From Russia with love: Varlamov and Mozgov accent an exciting Thursday night in Denver sports
“Thursday was a record setting day for Denver’s two exciting Russians. Each eclipsed franchise records on what proved to be a very exciting Thursday night for Denver sports fans.”
Seventy-two fantasy points is a ton for one player to amass in daily NBA fantasy basketball. Kevin Durant, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin hit around fifty points pretty consistently at “salary cap” figures of around $11,000 on sites like Draft Kings where fans log in to compete in daily leagues. Nuggets big man Timofey Mozgov , who’s cost was $3,700 on Thursday night made his fantasy owners ecstatic by posting career numbers in an exciting 100-99 road win against Golden State.
“Mozzy” as he is known by Nuggets fans set a franchise record and a new season high for the entire NBA with 29 rebounds in last nights’ game. The massive Russian also posted 23 points, three assists a steal and three blocks. Statistically speaking it was one of the best nights any baller has had in any game this year. Mozgov’s effort allowed the Nuggets to claim their second win against a playoff-bound western conference team in as many nights.
Meanwhile, in Vancouver Semyon Varlamov, the star goalkeeper for the Colorado Avalanche, stopped 38 of 40 pucks in a 4-2 Colorado win that placed the team atop the northwest division ahead of rival St. Louis.
Varlamov was granted a contract extension in January that will insure that he will remain in net for the Avalanche for at least the next five seasons. He now holds the franchise record for wins in a season having wrestled it away from his own head coach Patrick Roy in last night’s victory over the Canucks. Roy was pleased to see his own mark broken by Varly as evidenced by the grin on his face as the final seconds of the game ticked away.
Thursday was a record setting day for Denver’s two exciting Russians. Each eclipsed franchise records on what proved to be a very exciting Thursday night for Denver sports fans.
Semyon Varlamov hails from the Russian city of Samara, known from 1935-1991 as Kuybyshev. It’s a big city, the sixth largest in all of Russia. He was originally drafted into the NHL by the Washington Capitals in 2006. After bouncing around through the minors he was eventually traded to Colorado in 2012. Timofey Mozgov is from St. Petersburg Russia. He was undrafted when he entered the NBA but signed on with the New York Knicks in 2010. He was famously dealt to Denver in a trade for Carmelo Anthony. He’s under contract with the Nuggets through 2016.
Both Russians are grabbing headlines and winning hearts and minds in the Mile High City. Mozzy’s Nuggets are just about through with their season. There are only a handful of regular season games left to be played and the Nuggets are going to miss the playoffs for the first time on the past decade. Still, excitement is high for next season. Varly is about to lead his Avs into the post-season and if he stays hot he could take them all the way to the Stanley Cup finals. Last night both were stars and made what might have otherwise been another dull Thursday into a day to be remembered.
