Mavericks at Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets have rediscovered their groove at home and look for their fifth consecutive win at the Pepsi Center when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. Denver went an NBA-best 38-3 at home last season but lost their first two this season before the current win streak that includes Thursday’s victory over the Chicago Bulls. Dallas enters with a four-game winning streak but is just 2-4 on the road.
Guard Monta Ellis scored 26 points to lead the Mavericks to a 103-93 victory over Utah on Friday. Ellis brought a much-needed dimension to the Dallas offense and is averaging 29 points over the last three games. The Nuggets recorded a 97-87 victory over the Bulls on Thursday and had 10 blocked shots. Denver is 50-6 since the beginning of the 2007-08 campaign when blocking 10 or more shots.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (9-4): The Dallas players weren’t very happy after the home victory over Utah due to letting a 28-point lead dwindle down to five. That meant the starters were playing hard minutes late in the game instead of getting rested for the road game in Denver. “We’ve got a lot of veteran guys on the team that understand and we know we’ve got to play better,” Ellis said. “With a team like this, you’ve got to put them away but we didn’t. We’ve got to learn from this.”
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (5-6): Denver has missed 28 free throws and allowed 41 offensive rebounds in its last two games, losing to Oklahoma City in the first contest before beating the Bulls. “I’m happy to get the win, but not happy with our two areas that seem to be our nemesis,” coach Brian Shaw said after the Chicago game. “When we are playing good teams like the Bulls, those are areas that you can’t continue to give the other team the advantage and expect to come away with the win. We’re fortunate to be able to win the game.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Dallas has won in four of its last nine visits to Denver.
2. Mavericks C Samuel Dalembert had 18 points and 12 rebounds against the Jazz for his third consecutive double-digit rebounding effort and his first double-double of the season.
3. Nuggets PF Kenneth Faried had 12 points and 11 rebounds against Chicago for his fifth double-double of the campaign.