Pretty, pretty good.

I always knew that having the same team colors would be problematic.

Could there be a more unlikely scenario for a Nuggets victory than facing the best team on the planet, with revenge on it's mind? Well yes, but not by much.

Pre-Game Thoughts: I actually had a fairly good feeling going into the previous meeting between these two teams, due mostly to the likelihood that the Warriors were more concerned at the time with their impending X-Mas day face-off with LeBron and the Cavs. My outlook on the Nuggets' chances in this one however, could not be any more opposite. Dominant teams that get embarrassed in defeat, nearly always respond by playing strong against other dominant teams and Denver is far from that at this stage in development. It would be foolish to bet the farm on a road victory tonight.

On December 23rd, Denver utilized a balanced attack featuring 4 players in the teens in terms of TPM and another two knocking on the door, as they won at Golden State, 96-81 and in so doing, snapped the Warriors eleven game winning streak at the time. Denver was without Millsap of course but GS was without Curry, who's absence of gravity contributed to them shooting a season low 11.1 percent from beyond the arc. Not so tonight. The Dub's will however, be without the services of all-everything forward Kevin Durant.

These two squads don't often engage in wars of attrition; one team seems to be in control from jump street, and this season's previous two encounters (one win for each team) have been no different. By far Denver's worst defeat on the year came in the first game in which they amassed a season low +4 combined TPM! The Nuggets can't expect to have many single players score that low tonight and remain competitive, much less the team on whole.

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)

Golden State Warriors Roster

Coach: Steve "The Blur" Kerr

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) and Plumlee is playing through a twice dislocated finger for the Nuggets. As for Golden State, KD is out with a calf injury & just about everyone else is dinged up but expected to play.

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

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TPM™ Game 40 GS

Jamal Murray: +6

Emmanuel Mudiay: N/A

Monte Morris: N/A

Gary Harris: +16

Will Barton: +1

Malik Beasley:-4

Torrey Craig: -5

Wilson Chandler: +6

Juancho Hernangomez: N/A

Richard Jefferson: N/A

Paul Millsap: N/A

Kenneth Faried: N/A

Trey Lyles: +16

Darrell Arthur: N/A

Tyler Lydon: N/A

Nikola Jokic: +16

Mason Plumlee: +2

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Total TPM™ starting Game 1 vs. Uta

Jamal Murray: 40 Games +400

Emmanuel Mudiay: 31 Games +302

Monte Morris: 1 Game +1

Gary Harris: 37 Games +549

Will Barton: 39 Games +414

Malik Beasley: 35 Games +71

Torrey Craig: 13 Games -9

Wilson Chandler: 36 Games +267

Juancho Hernangomez: 16 Games -14

Richard Jefferson: 10 Games -2

Paul Millsap: 16 Games +173

Kenneth Faried: 26 Games +43

Trey Lyles: 34 Games +279

Darrell Arthur: 5 Games -14

Tyler Lydon: 1 Games -3

Nikola Jokic: 33 Games +474

Mason Plumlee: 40 Games +113

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Avg. TPM™ Per Game

Jamal Murray: +10.00

Emmanuel Mudiay: +9.74

Monte Morris: +1.00

Gary Harris: +14.84

Will Barton: +10.62

Malik Beasley: +2.03

Torrey Craig: -0.69

Wilson Chandler: +7.42

Juancho Hernangomez: -0.88

Richard Jefferson: -0.20

Paul Millsap: +10.81

Kenneth Faried: +1.65

Trey Lyles: +8.21

Darrell Arthur: -2.80

Tyler Lydon: -3.00

Nikola Jokic: +14.36

Mason Plumlee: +2.83

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TPM™ Per-Minute Splits Through Game 37:

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

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Analysis:

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Qtr2- The Bench + Plumlee and Lyles open the 2nd and they are not getting the job done. GS extends to their biggest lead, 41-30 at 9:42. This has been Murray's worst game in quite some time. The lead is up to 13 at 8:20. Jokic comes in and the offense at least is more in sync. Murray finally sticks a three and the lead is down to 8 at 7:34. Craig is having by my estimation, his best game since his first two as a starter, that is to say his first good game in a very long time. Jokic is a non factor defensively. GS now leads this game of momentum by 13 on the strength of a 7-0 run. Harris is the 1st Nugget in double figures and the lead is down to 7 at 3:42. Big Honey is the 2nd Nugget in double digits and the lead is down to five at 2:00. Murray becomes the third Nugget in double figures with under a minute to go. Denver is paced in TPM by Harris +7 but trail 64-57 at the half.

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Halftime: Smoke break? Why not.

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Qtr3- It's Jokic-4, GS-0 and the lead is down to three at 10:22. Another Jokic bucket cuts it to two at 8:26. He's got a 2d and is very close to a 3d. Plumlee is the 4th Nugget in double digits. Big Honey is one assist shy of a 3d, FINALLY! Denver's starters are still out there with a 4 point deficit and 4:13 to go. This could come back to bite them. Barton checks in for Plumlee along with Lyles for Chandler, at this point. GS leads by 7 at 3:15. Lyles instantly scores 4 for the good guys. Chandler is back in for Jokic after a VERY short breather and the lead is quickly up to 14 after 3 straight Warriors threes. Lyles is the 5th Nugget in double digits. Denver is paced in TPM by Lyles +10 & Jokic +12 but have their work cut out for them, down 81-93 after three.

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Qtr4- The first 5 are scored by Lyles for Denver but this hodgepodge lineup is providing zero defense, particularly on threes and it'd be difficult to insert Jokic or Harris this early due to their big third QTR minutes. GS leads by 14 at 10:11. Jokic and Harris check in at 9:10 but they trail by 16. Big Honey has his first 3D of the season but his hideous D tonight has taken much of the luster off of this performance. I sense the waiving of the white flag at any time now as GS leads by 14 with 6 to go. The lead is down to 10 on the strength of an 8-0 run but I get the sense that it's too little too late at 4:15. Denver cuts it to 6 at 1:26 and I'm happy to have been wrong on their fighting spirit tonight. The lead is back up to ten with just under a minute to play. Denver is paced in TPM by Lyles, Harris & Jokic +16 but loose it 124-114.

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Final Thoughts: That game was pretty predictable at any given moment. It would have required a nearly flawless game by all involved and very few Nuggets were even above average on this night.

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We Suck Again!

Denver Nuggets Golden State Of Mind Nuggets vs Warriors coverage