2008-09 Game 49: Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder Game Thread

February 4, 2009
by Jeremy

Do not get your hopes up Nugget fans.  There is no chance that the Oklahoma City Thunder sit their big three tonight.  Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green are all going to play. 

I get it, you scoff at the idea that Durant, Green and Westbrook should be considered a formidable big three combo?  Well, consider this.  Over their previous seven games they are averaging a combined 70.6 points, 21.7 rebounds and 11.0 assists.  They are also shooting 48.0% from the floor as well so this is not just a result of volume shooting.  As a comparison in the two games since Melo returned the three Nuggets with the best stats are Melo, Nene and Kleiza.  Over those two games they have put together cumulative averages of 63.5 points, 21.5 rebounds and six assists.

I have another average for you to consider and that is 20.7.  What is that you ask?  That is the average age of the Thunder threesome and they appear to be maturing awfully fast. 

Obviously the difference between the two teams are after the Thunder Threesome Oklahoma City does not have a lot of talent where the Nuggets have players like Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith whom we have not even mentioned yet.  However, the Thunder are playing hard and are starting to overcome that first hurdle that shows a team is becoming competitive and that is winning consistently at home. 

We all recall how the Nuggets escaped a disappointing loss earlier in the season at the hands of the Thunder when Melo threw in a desperation three pointer at the buzzer to pull out a 122-120 victory.  Since that night he Thunder are 5-2 at home and have defeated Utah and Detroit easily during that stretch.  Well, that is doing them a disservice.  They demolished Utah.

Tonight both Chauncey and Kenyon are game time decisions, Chauncey because of his ankle and Kenyon due to strep throat.  (I am no doctor, but are we sure we want Kenyon on an airplane with the rest of the team for two hours with all of them breathing that re-circulated air?  Can we have him hang his head out the window or something?)

Melo has been great offensively since returning and he will have to have a big night again tonight, even if Chauncey does manage to play.  I think we will be in for another exciting game and do not miss the chance to watch Durant play.  He already is, as George Karl would say, special.

Denver Nuggets Game Notes

Previous Matchup:  Game 34 – Den 122 OKC 120

Featured Blogs:  Daily Thunder | Blue Blitz

Posted on February 4, 2009 at 4:10 pm | filed in Game Preview | 26 Comments

26 Responses to “2008-09 Game 49: Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder Game Thread”

  1. Josh Hopp says:
    February 4, 2009 at 7:18 pm

    no billups or kmart and down 11 at the half

    Reply
  2. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 4, 2009 at 7:19 pm

    And you guys thought it couldn’t get worse than last night. Ouch…Nugs suck tonight.

    Reply
  3. Josh Hopp says:
    February 4, 2009 at 7:35 pm

    We managed to cut it to 7 points in the 3rd. OKC timeout. This would be one of those Karl’s “Good teams win games like these” wins I spose. Man, its hard to follow this one.

    Reply
  4. Josh Hopp says:
    February 4, 2009 at 7:36 pm

    Oh, and the OKC big 3 is performing just like jeremy said they would. This is turning out to be a young team with a future.

    Reply
  5. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 4, 2009 at 7:37 pm

    agreed on this being a tough game to watch. The Nugs aren’t playing well; however, they are not getting any calls under the basket either.

    Reply
  6. Josh Hopp says:
    February 4, 2009 at 7:45 pm

    An offensive rebound by D Jones puts us within 3. Come on Nuggets, how sweet this win will be….!

    Reply
  7. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 4, 2009 at 7:55 pm

    wow! How many second chance points can the Nugs give up in a game?

    Reply
  8. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 4, 2009 at 7:57 pm

    JR getting hot!

    Reply
  9. Josh Hopp says:
    February 4, 2009 at 7:58 pm

    We are within one! CLOSE IT OUT YOU AWESOME BILLUPS-LESS NUGGETS!

    Reply
  10. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 4, 2009 at 8:02 pm

    They just can’t get the lead…they get clase and then blow it.

    Reply
  11. Josh Hopp says:
    February 4, 2009 at 8:03 pm

    I can’t handle this. its 40 degrees celcius outside today and with this game im in a bath of sweat

    Reply
  12. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 4, 2009 at 8:08 pm

    celcius? Where the heck are you?

    And the Nugs took the lead…unbelievable.

    Reply
  13. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 4, 2009 at 8:15 pm

    Why doesn’t Nene get calls? They freaking maul him and no call. wtf?

    Reply
  14. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 4, 2009 at 8:24 pm

    JR chokes AGAIN on clutch FTs.

    Reply
  15. Missing Lynx says:
    February 4, 2009 at 8:26 pm

    Why? Why, J.R.? I guess it wouldn’t matter anyways, as KD is going to hit a three from the left side again.

    Reply
  16. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 4, 2009 at 8:26 pm

    That was the worst defense I’ve ever seen.

    Reply
  17. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 4, 2009 at 8:29 pm

    Wow…I can’t believe we won that game. Incredible game winning drive by Melo. Wow!!!

    Reply
  18. Josh Hopp says:
    February 4, 2009 at 8:30 pm

    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    NUGGETS WIN!????!!??!?!

    NUGGETS WIN!!!!

    WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

    OH MAN! AGONISING 4TH PERIOD! WHAT A TEAM!

    Reply
  19. Lethalturnip says:
    February 4, 2009 at 8:30 pm

    oh man, what a crap defensive effort.

    man melo was big when the game was on the line!

    Reply
  20. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 4, 2009 at 8:31 pm

    That was definitel the Lexus Drive of the Game…lol.

    Reply
  21. Kay says:
    February 4, 2009 at 9:00 pm

    So I missed a horrible game…and a “last second” drive
    How I wish I had Altitude

    Reply
  22. BeefySwats says:
    February 4, 2009 at 9:48 pm

    This is all I have to say about that game:

    Hurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

    Reply
  23. jeremy says:
    February 4, 2009 at 11:46 pm

    I am not sure what happened with the page formatting.

    Sorry about that.

    Anyway, that was far too emotionally draining.

    Recap coming tomorrow…

    Reply
  24. sleepydog says:
    February 5, 2009 at 1:00 am

    Birdman: now known as ‘Birdzilla’
    http://rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/feb/04/melo-scores-winner-against-thunder/

    Reply
  25. jakester says:
    February 5, 2009 at 12:33 pm

    My guess is that it is Josh’s extremely long scream in comment #18 that screwed up the formatting.

    This was yet *another* game the Nuggets should have won, but were completely set up to lose, and yet won. It’s still unclear how good this team is, and how much they can really BRING IT when it needs to be broughten. But it’s nice to still be undefeated against losing teams in the Chauncey era. In a way, that’s as impressive as the Cavs’ home record.

    Reply
  26. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 5, 2009 at 2:36 pm

    So it’s all Josh’s fault. I should have know. ;-)

    Reply

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