Nuggets at Timberwolves
Denver has already contributed to Minnesota's lengthy losing streak, and the Nuggets will try to add to the Timberwolves' misery when the teams meet Monday in Minneapolis. Kenneth Faried had a monster performance with 26 points and 25 rebounds in a 106-102 win over Minnesota the day after Christmas, part of an 11-game slide for the Timberwolves. The losing streak, which continued with Saturday's 101-89 loss to Utah, is five shy of the franchise record for an in-season skid.
Denver dropped three straight of its own following the win over Minnesota before bouncing back in a big way with a 114-85 victory over Memphis on Saturday. Guards Ty Lawson and Arron Afflalo combined for 48 points in the Nuggets' most lopsided victory of the season. Denver has dropped seven straight on the road, four by double digits, and at 4-12 has a worse road mark than any team in the Western Conference aside from Minnesota (2-14).
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (14-20): While Faried has come on of late to give Denver some necessary toughness on the interior, the recent surge of center Jusuf Nurkic has also provided a notable boost. The rookie had 11 points and 10 rebounds against Memphis to notch his second straight double-double and he is averaging 12.3 points and 9.3 boards over a three-game span. Nurkic tied his season high at the time with eight rebounds in just 14 minutes in the win over Minnesota last month.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (5-27): With several regulars out of the lineup Minnesota has had a built-in excuse for the losing, if it wants to use one, but head coach Flip Saunders would not go down that road following the home loss to Utah. "That's probably about as bad a loss as we've had in a long time, at least that I've been associated with," Saunders said after his team shot 39.5 percent and was outrebounded by 10 against a Jazz squad that was missing starting center Enes Kanter. While Denver ranks sixth in the NBA with a rebounding margin of plus-2.6, Minnesota is 28th at minus-2.8.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Timberwolves SG Kevin Martin, out since mid-November with a wrist injury, has begun to practice again and could be close to returning.
2. Lawson has 34 assists against just six turnovers over a four-game stretch.
3. Minnesota F Chase Budinger sat out Saturday's game with an illness.