I played two more games ... here are the results.
Hornets 110 - Jazz 101
This was a good game. I set the offense for the Jazz to "Utah" before the game, turned "Blocking out" off and "Crash boards" on. In the first half it was the usual run and gun game from both teams. I couldnt slow them down, they ran away and were up 12 points minutes before the end of the half. I came within 6 to close the half. Baron Davis was injured with about 3 minutes left in the first quarter, so I benched him for the remainder of the half.
In the second half I used the clock and tried to slow them down. It worked. They scored only 21 pts in the third quarter, where I build a 9 pt lead. They didnt come close again as I intensified the D in quarter 4, trying to hold them to under 100 pts. I came close, allowing them only 23 pts in the 4th and won it 110 - 101. Baron Davis got POG and is now the leading candidate for the League MVP with 40 ppg, 8.6 apg, 5.6 rpg and 3.8 spg.
Baron Davis slams it home:
Top Performers:
Hornets:
Baron Davis (POG) - 27 pts, 4 reb, 3 stl, 6 ass
Lamar Odom - 23 pts, 8 reb, 4 ass
Jamaal Magloire - 12 pts, 9 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 5 ass
Jazz:
Andrei Kirilenko - 15 pts, 12 reb, 3 blk, 2 ass
Matt Harpring - 26 pts, 5 reb, 3 ass
Jelani McCoy - 14 pts, 9 reb, 3 blk, 1 ass
Newbie Watch ...
Marquis Daniels - 11 pts, 3 reb, 1 stl, 2 ass in 21 minutes
Ndudi Ebi - 2 pts, 3 reb, 2 blk, 2 ass in 17 minutes (he is teamleader in blocks with 1.6 per game)
Godfrey Witt - DNP-CD
Hornets 90 - Timberwolves 92 ... OT
Puh ... what a game. I reduced the minutes per quarter to 10, cause the scores were a bit too high in the first 5 games. I averaged 120 ppg coming into that game, my opponents 117 ppg. This was my first home game.
It started pretty slow, I held them scoreless til the 6:34 mark in the first quarter. Only seconds earlier Sam Cassell went out with an injury, he sat out the remainder of the game. I stayed in control most of the first half, but at the end of the half they led 43-39.
At the beginning of the third I came within 45-43 before they went on a 9-0 run to make it 54-43 with about 7 minutes left in the quarter. They nearly didnt score again in the quarter as I went on a 17-0 run and held them scoreless until only 25 seconds were left in the quarter. The 3rd ended 63-56 in my favour and I began to hope I could maybe hold them under 80 pts in the game.
In the fourth I tried to hold them down, but they refused to give up. 20 seconds were left in the game, I led 76-73 (after Ebi missed a FT the possession before). Wally World tried a 3 and made it. The score was tied at 76, I had the ball with about 14 seconds left if I remember correctly, BD scores easily inside. I lead now 78-76 with just under 5 seconds left. They inbound, bring the ball upcourt and Latrell Sprewell shoots a trey ... he misses, but than they make a putback (I dont remember who) to tie the game at 78 with 0.4 seconds left. I didnt even try something and the game went to overtime. This was the lowest point total in regulation I had ever achieved in my dynasty, missing the previous one (a playoff game vs. the Knicks) by only 2 points.
I started the overtime with a 6-0 run, but they closed the gap and with only 1.1 seconds left they score for the 92-90 end score. But I still had a timeout left and tried to inbound the ball from midcourt to Baron Davis, who stood just outside the arc. I moved him inside the 3 pt circle to at least tie the game and send it into a second overtime, but the moment I pressed the passbutton, the horn sounded and the Hornets were whistled for a 5 second violation ... and so the Timberwolves won 92-90 in one of the most thrilling games I have experienced so far in my Dynasty. Kevin Garnett got POG.
Here you can see three Wolves players coming too late while Jamaal Magloire scored:
Top Performers:
Hornets:
Lamar Odom - 24 pts, 18 reb

, 1 blk, 2 stl, 5 ass
Baron Davis - 23 pts, 7 reb, 2 stl, 8 ass
Jamaal Magloire - 14 pts, 6 reb, 2 ass
Timberwolves:
Kevin Garnett (POG) - 17 pts, 10 reb, 5 blk, 1 ass
Troy Hudson - 6 pts, 4 reb, 2 stl, 10 ass
Michael Olowokandi - 8 pts, 10 reb, 3 blk, 1 ass
Wally Szczerbiak - 26 pts, 7 reb, 1 blk, 1 ass
Newbie Watch ...
Ndudi Ebi - 9 pts, 5 reb, 4 blk

, 1 ass in 24 minutes
Marquis Daniels - 4 pts, 1 reb in 10 minutes
Godfrey Witt - 2 pts in 4 minutes
Thoughts ...
Well ... two pretty good games, especially the latter one despite the outcome. Godfrey Witt got his first taste of NBA action in the Wolves game, I send Darrell Armstrong to the injury list for this game. But he will be back next game.
Daniels had a pretty good game vs. the Jazz, but couldnt quite continue it against Minny. Ebi had an average game against Utah, but was very much better against the Wolves, again with 4 blocks. He now averages 2 blks per game. I am pretty impressed with Lamar Odoms rebounding abilities.
I will keep the minutes at 10 per quarter, like I already mentioned, the scores are too high with 12 minute quarters. I hope those challenging close games continue as they are way more fun, than those run and gun blowout victories. I still have to find a consistent rotation, but I think I'll figure something out.
TBE