Mavericks at Nuggets
THE STORY: The Denver Nuggets are having trouble keeping players healthy and will be without forward Danilo Gallinari for about a month as they enter Wednesday’s home game with the Dallas Mavericks. Gallinari left Monday’s game against the Houston Rockets after spraining his left ankle and tests done Tuesday discovered that Gallinari has had a chip fracture in his foot that occurred well before Monday’s injury. Gallinari averages a team-leading 17.0 points per game and represents a huge loss to the team-oriented Nuggets. “I don’t want to rush it,” Gallinari said of a timetable for returning. “I want to take care of myself and make sure it heals in the right way, so I don’t have other injuries when I come back.” Denver has lost three straight games and five of six, while Dallas is also struggling. The Mavericks have lost three straight games, including a 91-88 setback against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday to start a three-game road trip. The stretch marks Dallas’ first three-game skid since opening the season with three consecutive losses.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Southwest (Dallas), Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (14-11): Forward Dirk Nowitzki is finally playing well after returning from his conditioning related absence. Nowitzki has averaged 27 points and made 21 of 32 shots in the past two games and had his first 30-point game of the season in last Friday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers. Nowitzki passed legendary Elgin Baylor on Saturday to move into 22nd place on the NBA’s career scoring list and is 24 points away from surpassing No. 21 Adrian Dantley. Nowitzki has 23,154 career points.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (15-10): Three starters missed Monday’s loss to the Houston Rockets and then Gallinari left in the third quarter with his injury. Forward Nene (heel) and guard Arron Afflalo (right big toe, left ankle) are both expected to attempt to play against the Mavericks. Center Timofey Mozgov (ankle) will miss third straight game. In addition, reserve guard Rudy Fernandez is dealing with an aching back and backup forward Corey Brewer is away from the team after the death of his father.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Denver has defeated Dallas four consecutive times.
2. Nowitzki is averaging 22.7 points and 8.4 rebounds in 46 career games against the Nuggets.
3. Denver’s Al Harrington had a season-best 15 rebounds to go with 12 points against Houston for his fourth double-double of the campaign.