Nuggets try to keep the winning streak alive against the Timberwolves

Well, ladies, gentlemen, those in between (or apart from any of the above) – it’s certainly been one of the seasons yet, hasn’t it? A blowout loss to the only elite team the Nuggets have played, and a 2-1 record in the other three. Those all came against painfully average to below-average teams, and the two wins required overtime to get them through. It’s not exactly what people would call an ideal start, especially for a team with championship aspirations.

Not only did it take overtime to beat the Nets and Raptors, but it also took levels of 2021-2022 Jokic to backpack the team to get those wins. So many people have expressed their doubts within the team in recent weeks. I can’t really blame them. The team seems disinterested too often and, outside of one good Russ performance, the bench may be the worst bench unit in the league yet. It just wasn’t pretty, but hey, the starters looked good!

There were pros and cons, but the Nuggets have their biggest test tomorrow. The Timberwolves have also started 2-2. They didn’t look great, although they looked better than the Nuggets. Anthony Edwards has collected three points at a pace we haven’t seen very often.

Given that, and Julius Randle’s somewhat troubled offense, it could be a chance to get even for the Nuggets. It’s either going to be a dirty and dirty clutch game, or it’s going to be a huge blowout. There’s not much in the way of what I could see happening. This won’t be an 11 point game, but rather a 2 or 30 point game.

The essence

WHO: Denver Nuggets (2-2) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2-2)

When: 7:30 PM MDT

Where: Target Arena, Minnesota

How to watch/listen: You know where. KTVD Channel 20, Altitude TV (one of Fubo or Altitude+), Altitude Radio 92.5, NBA League Pass for those not in the Denver market, get eaten by one of the wolf mascots and then jump out once you get into the arena.

Injury report: Da’Ron Holmes – OUT (Achilles), Aaron Gordon – PROBABLY (Bruised Right Knee), Vlatko Cancar – PROBABLY (Right Ankle Sprain); Minnesota reported no injuries

The three things

What to pay attention to: Christian Braun’s defense against Anthony Edwards

One of the reasons the Nuggets felt comfortable moving forward with Christian Braun as their starting shooting guard over Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was his performance in the Minnesota Timberwolves series. He was able to address Anthony Edwards’ physicality much better than KCP. With Anthony Edwards coming into this game on a heater, Christian Braun will have his hands full guarding him. It will be his chance to put an exclamation point on a great start to the season for him. He gets the chance to prove to the fans and those around the organization that they made the right decision by investing in him.

What to remember: This will be the fifth match

There have only been four games so far this season, and while some are raising alarm bells (somewhat rightly so), there is more of a sample size that says things will be fine. Take the mentality of what’s happening now and apply it to any number of games in January. It would be frustrating, sure, but Jamal Murray has always started the season slowly, MPJ has always been a streaky player (like most elite shooters), and Russell Westbrook has always been volatile. The only person who consistently shows up early in the season is Nikola Jokic, and he has done that this season. Don’t panic, it will work itself out with time. Will they get to the point where they become a championship team? Only the basketball gods know that. What I can say for sure, however, is that they will be better than what they have done so far. There will be highs, and there will be lows.

The thing to listen to: Castles made of sand by Jimi Hendrix

I want to try something that’s more unique to me and the way I process basketball, so let me know if you guys like this. There is a comments section and I read every comment. For those who don’t know, I play music – and I played a lot of music growing up. Basketball makes sense to me in some kind of musical context. I may expand on that during the January slumps, or perhaps during the All-Star break if there is enough demand. But the purpose of this little section is to recommend a song to listen to before the game, or just to set the mood for what’s happening. I’ll add a little blurb about the song – what it means to me, why I chose it, etc. and apply it to the preview or summary from there.

For the first issue, I would like to recommend it Castles made of sand by Jimi Hendrix. It’s a song from his second album, which might be my favorite album of all time. I started listening to this particular song too often when I was a young teenager. Everything moves so quickly around that age, and sometimes it’s important to remember that time keeps moving. Like all things, this too shall pass. Castles are made of things that will also erode. In this case, the Nuggets will be proven right at some point. They will find their rhythm. In the meantime, remember that castles are made of sand. Also know that these recommendations will end up being weird or most people’s standards. I’ll ease you in on Hendrix, but be prepared for some Japanese jazz in March.