Round three... fight!

We meet again, goon squad.

The band is FINALLY back together!

Nuggets vs Lakers III: Suck-searching squads seek to secure sought-after suck-superiority.

When last these two teams squared off in game 22 of this season the Nuggets (lap) enjoyed double figure TPM contributions from four players led by Mason Plumlee/Jamal Murray: +22. No players for Denver were in the red for that match-up as the Nuggets dominated the Lakers at home, 117-85. The 32 points represent the largest margin of victory vs this particular club, ever

In that game, Denver held LeBron to 14-7-2 on 5-15 shooting and only Kuzma with 21, topped 20 points for the Lakers. Additionally, eight players were in double digit negative +- including all starters and led by James' -23. The Lakers shot an abysmal 14.3% from downtown (5-35), 39.1% from the floor and 66.7% from the line.

Conversely, Denver had three players score 20 points (Millsap/Murray/Beasley), of their starters only Murray played more than 24 minutes, nine players reached double figures in positive +- including three with over +20 in Morris/Beasley/Lyles and they shot the lights out from all three ranges, so it's safe to say that the bench was as effective as the starters on that night; something which has not been the case for Denver lately despite what they have on paper, as a bench unit.

As for this game, I think the following message bears repeating. Yes IT has been bad. Less so in the last game actually where he was looking to distribute, only to have his teammates pass up open shots, give it right back to him and stand around. I personally am more willing than most to be patient with him as I am not emotionally attached to shiny new things (Monte/Beasley) the way most Stiffs are and I remember a time in the not so distant past in which IT was amongst the very best players in the league. Moreover, he's the ONLY player on the roster who can currently be counted on to hit big shots in the playoffs which as anyone who actually watches them knows, may as well be a different sport altogether.

It's important to also understand that not all efficiency is created equal. Juancho is a perfect example. When healthy/confident, he's an excellent floor spacer who is 100% reliant on others to create each and every opportunity for him, as he's entirely inept when attempting to dribble or hold on to the round thing. When you couple the two-month-long funk he's been in with the negative impact he has on the team defensively, he's demonstrably, decidedly, deplorably un-deployable.

Donovan Mitchell on the other hand has come up bitterly in conversation lately, as being an inferior player to the drastically more efficient Malik Beasley but that is a perfect example of disembodied numbers getting in the way of the truth. There are exactly zero GM's in the NBA who would currently take Malik over Donovan and that includes Tim Connolly. Ok, maybe Vlade or whomever is running the show in PHO could fuck that up.

Do I think IT will ever be that player again to the same degree? Absolutely not. Do I think it's worth risking a bit of playoff seeding in an attempt to get him close? You bet your ass I do.

Having not seen the team they follow reach the post-season for the past decade, Stiffs are prone to relying solely on that which is quantifiable without any context. Well we can do that with ONLY IT and Millsap when it comes to playoff numbers so while I'm not a stat nerd myself, I've at least provided those of you who are with an avenue for which to do so.

It's also important to recall that 'Sap is only over the course of the last handful of games, regaining the form he had prior to his early December injury, Barton is only now after about 20 games back from injury starting to get his legs under him, Murray has yet to fully recover from numerous leg and elbow injuries he's played through and Harris has been in and out of the lineup all season and has YET to gain his trademark consistency. Why are we so quick to assume that IT who missed an entire season is finito after a mere seven games played? Why did this clamoring occur following just ONE game? He looks NO less rusty than Barton did one week ago IMHO.

A fair argument can be made that 20 games is not enough time to get IT up to speed and that alone is worth ending the experiment. That places entirely too much faith however, in two very young guards in Monte/Malik, who are for the first time in their careers making a contribution. It also throws away the book of common playoff knowledge that states clearly, as illustrated both in numbers and anecdotally, that experience and star power are at a premium above inexperienced talent.

I'm of the opinion that people who wish to end the IT experience are falling into the trappings of focusing far too much on the here and now and not on the end goal. IT will never be new again but if things go right, we'll be thankful to see him shine in a Nuggets uniform.

The Rx for integrating IT into the lineup is below (see food for thought) mmmmm... sea food.

