Nuggets at Grizzlies
The Denver Nuggets played themselves out of the postseason race a long time ago but are still having an impact on the Western Conference. The Nuggets will try to knock off another playoff contender and log a fifth straight win when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. Denver will be fighting off some fatigue after putting a dent in the New Orleans Pelicans’ playoff hopes with a double-overtime victory on Sunday.
The Grizzlies sit in second place in the West, 6 1/2 games behind the Golden State Warriors and just one game clear of hard-charging Portland in third. Memphis dropped three of four on a recent road trip but returned home on Saturday and got back to its suffocating ways on the defensive end in a 96-83 win over Milwaukee. “For us, where we are, I thought we took a step forward (against the Bucks),” Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger told reporters. “We’ve got a heck of an opportunity Monday night to keep stepping forward. It’s not about trying to get wins; it’s trying to play as well as we can.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), SportSouth (Memphis)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (26-41): Denver improved to 6-2 under interim coach Melvin Hunt with the 118-111 double-overtime win in New Orleans as Will Barton came off the bench and scored 25 points. Barton nailed a 3-pointer to force the first overtime and Danilo Gallinari scored five of his 17 points in the second extra period for the Nuggets, who have scored at least 100 points in each of Hunt’s first eight games at the head of the staff. Kenneth Faried continues to excel with the faster pace and has six double-doubles in the last eight contests.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (46-20): Joerger made the surprise decision to sit veterans Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley and Tony Allen at Washington on the second night of a back-to-back Thursday, and Memphis ended up suffering a 107-87 loss. Everyone except for Conley (ankle) was back in the lineup on Saturday and the fresh legs were apparent on the defensive end, where Allen racked up four steals. “I had a lot of energy in me considering the fact I got a surprise sit-down for the Washington game,” Allen told reporters. “I definitely wanted to be a part of it. It was a much-needed rest and I took advantage of it.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Nuggets G Randy Foye (rest) and F Wilson Chandler (rest) each sat out Sunday and are expected to return to the starting lineup on Monday.
2. Conley (ankle) and Grizzlies F Jon Leuer (back) are both questionable for Monday.
3. Memphis embarrassed Denver 99-69 in the last meeting on Jan. 29.