Playoffs or not, Colorado's own Reggie Jackson is returning to action soon.

Can we please find room for this man in mid-management? Overpay! Sell a Walmart store!

The band is back together but is it too late?

Nuggets vs Pistons:

When last these two teams faced off, they were two very different units at the time, as Jokic didn't suit up & Millsap was still out for the Nuggets and Detroit had yet to land Blake Griffin in trade. The Nuggets enjoyed double digit TPM performances from four players lead by Wilson Chandler's +27, en route to an outstanding 103-84 road victory.

This is a must win game obviously for the Nuggets, in the friendly confines of The Can, where they will only play four more times after tonight and will immediately depart following this game on a seven game, 14 day, brutal, eastern swing. In short, Things are not at all looking promising for their playoff hopes.

They must win ALL five home games and try to break even on the road to even have a chance at sneaking into the dance. Forget about high seeding. That ship has sailed like so many missed opportunities to change in-game momentum; something that has plagued Denver all season long.

Detroit may have a history of struggling vs the likes of Jokic and other skilled big men, but Jokic has a history of struggling defensively vs physical big men like Drummond & will be completely mismatched on the occasions in which he is switched onto Blake, so this is a tough one to predict. I hate to say it but I expect a letdown at home, Detroit 114 - Denver 110.

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)

Detroit Pistons Roster

Coach: Stan "The Tan Man With The Plan" Van Gundy

Denver Nuggets Roster

Coach: Michael "Mr Imagination" Malone

Update: Lydon is out for the year after tearing up his knee in the G-League, Chandler is probable with the ever-present hip issues and Craig is out with a G-League loop-hole related injury for Denver. As for the Pistons, Bullock is questionable after a car accident (thank goodness he's ok), Jackson is still out with the ankle injury & Buycks is out with an ankle injury (Bike crash?)

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

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TPM™ Game 69 DET

Jamal Murray: +8

Devin Harris: +9

Monte Morris: N/A

Gary Harris: +5

Will Barton: +21

Malik Beasley:+0

Torrey Craig: N/A

Wilson Chandler: +1

Juancho Hernangomez: N/A

Richard Jefferson: N/A

Paul Millsap: +13

Kenneth Faried: N/A

Trey Lyles: +8

Darrell Arthur: N/A

Tyler Lydon: N/A

Nikola Jokic: +32

Mason Plumlee: +2

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Total TPM™ starting Game 1 vs. Uta

Jamal Murray: 68 Games +762

(RIP) Emmanuel Mudiay: 42 Games +396

Devin Harris: 13 Games +38

Monte Morris: 3 Game +20

Gary Harris: 65 Games +948

Will Barton: 68 Games +798

Malik Beasley: 56 Games +88

Torrey Craig: 26 Games -31

Wilson Chandler: 62 Games +450

Juancho Hernangomez: 22 Games -20

Richard Jefferson: 18 Games -3

Paul Millsap: 25 Games +221

Kenneth Faried: 32 Games +25

Trey Lyles: 62 Games +423

Darrell Arthur: 17 Games +3

Tyler Lydon: 1 Games -3

Nikola Jokic: 62 Games +1003

Mason Plumlee: 61 Games +230

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Avg. TPM™ Per Game

Jamal Murray: +11.21

(RIP) Emmanuel Mudiay: +9.43

Devin Harris: +2.92

Monte Morris: +6.67

Gary Harris: +14.58

Will Barton: +11.74

Malik Beasley: +1.57

Torrey Craig: -1.19

Wilson Chandler: +7.26

Juancho Hernangomez: -0.91

Richard Jefferson: -0.17

Paul Millsap: +8.84

Kenneth Faried: +0.78

Trey Lyles: +6.82

Darrell Arthur: +0.18

Tyler Lydon: -3.00

Nikola Jokic: +16.18

Mason Plumlee: +3.78

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TPM™ Per-Minute Splits Through Game 63:

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

Analysis:

Qtr2- Lyles is in to start the 2nd. He has got to start producing but that's a big ask of a shooter who doesn't get enough minutes to "Get a Rhythm", as The Man in Black might say. It was no different for Mudiay, it's no different for Old Mud. Too much is made of statistics and not enough of circumstances/context. Denver leads by ten on the strength of an 11-0 scoring run at 10:12. The teams are trading buckets but Denver is getting the more fruitful of the exchanges as they increase the lead to 14 at 7:19. Old Mud (2nd player in double digits for Denver) and Lyles are having their best games in quite a while which leads me to believe that Detroit's bench may just not be a team strength.

