Nuggets at Timberwolves
The Denver Nuggets got a boost from changing up the coaching staff and will try to carry that momentum onto the road when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. The Nuggets fired head coach Brian Shaw on Tuesday and snapped a six-game losing streak behind interim coach Melvin Hunt later that night. The Timberwolves are finding it difficult to carry over the momentum gained by Kevin Garnett returning.
Denver avoided an 0-5 homestand with a 106-95 win over Milwaukee on Tuesday with Hunt on the controls and a resurgent performance from Kenneth Faried. The veteran forward failed to reach double digits on the boards in six straight games and shot 30 percent in that span before breaking out for 14 points and 14 rebounds against the Bucks. Faried has been operating as the center of late with Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) injured and could get a break if Minnesota center Nikola Pekovic (ankle) can’t go Wednesday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (21-39): Denver’s win Tuesday was just its third in the last 22 games, and the team is expected to search for a permanent replacement for Shaw after the end of the season. The front office is evaluating the entire roster, and right now Danilo Gallinari is proving he belongs in the team’s long-term plans. The Italian forward has dealt with a series of injuries over the last two seasons but is coming on strong of late and went for a season-high 26 points Tuesday to reach the 20-point plateau for the fourth time in five games.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (13-46): Garnett provided a boost in his first game back – a 97-77 win over Washington last Wednesday — but Minnesota has dropped the three games since by an average of 5.3 points. Garnett reached double figures for the first time since his return with 12 points in a 110-105 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday and is averaging 18.7 minutes with the team while sitting out back-to-backs. The Timberwolves are getting strong play from point guard Ricky Rubio, who posted a triple-double Monday and has at least a double-double in each of the last three.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Gallinari has hit multiple 3-pointers in each of the last seven games.
2. Timberwolves G Kevin Martin (illness) and F Anthony Bennett (leg) are both questionable.
3. Denver has taken two of the first three meetings this season, but Minnesota took the most recent meetings 113-105 on Jan. 17.