I'd like to sprinkle in some seasoning for this clam bake, adding that when he's paired with Monte, he should be playing off the ball and Monte should be instructed to be the primary ball handler so that more of IT's shots come from within the offense, as a catch and shoot option where he's always been deadly. This also returns emphasis to the highly successful P&R duo of Morris/Plumlee. It doesn't take a genius to understand that this would create wide open looks for IT, Malik and whichever starter remains in to play with the bench unit.

Sorry for the lack of in-depth pre-game analysis on your squad Lakers fans but IT has been a hot button topic in Denver that I wanted to address.

Here are some numbers you can use:

LA gives up 113.9 PPG by their opponents on average, to Denver's 107.2

The Lakers average 112.3 PPG offensively to the Nuggets 112.1

This results in a net rating for LA of -1.6 and +4.9 for Denver

LA are 18-14 at home while Denver is 15-15 away from the friendly confines of The Pepsi Can.

In terms of conference record, the Lakers are 21-22 to the Nuggets 27-13 mark which is important only in as much as understanding the strength of schedule involved, as the Western Conference has been as much as ever, the stiffer competition

Denver of course is 2nd in the Western Conference standings, just 1.5 games behind the Warriors while LA currently resides in 11th place in the Western Conference, 14 games out.

When it comes to the other meaningful statistical box-score production the comparison is as follows:

(team with advantage in bold)
LAL: RPG 46.4 APG 25.3 SPG 7.3 BPG 5.4 FG% 47.4 FT% 69.1 3% 33.6

DEN: RPG 46.8 APG 27.6 SPG 7.9 BPG 4.5 FG% 46.8 FT% 75.5 3% 35.6

The numbers on whole favor the Nuggets but as anyone who reads my piece knows, I don't believe any statistic or even a complex, predictive conglomeration of statistics are nearly as accurate in indicating actual results as are the unquantifiable variables of "Mo & flow™" momentum and the ability to find the zone.

To that end, the Nuggets have won 13 of their last 20 & 5 of their last 10 games, while the Lakers have been victorious in 7 of their last 20 & 3 of their last 10.

There are of course many other variables at play including match-ups; styles make fights. For example,LeBron is the best player in the world until proven otherwise. Unfortunately for him, he can't do it alone and may have to tonight with all of the injuries the Lakers are facing. Excuse me if as someone who follows and reports on the Nuggets if I fail to shed a tear over this.

For this young Nuggets group, (fourth youngest in the NBA; they were the youngest at the start of the season but tank-moves made by CHI/NY/PHO have rendered them younger, since) individual consistency is simply not a thing so it's more difficult to predict how a player will contribute based upon trends; particularly so as the starters begin filtering back from injury and roles are altered/redefined in the coming games. Jokic has been consistently good but in different ways seemingly every night. The Nuggets have missed more man-games to injury by a wide margin, than any team in the league. This includes three starters having played fewer games than they have missed. As they and IT are worked back into the rotation, neither can team consistency be expected.

Having said that, Big Honey is a legit MVP candidate and an emerging superstar, while Murray is coming into his own as Robin to The Joker's Batman (I'm not certain how that works either) while Millsap/Harris provide secondary options when things get problematic on offense; simultaneously carrying the bulk of the defensive burden and Barton is the much needed secondary ball handler/play-maker for when things go awry; a natural scorer/creator and the Nuggets boast one of the deepest benches in the league, even without Lyles and MPJ.

When Jokic gets a 3D at home, over the course of his career, the Nuggets are undefeated and only once in his 28 career 3D's have the Nuggets lost. In short, these are not hollow, stat seeking ventures but Jokic playing within the offense. He's come up short of a 3D no less than a dozen times this season alone, by one or two P/R/A due to the Nuggets leading big and his sitting out fourth quarters. In such occasions he can be found laughing and cheering his teammates on from the pine.

The man cares about one thing only and that is winning. Ok two things... deriding officials being the other. Let's make that four actually. Dancing (poorly/datedly) and hurling children into the sky. I guess he also likes horses and fish stew. He cares a lot come to think of it, just not about 3D's or indeed any statistic other than W's.

