Empty the Bench

Or, at least, he would have triumphed in such an event Thursday evening after winning over the hearts and minds of basketball-loving Colorodoans everywhere. His performance against the Utah Jazz stands as his finest yet as a member of the Association.

Averaging double digits in points for the first time in his three-year career since being taken late in the first round of the 2005 draft, the 6-8, Lithuanian-born Kleiza was a load nobody on the Jazz roster could handle. Here’s the carnage report: 41 points in 41 minutes, including 4 three-pointers, to go with 9 boards. The man was running the court and dunking the rock with vigor, nailing spot-up longballs, and repeatedly taking men named AK-47 and The Booze off the dribble to get short bunnies in the paint. He was dominant, he electrified the crowd, he became the first Nugget not named A.I. or Carmelo to lead the team in scoring this season.

Linas Kleiza Photo Credit: Icon SMI

Given his European blood and the reputation that many foreign-born players have as being “soft” in the NBA, let’s make one thing clear: Linas Kleiza is a wide-bodied brickhouse. Linas Kleiza is not a timid Euro–he’s gangsta Euro. Gangsta like Darko Milicic is gangsta. He doesn’t back down and doesn’t seem easily intimidated, and at times has the steely look in his eye of a high-ranking lieutenant of the Lithuanian mafioso. At one point, after being fouled hard on a fast break by Kyle Korver, Kleiza walked back over with a snarl on his face and got away with sort of kneeing Korver back down towards the hardwood. It wasn’t dirty and it wasn’t necessarily a cheap shot–it was Linas Kleiza feeling that no one could stop him. And for one night at least, nobody could.