Couldn't find a good pic that included Khris and Jabari. Yikes! This squad has talent!

Why aren't Middleton and Parker in that top pic?

Still keepin' the seat warm for The Anchorman.

Denver vs Milwaukee: Clear the Deer, Take a break.

Pre-Game Thoughts: When last these two teams met... Well it was last season. Too much has changed since then for both teams, to glean much valuable TPM info from then. The Kate Upton gif was still in full bloom if that gives you any indication as to just how long ago it was.

Milwaukee is lead of course by The Greek Freak but boasts a solid big three of he, Bledsoe and Middleton, which could become a big four if Jabari is right by playoff time. That's a scary thought to any team lucky enough to make the eastern conference playoffs. They have a solid if understated amount of depth, even if the numbers don't bear that out; there is only one basketball to go around after all. The loss of Brogdon made their GM Jon Horst seem like Nostradamus in preemptively making a trade for Bledsoe.

Denver has been bad on the road of late but it only takes some minor examination of the schedule to understand why they have been SO bad lately. That is not to say they are a good road team by any means but the recent schedule has done them no favors in that regard.

Prediction:

Your guess is as good as mine. It should be high scoring. Apart from that, I've nothing to offer here.

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)

Milwaukee Bucks Roster

Coach: Joe "Stunty" Prunty

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 probable due to chest pain & Faried is on personal leave, for Denver. As for Milwaukee, Henson is out with a hamstring injury, Delly is out with an ankle injury, Telly is out with respiratory issues & Brogdon is out with a quad injury.

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

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TPM™ Game 58 MIL

Jamal Murray: +19

Devin Harris: +14

Monte Morris: N/A

Gary Harris: +25

Will Barton: +22

Malik Beasley: -2

Torrey Craig: N/A

Wilson Chandler: +10

Juancho Hernangomez: +0

Richard Jefferson: N/A

Paul Millsap: N/A

Kenneth Faried: N/A

Trey Lyles: +5

Darrell Arthur: -3

Tyler Lydon: N/A

Nikola Jokic: +49

Mason Plumlee: N/A

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Total TPM™ starting Game 1 vs. Uta

Jamal Murray: 57 Games +597

(RIP) Emmanuel Mudiay: 42 Games +396

Devin Harris: 3 Games +14

Monte Morris: 3 Game +20

Gary Harris: 54 Games +824

Will Barton: 57 Games +625

Malik Beasley: 48 Games +57

Torrey Craig: 26 Games -31

Wilson Chandler: 52 Games +332

Juancho Hernangomez: 21 Games -16

Richard Jefferson: 15 Games -5

Paul Millsap: 16 Games +173

Kenneth Faried: 32 Games +25

Trey Lyles: 52 Games +405

Darrell Arthur: 15 Games +4

Tyler Lydon: 1 Games -3

Nikola Jokic: 51 Games +799

Mason Plumlee: 50 Games +187

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Avg. TPM™ Per Game

Jamal Murray: +10.47

(RIP) Emmanuel Mudiay: +9.43

Devin Harris: +4.67

Monte Morris: +6.67

Gary Harris: +15.26

Will Barton: +10.96

Malik Beasley: +1.19

Torrey Craig: -1.19

Wilson Chandler: +6.38

Juancho Hernangomez: -0.76

Richard Jefferson: -0.33

Paul Millsap: +10.81

Kenneth Faried: +0.78

Trey Lyles: +7.79

Darrell Arthur: +0.28

Tyler Lydon: -3.00

Nikola Jokic: +15.67

Mason Plumlee: +3.74

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TPM™ Per-Minute Splits Through Game 57:

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

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Analysis:

Qtr2- Here's hopin' that Old Mud has a little piss & vinegar left in the tank, playing in front of his home-town fans. The lead is up to ten at 11:09. Darth is struggling tonight and looks to be tired after playing so much (relatively speaking) lately. Denver is all perimeter thus far in the 2nd and the lead is down to 2 at 9:25 on the strength of an 8-0 Bucks run. A foul was mysteriously taken off the stat-sheet for E.B. so I s'pose that's why he remained in earlier. Malik is playing excellent M2M/help D in his brief stint (which I'm glad turned out to be more than just a late 1st QTR defensive sub for a change). MIL takes the lead on a three at 7:52. All starters are now in for Denver as they retake the lead by 4 at 6:09.

