| Game 36: 2013-14 NBA Season | ||
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| Series 0-0 | ||
| January 11th, 2013 | ||
| Pepsi Center – Denver, CO |
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| 7:00 PM MT | ||
| Altitude2 / 950 AM |
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| Jameer Nelson | PG | Ty Lawson |
| Victor Oladipo | SG | Randy Foye |
| Arron Afflalo | SF | Wilson Chandler |
| Tobias Harris | PF | Kenneth Faried |
| Glen Davis | C | J.J. Hickson |
| Notes | ||
| Orlando Pinstriped Post | Blogs | You’re here! |
| Nikola Vucevic is out, Arron Afflalo is day-to-day | Injuries | Danilo Gallinari (knee) is out, JaVale McGee(leg fracture) is out, Wilson Chandler, Nate Robinson and Randy Foye are day-to-day |
| This is the Magic’s 25th Season. | Etc… | This wraps up the current homestand, so a 5th consecutive win would be a nice capper. |
Personality typing is getting very popular in sports and corporate culture these days, with some form of MBTI or “What Color is Your Parachute” program telling you how you act or react or interact in your daily life. And tonight’s Nuggets game might tell you a little bit about your general outlook on life, or at least these Denver Nuggets.
If, for instance, you’re a “glass half full” fan, you recognize that tonight’s opponent, the Orlando Magic, are riding a six-game losing streak into the Pepsi Center. And that they’re on the second night of a back-to-back, having lost at occasionally-surprising Sacramento by 20 points. And that they’re still staring at a trip to Dallas on Monday night to wrap up a tough trip. And that their best scorer is day-to-day with an injury. All of that for the team with the league’s worst road record this season.
And in that scenario, your hometown crew is riding a four-game streak of their own, this one to the positive. Their recent kumbaya moment has solidified roles and offensive styles, and suddenly they look very much back on track with recent impressive play from Randy Foye, Timofey Mozgov, Evan Fournier, and more. The stars appear aligned to a couple of streaks staying firmly in their current arcs.
However, if you’re a “glass half empty” fan, you know that these Nuggets have been a team of streaks and play that goes from hot to cold and back within a single game, let alone a week. That the eight games prior to this streak were a streak of their own, and that the sort of streak you find in your undergarments after deciding that tequila and Taco Bell could probably go together for one night. Don’t judge me.
And in that scenario, you saw this same squad lose five in a row at home (the Pepsi Center was sacred ground for us last season, with only 3 losses all year), and more than one of those losses was embarrassing for some reason. You say, “Forgive me if I don’t trust you just yet, Nuggets.” Especially with Wilson Chandler being day-to-day.
Truth be told, I’m typically accused of being a bit of a pessimist, but I’m hard pressed to see the Nuggets losing this one tonight. Even a decent performance ought to gain them a win, and I think this squad is enjoying its successes a little too much to get fat and happy just yet. I’m also thinking Ty Lawson is aware of his ever-clearing All-Star candidacy path, and will turn up the afterburners a bit on what has already been a very solid season. If Foye and Co. mentioned above stay on their recent tacks, and Quincy Miller continues his learning curve, it could end up being a magical night indeed.
As to the Magic, it will be good to see Arron Afflalo back in town, although – as noted – he’s listed as day-to-day with a foot strain, so may not play. When I have my what-if moments, imagining him still in Nuggets blue is always bittersweet. I’m sure in hindsight the Nuggets would love to have that trade back, but at the time, they were widely lauded for the deal, and rightfully so. Let’s hope the Nuggets can send AAA on his way with one more L for the year.
Oh, and if you wondered, the glass is all full. Just the top half is air. What do you think will happen tonight, Nuggets Nation? Glass half…?
