The first player ever to NOT want to play for the Spurs.

L.A. is definitely enjoying a resurgence this season.

Still keepin' the seat warm for The Anchorman.

Denver vs San Antonio:

Pre-Game Thoughts: When last these two teams met, Denver played a very solid game in defeat, in which 5 players earned double figure TPM scores, lead by Mudiay's +19, while nobody ended up in the red and the Nuggets had what is a season best (for a game in which they lost) combined-team TPM score of 103 but the Nuggets fell just short, 104-106 in San Antonio.

The Spurs are on the second night of a B2B, on the road in the Mile High City and without their best player (& top five baller in the league) in Kawhi Leonard, the resurgent LaMarcus Aldridge who will be out until after the All-Star break, as well as the always threatening (in terms of scoring) Rudy Gay.

Additionally, they are not as able to rest Pau Gasol at this time as they were earlier in the year without fear of falling into the second tier of playoff seeding, which actually works against the Nuggets on this occasion as he'd likely have been rested for one of the B2B games earlier in the year, is playing very well this season and will most likely play both games this time around.

As Mark Barrington for Pounding The Rock stated:

Tony Parker might rest tonight because it’s a back-to-back and he’s French.

which essentially means that if there is such thing as a "trap" game vs a superior opponent, this is it. It also means that I wish I was French.

I don't care what anyone says about this very different Spurs unit; victories vs the Popovich coached Spurs have ALWAYS been scarce for Denver and embarrassing losses have been all too frequent, so a win by any margin for Denver, without accruing injury, should be counted as a major milestone.

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)

San Antonio Spurs Roster

Coach: Gregg "Popovich, Popovich" Popovich (Malkovic link here)

Denver Nuggets Roster

Coach: Michael "Mr Imagination" Malone

Update: 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 and Jamal Murray is questionable due to chest pain (uh oh!) for Denver. As for San Antonio, Kawhi Leonard is out with a quad injury LA is out after having a minor knee procedure done & Rudy Gay is out with a heel injury.

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

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TPM™ Game 57 SA

Jamal Murray: +12

Devin Harris: -9

Monte Morris: +0

Gary Harris: +9

Will Barton: +23

Malik Beasley: -3

Torrey Craig: N/A

Wilson Chandler: +19

Juancho Hernangomez: N/A

Richard Jefferson: N/A

Paul Millsap: N/A

Kenneth Faried: N/A

Trey Lyles: -3

Darrell Arthur: -2

Tyler Lydon: N/A

Nikola Jokic: +31

Mason Plumlee: N/A

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Total TPM™ starting Game 1 vs. Uta

Jamal Murray: 56 Games +578

(RIP) Emmanuel Mudiay: 42 Games +396

Devin Harris: 2 Games +0

Monte Morris: 3 Game +20

Gary Harris: 53 Games +799

Will Barton: 56 Games +603

Malik Beasley: 47 Games +59

Torrey Craig: 26 Games -31

Wilson Chandler: 51 Games +322

Juancho Hernangomez: 19 Games -16

Richard Jefferson: 15 Games -5

Paul Millsap: 16 Games +173

Kenneth Faried: 32 Games +25

Trey Lyles: 51 Games +400

Darrell Arthur: 14 Games +7

Tyler Lydon: 1 Games -3

Nikola Jokic: 50 Games +750

Mason Plumlee: 50 Games +187

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Avg. TPM™ Per Game

Jamal Murray: +10.32

(RIP) Emmanuel Mudiay: +9.43

Devin Harris: +0.00

Monte Morris: +6.67

Gary Harris: +15.08

Will Barton: +10.77

Malik Beasley: +1.26

Torrey Craig: -1.19

Wilson Chandler: +6.31

Juancho Hernangomez: -0.84

Richard Jefferson: -0.33

Paul Millsap: +10.81

Kenneth Faried: +0.78

Trey Lyles: +7.84

Darrell Arthur: +0.50

Tyler Lydon: -3.00

Nikola Jokic: +15.00

Mason Plumlee: +3.74

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TPM™ Per-Minute Splits Through Game 56:

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

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Analysis:

Qtr2- Three assists/three turnovers as we begin the 2nd for the Nuggets; very strange, both. Everyone (8 players) but Beasley has scored for Denver but they trail by 6 at 9:48. The Spurs bench is still predictably, killing the Nuggets'. Darth gets his 3rd foul and checks out at 8:40, down seven. "Tony Parkour has to Pee" astutely observes Caron Butler. ANOTHER, HIGHLY contested three for Bertans from about 28 feet. This young man has a sweet stroke and unlimited range/confidence. Jokic is the 2nd Nugget in double digits. Gary is ice cold again for Denver. This is why we can't have nice things! The Murray vs Murray match-up has been fun in this one as SA leads by nine at 4:28.