It can not be overstated what an advantage it is to have two creators in P&R sets in Jokic/Murray, a seven footer who played PG as a youth and a 6'4 PG who played C as a youth, who are able to swap roles seamlessly. Murray is widely regarded as the best screen-setter on the team while it's well documented what a virtuoso Big Honey is in terms of distribution.

I do expect the Nuggets' rotation to tighten up a bit, so it will likely be a nine man unit, which leaves Craig/Juancho and likely Lyles upon return, out.

Food for thought: With Harris again starting, this is what Denver's rotation should consist of:

PG Murray/Morris/IT

SG Harris/IT/Beasley

SF Barton/Harris/Beasley

PF Millsap/Plumlee

C Jokic/Plumlee

A combination unique amongst the NBA, of being very small in positions 1-3 while exceptionally large at the 4-5. For this to work Plumlee has got to curtail his fouling, Jokic has GOT to stop taking "Jokic only" fouls to prove a point to officials and defensive communication has got to be at a premium. Got it? Or as the immortal Syd Barrett might say, "Have you got it yet?" Do yourself a favor and click that link which illustrates his tragic brilliance as succinctly as can be displayed without listening to his innovative music. It goes without saying, you should of course explore that too, particularly Pink Floyd's '67 Debut album "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" and his final solo album from '70, "Barrett."

Prediction: Denver (lap ) 121 - LA 115

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If you are viewing the pre-game version of the TPM piece; and you enjoy Gonzo-basketball reporting, I invite you to please join me after the game where the same link will lead you to the post game version. In it, all of the disjointed/unsightly blanks below will be filled, complete with data/analysis and more snark than "Snarknado VI: Snakenado", which I'm told is about a pessimistic, albino, black mamba who emerges from micro-bursts to torment the people of Los Angeles with shady tweets.

There be monsters; shameless, personal plug alert by permission of Denver Stiffs: If you are in the market for clothing, featuring the four major Denver sports franchises as well as CU, please open this link in a new tab to see if there is anything you are interested in. You don't have to order from the link of course if you are in the Denver Metro area, as I'm more than happy to meet up with you (please refrain from bringing rotten tomatoes), drastically lowering the cost, as Poshmark takes a healthy cut as well as shipping & handling. Thanks in advance!

Unique, hard to find, one of a kind and custom gear of your favorite team

Also, my DIY music production and videos can be heard/seen here if you don't value your ear-balls & eye-drums.

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And now what none of you come here for; how about some basketball nerdery?!?!

(After these messages... Er Nicknames)

Los Angeles Lakers Roster

NO	Name	POS	Age	HT	WT	College	Salary
2	Lonzo "Gonzo" Ball	PG	20	6' 6"	190 lbs	UCLA	$7,461,960
11	Michael "The Other" Beasley	SF	29	6' 9"	235 lbs	Kansas State	$3,500,000
17	Isaac "Kowa" Bonga	PG	18	6' 8"	180 lbs	Parts Unknown	$1,000,000
1	Kentavious "The Pontiff" Caldwell-Pope	SG	25	6' 5"	205 lbs	Georgia	$12,000,000
4	Alex "Robinson... Er... David... Hell, Call Me The Admiral" Caruso	SG	24	6' 5"	186 lbs	Texas A&M	G-Money
3	Josh "Gargantuan Kevin" Hart	SG	23	6' 5"	215 lbs	Villanova	$1,655,160
14	"Bad Boy" Brandon Ingram	SF	21	6' 9"	190 lbs	Duke	$5,757,120
23	LeBron "King" James	SF	33	6' 8"	250 lbs	High School	$35,654,150
0	Kyle "Kardashian" Kuzma	PF	23	6' 9"	220 lbs	Utah	$1,689,840
7	JaVale "Pierre" McGee	C	30	7' 0"	270 lbs	Nevada	$1,512,601
10	Sviatoslav "Gesundheit" Mykhailiuk	SF	21	6' 8"	205 lbs	Kansas	$1,487,694
9	Rajon "Row Row Row Your Boat" Rondo	PG	32	6' 1"	186 lbs	Kentucky	$9,000,000
6	"Captain Underpants" Lance Stephenson	SG	28	6' 6"	230 lbs	Cincinnati	$4,449,000
15	Moritz "Honus" Wagner	C	21	6' 11"	245 lbs	Michigan	$1,762,080
19	Johnathan "The Conductor" Williams	PF	23	6' 9"	228 lbs	Gonzaga	G-Money
40	Ivica "Fox" Zubac	C	21	7' 1"	240 lbs		$1,544,951

