A Dream Fulfilled...

A trip to the second round of the NBA playoffs? No.

A match-up with a team we swept in the regular season for a chance to go to the Western Conference Finals? No.

Hometown Hero Chauncey Billups leading the best Nuggets team I've seen in my lifetime? Again, no.

With a single minute and 4 seconds remaining in the game, my wildest dreams came true.

I was delighted to have seen Ryan Bowen enter the game with just under two minutes left, but it wasn't until that magical 1:04 mark that my heart filled with joy.

Balkman vs. Bowen.

Blankman vs. Captain Intangible.

The Showdown.

The Representer in the Pepsi Center.

They did not disappoint.

Within seconds, Ryan Bowen was running around like a newborn faun still getting used to its seldom used legs as he crashed into a confused Birdman and was called for a loose ball foul.

Balkman, on the other hand, managed to fill up two slots on his stat line with a single wide-open, beautifully airballed 3-point attempt. The slots of course being Field Goals Attempted and 3-Pointers Attempted.

The truth is though, the end-of-the-bench MVP honors for the game will not go to either of them. They were both outdone by the remarkably energetic play of Johan Petro. He grabbed a board, drove hard to the hoop to draw two free throws, both of which he made and also managed to notch a blocked shot. Well done, mon ami.

As it's now nearing 3AM and I've done my best to work off the caffeine I consumed to help me with my drive home, I'll leave you with one tidbit regarding the other 47 minutes of this glorious game: Thanks for keeping us in this game in the first half K-Mart!