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, seeking redemption after a listless effort in Houston last night.

Pre-Game Thoughts: When the Nuggets last faced off with the Suns, they received double digit contributions in TPM from only three players (Murray +10, Harris/Jokic +14), one player was in the red (Beasley -6) and lost a close one that shouldn't have been so, by a score of 108-100. Jokic got off to a tremendous start but ultimately ended the game with 2 fewer TPM points than he had after the first quarter. The bugaboo for the Nuggets on that night was the same as it has been for much of the year:

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

Prior to last night's game, Denver had strung together what was in my opinion their best four game stretch of the season and as I pointed out in the analysis section last night, I'm concerned about Denver picking up some bad habits in defeat, as that was the result the first time they were embarrassed in Houston this year and the effects lingered for some time afterward.

This time around The Suns will have a bit of a new look to them as they added Elfrid Payton from Orlando, for pennies on the Dollar. I Like his game and it is certain to eventually compliment that of Booker rather nicely.

Lets hope the Nuggets did their daily affirmation exercises, thought long and hard about what they've done and can be safely removed from timeout in time for tonight's game.

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, Lydon is out for the year after tearing up his knee in the G-League, Plumlee is out with a calf strain Old Mud is probable pending physical etc & for Denver. As for PHO, Williams and Knight are both out with knee injuries, Chandler is questionable with a neck injury and is always old, Ulis is questionable with a backache, and Booker is questionable with a hip injury.

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

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TPM™ Game 55 PHO

Jamal Murray: +5

Devin Harris: +9

Monte Morris: N/A

Gary Harris: +10

Will Barton: +21

Malik Beasley: -2

Torrey Craig: -2

Wilson Chandler: +24

Juancho Hernangomez: N/A

Richard Jefferson: N/A

Paul Millsap: N/A

Kenneth Faried: N/A

Trey Lyles: +7

Darrell Arthur: +2

Tyler Lydon: N/A

Nikola Jokic: +13

Mason Plumlee: N/A

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Total TPM™ starting Game 1 vs. Uta

Jamal Murray: 55 Games +566

(RIP) Emmanuel Mudiay: 42 Games +396

Devin Harris: 1 Games +9

Monte Morris: 2 Game +20

Gary Harris: 52 Games +790

Will Barton: 55 Games +580

Malik Beasley: 47 Games +62

Torrey Craig: 26 Games -31

Wilson Chandler: 50 Games +303

Juancho Hernangomez: 19 Games -16

Richard Jefferson: 15 Games -5

Paul Millsap: 16 Games +173

Kenneth Faried: 32 Games +25

Trey Lyles: 50 Games +403

Darrell Arthur: 13 Games +9

Tyler Lydon: 1 Games -3

Nikola Jokic: 49 Games +719

Mason Plumlee: 50 Games +187

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Avg. TPM™ Per Game

Jamal Murray: +10.29

(RIP) Emmanuel Mudiay: +9.43

Devin Harris:9.00

Monte Morris: +10.00

Gary Harris: +15.19

Will Barton: +10.55

Malik Beasley: +1.32

Torrey Craig: -1.19

Wilson Chandler: +6.06

Juancho Hernangomez: -0.84

Richard Jefferson: -0.33

Paul Millsap: +10.81

Kenneth Faried: +0.78

Trey Lyles: +8.06

Darrell Arthur: +0.58

Tyler Lydon: -3.00

Nikola Jokic: +14.67

Mason Plumlee: +3.74

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TPM™ Per-Minute Splits Through Game 54:

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

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Analysis:

Qtr2- Craig does not at all trust his jumper and is way over-passing tonight as I predicted may happen, ala Chandler earlier in the season. Darth looks young tonight. Old Mud scores his first points as a Nugget, from downtown and Denver leads by 10 at 10:31. Every Nugget but Lyles has scored of the 9 who have seen action thus far. He is pressing offensively and PHO cuts it to 4 at 8:38. Darth is out of gas but I'm not certain that Malone notices. Denver's D is non-existent and it's knotted up at 7:45. Lyles finally gets a layup to go and now all 9 Nuggets have scored. Darth picks up his third foul and now Malone has no choice but to remove him, as he should have a couple of minutes ago. He also appears to have injured his left hand while attempting to take a charge. Denver looks like a team that played last night at the moment and it's down to one again at 5:27. Big Honey is getting upset with the officiating and it's taking him out of his game once again. Nonetheless, he's the first Nugget in double figures at 3:20, up one. Chriss gets his third foul shortly there-after and he takes a seat. Jokic is living at the line so perhaps he's finally starting to get some respect from the officials. Payton is torching Murray defensively. Regardless, Jamal is the 2nd Nugget in double digits. Denver is paced in TPM by Barton +10 and take a 2 point lead into the half, 62-60.