Denver Nuggets Roster

NO	Name	POS	Age	HT	WT	College	Salary
5	Will "The People's Champion" Barton	SG	27	6' 6"	190 lbs	Memphis	$11,830,358
25	"Mutant" Malik Beasley	SG	22	6' 5"	195 lbs	Florida State	$1,773,840
3	Torrey "FUCKING" Craig	SF	27	6' 7"	215 lbs	USC Upstate	$2,000,000
2	Brandon "Hopefully Contributes To Many The" Goodwin	PG	23	6' 2"	180 lbs	Florida Gulf Coast	$630,032
14	"Just" Gary Harris	SG	24	6' 4"	210 lbs	Michigan State	$16,517,857
41	Juancho "The Mouthful" Hernangomez	PF	23	6' 9"	230 lbs	Espana	$2,166,360
15	Nikola "Big Honey" Jokic (AKA The Joker)	C	23	7' 0"	250 lbs	Gotham	$24,605,181
20	Tyler "Not just Anunobody" Lydon	PF	22	6' 10"	225 lbs	Syracuse	$1,874,640
7	Trey "The Swiss Army Spork" Lyles	PF	23	6' 10"	234 lbs	Kentucky	$3,364,249
4	Paul "The Anchorman" Millsap	PF	33	6' 8"	246 lbs	Louisiana Tech	$29,230,769
11	Monte "Ratio" Morris	PG	23	6' 3"	175 lbs	Iowa State	$1,349,383
27	Jamal "The Blue Arrow" Murray	PG	21	6' 4"	207 lbs	Kentucky	$3,499,800
24	Mason "Plumdog Millionaire" Plumlee	PF	28	6' 11"	235 lbs	Duke	$12,917,808
1	Michael "The Sleeper Cell" Porter Jr.	PF	20	6' 10"	210 lbs	Missouri	$2,894,160
0	Isaiah "Ice" Thomas	PG	29	5' 9"	185 lbs	Washington	$1,512,601
8	Jarred "The Amalgamated Version Of A Dude I Once Bought Weed From On Haight Ashbury" Vanderbilt	PF	19	6' 9"	214 lbs	Kentucky	$838,464
45	Thomas "Irvine" Welsh	C	22	7' 0"	255 lbs	UCLA	G-Money

Update: MPJ is still waiting to make his Denver Nuggets/pro debut as he rehabs from multiple back surgeries. Lyles is out with a Hammy. Wow! That was short! As for the Lakers, Kuzma/Ball are both out with ankle injuries, Chandler is out with a neck injury and Ingram/Stephenson are both questionable with shoulder/toe injuries respectively.

Re-up: Yes I'm aware that trades have been made and the above roster for the opposing team is inaccurate. Hopefully you are aware that the fan-post format isn't equipped to make adjustments to the above template so it often results in entire pieces being destroyed and or hours of work being lost. Simply put, it's not worth the additional effort/risk to change once the Nuggets have faced an opponent once. No disrespect intended. Tune in next season and I assure you the first time Denver plays your team, the roster will be up to date :)

Re-Re-up: Ingram is out and will be replaced by Kurt Rambis.

