MILWAUKEE -- Kenneth Faried was called out for his timid play, dared to be more aggressive and take over games. That challenge came not from his coaches or teammates, but from members of his family. "My family came up to me and said, Hey, do what you are paid to do and that is play basketball," Faried said. "Stop worrying about everybody else, stop being nervous, stop being timid and play your game." Farieds high-energy play has been the driving force behind his recent hot streak, including a 26-point performance to carry the Denver Nuggets past the Milwaukee Bucks 101-90 Thursday night. Wilson Chandler scored 15 while J.J. Hickson added 14 points and 10 rebounds in a matchup of two teams left short-handed by deals they made before Thursday afternoons trade deadline. But Faried made the difference for the Nuggets, who broke a five-game losing streak. "Its good to feel what its like to get a W again," Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said. "Its been awhile for us." Faried, the No. 22 overall pick in the 2011 draft, has been impressive this February. Coming off a 21-point, 10-rebound performance against Phoenix, the forward also scored a career-high 28 against the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this month. "My mother challenged me," Faried said. "My father even stepped up and said, Play your game and do what you do." From opponents, one word keeps coming up: motor, motor, motor. "He has a 757 motor, man," Bucks guard O.J. Mayo said. "Hes not the tallest, but it comes down to energy and effort. He has one of those motors, man." Added Bucks coach Larry Drew, "If you dont match it, hell gobble you up. And thats what happened tonight." Caron Butler scored 17 for the Bucks, who have not won two straight games all season. Ersan Ilyasova had 14 points and 11 rebounds. "We just seemed like we never got into a rhythm," Drew said. "I thought every time we seemed to try to put together a little bit of a push, we just never seemed to sustain a rhythm." With Denver leading 78-67 going into the fourth quarter, Milwaukee got within five points on John Hensons dunk off an alley-oop from Giannis Antetokounmpo, plus a pair of jumpers by Caron Butler. But the Nuggets responded with a 12-2 run, including a powerful two-handed putback dunk by Faried, and put the game away. "Motor," Bucks forward John Henson said of Faried. "Thats his game, thats how he gets his money. His motor." Earlier in the day, Denver sent disgruntled guard Andre Miller to Washington, getting back forward Jan Vesely from Washington in a three-team deal that also involved Philadelphia. Miller hasnt played since he got into a verbal altercation with Shaw earlier this year. Shaw said before the game that "nobody wanted to have the situation come down to what it came to," and the deal would be better for both sides. The Bucks sent guards Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour to Charlotte, getting guard Ramon Sessions and forward Jeff Adrien in return. Left with remarkably short benches, the Nuggets used eight players in Thursdays game, and the Bucks used nine. Milwaukee played Antetokounmpo at point guard at times. Milwaukee even brought back O.J. Mayo, who had missed 10 games because of a combination of illness and conditioning issues. Mayo scored 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 23 minutes, but had an odd moment when he appeared to be caught tying his shoe on defence while the Nuggets had the ball in play. "Sorry about that," Mayo said. "Just trying to stay safe." Overall, Drew was pleased with the play of Mayo -- a player the Bucks will be counting on the rest of the season. "I thought he did a really good job," Drew said. "I saw some really good energy in him." NOTES: Shaw confirmed before the game that JaVale McGee had surgery. McGee sustained a stress fracture of his left tibia in November. . Bucks guard Brandon Knight was a game-time scratch because of a right heel laceration. . 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Ashton scored a hat trick -- giving him 13 goals in 16 AHL games this season -- to power the Toronto Marlies to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Lake Erie Monsters in AHL action on Sunday.Jim Popp wont have to go very far to check in on his first round CFL draft pick. With Popp caring for his wife who is recovering from a shark bite suffered in Hilton Head, South Carolina, Universite de Montreals David Foucault has done the general manager the favor of choosing a team just 20 minutes away for his NFL free agent tryout. “Thats the calculated risk we take,” admittted Popp of Foucaults decision to work out with the Carolina Panthers. “Im going to try to sneak in and see if I can watch him a little bit.” CFL agent Darren Gill calls the 6-foot-7 Foucault “electrifying,” with “stud freak athletic ability,” adding, “people gravitate to him and his sense of humour." Gill also confirmed Foucault -- who would have had the no. 1 NFL combine vertical jump for O-linemen-- drew interest from the Miami Dolphins along with several other NFL clubs. “What were comfortable with is he grew up an Alouette fan, he always wanted to be an Alouette and hes from our home town,” Popp said. “Hes one of the best players in the draft and we know if he doesnt stick in the NFL hell be happy to come to us.” The fact the no. 5 selection overall is a lifelong Alouettes fan whose favorite player is Anthony Calvillo is only a bonus. With the retirements of Andrew Woodruffe and Scott Flory, the Als still feel they have time to groom him at guard, with the succession plan to ultimately keep the tackle position Canadian, which currently remain the undisputed domains of Josh Bourke and Jeff Parrett. While defense was the Alouettes strength in 2013, co-ordinator Noel Thorpe has to be pleased three of the teams next four selections were invested on the defensive side, including 10th overall pick Andrew Lue of Queens, a possible Mike Edem clone. “Hes very physical, puts his hands on receivers,” Popp said. “We think he can have an impact immediately on special teams and can move around from corner to halfback and possibly to ‘Will or Sam linebacker.” Looking for talent in the middle and late rounds is a Popp speciality, and oncee again the only architect the Alouettes have known since their rebirth in 1996 is pleased with his third and fourth round picks.dddddddddddd “I call him ‘Quadzilla,” Popp said of James Tuck, a fourth rounder from York. “He has massive thighs. He may be able to play defensive end or linebacker for us.” Tuck has already realized a life-goal, becoming the first Lion since CFL veteran Ricky Foley (coincidentally the D-lineman who concussed Anthony Calvillo) to be drafted. “Im ecstatic, I cant even measure,” Tuck gushed over the phone soon after receiving a call from the Alouettes. “Foleys been pretty inspirational, taking me aside at spring workouts, showing me little things,” Tuck said. An admitted Argos fan in the past, Tuck has also trained with James Yurichuk.“I look up to him. Hes got a high motor and I like to think I have one as well.” Popps annual sleeper may be third round selection Jeff Finley from the University of Guelph. “Hes the ‘Klassen of this draft,” insisted the GM. “Michael Klassen took it to the next level for us last year and we really feel Finley is that guy.” Last November, Finley was cheering against the Als in their playoff loss to the Ti-Cats. Hed met several, including Henry Burris and as a St. Catherines, Ontario-native was a longtime Hamilton supporter. Finley promises to be a quick study on Alouette culture thanks to fellow Gryphon alums Ryan Bomben and Jake Piotrowski. Finleys defensive co-ordinator at Guelph was Kevin MacNeill, a former Alouette, who was with the team for all of three days on a free agent tryout. “I dont think I even had a cup of coffee,” MacNeill chuckled. But Finleys work ethic is no joke. “Hes extremely physical, quick and hardworking.” McNeill mentioned. Finley should also be a quick study since hes a science student studying advanced anatomy. “He knows his way around a cadaver,” revealed MacNeill. With that being the case, getting his hands on live quarterbacks should be no problem. ' ' '