The Injury bug. We know it all too well in Denver too.

Oopsie poopsie! Hey I'll make it up to you Blake. How 'bout I sign in the off-season?

Still keepin' that seat warm for The Anchorman.

The return of TPM analysis, or "TPM Takes the anal out of analytics."

Pre-Game Thoughts: The Clippers, winners of five in a row (9 of their last 11) have placed themselves squarely back into the playoff conversation in what looks to be shaping up as 5 teams vying for placement amongst 4 availabilities. This could have been an elite team had not injuries to Gallo, Beverly and later Griffin derailed them early. They are still a team no one wants to face in the playoffs, ESPECIALLY the Rockets.

They are lead in scoring by Lou Williams sensational shooting and ability to draw and hit free throws and the return of All-Star Blake Griffin. Together they combine for a whopping 46 points. This season Austin Rivers has shown marked improvement on his three point shooting and has had many monster games on the year, though his shot selection can be suspect and there is no reason at all he should be such a poor FT shooter. Jordan is doing Jordan things though his blocked shots are way down (Wesley Johnson leads the team in fact at just 1.05) and his FT shooting is for the first time in his career, semi-acceptable.

The absence of Beverly, Jordan and Gallo, and their best bench player in Rivers are obvious holes in their rotation, which for now are being filled by Teodosic, Wallace and Reed, with Wes contributing nicely from the bench. Denver has had it's share of injuries as well and have been without prize free agent Paul Millsap basically all season but are otherwise coming into this one with a fairly healthy allotment of players, most of which will not be utilized as Malone, stubbornly has taken a liking to Thibodeau's methodology after losing to the Wolves, particularly in the cases of Barton (not a PG) and Chandler (not a starter).

Go Nuggets!

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And now what none of you come here for; how about some basketball nerdery?!?!

(After these messages... Er Nicknames)

LA Clippers Roster

Coach: Doc "The Cure For What Never Ailed You" Rivers

Denver Nuggets Roster

Coach: Michael "Mr Imagination" Malone

Update: Millsap had successful left wrist surgery and is expected back some time around the all star break. Mudiay is improbable due to dog house (see also Faried, Kenneth), Plumlee is questionable with a flare up of the abdominal strain he's been playing through for the better part of the season. Murray is out with a concussion. As for the Clippers, Beverly is out for the year with a torn ACL, Gallo is still out with a torn booty, Rivers is out with a thankfully minor Achilles injury and Jordan is doubtful with a sprained ankle.

Data: Open this link in a new tab for the definition of TPM™

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TPM™ Game 45 LAC

Jamal Murray: N/A

Emmanuel Mudiay: +19

Monte Morris: N/A

Gary Harris: +15

Will Barton: +11

Malik Beasley: +7

Torrey Craig: N/A

Wilson Chandler: +12

Juancho Hernangomez: N/A

Richard Jefferson: -3

Paul Millsap: N/A

Kenneth Faried: -9

Trey Lyles: +3

Darrell Arthur: N/A

Tyler Lydon: N/A

Nikola Jokic: +7

Mason Plumlee: +9

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Total TPM™ starting Game 1 vs. Uta

Jamal Murray: 44 Games +399

Emmanuel Mudiay: 33 Games +318

Monte Morris: 1 Game +1

Gary Harris: 41 Games +622

Will Barton: 44 Games +463

Malik Beasley: 40 Games +66

Torrey Craig: 15 Games -16

Wilson Chandler: 41 Games +267

Juancho Hernangomez: 17 Games -17

Richard Jefferson: 14 Games -5

Paul Millsap: 16 Games +173

Kenneth Faried: 30 Games +34

Trey Lyles: 39 Games +311

Darrell Arthur: 6 Games -19

Tyler Lydon: 1 Games -3

Nikola Jokic: 38 Games +514

Mason Plumlee: 45 Games +147

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Avg. TPM™ Per Game

Jamal Murray: +9.07

Emmanuel Mudiay: +9.64

Monte Morris: +1.00

Gary Harris: +15.17

Will Barton: +10.52

Malik Beasley: +1.65

Torrey Craig: -1.07

Wilson Chandler: +6.51

Juancho Hernangomez: -1.00

Richard Jefferson: -0.36

Paul Millsap: +10.81

Kenneth Faried: +1.13

Trey Lyles: +7.97

Darrell Arthur: -3.17

Tyler Lydon: -3.00

Nikola Jokic: +13.53

Mason Plumlee: +3.27

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TPM™ Per-Minute Splits Through Game 44:

*Credit DomP on the Spreadsheet. It's as if my (nerdy) baby (TPM™) learned to speak

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Analysis:

