The New Orleans Pelicans aim to add to their season-best four-game winning streak when they host the struggling Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. The hot streak has pushed the Pelicans a season-high three games above .500 and into ninth in the Western Conference, 1 1/2 games behind eighth-place Phoenix. The Nuggets have lost seven straight following a five-game winning streak.
New Orleans cruised to a 99-74 win over lowly Philadelphia on Monday to improve to 2-0 on a six-game homestand that will include tests against the Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks and Oklahoma City Thunder. "Everybody's having fun, moving the ball," Pelicans star Anthony Davis told reporters. "It doesn't matter who scores. Everybody's playing together. Everybody's playing hard and that's all the coaches ask for." The Nuggets have struggled to a 6-15 mark on the road while the Pelicans are 15-5 at home.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (18-27): Denver held New Orleans to 39.7 percent shooting in a 117-97 home victory in the first meeting this season, but the Nuggets have had a tough time getting stops during their losing streak. Opponents have shot 49.4 percent and averaged 108.6 points against the Nuggets during the skid. The defensive woes have been too much to overcome despite point guard Ty Lawson (17.1 points, 10 assists) recording double-doubles in the past two games since returning from a one-game absence following his arrest on suspicion of DUI.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (24-21): Perhaps the most impressive part of New Orleans' winning streak is the fact it has come without point guard Jrue Holiday, who remains sidelined by a leg injury. Tyreke Evans (17 points, 5.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds) has done a nice job as the primary distributor in Holiday's absence, and the Pelicans have plenty of scorers. Davis (24.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.9 blocks) is having an MVP-caliber season in the post, Ryan Anderson (14.9 points) is a tremendous outside shooter and Eric Gordon (12 points) is capable of putting up big offensive numbers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pelicans are 22-2 when shooting for a higher percentage than the opposition and 2-18 when they are outshot, while the Nuggets are 17-3 when they shoot for a higher percentage and 1-24 when they are outshot.
2. Denver is 2-22 overall and 1-13 on the road when trailing after three quarters.
3. After topping 50 percent shooting four times during their five-game winning streak, the Nuggets have not done so in their past seven games, shooting 41.9 percent during the skid.