Timberwolves at Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are riding a seven-game winning streak and have been nearly invincible at the Pepsi Center, where they have ripped off 12 consecutive victories and own a stellar 27-3 record - second only to the Miami Heat. The Nuggets have a chance to avenge one of those home losses when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. Denver's last five home win have come against Boston, the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City, Atlanta and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Ironically, the Timberwolves have won two of the three matchups this season against the Nuggets, also squeezing out a three-point win at home on Dec. 12. Of course, that was when Minnesota fielded a semblance of a healthy roster that included star forward Kevin Love, who collected 31 rebounds in the two victories. The Timberwolves halted a six-game skid with an 87-82 home win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday behind 15 points and 11 assists from point guard Ricky Rubio.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, WFTC (Minnesota), Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (21-37): No team has been ravaged by injuries like Minnesota, who are expected to be without two key members in the frontcourt. Center Nikola Pekovic has missed the last three games with an abdominal strain and forward Andrei Kirilenko has sat out four straight with a left calf strain. Lacking the inside presence of Pekovic takes away a vital ingredient. "You've got to keep (Denver) away from the paint," backup guard J.J. Barea said. "Make them a half-court team and live with it. Run on them on the other end."
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (41-22): Point guard Ty Lawson stood tall in his matchup with All-Star Chris Paul on Thursday, delivering his fourth double-double since Feb. 1 with 21 points and 11 assists. Lawson has plenty of options with the ball as six of his teammates joined him in double figures. Danilo Gallinari followed up his 23-point performance against Sacramento by pumping in 20 against the Clippers. It marked the first time since the final two games of January that Gallinari has registered consecutive 20-point outings. He also buried 7 of 10 3-point attempts in the two games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nuggets have not won 13 straight at home since 1989.
2. The victory over the Wizards gave the Timberwolves their first win in 14 games when failing to score 90 points.
3. Denver has failed to score 100 points only once in the last 22 games.