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Data:

TPM™ Game 64 LAL (Starters in bold)

Nikola Jokic: +18

Jamal Murray: +20

Gary Harris: +21

Monte Morris: +12

Paul Millsap: +8

Mason Plumlee: +8

Will Barton: +20

Isaiah Thomas: +2

Malik Beasley: +9

Torrey Craig: -5

Juancho: -2

Jared Vanderbilt: +0

Thomas Welsh: +0

Tyler Lydon: G-league

Brandon Goodwin: G-league

Trey Lyles: Injured

Michael Porter Jr.: Injured

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Total TPM™

Nikola Jokic: 63 games +1455

Jamal Murray: 58 games +1003

Gary Harris: 39 games +514

Monte Morris: 64 games +749

Paul Millsap: 52 games +478

Mason Plumlee: 64 games +523

Will Barton: 26 games +211

Isaiah Thomas: 8 games 64

Malik Beasley: 64 games +505

Torrey Craig: 60 games -16

Juancho: 59 games -7

Jared Vanderbilt: 7 games +12

Thomas Welsh: 10 games +18

Tyler Lydon: 24 games -2

Brandon Goodwin: 16 games +28

Trey Lyles: 55 games +303

Michael Porter Jr.: 0 games +0

Nick Young: 3 games -2

DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell: 6 games +5

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Avg. TPM™ Per Game

Nikola Jokic: +23.10

Jamal Murray: +17.29

Gary Harris: +13.18

Monte Morris: +11.70

Paul Millsap: +9.19

Mason Plumlee: +8.17

Will Barton: +8.12

Isaiah Thomas:+8.00

Malik Beasley: +7.89

Torrey Craig: -0.27

Juancho: -0.12

Jared Vanderbilt: +1.71

Thomas Welsh: +1.80

Tyler Lydon: -0.08

Brandon Goodwin: +1.75

Trey Lyles: +5.70

Michael Porter Jr.: N/A

Nick Young: -0.67

DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell: +0.83

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TPM™ Per-Minute Splits Through Game 60:

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

Qtr1- For only the fifth time this season, the Nuggets go with their opening night starting five, consisting of Murray, Harris, Barton, Millsap & Jokic. The Lakers counter with Rondo, Bullock, Rambis, James & Pierre. The Nuggets look to be taking this one seriously unlike the last time in town when frankly, they looked hungover. It's a six point lead after three minutes of action for Denver. LeBron ties is up on his own with B2B threes at 8:06. Barton looks excellent offensively early and is even contesting threes which is a new wrinkle to this season's repertoire for The People's Champion. The Nuggets lead by six at the time of the first break at 7:02. The lead is up to nine as Denver is playing effectively at the Lakers preferred pace, at 4:47 as James checks out for LA. Barton is first to reach double digits for Denver, with a three at 4:28, up 12 on the strength of a 9-0 run. Murray has an excellent line of 7-4-4 at this point despite no Lonzo to Ball with.

Wagner conjures up his second foul for LA. Beasley/Plumlee are first off the pine at 3:57. Murray draws a charge; something hes becoming adept at as of late. Morris is in at 4:15 for the Nuggets, up 12. IT is in moments later, up 13. He once again misses two from the charity stripe which makes zero sense. Thus-far, Coach Malone has gone with my above, preferred, nine man rotation, sans Craig/Juancho. If it must be extended due to foul trouble in the front-court, I suggest inserting Vanderbilt. IT is playing off the ball thus-far which is ideal but I'd love to see more of Monte/Plumlee in the P&R. The lead is 16 nonetheless as they are primarily going to Plumlee/'Sap in the post. The lead is up to 18 with a season high 43 first quarter points! Denver is paced in TPM by Will Barton: +14 as they lead 43-25 after one.

Nikola Jokic: +9 Jamal Murray: +9 Gary Harris: +4 Monte Morris: +2 Paul Millsap: +5 Isaiah Thomas: +2 Mason Plumlee: +2 Will Barton: +14 Malik Beasley: +2 Torrey Craig: N/A Juancho: N/A Jared Vanderbilt: N/A Thomas Welsh: N/A

Qtr2- The rumors of IT's demise seem to have been greatly exaggerated. It's all a matter of time breeding familiarity as this second unit is humming tonight. The lead is 20 after an ole'-up by IT. James is back in for LA who score four straight as a direct result of his play. I don't know that I've seen this many airballs/bricks from beyond the arc since the last time the Nuggets played the Lakers. Craig is in for Denver at 8:55. Beasley/Morris are looking more like their old selves tonight DESPITE playing alongside IT. The Nuggets lead is 20 at the time of the first break at 7:01. Nine of the 10 players to have entered for Denver have scored with only the recently inserted Craig, as-yet held scoreless.