Barton is the third Nugget in double figures as they lead by 14 at 5:10. The starters - 'Sap + Barton are stating to impose their will on the Pistons and lead by 17 at 2:51. Millsap checks in for Barton at 2:40. As good as he is defensively, especially on-ball, Millsap does too much defensive head-turning for my liking. Big Honey has a very good shot at his 3D with a line of 13-7-4. I only hope this doesn't mean he differs to passing and loses aggression in the 2nd half, aka the reverse of his usual routine. No players for either squad are in any serious, individual foul trouble. Denver is paced in TPM by Old Mud +11, Lyles +12, Barton +17 & Jokic +24 and they lead 65-51 at the half.

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Halftime: Smoke break? Stupid question, stupid section.

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Qtr3- I'm very impressed with Bullock's shooting and movement without the ball. Big Honey is still shooting and shooting well, much to my relief. The Blue Arrow is the 4th Nugget to reach double digits as Denver leads by 19 at 8:35. Jokic is two boards and three dimes shy of a 3D with 8:07 to go in the third. As is often the case, the only thing that may prevent it is if the Nuggets rest him in the 4th with a big lead; so he'd better achieve it in this period. Blake runs right through Murray, elbows first, which is apparently a foul. 'Sap is the 5th Nugget to reach double figures as they lead by 20 at 6:05. Murray is getting hot and the lead is 25 at 4:15. He's scored the last 11 points for the Nuggets. Big Honey now requires only one board/one dime for the 3D.

Meanwhile, Drummond has a respectable 2D line of 11-13 for Detroit. "Barton says lets call play number one which means Will Barton shoots it", declares the always cheeky Marlowe. Big Honey's 3D may be in jeopardy as Plumlee replaces him at 2:15, up 20. Blake is knocking any and all comers over with impunity from the officials. Detroit cuts it to 15 on the strength of an 11-0 run at 1:15. No players for either squad are in any serious, individual foul trouble. Denver is paced in TPM by Lyles +12, Old Mud +13, Murray +14, Barton +17 & Jokic +35 and they lead big, 98-84 after three.

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Qtr4- It's been another off night for "Gary Harris". The lead is down to 12 at 10:32 and Big Honey may just need to come back in this one after all. The Nuggets lead is now down to ten on the strength of an 18-2 run by the Pistons at 10:13. This has easily been Chandler's worst post-trade-deadline game offensively, with a line of 0-7-5 on 0-5 shooting. This team doesn't deserve to make the playoffs if they can't put the Pistons away at home, following a 24 point lead late in the 3rd. Jokic checks back in at this point and immediately scores. He has his 3D at 9:01. From the "things I never in a million years thought I'd utter" file of the TPM warehouse, Buycks is KILLING the Nuggets with 16 points in 15 minutes, much of it in the last 5 minutes and the lead is down to seven at 7:20. All five starters are now in for Denver after this 25-6 run by Detroit has made it a game at 7:05. Detroit is attacking the rim on every play and why not? Denver has zero rim protection. Buycks now has 10-13 Pistons points in the 4th! Gary appears to be injured after being undercut by Johnson (inadvertently) on a dunk.

Both his right knee and ankle torqued awkwardly on the play. If that's not a clear path foul (in the true spirit of the rule) then what exactly is, and why are refs so concerned about calling the innocuous occasions at mid-court? He remains in to shoot the free throws but I'd doubt seriously that he remains in afterward. He sinks the FT and in so doing becomes the 6th Nugget to reach double digits. Beasley checks in to foul, so Gary can go to the locker room. How many times is Beasley gonna be Malone's 6 second whipping boy in one season? Barton checks in for Malik immediately and Chandler for Gary. The lead is eight at 4:44. Jokic has his 5th foul at 3:59 with a 10 point lead. Ok I'll say it; Detroit has been hacking the bejesus out of Denver since midway into the third but because officials are always caught up in momentum, none of it is being called and currently this is leading to numerous turnovers. Just call it as it is for fucks sake! The lead is a tenuous eight at 1:51 as Jokic is entirely susceptible with 5 fouls and a complete lack of defensive interest. Looks like Denver will squeak this one out. Detroit loses it's 11th straight road game. Denver is paced in TPM by Millsap +13, Barton +22 & Jokic +32 and hold on to win, 120-113.

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Final Thoughts: I was closer to predicting the final score than I'd have liked to be, or that the first quarter would have indicated.

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The Nuggets Win!

Denver Nuggets Pistons vs Nuggets coverage Detroit Bad Boys