"Denver takes on their re-tooled, star-studded division rival OKC; a talented group still in search of team chemistry"
Pre-Game Thoughts: Even when a group of bad basketball players come together without much previous experience together, there are always growing pains. Team chemistry is yet another in a long list (countless) of highly influential aspects in basketball which can not be broken down and quantified in numbers, as much as so many people would like to and this team is struggling to find a balance. It is fair to question if this particular trio of ball-dependent stars will ever find a perfect balance, but it is unquestionable that even if they don't they will be an absolute terror come playoff time, because Russell Westbrook, the league's reigning MVP, is perhaps the greatest individual talent in the entire league at this moment. I'd argue that LeBron is the better player in the eyes of future-history but that his best years are behind him. He's still pretty decent.
Whether the Thunder are true championship contenders or not, will depend largely upon new additions PG13 and Melo, demonstrating that they can do something neither of them has been able to do on a consistent basis: put their team ahead of themselves. At this stage it's impossible to know which teams will come out of the West and in what seeding, but both Denver and OKC are liable to finish anywhere between 4th and 11th; the West is just that crazy this season, but like I said previously, no one wants to play OKC in the playoffs. They have far too much big game experience, and at that point PG13 and especially Melo, will no longer be focused on their regular season statistics, because winning is ALL that matters in the post-season.
Denver Roster:
Will "The People's Champion" Barton,
Juancho "Ironically, No Room For A Nickname" Hernangomez
Richard "The Dragon Slayer" Jefferson
Kenneth "The Manimal" Faried
Trey "Bien" Lyles
Darrell "Darth" Arthur
Tyler "Not just Anunobody" Lydon
Nikola "Big Honey" Jokic
Mason "Plumdog Millionaire" Plumlee
Michael "Mr Imagination" Malone
Oklahoma City Roster:
Russell "Rocky Horror" Westbrook
Raymond "Insert Fat Joke" Felton
Terrance "Thunder From Down Under " Ferguson
Carmelo "CarMElo AllforME" Anthony
Josh "Seriously, Who Is This?" Huestis
Rashawn "Long Gone" Thomas (Left him on from the preseason game, since... Well... I was correct)
Steven "I Eat Hobbits For 2nd Breakfast" Adams
Update: Juancho is out with "The Kissing Disease" for the Nuggets. As for OKC, nada
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Data: Open this link in a new tab for the definition of TPM™
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TPM™ Game 12 OKC
Jamal Murray: +3
Emmanuel Mudiay: +30
Monte Morris: N/A
Gary Harris: +10
Will Barton: +12
Malik Beasley: -3
Torrey Craig: N/A
Wilson Chandler: +2
Juancho Hernangomez: N/A
Richard Jefferson: N/A
Paul Millsap: +11
Kenneth Faried: N/A
Trey Lyles: N/A
Darrell Arthur: N/A
Tyler Lydon: N/A
Nikola Jokic: +13
Mason Plumlee +4
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Total TPM™ starting Game 1 vs. Uta
Jamal Murray: 12 Games +95
Emmanuel Mudiay: 12 Games +178
Monte Morris: 0 Games +0
Gary Harris: 12 Games +137
Will Barton: 12 Games +113
Malik Beasley: 12 Games +23
Torrey Craig: 0 Games +0
Wilson Chandler: 12 Games +53
Juancho Hernangomez: 2 Games -9
Richard Jefferson: 3 Games -2
Paul Millsap: 12 Games +130
Kenneth Faried: 10 Games +34
Trey Lyles: 7 Games +8
Darrell Arthur: 2 Games -4
Tyler Lydon: 0 Games +0
Nikola Jokic: 12 Games +180
Mason Plumlee: 12 Games +36
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Avg. TPM™ Per Game
Jamal Murray: +7.92
Emmanuel Mudiay: +14.83
Monte Morris: N/A
Gary Harris: +11.42
Will Barton: +9.42
Malik Beasley: +1.92
Torrey Craig: N/A
Wilson Chandler: +4.42
Juancho Hernangomez: -4.50
Richard Jefferson: -0.67
Paul Millsap: +10.83
Kenneth Faried: +3.40
Trey Lyles: +1.14
Darrell Arthur: -2.00
Tyler Lydon: N/A
Nikola Jokic: +15.00
Mason Plumlee: +3.00
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TPM™ Per-Minute Splits Through Game 11:
*Credit to DomP on the Spreadsheet. It's as if my (very nerdy) baby (TPM™) is learning to speak
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Analysis:
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Qtr1- Same starting unit for Denver. OKC trots out the impressive starting five of Westbrook, Roberson, PG13, Melo & Adams. Both teams are moving the ball very well offensively, but not a lot of d is being played. Excellent all around start for Chandler, who's passing has gone largely un-noticed, masked by his shooting and defensive struggles this season. Melo is off to a hot start with 8 points at 8:00. At the risk of setting off a widespread panic, people are bleeding all over the place! Bartlee & Mudiay check in at 5:48 with OKC leading 21-10. Spirited D by this unit is the immediate result. Harris picks up his 2nd foul at 4:12. I'd leave him in, as he hasn't been in serious foul trouble all season. Malone disagrees and inserts Chandler. Mudiay looks fantastic on both ends, save a couple of forced passes. Denver needs to make hay with their bench unit against the shallow OKC bench + Adams. They are getting the looks they want, but have only trimmed the lead to 8. PG13 looks like he's wearing knickerbockers. The Nuggets are paced in TPM by Mudiay at +9, but Denver trails, 28-22 after one.