LeBron passes Air Jordan for fourth on the all-time scoring list. Two claps. LA is picking up the defensive intensity with the starters for both teams filtering back in and the lead is down to 13 on the strength of a 9-0 run by LA (mostly LeBron.) Murray is for the most part sticking his shots for a change which is also nice. 'Sap makes two in double digits for Denver who lead by 14 with 3:30 remaining. Lebron checks out at this point and the Nuggets need to take advantage. LA has no one who can handle Paul in the post and he's feasting when he isn't hacked. The lead is back up to 18 at 1:54. Great first half for both the the starters and the bench unit finally. Denver is paced in TPM by Will Barton: +16 as they lead 66-49 (a new all-time high for a halftime lead vs the Lakers in LA) at the half

Nikola Jokic: +14 Jamal Murray: +9 Gary Harris: +1 Monte Morris: +10 Paul Millsap: +3 Isaiah Thomas: +4 Mason Plumlee: +4 Will Barton: +16 Malik Beasley: +6 Torrey Craig: -5 Juancho: N/A Jared Vanderbilt: N/A Thomas Welsh: N/A

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Qtr3- The Nuggets just need to keep the throttle punched, not ease up and they should be able to coast in the fourth period. They are on pace for 132 points, 62 boards & 38 assists. That'll do pig. Murray makes three in double digits for Denver, who lead by 21 at 10:21. Harris is the only starter who is failing to contribute tonight. He gets 2 on a goal-tend; perhaps that gets him going. The lead for Denver is 19 at the time of the first break at 7:21. Big Honey is on 3D watch with 6-13-5 as is Murray with 12-6-4. LeBron pops 'Sap in the face RIGHT THE FUCK IN FRONT OF THE REF who was LOOKING RIGHT THE FUCK AT IT and no foul is called; resulting in a T for Malone. LA cuts the lead to 15 on the strength of a 9-0 run, prior to a make-up call sending Big Honey to the line, where he drills two. The tackiest of ticky tack fouls is then called on The Joker, off the ball vs LeBronze, who checks out at 4:13, trailing by 16.

LA is shooting 20% from the line (2-10.) Malone calls a timeout after Barton is blown by as per usual at 3:12, with a 14 point lead. Maybe it's just the Valium kicking in but this game has gotten really boring in the second half. LA cuts it to 10 and if I'm honest, Denver is playing entirely uninspired basketball at the moment and the leader of the charge is the highly disinterested Jokic, who has yet to rest in the third period. He checks out at 1:55, up by ten. The seldom-used youngsters for LA seem to have something to prove with LeBron sitting as they have made up ground. The Lakers are in the bonus and cut it to eight with 1:20 remaining, on the strength of an 8-0 run. For the fist time tonight we see Monte/Mason in the P&R and it of course results in an alley-oop dunk. Denver is paced in TPM by Jamal Murray/Gary Harris/Will Barton: +12 as they lead 85-77 after three.

Nikola Jokic: +10 Jamal Murray: +12 Gary Harris: +12 Monte Morris: +10 Paul Millsap: +5 Mason Plumlee: +4 Will Barton: +12 Isaiah Thomas: +4 Malik Beasley: +9 Torrey Craig: -5 Juancho: N/A Jared Vanderbilt: N/A Thomas Welsh: N/A

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Qtr4- The Joker has simply got to assert himself, or at minimum show some sign of interest in being involved in a basketball game, if Denver is to pull one out on the road tonight and break their three game losing skid. Second time Morris/Plumlee are in the P&R; second time it yields an alley-oop dunk. LeBron cuts it to four on an &-1 star call which gets the crowd into the game. He of course misses the FT however. LA has all the momentum and the lead has evaporated to two, forcing Coach Malone to call a timeout and ALL OF THIS is going to be blamed on IT. The starters are in tact for Denver at 9:36. 'Sap scores but earns a T for getting hammered for the eleventy brazilianth time of the night and shouting "&-1". Seriously? The Nuggets lead by four at 9:13. Denver can't buy a bucket currently despite owning the boards and getting open looks. The lead is just two at 8:30. The Nuggets will be in the bonus with the next Lakers foul. They are shooting to draw fouls and not being rewarded as is usually the case when they do so, despite being hacked.

