Nuggets at 76ers
The Denver Nuggets got off to a very slow start on Friday and are stumbling on their six-game road trip. The Nuggets will look to pull back over .500 on the trip when they visit the struggling Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. Denver is having some trouble with first-quarter defense in its last two games, surrendering a total of 70 points, and did not have quite enough to pull out of either hole in losses at Cleveland and Boston.
The Nuggets gave up 31 first-quarter points against the Cavaliers and fell behind 39-15 after 12 minutes against the Celtics. “Second consecutive game that we got beat up, got hit first,” Denver coach Brian Shaw told reporters. “And we can’t continue to put ourselves at a deficit, spot a team a (27-point) lead in the first half and expect to win the game. It just takes too much energy to expend to try to get back into it.” The 76ers gave up 36 first-quarter points in Charlotte on Friday en route to their fifth loss in six games.
TV: 7 p.m. Altitude (Denver), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (11-8): Denver fell behind by 27 points in the second quarter at Boston and ended up cutting the deficit to three late in the third before running out of gas. The Nuggets had won seven straight - including the first two stops on the road trip - before the last two games, during which they have been held to an average of 93 points. Ty Lawson, who was being touted by Shaw as an All-Star candidate earlier this week, is 7-for-27 from the field in the last two games and suffered a strained hamstring in Boston. He is day-to-day.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (7-13): Philadelphia is dealing with an injury to its starting point guard as well, with Michael Carter-Williams sitting out due to a knee injury. Tony Wroten started in his place on Friday and collected 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds but could not do anything to improve the 76ers’ league-worst defense in a 105-88 loss at Charlotte. Philadelphia has allowed at least 105 points in each of its last eight games, surrendering an average of 111.5 points in that span.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams have split the series in each of the last two seasons, with both protecting home court.
2. Philadelphia F Thaddeus Young scored nine points on Friday, snapping a string of eight straight games in double figures.
3. Denver F Kenneth Faried has been held to 5.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in the last two games.