the 70's TV series Starsky and Hutch, leaves prison for the first time in many years and finds himself to be … ahem … a "fish out of water"