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Qtr2- Beasley is in to begin the 2nd, as per usual. Plumlee has been active in his stint so far. Beasley has the makings of an excellent rebounding guard. It's all knotted up at 30 with 10 to go. There have been far too many careless passes by the Nuggets. OKC is cashing in the TO's and is back up by 4 at 9:00. OKC is having a bit of a block party on Denver's drives at the moment. Plumlee and Mudiay are both in double figures for the Nuggets. Grant apparently didn't appreciate me bad-mouthing the OKC bench. Millsap is having a block party of his own now. Denver needs to start boxing out on the defensive glass. Barton seems to have his FT stroke back in order. Denver takes a 2 point lead at 3:48 after a Big Honey steal and conversion. Jokic picks up his 3rd foul at 3:33, only one of which was legit, and he's forced to grab some pine. Westbrook confirms that "the ball don't lie" but then grabs the board and scores 'cause Denver continues to avoid boxing out. The refs are mindful now of the lane violation after Russ clearly was in early, and give a makeup call to the effect with Plumlee shooting ft's. Hardly a fair trade. With their starters again in tact, OKC retakes the lead and extends it to 4. OKC plays aggressive D but also gets away with a lot of clutching and grabbing. Fortunately for Denver, Westbrook is ice cold tonight. He gets caught throwing an elbow on a drive (the 2nd time he's done so) but it's only his first official foul. The Nuggets are still paced in TPM by Mudiay at +13 (no other Nuggets are in double figures) and it's a tight one at the half, 53-51.
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Halftime: Smoke break? Don't mind if I do!
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Qtr3- The fact that this game is close despite Westbrook's poor shooting should concern the Nuggets. Both squads are ice cold to start the 3rd. Melo is doing that supremely annoying gritting-teeth thing he does when he thinks he's feelin' it. I'm pretty sure he thinks it's like the Jordan tongue or the equally annoying sucking on the jersey that Kobe used to do. It's all knotted up halfway through the third at 63 on the strength of Harris' all around play in the period. He's the 3rd Nugget in double digits. Murray is starting to realize he's in a basketball game, especially on the defensive end. Big Honey is the 4th Nugget in double figures. Denver clings to a 1 point lead, 70-69 at 2:27. The Nuggets are trending up this period in TPM, now with 4 players in double figures (Harris, Jokic, Mudiay & Sap). Denver continues to suck at free throws. Fortunately on this night at least, so does OKC. Jokic gets his first water polo bucket at 1:00. No one is in foul trouble for either team. Mudiay continues to lead the Nuggets in TPM at +13, despite not playing at all (the correct call as Jamal woke up) in the third. We've got a good one folks! 75-75 after three.
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Qtr 4- Repeat sentiment re: Westbrook to open QTR 3. Denver should be awfully worried at this point. Beasley and Mudiay are in to start the 4th. Felton of all people is heating up as OKC takes a 4 point lead at 11:07. Have I mentioned yet that Westbrook scares the shit out of me at the end of games, especially here at Pepsi center? Well, Westbrook scares the shit out of me at the end of games, especially here at Pepsi center.
The ball continues to not lie. Denver is now up to an unacceptable 17 turnovers. Sap has got to become more productive with Big Honey off the court. He immediately gets an assist and then a steal. Nice! Sap & Barton are the 5th & 6th Nuggets in double figures. Denver now has a 7 point lead with 6:34 to go. Mudiay is really increasing his value for that Bledsoe trade. He's 4-4 from downtown. The only Nugget currently in the negative in TPM is Beasley at -3. Melo has made two in a row, but I don't know that taking the ball out of Russ' hands is sound strategy at crunchtime, no matter how cold he's been. Jokic comes in with Denver up 4 and 4:30 to play. It's all iso, predictably from OKC, and lots of passing for Denver. Big Honey has a 2d. Sap has a career high tying 6 blocks on the night. Huge three by Russ, who finally is allowed the ball, cuts it to 3, with 2:30 to go. Adams is out with an ankle injury. Sap draws his patented and 1 and Denver is now back up 6, with 2:09 to go. The crowd is on their feet as Jokic tips in a Mudiay miss to push the lead to 8 with 0:52 to play. Denver's bench has been an outstanding +24 tonight, which they should be, vs a reeling, top-heavy squad like OKC. Denver is now in the bonus as Melo nabs his 5th foul. Sap sinks 2 and the lead is 10 with :36 to play. Big win for the Nuggets tonight, paced by Mudiay at +30TPM, and joined in double digits TPM by Jokic +13, Sap +11, Harris +10 & Barton +12, as Denver wins 102-94.
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Final Thoughts- That's what we've been waiting for. Big win against a team that's had our number.
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