Harris makes four in double digits for Denver as the lead is now five after his three pointer. Jokic is the only starter not in double figures; an allusion to his lack of intensity tonight. Another three by Gary and the lead is six at 6:45. He then converts an &-1 on a broken play and the lead is up to seven at 5:49. He's scored the last nine for the good guys. Make that 11 as he scores on a beautiful drive, increasing the lead to a more comfortable nine at 5:06. Big Honey has taken just four shots the entire night! James sits as if LA is tanking with 4:45 to go. Jokic makes five in double digits for Denver and he has his 2D with 10-16-7. More importantly the lead is 13 now and the Nuggets are in the bonus. James is back in after a very brief and unproductive blow, at 3:48. The lead is 14 after two from the charity stripe by Jokic and a sloppy turnover by LeBron, followed by an &-1 by Barton vs LeBron and this one is most likely out of reach, with Denver leading by 15 and only 2:13 remaining. Luke waves the white flag and LeBron exits at 2:05, down 15. Big Tom enters for the Nuggets, along with Jared and Juancho and this baby is Ova! Denver is paced in TPM by Gary Harris: +21 as they win in LA, 115-99.

Nikola Jokic: +18 Jamal Murray: +20 Gary Harris: +21 Monte Morris: +12 Paul Millsap: +8 Isaiah Thomas: +2 Mason Plumlee: +8 Will Barton: +20 Malik Beasley: +9 Torrey Craig: -5 Juancho: -2 Jared Vanderbilt: +0 Thomas Welsh: +0

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The Nuggets Win!

Final Thoughts: Happy 73rd birthday to living legend David Gilmour!

Sure, that was just the lowly Lakers, but it's good to get a semi-complete effort from both the starters and bench squad once again.

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For context pertaining to the statistical aspects of this piece, please open this link: TPM™

A brief statement with regard to this piece on whole:

As a means to avoid repeating myself I will include this descriptive diatribe in all TPM posts going forward.

Sure I like statistics; ever since I was a child collecting sports cards and later a pre-teen who ran pre-internet fantasy sports leagues on ink/paper/spreadsheet for the four major US pro-leagues, I've been fascinated by box-score stats but I'm by no means an expert.

I created TPM (which has been around longer than RPM incidentally and unlike them, I fully disclose my non-proprietary system and I contextualize the action rather than being a boring, mysterious, predictive metric) because it does add immediate and accessible context to what we see and what the numbers indicate, which I like.

While the data is meticulously tracked and demonstrably sound, I'm a creative type, not an engineer. Algorithm is the bane of my existence in fact. I'd far rather approach life with the intrigue of expected surprise than attempt to get to the bottom of why things are the way they are. There are many engineers in my family so I totally understand that joy can be derived from finding solutions to problems, I just can't relate. It's not fun for me. THIS is for the most part, not fun for me.

Now I'm a 42 year old man who was born the year after the team I love joined the NBA. I happen to have a lifetime of experience with this sport in several different capacities, including playing (highly underrated within the writing community) so I understand basketball theory in a way most (by no means all) pundits do not.

I was in this case interested in a data-driven approach, which if I'm honest has sapped nearly all fun out of taking in games for me. I get very few days/nights off during the season. One piece requires several hours of research and data entry and all tracking/analysis is done in real time and published mere moments after each game's completion, 82 times (more this season) per year.

As such, the analysis portion is about 90% (I've run the numbers) creative writing with sarcasm generally indicated through italics, non-sequitur humor and hyperbole, in an attempt to steal back some of the joy this endeavor has snatched away.

Hopefully there is a little something here for everyone but if you came just for data or are averse to colorful language, this is not the place for you. I have no way of knowing how many people even read this so I'll not be affected even remotely if you choose not to indulge. For those of you who do, I greatly thank you for the support.

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