The Jazz Wringer

Back and forth just like a Cameo song
If you dig this joint then please come dance along
To the music cuz it's done just for the rhyme
Now I gotta scat and get mine...underline...

Quick hitters from last night's Nuggets opening night loss to the Utah Jazz:

-Apparently the refs didn't use the pre-season to sharpen their skills, as two calls inside the minute mark went horribly against the Nugs. Kenyon Martin forced Carlos Boozer to lose control of the ball, yet a foul was called. And even worse was a missed FT by Kyle Korver with 12 seconds in which a ticky tack lane violation was called on Chris Anderson. Replays showed Anderson merely stepped into the lane with one foot, yet got back in time. Need less to say, an NBA has to know better than to call that in that situation.

-With the addition of Anderson and Renaldo Balkman, the NUgs look more and more like a rap video cast. There's more ink and freaky hairdoes than a tattoo convention. The worst new addition has to be the red kiss mark tat on Martin's neck.

-Linas Kleiza has to move quicker and also bang harder with his man. 1 for 8 shooting won't cut it either on most nights in this conference.

-Balkman brings a great defensive presence to this team. Ideally he wil be able to sub in for 14-18 minutes rather than the seven he played versus the Jazz.

-George Karl didn't waste any time in proclaiming Martin to be a "changed man" and "leader" on the team. Forgive, us, but it seems like we've been hearing that for five years now. However, when he was whistled for the questionable foul late in the game, Martin calmly went to the line and could be seen merely discussing the call with the ref in a civil manner. Old Martin would've punted the ball into the stands and called the ref a "son of a whore."

-I've been watching games in Utah for more than 20 years, and I don't hink I've ever seen a fan with a beer.

-Much like last year, I kept asking myself "there had to be someone better at the point out there than Anthony Carter." Yet Carter was servicable versus the Deron Wiliams-less Jazz. He played very well in spurts, but had a 1-2 minute stretch late which he coughed up the ball a few times and gave nothing on the offensive end. Getting a healthy Chukcy Atkins back will be key for this team.

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