Coming off the most embarrassing loss in recent memory on Sunday, November 29th to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Denver Nuggets bounced back as expected to dismantle the injured Golden State Warriors, 135-107 to start off December. Despite the Warriors coming off a big win the previous night against the Pacers in which Monte Ellis scored a career high 45, they were no match for the resolve of the Nuggets, who had their 17 home game winning streak snapped by a 1-15 T-Wolves squad. Of course, if you're an NBA basketball fan, you already know all this. What you probably don't know is how awesome it is to sit courtside, which is where we were able to get some sick photos of the boys on Tuesday night, like this fastbreak dunk by MeloMan.

It's always nice to get this close to the action—you get to experience the sights and sounds of the game that normally are viewed from afar. This includes the lovely Denver Nuggets Dancers, who keep the sometimes subdued Pepsi Center crowd entertained with sexy outfits, innovative routines and friendly smiles each and every night. Especially since they are working extra hard without the aerobatic cheerleaders, who were cut this season due to budget and work-related injury concerns.

 The Nuggets Coordinator of Entertainment and Promotions Ryan Ozinga, clearly skeptical of the Thug Nation.

This Tip Off Pic was one of many that were tweeted live from @thuggetsnation during the game. Be sure and follow us if you're doing the twitter thing for exclusive photos like this from every home game.

The Nuggets were playing catch up the entire 1st quarter but a couple good drives from Chauncey got him to the line as always.

Billups is shooting his usual 89% from the line this season.

Warriors started out shooting hot though and led 28-25 going into the 2nd.

DJ Bedz and DJ Psycho hold down the beats and provide the soundtrack for the night, a crucial part of the atmosphere and intensity of the game.

Ty Lawson came off the bench with his lighting fast speed and got the Nuggets the lead back early in the second quarter with a quick drive inside and dish to Nené for the easy layup.

Even though it was the least attended game of the season, once the Nugs started scoring the crowd came alive. Especially those of us in the front row because we could talk shit to the Warriors all night long.

Go ahead, try to stop that. Melo makes it 39-33 Nugs.

 JR was feeling it too, look at this sweet floater that dropped! Young Moola baaaby.

Melo gets the MVP chant every time at the line now.

The Dancers' new outfits looking sharp. Bridget's got dem boots...

Thug Nation in full effect, Rocky knows what's up.

It seemed like this game was already over by halftime, with Denver scoring 44 points in the second and going in at the break up 14. But we all know what happened with Minnesota...

In the second half I don't know if it was bad offense or better defense, or combination of both, but the Warriors just started missing shots. The Nuggets on the other hand, did not.

Denver stepped it up on the defensive end and held Monte Ellis to only 15 points.

They did not let up in the third, and scored another 38 points to take a 107-84 lead heading to the fourth.

This things a wrap! Time to play the bench, as players like Malik Allen and Joey Graham got some minutes.

Rocky goofin' off.

Shoot it AJ!

Can we kick it, yes we can! Way to go Nugs... let's keep it up for the next one. The Heat team that crushed the Nuggets in Miami last month comes in tonite, and after a big win in Portland against an improved Greg Oden and Blazer squad to start their four-game road trip on Tuesday, I don't think they're going to be quite as easy to beat as the Warriors were. It is on TNT too, so look for the Nuggets to play a little harder knowing the whole country is watching...

The Charlotte Bobcats are in a precarious position. They are in a vestibule stuck between making the playoffs and drafting a top pick. Last season’s record of 35-47 left them 4 wins short of the 8^th playoff position in the Eastern Conference. It looks like the 8^th spot will require more wins this season and it will be a stretch for this year’s team to match last season’s win total.

The most obvious change is the trade of Emeka Okafor for New Orleans’ Tyson Chandler. Chandler brings more excitement and energy but is injured, often. I would call this trade a wash but I can’t. The backup centers are DeSagana Diop and Nazr Mohammed, both overpaid and are such a drop off from Chandler that you have to discount the fact the Chandler will be out 40% of the season. Okafor played a complete season last year.

The draft choices of Gerald Henderson and Alexis Ajinca are another push for the Bobcats. Henderson is a typical defensive minded athletic player who will not make the offensive difference needed. Ajinca, a project from France needs to spend the season in the gym and live on protein shakes. He is 30 lbs short of where he should be in the NBA. He is so thin that he makes Stephen Curry look like Alonzo Mourning.

Last season’s acquisition of Boris Diaw and Raja Bell from Phoenix paid dividends and was a bright spot until Bell tore a ligament in his left hand this preseason. Bell has decided to forgo surgery and to play through the pain. As Clubber Lang said in Rocky III “Prediction: Pain”.

If the Raymond Felton/DJ Augustine completion keeps the both of them at their best and Vladimir Radmanovic can continue to contribute the way he did since coming to the Bobcats from the Lakers, Charlotte can win games that they should win.

The challenge is how Larry Brown gets the most out of his team as a unit. How do his 25 years and 1000+ wins transfer over to this fledgling team? How does the greatest NBA player of all time (I think you know who I’m talking about) motivate vs. intimidate his players who admire him as a former player and not necessarily as Managing Partner of Basketball Operations? How does Majority Owner Bob Johnson instill confidence since placing the team up for sale after promising the Charlotte Community that Bobcats are here to stay?

