Again, Team photos were a difficult find for this team.

A very underappreciated player in both cities. Look at those numbers! I thought about going with Denver's own Tom Chambers this time, but Walt is just so thoroughly left out of the conversation, it beared repeating. Throw in the fact that he was the play-by-play man for my formative years of Nuggetry and that cinched it.

Still keepin' the seat warm for The Anchorman.

Denver faces off against the Suns for the second time in nine games

Pre-Game Thoughts: When the Nuggets face off with the well rested Suns at home again tonight, it'll occur amidst much uncertainty. Your guess is as good as mine as to which players see action, for how long and in which combinations. Malone's Nuggets are as unpredictable as is his language; that is to say more so than at any point in their history.

To put it more succinctly, an outside voice absolutely nailed it; Bright Side Of The Sun's writer Deadpoolio:

Very little has changed about Denver since they last faced Phoenix on Jan. 3. The Nuggets are still an explosive offensive team that struggles to maintain consistency and intensity.

In other words, there is no reason for this team to be so predictably unpredictably which leaves Nuggets fans guessing as to the source of the tumult and has me as well as many others questioning if a coaching change, even midstream may indeed be the answer.

Malone doesn't seem to have the ability to make in-game adjustments (that might be a vast understatement), to prepare the players for how to tackle information in scouting reports and is extremely stubborn in terms of leaning on trust players, so much so that he'd rather play veterans out of position than risk playing unpolished youngsters.

Not all blame should be placed on the coach of course because we aren't privy to what goes on behind the scenes and who knows if the players simply are not able to execute technique and game plans but his patterns and words are so frequently contradictory, it's hard to argue that he isn't treading water and often sinking not only his own ship, but that of the young and talented Nuggets. I realize that those are two separate "desperation water-scenario analogies" but that's what happens when you cover a team coached by a leader as desultory as this.

Having trust players to lean on like a crutch is well and good when it works. It's not currently, perhaps because there are no Michael Jordans on the roster. Furthermore, when the youngsters are performing capably, he still removes them at inopportune times, he is extremely inconsistent in both his words and his actions and I'm finding it increasingly difficult to believe that he makes it out of this season still at the helm if he doesn't change his ways VERY soon.

It is clear that he is playing for his job in the best way that he knows how, at the risk of development and at the moment it is getting in the way of victory as well. In short, management has tried to save him from himself in terms of removing Jameer from the roster and he's simply slotted the SF Barton into Nelson's place, with similarly bad results.

Don't get me wrong, Barton has performed admirably but his shooting and defense has all but disappeared with the increased responsibility of running the show and he was a likely the NBA's 6th man of the year prior to his being miscast as floor general. At this point Malone can't even save himself FROM himself and intervention seems likely.

This is the part of the schedule in which Denver is supposed to be making hay, sandwiched in between very tough December and February schedules and the opposite is occurring as the Nuggets now find themselves on the outside looking in at the playoffs.

When these teams last met at the beginning of the month, Denver enjoyed double digit TPM performances from 5 players (not to mention a +9 TPM by Mudiay in just 2 minutes of action. He SHOULD see substantially more of the court this time with Murray out but with the recent allocation of minutes, who the hell knows?) lead by Barton's +20 and Harris' +31. Denver actually trailed by 6 at the half, in a game in which zero defense was played but wound up winning in convincing fashion, 134-111, so we can likely predict a reverse of that score tonight, In fact I'd bet on it considering that Booker is coming off a 43 point game in which he flirted with a 3D and will likely have Barton "defending him" frequently since Denver is relying heavily on Harris' offensive energy at this time.

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)

Phoenix Suns Roster

Coach: "Apparently" Jay Triano

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, the NBA's current "iron man" title holder, is likely with a flare up of the abdominal strain he's been playing through for the better part of the season. Murray is questionable with a concussion. As for Phoenix, Warren is likely with a sore lower back, Marquese Chriss out with a right hip flexor injury, Knight is out for the year with a torn ACL, Williams is out with a torn right meniscus and Tyson is as always questionable because... Old.

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

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TPM™ Game 46 PHO

Jamal Murray: +10

Emmanuel Mudiay: +8

Monte Morris: N/A

Gary Harris: +14

Will Barton: +2

Malik Beasley: -6

Torrey Craig: +0

Wilson Chandler: +6

Juancho Hernangomez: N/A

Richard Jefferson: +0

Paul Millsap: N/A

Kenneth Faried: N/A

Trey Lyles: +14

Darrell Arthur: N/A

Tyler Lydon: N/A

Nikola Jokic: +9

Mason Plumlee: +2

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Total TPM™ starting Game 1 vs. Uta

Jamal Murray: 45 Games +409

Emmanuel Mudiay: 34 Games +326

Monte Morris: 1 Game +1

Gary Harris: 42 Games +636

Will Barton: 45 Games +465

Malik Beasley: 41 Games +60

Torrey Craig: 15 Games -16

Wilson Chandler: 42 Games +273

Juancho Hernangomez: 17 Games -17

Richard Jefferson: 14 Games -5

Paul Millsap: 16 Games +173

Kenneth Faried: 30 Games +34

Trey Lyles: 40 Games +325

Darrell Arthur: 6 Games -19

Tyler Lydon: 1 Games -3

Nikola Jokic: 39 Games +523

Mason Plumlee: 45 Games +149

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Avg. TPM™ Per Game

Jamal Murray: +9.09

Emmanuel Mudiay: +9.59

Monte Morris: +1.00

Gary Harris: +15.14

Will Barton: +10.33

Malik Beasley: +1.46

Torrey Craig: -1.07

Wilson Chandler: +6.50

Juancho Hernangomez: -1.00

Richard Jefferson: -0.36

Paul Millsap: +10.81

Kenneth Faried: +1.13

Trey Lyles: +8.13

Darrell Arthur: -3.17

Tyler Lydon: -3.00

Nikola Jokic: +13.41

Mason Plumlee: +3.31

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TPM™ Per-Minute Splits Through Game 45:

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

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Analysis:

Qtr2- Barton, Murray, Beasley, Jefferson and Plumlee are in to start the 2nd so that was a very brief stint for Craig; the "Beasley special." PHO quickly takes the lead by 3 at 10:47 on the strength of an 8-0 run. Make that 8 on a 13-0 run at 9:20. What's your call Captain? Big Honey, Chandler Lyles & Harris all join Murray and they immediately look like an NBA squad again. Canaan is killing the Nuggets from distance. The Suns simply can not miss at the moment as they are up by 9 at 6:45. The Phoenix shooting is utterly ridiculous right now. It really doesn't matter if Denver guards PHO shooters or not (they're not for the most part), it's always nothing but net. The lead has ballooned to 15 at 3:42 and the blame lies squarely on the players here 'cause to his credit, Malone made the change when he needed to. Wasn't the Nuggets bench supposed to be better with Barton quarterbacking it? Jokic is frustrated and he nabs his 3rd at 2:55. He's replaced by Plumlee but in truth, Big Honey checked out after the first period. Plumlee is having an immediate defensive impact and the lead is ten at 1:46. The lead is now 7 on the strength of an 8-0 Denver run since Jokic officially checked out. Plumlee & Tyson exchange hard fouls and Chandler earns a flagrant "one" for his. Plumlee misses two, so no harm, no... Foul? Denver is paced in TPM by Jokic +10 & Lyles +13 but have their work cut out for them once again, down 60-50

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Halftime: Smoke break? Uh huh.

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Qtr3- Murray comes out with an emphatic jam over Tyson. Harris looks to have turned his ankle but remains in. Murray follows it up with yet another coast to coast jam and one. The lead is down to 7 at 10:52. Another coast to coast layup for Murray and he now has 26 as the lead is down to 5 at 10:04. Unfortunately, no other Nuggets have decided to join him even in double figures yet. This game is getting very physical. Jokic earns his 4th foul at 8:35 down 6 but remains in. Lyles is finally the 2nd Nugget in double digits. Jokic now has 6 TO's & is replaced by Plumlee. PHO is back on a run of as-yet unannounced quantity and the lead is back to twelve. 9-0 sayeth Marlowe. Phoenix is in the bonus with 6:56 to go. Barton comes in and hoists up two straight iso ball bricks. Harris is the 3rd Nugget in double figures. The lead is 10 at 4:32. Lyles is starting to hit his FT's which is a sliver lining. Denver can not BUY a call. Lyles is charged with his 4th at 4:19. It's Murray and Lyles + bench at the moment. Another iso three bricks out for the 0-6 Barton (0-3 from distance). Murray gets HIS 4th foul at 3:33 and the wheels appear to be coming off. MUDIAY IS IN with Denver trailing by 13 at 3.26. The lineup consists of Mudiay, Barton, Beasley Lyles & Plumlee. It'd be difficult to pick a more sub-ideal lineup for which to expect high +-. Plumlee fumbles and then kicks the ball out of bounds but Mudiay is credited with a TO (not all TO's are equal). Courtney Kirkland looks remarkably like ex-sportscaster Kevin Frasier. What do you know? Denver is starting to play D for the first time all night. Denver is paced in TPM by Murray +11, Harris +12 & Lyles +14 but trail 85-72 after three.

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Qtr4- It's Jokic + bench to begin the 4th. The defensive effort is still there. Denver is attacking the rim and the Suns have already committed three fouls as a result at 10:25, up 9. Barton is finally coming on but not sharing the ball whatsoever. Harris is in for Beasley at 9:27, down 11. My goodness is Jokic bad defensively. I'm sorry and it's not news to many of you but it is BAAAAD. Much worse than earlier in the year even. An RJ three cuts it to ten at 8:10. A reverse layup by Mudiay cuts it to 8. If these are all the minutes he gets (as I expect them to be given the time remaining and a timeout called) that makes two straight very good games for Emanuel. Gotta get the hot shooting Murray back in at this point, however. True to my prediction, Murray is rightly in for Mudiay at this point with the Suns up by 8. Make that 11 after a Booker three, make that 8 after Harris returns the favor. Jokic earns a T for complaining to the officials again at 5:22. Barton checks in for RJ who played well tonight. Denver is in the bonus at 4:59, down nine. Jokic sticks 2 from the charity stripe and he's the 4th Nugget in double figures, in so doing he has a 2d. A Jokic three cuts it to 6 followed quickly by a Harris runner and it's down to 4! Booker is in full on hero-ball mode and for the time being he is missing which is great because believe it or not, the actual defense being played left the building when Mudiay and RJ were replaced by Murray and Barton. Two straight uncontested bunnies by PHO extends the lead to 8 at 2:40, however. One of two FT's by Barton cut it to 7 with just under a minute to play. Craig checks in which means he may actually play two stints in this game, totaling less than two minutes. Make that three stints as offensive for defensive changes are made. Canaan hit a layup and that all but seals it with :36 to go. Murray fouls out just for good measure and that's a wrap. Denver is paced in TPM by Murray +10, Lyles & Harris +14 and lose 108-100.

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Final Thoughts: Absolutely horrendous defense tonight by Murray, Barton and Jokic combined with far too many careless turnovers was the Nuggets undoing. Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

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We Suck Again!

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