No time for introductions. Wolves play the Hornets tonight at Target Center. Thank goodness for DVR, because I just got back from the gym after making myself look like He-Pek. Now that my torn pectoral tendon is all healed up good and proper, I could totally take Pekovic in a fight. Ok, or not. Maybe in a bar room brawl if I sucker punched him with a broken bottle. Maybe.
I didn't even take a shower so that I could bring you guys this live blog without too much delay. Kidding. However, I am sitting here in my basement naked, since Mrs. CW and CW Jr. are out of town. Definitely just kidding on that one. Maybe. Or maybe not….
I'll fast forward through the pre-game nonsense to save some time, since all that its good for is allowing degenerate gamblers to get in last minute bets before the tip-off.
Make sure to check out the TWolves Blog Forums Wolves-Hornets Game Thread HERE.
My prediction for the game. Obviously I will probably be completely wrong because I suck at life. Please do look elsewhere for smart pre-game analysis:
Back-to-back vs the Hornets? Don't envision how this could possibly go well. Then again, the Hornets are also on a back-to-back so maybe it will even out. I'm sure CP3 will have his way with us since our PG's couldn't guard a fencepost.
PREDICTION:
Wolves 101 – Hornets 110
7:10: Tip-off… yay, we win it! Woohoo Darko. Clearly this means we will win the game tonight.
7:11: Excuse me a minute while I go tweet this to the interwebz and whatnot.
7:13: CP3 ally-oop to Okafor. How many assists does Paul have tonight? 15? 20? Infinity?
7:13: I can't believe Marco Bellineli (spelling?) has started every game for the Hornets so far this season. And they WANT to keep Chris Paul in New Orleans? And happy?
7:16: Holy cow David West fade away over Darko at the shot clock buzzer. Seems like he's been in the NBA forever, but he just keeps plugging along. Doesn't do anything spectacular, but he's just solid. That's the way to describe him I think. Solid.
7:20: Yay, they replayed Beasley's game winner, so I finally got to see it since the game wasn't on TV. Fail. I think only ONE Wolves win has been on TV this year, but I guess I could be wrong on that. I think I'm right thought. Ridnour just let his Downs overpower him, as he steps over the half-court line for an over and back, and then gets a technical on top of that. Nice one Luke.
7:22: Good grief, we are already down 21 to 9. At least if this game sucks I get to watch it in HD with surround sound. Really loud surround sound. Good thing we live in a house now.
7:23: Jim Pete: "Luke Ridnour is a lot like Steve Nash, he doesn't score a lot, but he could score a lot more if he wanted to." YEAH OK JIM PETE. /no more drugs for him.
7:39 Real Time Text from BonK: "I hate Jonny Flynn"
For the rest of the Live Blog and reader comments, please click "Read More" to continue…
7:25: God I am sooooo hungry. What should I eat? Someone leave a comment. Would it be weird to order a pizza and ask them to bring it in and down to my basement? I can't decide.
7:27: Darko is on FIRE-AH! Slams it home to bring the Wolves back within 4 after a 10-2 run. I heart Darko.
7:30: Shameless plug to get KLove into the all-star game. Yeah, I get it that he's leading the league in rebounding, but he plays zero defense and the Wolves are one of the worst teams in the league. Maybe he makes it as an injury replacement, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
7:35 Sorry, I was checking my fantasy teams. Notably, my Western Conference Only Auction Keeper Dynasty League. Yay for me having Darko. P.S. Look up just in time to see Jonny Flynn airball/clank a three point shot. That must have been Bonk's text…
7:37: The first quarter is mercifully over, with the Wolves down 35-27. Seriously, I'm so hungry. Someone bring me food, I'll text you my address.
7:40 Live Blog comment from Pants: Kevin Love is "Having a Kevin Love sort of start to the game" – Yeah, I'd say so. 0 for 3 from the field with zero points and 3 rebounds. Okafor and David West are abusing him. Darko too I guess, but at least he's bringing it offensively.
7:41: It is unreasonably difficult to watch the game, do a live blog, respond to comments, and try not to think about how absolutely starving I am.
7:42: Jim Pete and Hanny talking about their "Light It Up" Fantasy/whatever game they do for each Wolves game. I guarantee they care about that more than the actual game on the court. Can't say I blame them.
7:45 from Wally World in the Live Blog comments: Monty Williams interviewed for the Wolves head coaching vacancy, might I add – Good to know. Yay, we got Rhombus instead! Worst coach in Wolves history (so far.)
7:47: How does Bill Simmons do his massive running diaries while hunting and pecking? He must make extensive use of the pause button. Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! An Arby's commercial. PAINFUL.