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Halftime: Smoke break? Stupid question, stupid section.

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Qtr3- The Nuggets come out of the gate unfocused and PHO takes the one point lead at 10:08. The Suns have outscored the Nuggets 12-4 in the third, they now lead by 6 at 9:14 and Old Mud checks in for Murray, Lyles for Jokic. Chandler is the third Nugget to reach double figures. Barton becomes the 4th in short order with a three. The Suns can get a layup at will tonight. Lets face it; any team can, any night. The teams are now trading buckets as Phoenix leads by 4 at 4:52. Chriss picks up his 4th foul soon after but remains in. Within one minute he gets his 5th on an aggressive foul during a breakaway by Gary and Chriss must exit. Barton is going hero-mode but for the time being that's a good thing, as Denver takes the lead on his and-one.

Lyles is picking up his D and the Nuggets make it a two point lead at 3:01 on the strength of a 15-5 run, basically from the time Murray and Big Honey were replaced by Old Mud/Lyles. Denver's offense is basically all Iso, either Chandler or Barton, which is working at the moment but this is not sustainable as Denver leads by 2 at 1:30. Old Mud is playing well tonight but I have to remind all Murray fans that you can expect him to cut into The Blue Arrow's minutes in a way Mudiay never would have for Malone reasons. We can ask the team to trade for a team-need; we can't expect them to then utilize said player as we'd wish them to, which I predict is about to become the next bone of contention in Stiffsville. It shouldn't if we're winning but we all know that's secondary to our favorite individual players. Denver is paced in TPM by Chandler +16 & Barton +20. Denver's bench has righted the ship and they close out the period well, leading 94-89.

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Qtr4- Barton has sprained his ankle and he checks out but it doesn't look too bad as he jogs off the floor. Untimely nonetheless. The Nuggets lead is 7 after a pretty layup by Lyles at 10:45. Gary sticks a three and just like that the lead is ten. People will undoubtedly gripe about the removal of Jokic/Murray and sitting them for so long but it was equally sans-doubt, the move that saved this game by Malone, so props where due to him. What the hell is a "Freddie's" and why on earth are they advertising in Denver? I've never even heard of this chain, let alone seen one. Must be a Highlands Ranch sorta place. Gary is the 5th Nugget in double figures. Jokic/Barton check in at 8:45, up 8. Barton tweaks his ankle again but is gutting it out for now. Love it! Murray is in for Old Mud at 7:00, up 11. All five starters are in double digits for the good guys. Big Honey sticks a three from Chandler and the lead is 14 at 6:29. Malone has pulled all the right strings for the most part, in terms of rotations tonight, apart from leaving Darth in too long in the first half,

I think Phoenix fans are going to be very pleased with Payton, especially once Booker returns. Jokic's D is Killing the Nuggets tonight and PHO cuts it to eight at 4:45. It's Murray's turn to play lazy D and it's down to 6 immediately after I deleted the "We Suck Again" Gif, so that's on me ladies and gents, on the strength of an 8-0 Phoenix run. Denver is doing their damnedest to lose this one. Oh how I wish the Nuggets could have found a way to trade up for Jackson in the 2017 draft. He's a keeper, and exactly what the Nuggets need. The lead is now 11 after "Ill-Will, with the Chill Pill"-Marlowe (from downtown) at 1:45. Ill Will drills a "Fall-back Baby"-Marlowe (is on fire right now), the lead is 13 and this one is ova! Denver is paced in TPM by by Gary +10, Jokic +13, Barton +21 & Chandler +24, as they snap their seven game road losing streak with a 123-113 victory.

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Final Thoughts: Nothing even slightly pretty about this one but a W is a W. Atta boy Ill Will! That 303 TPM season total, reppin' Colorado!

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The Nuggets Win!

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