Clippers at Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets look to extend their six-game winning streak on Thursday when they host the Los Angeles Clippers, who bounced back from a disappointing loss to Oklahoma City with a convincing win over Milwaukee on Wednesday. The Nuggets have won 11 consecutive games at home and are 26-3 at the Pepsi Center, and they’re facing a Clippers team that arrived in Denver early Thursday morning after beating the Bucks.
The teams have split their first two games this season, with each squad winning at home. The Clippers hold the third spot in the Western Conference playoff race, while Denver has moved 1 1/2 games behind fourth-place Memphis. Los Angeles forward Blake Griffin enters the contest on a high note after recording his third career triple-double with 23 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 11 assists against Milwaukee.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (44-19): Griffin is averaging 19.8 points over his last six games, but he’s been held to an average of 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in two games against the Nuggets this season. Guard Jamal Crawford scored a game-high 22 points in a 112-100 win over Denver on Dec. 25, and he had 25 points on Wednesday against the Bucks. While Crawford is making a strong case for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, guard Matt Barnes has also been a key reserve. Barnes hit six 3-pointers against Milwaukee, and he’s averaging a career-high 10.3 points. After facing Denver, the Clippers begin a three-game homestand against Detroit on Sunday.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (40-22): Denver has won 15 of its last 19 games with Ty Lawson leading the way. The fourth-year point guard is enjoying the best stretch of his career while averaging 20.8 points, 7.5 assists and 1.67 steals over the last 24 games. Forward Danilo Gallinari, averaging 16.7 points and 5.3 boards, had 23 points and made five 3-pointers in a 120-113 win over Sacramento on Tuesday. Forward Kenneth Faried had 19 points and 12 rebounds in the victory, giving him two straight double-doubles. The Nuggets rank second in the NBA in points off turnovers and first in fast-break points, and they’ll look to wear down a tired Clippers team in the second half.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nuggets have won 15 of the last 24 games against the Clippers since 2006-07.
2. The Clippers are 33-2 when leading after the first quarter.
3. Denver is 44-8 since the start of the 2009-10 season when facing an opponent in the second game of a back-to-back at home.