Qtr2- Illustrating a point I make often, Mudiay turns the ball over, buckles down on D and steals the ball right back! For those of you scoring at home that results in zero points, not .064 or whatever it's determined to be in predictive metrics. Faried however is getting WORKED defensively by Harrell. Since I rarely get an opportunity to comment on Mudiay anymore, fuck off I'm doing it! He's a +7 TPM thus far while -4 in +- because he's had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the fact that Faried and Lyles are playing horrendous D in this horrendous lineup that Malone is going with. Only Harris and Emanuel know how/are still capable (lookin' at you RJ) of playing D amongst this group. Denver is down by just three as Chandler checks in for RJ at 8:00. Mudiay has missed two straight layups, both of which resulted in zero points for LA, one of which resulting in two made FT's for Mudiay. The starters plus Mudiay - Barton are in at 6:20 and they take the lead with a Harris three, on the strength of an 11-2 run. Barton is in for Mudiay at 5:17 with Denver leading by 4. Gary is the first Nugget in double figures. Reed nabs his 3rd foul at 2:29. Plumlee is the 2nd Nugget in double digits. Harris is getting his quick hands on the ball on seemingly every defensive play for the Nuggets. Denver is paced in TPM by Mudiay +11 & Harris +19 and lead 59-50 at the half.

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Halftime: Smoke break? Yes ILP ;)

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Qtr3- Mark Jackson just said "Jokic is doing a good job in P&R defense." Denver's lead is 12 at the 10:00 minute mark. Doc is clap-clapping his hands along with the annoying PA prompter. PG Barton's D and carelessness with the ball has directly lead to 7-10 Clippers points in the third and the lead is down to 4 at 8:49 on the strength of an 8-0 run. Jokic is the third Nugget in double figures. Reed picks up his 4th foul. LA takes the lead at 6:50 as the Nuggets are playing ZERO defense at the moment, especially at the point of attack but also down low. Reed gets his FIFTH foul at 6:47 and finally checks out. LA is currently on a 16-2 run and Malone has yet to make any substitutions at 6:31. We're tied midway through the third after a Chandler layup. Lyles finally comes in for the Nuggets. That aughta solve our blow-by's on the perimeter. Lou finally gets a blow and Beasley is in for Harris at 4:25. The Nuggets now lead by 6 as Barton is finally starting to contribute positively vs the LA bench. Barton is now a +2 in TPM. The lead is now up to 10 again after Big Honey checks in, on a Chandler put back at 2:32. RJ is in at 1:15 up 3. Still no Mudiay. He's finally in at :44 of a tie game. Mudiay hits a ten foot driving Jumper to retake the lead. Denver is paced in TPM by Plumlee +10, Chandler +11, Mudiay +13 & Harris +22, as they lead 81-80 after three.

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Qtr4- Lyles is really hitting the offensive glass. Denver is getting any shot they want but not connecting. Lyles is the 4th Nugget in double digits. The Denver lead is up to 5 at 9:22. RJ has been on the court entirely too long and the game is tied at 8:45. Harris has been incredibly careless with the ball as the primary ball handler in the half court. Mudiay is the 5th Nugget in double digits. Barton is the 6th Nugget in double digits after scoring 5 straight and it's all knotted up at 94 with 5:46 to go. Mudiay checks out and the starters appear to be in to close this one out. LA takes a 2 point lead on FT's by Teo. Harris is having a horrendous 2nd half and LA leads by 3 with 4:12 to go. Emanuel is currently a +2 in +- while leading the Nuggets in TPM at +19! Lineup dependent metrics are a tool, not gospel; often a very misleading tool at that. Jokic cuts it to one with a J and LA calls a TO at 3:13. Denver is going with the hack a Harrell ploy, which works as he goes 0-2 at the line, including an air ball. PG Harris is then guilty of an 8 second violation! Back to hack a Harrell. He's 1-2 this time and LA leads by 2 at 2:47. Hack a Harrell again and this time he goes 2-2 & the lead is 4. Wes drills a three and the lead is now seven! There is now under 2 minutes to go. Not looking good for the Nuggets as Barton is now going into hero mode with a transition brick of a three. The lead is 4 after two Harris FT's. Barton hits 2 at the line and it's a 2 point game with :16 to go. Griffin is fouled with 15.4 to go by Chandler. He misses both on some UGLY form at the line and there is still hope. PLEASE run this play through Jokic and NOT the ice cold Harris or the erratic Barton! Will throws it away predictably on an UGLY drive and this one is over! Denver is paced in TPM by Barton +11, Chandler +12, Harris +15 & Mudiay +19 but lose a game that they SHOULD have won, 109-104.

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Final Thoughts: Boy, oh boy; this piece may just set a new "intergalactic record" for Mudiay-Hate-Readership! Denver lost this one when they brought in the ineffective Harris for the highly effective Mudiay with a lead in hand. You've got to insert Harris to close out but for Plumlee or Chandler.

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We Suck Again!

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