TylawThose who braved the snow last night to get to the Pepsi Center for the Denver Nuggets game were rewarded with an exceptional night of entertainment.

Local musician Isaac Slade of The Fray kicked off the night with the national anthem, team mascot Rocky dropped out of the arena’s ceiling in a balloon-boy spoof, and rap group Naughty By Nature performed at halftime.

The Nuggets also put on an impressive show against the talented Utah Jazz, winning 114-105.

Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony looked to be in midseason form, hanging a game-high 30 points, eight rebounds, and five assists on the Jazz, including a fourth-quarter tomahawk jam over the Jazz’s Paul Millsap, nearly making the Pepsi Center explode (via The Denver Post).

The Jazz led the game by as many as eight points in the third quarter, mostly on the stellar play of point guard Deron Williams, who finished the game with 28 points and 13 assists, notes The Salt Lake Tribune.

But key mistakes and the impressive debut of Nuggets rookie guard Ty Lawson proved to be too much for the Jazz. The 5-foot-11 Lawson (pictured, playing for North Carolina) finished the game with 17 points and a team-high six assists, showing off a variety of ways to get the job done for his team.

The Denver Stiffs point out that Lawson came off the floor toward the end of the game to a standing ovation, and coach George Karl seemed like a proud father, trying desperately not to overpraise his son’s performance.

It was only one game, and the Nuggets head to Portland, Oregon, tonight to take on the tough Trailblazers, but it was enough to show that the Nuggets are picking up right where they left off.