Commenter Stu doesn't visit Target Center very often. In fact, he is terrified of downtown Minneapolis and spends as much time in his St. Cloud compound as possible. But he recently took his daughter to a Wolves game. Here is Stu's report, complete with very shaky cell phone pictures.

--------------------

Birdman! Impossible not to look at. As we kept observing him during his pre-game routine, Celia said, "Dad, I think he has a mustache." We looked closer, and yes, yes he did, in the same vein as Spencer Pratt's creepy flesh-colored beard. It's almost too much to take in at this point.

Cheesecake: Roughkat models a sassy vest-and-ballcap look ...

... while Natalie Kane models an indefatigable perkiness as she drums up interest for a 14-51 team.

Muno from Yo Gabba Gabba was there to promote this Saturday's Target Center show (with Biz Markie!) and engage in a staring contest with a lucky fan. Given that he has one lidless eye, this seems an unfair fight.

Other items of note:

  • JR Smith's 360 alley-oop from Chauncey Billups really was as spectacular as Phil Miller wrote. Get thee to YouTube before it goes away.
  • The lower bowl of Target Center was relatively full. We were about ten rows back of the Nuggets bench (thanks again, wife's boss), and there were actual people sitting next to us. Not to say there weren't extra chairs for one to place one's coat, souvenirs, etc. But still: people were there! Some of them even stayed until the end!
  • Hey, guy a few rows behind us who kept yelling "'Melo!" and "Birdman!" whenever they entered or exited the game: they never once acknowledged you. Not once. Please stop doing that.
  • As Roughkat pointed out to me, the Timberwolves Dance Team's costumes are "trendy and classic," according to the program. That is definitely a way of putting it.
  • The actual game? The Nuggets let the Wolves hang around and even take a couple leads for 2 and ½ quarters, grew tired of it, and won the game going away. They are a good team. The Wolves, while showing flashes of promise at times, are not. Jonny Flynn made a couple nice plays in the first half, Darko asserted himself on the boards a little bit, but beyond that…ugh. I still think David Kahn knows what he's doing, but seeing the product on the floor right now doesn't inspire confidence.