Nuggets at 76ers
The Denver Nuggets have lost three straight games against Eastern Conference opponents while dropping nine of their last 10 overall. The Nuggets hope to have better luck when they open a three-game trip against sub-.500 East teams at the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. Denver had little success against a sub.-500 East team at home while being crushed 104-86 by the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
The Nuggets are reportedly in hot pursuit of Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez via trade and could use some help up front with JaVale McGee dealing with ongoing leg issues and rookie center Jusuf Nurkic battling through some inconsistency. Denver was thin up front on Saturday with forwards Kenneth Faried and Darrell Arthur both sitting out due to illness and hope to have the two back for the road trip. The 76ers will be playing the second night of a back-to-back after battling into the fourth quarter of a 97-84 loss at Cleveland on Monday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Altitude2 (Denver), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (19-29): Denver coach Brian Shaw called out his players after a 99-69 loss at Memphis on Thursday and did not have anything better to say after Saturday’s setback. “There’s not a whole lot to say right now, except we’re not very good,” Shaw told reporters. The Nuggets have been held under 100 points in eight of the last 10 games and point guard Ty Lawson is locked in a shooting slump, going 8-of-31 from the field over the last three contests.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (10-39): Philadelphia was within three points with under four minutes left against the Cavaliers before some missed 3-pointers and a pair of turnovers by the young team allowed veteran Cleveland to pull away down the stretch. Robert Covington scored 18 points in the loss while knocking down four 3-pointers for the third time in the last four games and continues to contribute on both ends. The Tennessee State product nabbed seven steals on Monday – his third straight game with multiple thefts.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Philadelphia F Jerami Grant is 8-of-11 from 3-point range in the last three games.
2. Denver G Jameer Nelson is averaging 2.3 points on 4-of-21 shooting in the last four games.
3. The road team took each of the two meetings last season.