The Basketball Gods Came Through And Have Given Us The Gift Of A Nuggets/Wolves Game 7

David Berding. Getty Images.

As fun as these playoffs has been, the one thing we've needed was more Game 7s. The only one we got was from ORL/CLE, and while all Game 7s have a certain amount of juice to them, I'm not sure that matchup scratched the itch.

But the Wolves/Nuggets? Hell yes. If we're lucky, this will be just the beginning and there will be more Game 7s on the horizon between DAL/OKC or NYK/IND, but if this is all we get that's good enough for me. I just want the drama and make no mistake, the defending champs playing a Game 7 at home against a team that in no way fears them absolutely fits the bill. I don't even really care that all these games in this series have been blowouts, they've still been must watch. This matchup has been about as even as you can get, and the beauty of a Game 7 like this is it's a true toss up. Two heavyweights throwing haymakers, both sides with high end talent, two teams that have been elite all year, this is the stuff Game 7 dreams are made of.

As someone who has lived through Game 7s in every round, there's truly nothing like it when your team is involved. As a fan with no rooting interest, Game 7s rule. But when you're involved in them? They're the absolute worst. You freak out over every dribble, every mistake feels like it just ended your season, when things are going well you can't even truly enjoy it because your eyes are watching the clock the entire time while your brain is doing all sorts of scoreboard math depending on how much time is left

The nerves leading up to the game makes things feel like time refuses to move, but once the game starts it feels like things are over in an instant. I'm certainly not smart enough to explain why it feels that way, but it's something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Game 7s take years off your life, and there is no greater high than coming out victorious, and no lower low than choking one away, especially at home. I've been on both sides of that coin and it's something that truly changes you forever. 

Advertisement

That's the deal with normal Game 7s, but ones involving the defending champs? Things turn up about 10 billion levels. We've seen teams these last few years drop Game 7s at home (sigh), so no longer is it a slam dunk that playing in your own building is enough. In this series, the Wolves have already won twice in Denver, and all it takes is one poor shooting night and your season is over. All your hopes of a title are gone because you unfortunately went 7-35 from deep and the next thing you know you're off to Cancun. It's brutal and awesome all at the same time. There's truly nothing like it.

The Wolves forced this Game 7 because they got back to being the team we saw all year. Suffocating, and I mean SUFFOCATING defense, timely shooting, the "others" showing up offensively and then Anthony Edwards doing Anthony Edwards things

Advertisement

I figured things would look better for the Wolves offensively with Mike Conley back in the lineup, but I'm not sure I was expecting the Wolves to have a 50 point lead at one point. Just typing that sentence feels insane, but it shows just how lethal the Wolves can be. The same way the Nuggets had their way with MIN in the previous 3 games, it was as if the Wolves exorcised all of those demons tonight. Now we enter Game 7 with a clean slate, and let the best team win.

There's no doubt the Nuggets will respond, that's what the defending champs do and why this has the potential to be an all time Game 7. It's going to require Jamal Murray to not be 4-18 (2-6) but honestly tonight was a no show from pretty much every non-Jokic Nugget. I'm skeptical that happens again where the entire roster lays an egg, but shit, this series has been impossible to predict so far. Nobody saw the Nuggets losing the first two at home, nobody saw the Wolves losing 3 in a row for the first time all season as a response, and nobody saw a beatdown like this happening in Game 6. 

In times like these, as someone with no rooting interest in this series I would just like to thank the Basketball Gods for this gift. We as fans deserved a high pressure Game 7 between two legit title contenders, and that's exactly what they've given us. For MIN/DEN fans, this is going to be hell, but for the rest of us it's going to be great theatre. 

If I could make one more request, please do not be a blowout. This series finale deserves to be a close game down to the wire where everyone is holding our collective breath over the final 3-4 minutes. Give us all the drama, give us all the pressure. 

Give us all a Game 7 for the ages.