Nuggets at Rockets
The Denver Nuggets are putting a scare into some playoff contenders with their play of late despite the questionable availability of some of their best players. The Nuggets figure to have all of their usual starters on the floor when they visit the Houston Rockets on Thursday. Denver’s decision to rest three starters at Memphis on Monday did no favors for the Rockets, who are 1 1/2 games behind the Grizzlies in the race for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference.
Houston is pulling itself out of a funk with wins in the last two games and opened a three-game homestand with a 107-94 win over Orlando despite star James Harden’s tough night. “You know what, that's the beauty of this team,” Harden told reporters. “You got five or six guys in double figures. That means the ball is moving around and that means guys are getting good shots. No matter if I struggle or not, we still win and that's a great thing.” The Nuggets had won four straight before falling at Memphis and are 6-3 under interim coach Melvin Hunt.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), ROOT Southwest (Houston)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (26-42): Playoff contenders are giving starters extra rest on back-to-backs but so are teams fighting for lottery position, and while Denver was able to overcome the loss of Wilson Chandler, Darrell Arthur and Randy Foye at New Orleans on Sunday, the absence of Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried and Danilo Gallinari proved too much in a 92-81 setback to the Grizzlies. "Whoever is on the court just has to keep playing,” Chandler told the Denver Post. “It's the nature of the business. I'm not a GM; I don't know what's going on. It's tough when you're fighting together but you're getting set up for failure.” The loss in Memphis marked the first time in nine games under Hunt that the team failed to score at least 100 points.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (45-22): Houston is missing its own key starter, though center Dwight Howard (knee) is not a healthy scratch and is slowly working his way back into playing shape. The former All-Star has missed the last 23 games and is expected to be back before the end of the month. "Pretty close, pretty close. I can't wait to get back on the floor," Howard told reporters after practice on Wednesday. “It sucks being injured and trying to come back from an injury. When people see you they’re like, 'Oh he looks good,' and sometimes they don't understand the whole process, but I'm happy the rehab process is almost over with and I can get back on the floor with my team.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets have taken each of the first three meetings this season, including a 114-100 triumph at Denver on Mar. 7.
2. Faried has recorded six double-doubles in his last eight games.
3. Houston G Jason Terry (hamstring) sat out Tuesday and is day-to-day.