Nuggets at Trail Blazers
THE STORY: The Portland Trail Blazers will try to continue their dominance at home when they meet the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. The Trail Blazers are 10-1 at the Rose Garden this season and 57-19 all-time at home against Denver, including wins in the last four meetings. The Nuggets are off to an 8-4 start on the road, but will be playing their third game in three days. The first two came against the Los Angeles teams – a 112-91 victory at the Clippers on Thursday and a 93-89 loss at home to the Lakers on Friday. Denver center Timofey Mozgov left Friday’s game with an ankle injury and Danilo Gallinari was accidently poked in the eye by Metta World Peace and scored only six points. The Trail Blazers are coming off a 95-92 loss at Sacramento on Thursday. Portland beat visiting Denver 111-102 on Dec. 29 in the first meeting this season.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBA TV, KGW-TV (Portland), Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (15-8): Denver’s depth continues to be the key to its fast start, but it will be put to the test if Mozgov’s injury proves to be serious. Kosta Koufos, who averages 11 minutes, 3.5 points and 3.7 rebounds, will pick up Mozgov’s minutes. The Nuggets are second in the NBA with an average of 43.4 bench points and lead the league with more than 21 fast-break points per game. Denver went 2-1 in its previous back-to-back-to-back set this season.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (13-10): LaMarcus Aldridge has scored 20 or more points in 13 of his last 15 games. Gerald Wallace leads the Western Conference in home field goal percentage at 61.5 percent, but is shooting 33.6 percent on the road. Forward Nicolas Batum, who is averaging 11.4 points in 25.1 minutes off the bench, has missed two games after suffering a bone bruise on his left knee Monday against Utah and is doubtful. Portland is 0-5 in games decided by three points or less.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Portland and Denver are two of three teams in the NBA (Philadelphia) with six players averaging more than 10 points.
2. Denver is 23-6 against the spread in its last 29 road games.