Big Honey is the third Nugget to reach double figures. He has a 2D already and is a mere 3 assists shy of a 3D, with 4:30 to go in the 1st half! The lead is up to eleven on the strength of a 17-2 run by the good guys. MIL is in the bonus at 4:15. Jokic is just 2 assists shy of a 3D now at 2:36, up 9. Make that one assist shy! Big Honey has a 1st half 3d, the fastest in NBA HISTORY in only 14:33 of action! Denver leads by 13 at 1:35. Chandler is the 4th Nugget in double digits. No players for either squad are in any sort of individual foul trouble. Big Honey's halftime line: 16-11-12! Wow! Denver is paced in TPM by Chandler +11, Gary +17 & and INCREDIBLE +40 for Jokic, as they lead 74 (a season high for a half) - 62 at the half.

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Halftime: Smoke break? Stupid question, stupid section.

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Qtr3- Three straight 3d's for Jokic vs this Milwaukee team. Somethin' else! Denver is going perimeter to open but MIL is failing to capitalize as no one has scored two minutes in. The Bucks score twice on defensive plays that Jokic quit on and Denver had better be careful not to let the momentum swing too far into the Bucks favor. The lead is still six at 9:01 but the Nuggets have still yet to score. Jokic asserts himself down low and stems the tide with a baby hook. 4D watch is on in earnest as he's accumulated 6 TO's. The Nuggets lead is seven at 6:50. Giannis is dominating Chandler in the 3rd but especially Barton on the occasions in which he ends up guarding this supremely gifted young Buck. Murray makes five in double figures for Denver (all of the starters), who lead by five at 5:31. It would be a real shame not to get the W on this historic evening. Old Mud checks in for Denver at this time. Jokic has tied his career high with 14 assists.

The lead is back up to nine at 3:54. It's slightly worrisome that only Barton of Denver's starters has had a breather here in the 3rd but at least the same is true for Freaky Greeky. A new career high in assist for Big Honey, 15 and counting. Giannis may be getting fatigued from carrying his team this half. Lyles finally checks in for Gary at 2:55. Barton is in for Ill Will as Malone shortens the bench (rightly so). Jokic nabs his 4th foul and must check out on a phantom call at 2:01, up 11. Darth comes in for him. Murray is the only starter yet to sit for Denver in the third. Lyles drills two straight from downtown and Denver has a season high 19 made threes already, as they lead by 17 at 1:22. Giannis finally checks out at this point. Lyles makes 6 in double digits for the Nuggets. Lyles is now picking up the D with two straight blocks. Denver is in the bonus at :56. Murray goes the whole way in the third. Denver is paced in TPM by Barton +11, Chandler +13, Murray & Gary +18 & Big Honey +46, as they lead 107-88 after three.

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Qtr4- Giannis is back in to start the 4th but that could be brief if this 20 point disparity continues. He is back to dominating Barton and Chandler has to get the most out of his breather and check back in soon. This has been Old Mud's best game in a Nuggets Jersey and my prediction game, not unlike my neck-beard, stubble-swirl (ladies love it, like slow vibrato vocals) game, are on point lately. The Nuggets lead by 23 at 9:42, and it's a shame but we most likely will not be seeing Jokic in the 4th. If so he ends this record breaking evening with a sensational line of 23-12-15 in only 28 minutes of action. Chandler is back in to defend Giannis. Big Honey saunters up the sideline and appears to be checking back in at 8:09 after a 5-0 run by MIL. The lead is down to 14 at 7:12 and the crowd is energized after a Freak rejection of Jokic, that left him with Honey dripping from his Greek paw.

Giannis is now on 3D watch with an impressive line of 32-7-8. Chandler picks up his 5th foul at 7:01 but must remain in to defend the Bucks star. Denver has tied the NBA season high with 23 threes on the night. The lead is 15 at 5:03. Giannis needs two boards for a 3D of his own. Big Honey has his 5th foul at 4:29; uh oh! The refs are HIGHLY inconsistent to put it kindly in the 4th QTR. The Nuggets lead is 13 at 3:22. Denver has set an NBA high of 24 threes for the season, tied a season high for the team with 38 assists. One more three and they will tie the NBA record for threes made in a game! The lead is 12 at 1:23. Freaky Greeky has his 3D. What an amazing game this has been to watch. MIL waves the white flag at :36, and this one is ova! Jokic finishes with a RIDICULOUS line of 30-15-17 (the latter being a career high) on 11-14 shooting, a perfect 3-3 from distance and a perfect 5-5 at the line. Definitely not All-Star material. Denver is paced in TPM by Chandler +10, Old Mud +14, Murray +19, Barton +22, Gary +25 & a Nuggets individual season high for Big Honey of +49, as they win, 134-123

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Final Thoughts: Big Honey! We are privileged to have witnessed history tonight! Not a bad bow to place on the first half of the season.

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The Nuggets Win!

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