7:50 Texts from Bonk, 8:01 Real Time: Questioning Ridnour's ability, but then apparently he has a nice assist. Comments that he's still better than Jonny Flynn. Jonny Flynn is terrible.
7:52: Wolves meal-deal ad for $19. An upper level ticket, drink, and hot dog. I guess not a terrible offer, but it's not like I'll be beating down their phone lines to get in on it. I'd rather pay $5 for an upper level ticket from scalpers and then sit wherever the hell I want. Because no one goes to the games. But I didn't need to tell you that.
7:53: Beasley with a tough board, dribbles coast to coast and then lays it off to Martell for an easy open dunk. Sometimes Beasley effortlessly does stuff so great, and sometimes he just looks like… retardville.
7:57: Pants just reminded me about KLove's new nickname, via Jamaal Gilbert here at TWB. From here on out, he shall be known as the "Optometrist", because he makes Wolves fans see 20/20.
7:58: KLove with his 43rd three point make this year. Never thought I'd see a stat like that. Didn't he make like 3 or 5 or something his rookie year? Crazy. P.S. Pekovic is in. Good to see him back. We need his size.
8:00: Holy crap the game is tied at 48-48. I seriously can't believe Marco Belinelli plays a significant role for this team. What, was Chris Paul saddened by Peja leaving? He needs a certain quota of Euro shooting guards on his team? How can they not acquire a better SG?
8:03: Marcus Thornton sighting. He was like, awesome last year? Why does he hardly play now? Belinelli is their starter. What am I missing here?
8:05: Per Jim Pete "The Wolves are 4-4 when Beasley scores 28 or more points" – Umm… ok?
8:05: Tom Hanney this time: "Beasley with an on target pass to Kevin Love, who turns it over. Something you will NOT see very often." – An on target pass from Michael Beasley? Yeah, I totally agree with you there Hanney, for once.
8:09: Halftime, Wolves down 57-54. Can use this time to get my DVR to Live action. Yay.
8:10 OH GOD WALLY WORLD JUST TEXTED ME THIS GEM. Our fearless GM. Enjoy:
8:21: Sorry, I skipped any potential half-time hilarity. But we are live now.
8:22: Soooooo many food commercials. Brutality.
8:24: Another picture from Wally World: "Awesome "that guy" photo from the halftime show. Hilarious" – Mad props to WW for making this live blog somewhat enjoyable:
8:27 astute Live Blog comment by Wally World: "Well Hornets shooting 46%, Wolves 54% and Hornets have the lead. At least its not a ridiculous disparity. Paul ought to cool off in the 2nd half, one would hope…and Love will pick it up if history is any indication" – I should probably just hand the reigns over to him. I am an abject failure at enlightening the masses statistically. But I will make sure to tell you all if/when I ever get to eat something. My stomach hates me.
8:28: Ridnour with a steal, takes it full-court and lays it in while getting fouled. Makes the free throw. That's probably the best and most athletic play I've ever seen him make.
8:30: West and Okafor with 3 fouls each. Nice. We could pull away a little bit here? Who are the backup big men… I don't even know….
8:31: I checked the boxscore. Jason Smith, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, DJ MBENGA, and Aaron Gray. Holy crap their backup bigs are atrocious. P.S. Wolves on an 8-0 run and now lead 62-57.
8:32: Looks like West and Okafor will be playing until they foul out. Good lord I can't get over how terrible the Hornets backup bigs are. Good luck with that team CP3. See ya in New York within 2 years.
8:34: Wes J nails another three. His stroke is so smooth. He needs to shoot more. He just nailed another 3 before I could post this last comment. Nice.
8:36: And another three by Wes. He's on fire. I get happy inside watching him nail those long balls. Almost makes me forget how hungry I am.
8:37: OK, watching commercials live without the benefit of fast forwarding via DVR really sucks. Shame on me. I should have taken time to eat at some point so that I could FF through these atrocious commericals.
8:40: The Hornets will not come back with Jason Smith shooting 20 foot jumpers.
8:41: And Beasley with a three. Good lord we are piling it on. 6 of 14 from deep.
8:45 Live Blog comment from Pants: "Wolves take a timeout while they are on fire. Rambis must want to keep the Hornets close. Love needs to think about drawing some fouls on David West." – Sigh.
8:47: Jim Pete is talking about the Hornets franchise and how Chris Paul carries that franchise and is a MVP candidate. He said Peja's contract is killing them and they need to get that $14 million off the books. Ummmm… Jim, Peja hasn't been on the Hornets for over a month now. Fail.
8:47: WES JOHNSON ANOTHER THREEE AHHHH OOOOUGA AHHHH OUUUUUGA!!!!! Career 21 points so far. Keeping Martell on the bench and the Wolves in the lead.