If all goes well they will again win 35 games. If something magical happens then 40 wins and a playoff berth. This would be the key to the franchise’s fiscal survival. Attendance depends on it, sponsors depend on it, and television coverage depends on it. There are no National Games on the TNT schedule. Hopefully ESPN will pick up one or two. Lastly they have improved the uniforms dramatically. But of course that won't help.

Prediction 35-47.

Well, it's that time again. The first day of the NBA season.  The Nuggets start tomorrow against Utah and I have to admit, I'm a bit worried about this season. They showed a lot of good things during the preseason, but I think they really need a defensive stopper, both in the middle and on the perimeter. I love the way Ty Lawson looks, he makes others seem like they are in slow motion. But how is his size, or lack there of, going to affect his minutes? Nene hasn't shown very much improvement so far in preseason, they need him to be a man down low this year. It could be a rough start to the season this year with 7 of their first 9 games on the road, as well as missing JR Smith for the first six games. I do think that they will start off a bit slow this year, but pick things up by the all-star break as they start to play as a cohesive group again. I just don't know if they can make the kind of mark they did last year, with the improvements to the Lakers, Spurs and even Trailblazers. My pick, second in the division and out in the second round. let's hope I'm wrong!!

KRFX 103.5 Fox Radio in Denver has reported that Nuggets Guard J.R. Smith has closed his twitter account.
But why?

Apparently the Denver player was tweeting in gang language and was getting quite a bit of flac for doing so. You see JR was replacing the letter "c" in his tweets with the letter "k".

Big deal right?
I was following him and noticed his tweets looked strange. But I thought nothing of it. Unitl I heard on the radio this morning that his last tweet was "this is my last tweet and you know why"

Why is this a big deal to me. Apparently Bloods will do this to irritate Crips. Seems silly, but I guess it works.  Whether he knows it or not JR Smith is a role model. This type of behavior is not suited for someone in his position. 

Just when I thought we could kick The Thuggets image back to last season, this comes up. 

So I guess The Nuggets really are Thugs...sigh! 

The new center for the Cleveland Cavilers arrived on Monday Night Raw and was greeted with warm cheers for the D.C. faithful.  After talking to Jerry "The King" Lawler for a while, he was interupted by Chris Jericho.  The two squared off, and Shaq did not back down, calling Jericho "Christina" and getting right in this face.  Then came Jericho's tag team partner; The 7'4, 500 pound Big Show.  These two mamoth men faced off and you could feel the tension between them.  Shaq then made a match with Jericho & Big Show (they are the Tag Team Champions if anyone cares) against a team known as Cryme Tyme.  Shaq appointed himself as special guest enforcer.

Throughout the show, the camera cut to Shaq in his office.  There he interacted with a leprachan by the name of Hornswoggle and played scrabble with Santino Marella (who, by the way, is funny and may be the only reason for watch RAW)

Then it was show time, as Cryme Tyme and Jericho & Big Show hit the ring.  After the match was over, Big Show looked Shaq square in the eye and challenged him to come to the ring.  Shaq ripped off his shirt like Superman and flew into the ring to confront the Big Show.  It was then the two giants locked up, Show's hand going over the throat of Shaq and vice versa.  The two men struggled and tried to gain the advantage.  In the end, Shaq took control and speared the monster to the canvas much to the delight of the crowd.

After watching this entertaining program, I can only say one thing: Shaq won't have any trouble finding a job when he retires.  He was fit and in shape and was very convincing working with some of the greatest entertainers in the world.  Hats of to the WWE for making this one time fan entertained again.

So follow me here...

Shawn Marrion was traded to the Mavericks and will get a five year deal worth $39 million.

Hedo Turkoglu is headed to the Toronto Raptors under a five year, $53 million contract.

The Mavericks moved Jerry Stackhouse and cash to the Grizzlies.  They also sent Devean George and Antoine Wright to Toronto.

The Grizzlies sent Greg Buckner to Dallas. 

 The Raptors sent Nathan Jawai and Kris Humphries plus cash to Dallas.  They also sent a future second round draft pick to the Grizzlies.

Yahoo sports is reporting today that King James was on the wrong end of a crushing dunk at the LeBron James Skills Academy this week.  Rumor has it that Xavier sophomore Jordan Crawford threw a dunk on James that caused fellow camp attendee Michael Gilchrist to say ""It happened and it was bad, that was something to see".

That isn't the part of the story that is the most disturbing, anyone can catch one to the face if in the wrong position.  The controversy is that James apparently had the tapes confiscated to make sure they would never see the light of day.  CBS Sportsline columnist Gary Parrish has the following in his latest blog:

Freelance photographer Ryan Miller was one of the cameramen shooting the game.

He told CBSSports.com that Nike Basketball Senior Director Lynn Merritt took his tape.

"He just said, 'We have to take your tape,'" Miller said. "They took it from other guys, too."

Worth noting is that there is no policy against filming at the LeBron James Skills Academy, and Miller said he had been filming all day without incident. Nobody ever told him to stop. Nobody ever said there was a problem ... until after Crawford dunked on James.

"LeBron called Lynn over and told him something," Miller said. "That's how I knew his name was Lynn. LeBron said, 'Hey, Lynn. Come here.'"

Minutes later, Miller said Merritt demanded his tape.

Apparently James doesn't understand what makes an internet legend.  People finding out that something like this tape exists and hiding it only fuels the fire.  There is always someone with a cameraphone or some recording device that wasn't seen.  The only thing he and Nike have done is help fuel the legend and quest to find the holy grail.  Regardless of how this turns out, Jordan Crawford has a damn good story to tell his kids one day.