The Nuggets have GOT to start attacking the rim to exploit the lack of rim protection for San Antonio, not to mention the fact that they should be easily exploited on tired/old legs. Pop takes a Pop timeout at this time, perhaps reading along with my piece from the bench. Big Honey has managed to get his hands on a few balls defensively without fouling tonight. Chandler is DEFINITELY engaged again on both ends of the court and Denver cuts it to five after three straight defensive stands by the Nuggets, forcing Pop to take another timeout. Barton is the third Nugget to reach double figures. Caron Butler just used the Lords name in vain; fine by me as an Atheist. Denver is paced in TPM by Murray +11, Chandler & Barton +12 & Jokic +20 but trail 61-58 at the half

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Halftime: Smoke break? Stupid question, stupid section.

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Qtr3- As usual, Big Honey is on 3D watch with a line of 12-7-4 going into the 2nd half. No defense is being played by either squad so I like his chances. I'm less optimistic about a Nuggets victory at this point however, unless they can cause SA to simply run out of steam on the 2nd night of a B2B. Denver has GOT to get more out of their bench and SOMETHING out of their leading scorer in order to win, either way. Dejounte appears to also be attempting facial hair; Be worried Nuggets fans. The always savvy Gary is attacking the rim, with his shot not falling, Denver cuts it to two after scoring the first five of the half and Pop calls a TO. The Nuggets take a three point lead after a Jokic and-1, on a phantom call that he even acknowledged to Pau wasn't a foul. The Spurs are mixing in their bench unit liberally and early vs an energized Nuggets starting five as the momentum seems to be turning. Denver is up 2 midway through the 3rd.

Manu appears to have hurt himself and he heads straight to the locker room. You hate to see that but he may have been the Spurs last hope at stemming the tide. With that being said, Denver still only leads by 4 at 5:20. Chandler is the 4th Nugget to reach double digits. Jokic has a 2D & is now 2 assists shy of his 3D. San Antonio is not going away and they retake a two point lead at 3:22 after a series of sloppy possessions by the Nuggets. Jokic has nearly doubled his first half output in this quarter alone. The guy just wants to win. That's it! Once again, the Spurs bench is STRAIGHT MOLLYWOPPING that of the Nuggets and they now lead by 7 at 1:41. Chandler is working his ass off but getting no respect from the officials, unfortunately. Manu is officially not going to return to this game. Gary picks up his 4th foul and checks out. Chandler FINALLY earns a whistle and he cuts it to four with a FT at :32. He's on 3D watch his damned self with a very nice line of 13-7-5. Denver is paced in TPM by Barton & Murray +15 Chandler +17, & Jokic +24 but trail 90-87 after three.

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Qtr4-Bertans FINALLY misses a highly contested three. So much for all the talk about Old Mud being a Spurs Killer. He's getting PWNED defensively tonight. The Spurs lead by three after a BAD goal-tend was called on Barton at 10:43. He likely won't get a 3D but Barton has put together a very nice line of 16-4-5 his own self. Denver takes the lead by one at 10:02 with two FT's by Old Mud. Lyles is awakening on offense; perhaps he's that bench contribution I've been calling for. Unfortunately he's got nothing for King Joffrey on the other end. The Nuggets lead by one at 7:49 and have been afforded the chance to give Jokic a long breather, by the bench stepping up (or perhaps the Spurs running out of gas.) Lyles becomes the 5th Nugget to reach double figures. Big Honey has been stripped of an assist somewhere along the way so his 3D is far less certain ATM. Barton has stepped up big in the 4th. Jokic is in at just above the midway mark of the third, up three.

Gary is the 6th Nugget in double digits, largely by driving. Both teams are ice-cold right now and the lead is five at 4:45. Jokic needs but one assist for a 3D as Denver ups the lead to nine at 3:34. They quickly expand it to eleven at 3:17 and Greg Anthony proclaims "They're doin' it with Defense" but I think it's really more a matter of tired legs for the Spurs. I'm not taking anything away from the Nuggets however, who are now once again humming on offense and in transition. Big Honey was re-credited with an assist under mysterious circumstances during a commercial break and he has his 3D! Players just seem to make shots when he, as opposed to others, pass it to them. It's uncanny! The lead is ten with 1:20 to play and this one is ova! Denver is paced in TPM by Murray+12, Chandler +19, Barton +23 & Jokic +31 and they win it 117-109.

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Final Thoughts: Like I said, any win versus San Antonio in which no Nuggets get injured should be counted as no small victory. We'll take it! Gary awakened, as did Lyles off the bench, both ingredients I predicted they'd need to win at the half and I'm pretty happy with my prediction game lately.

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The Nuggets Win!

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