8:48: Someone fouled Jason Smith and he's shooting free throws. Why would anyone ever foul Jason Smith? Why is Jason Smith playing?
8:49: Luke Ridnour has 11 assists? What the hell? It's our third game so far this year where someone has had 10 or more assists in a game for the Wolves. We had 1 such game last year. For the entire season. Let that sink in.
8:51: Wolves up 82-77 at the end of three. I still give the Hornets at least a 50-50 chance to easily come back and win this game, handily. On a more positive note, rookie Wes Johnson is 5 of 7 from deep.
8:55: Webster with a foot-barely-on-the-line-two-pointer-that-should-have-been-a-three aka the "Marko Jaric shot." Damnit, Martell. The worst shot in the NBA.
8:58: Beasley working hard on the glass with 7 boards, but couldn't convert a put-back. Nice to see though. Too bad he has 4 turnovers. But only 1 foul! I'll take it.
8:58: Wowowowowow Beasley with the thunderous slam put-back. I almost rewound it, but I want to stay Live for my viewing audience. And then Trevor Ariza and his sub 37% field goal shooting on the season airballs a three. Nice. Keep shooting Trevor.
9:00: Corey Brewer with some sort of weird energy play that somehow results in a basket and a foul. Color me shocked.
9:01: Glad for these commercials. Gives me a second to regroup and focus. Doesn't give me enough time to stave off my hunger, unfortunately. I hope you all appreciate this when I am found dead in my basement because my stomach lining ate through my internal organs from the inside out.
9:04: Beasley with another three. He and Wes J. are putting on a shooting clinic. Trevor Ariza, take note. Beas and Wes = 7 of 10. Trevor Ariza = 0 of 3.
9:07 Live Blog comment from Pants: "If the Wolves can hold on to this one they are setting up the Hornets for a "Forget about the hot start it turns out they stink and should trade Paul to the Knicks" article on the front of ESPN." – Guaranteed. They probably had that one queued up and ready to go 2 weeks into the season…
9:08: David West is hurt or bleeding or something? T-Wolves up 12 with six minutes left. We either hold on for a solid all-around victory, or blow another game in epic fashion. Don't leave your seats!
9:10: Jim Pete and Hanney are commenting on KLove's 'scratch marks/battle wounds" on his arms. It's getting pretty graphic. I probably shouldn't repeat any of it.
9:11: KLove with a grown man move to get the bucket and the foul. (That quote was all me, no Hanney or Jim Pete involved.) I'll give it to him, he's playing great tonight after that pretty terrible first quarter. Definitely one of his better games this season.
9:13: Beasley is working on a triple-double with 23 points, 8 boards, and 6 assists. Probably not enough time for him to get one, but a great line nonetheless.
9:16: Terrible technical foul on Jonny Flynn. I am Hooowing Flynn from my basement (Howl-booing) Nice jinx in the comments by Wolfenstein. Don't do that… Flynn needs all the help he can get out there!
9:17: Wes J's 6th three. Dagger.
9:18: Ok, we are now dominating the Hornets. I'm in shock. We could actually close out a game and hang on for the win. Oh lordy no need for me to break out the booze tonight. Can't decide if that makes me happy or sad.
9:20: Beasley with another three. It just won't stop. We are now 11 of 22 from deep. Mind = blown.
9:22: I'd type more but I'm in shock; partly from this dominant win and partly from hunger. Michael BEASTLY with a crazy 30/9/7 statline. That's what he's capable of, and he's only 21 years old. The Miami Heat just GAVE this guy away. For Mike Miller. I mean, so they could sign Mike Miller to a five year, $25 million dollar contract. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
9:25: Do yourself a favor and watched the masked Kosta Koufus The Doofus try to throw down a wide-open one handed slame, and miss it. High comedy. I hope they replay it. Repeatedly. Jim Pete with a mention about how sad he is that he picked Corey Brewer for the "Light it Up" game tonight. HAHA.
9:28: Well that does it. Wolves win 113-98. Never saw that coming, as you can see from my pre-game prediction. Whoops. All 5 Wolves starters in double digits for scoring, for the second time this season. When all five of the Wolves starters score in double digits, we always win! Every game! Bank it!
9:30: Well, that does it for me. Head over to the TWB Forums for more game chatter/analysis/good times and fellowship. Thanks a lot to everyone that stopped by to read this, as well as Wally World and Pants for the great co-blogging comments. You too Wolfenstein and Minnesota Polars. Much appreciated. Good to know there are other Wolves fans out there watching the game, participating in this. Even if it's just us 5. I joke.
Two wins in a row. Never saw that coming. Great win, and much needed for this squad. Big props for tonight. Pretty much everyone played great. Well, except one guy, but let's not name names. Famished. Time to go scavenge for food. The end.
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