Nuggets at Spurs
The streaking San Antonio Spurs look to notch their ninth win in 10
games when they host the Denver Nuggets on Friday. San Antonio has won
its last five contests to move within a half-game of the fifth-place Los
Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference and a win over the Nuggets
would give the Spurs their 16th consecutive 50-victory season.
Denver has lost six of its last eight games and is hoping to avoid its first 50-loss season since 2002-03. The Nuggets scored just 84 points in a 14-point loss to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, marking the third time in eight games they tallied 85 or fewer points. Denver has lost five of its last six road games as it enters the finale of a three-game excursion. San Antonio recorded a 103-91 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday to clinch a playoff spot for the 18th consecutive season.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), KENS (San Antonio)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (28-47): Denver is 8-8 since Melvin Hunt became interim coach and started well before the recent slide. Since Hunt is hopeful of being retained as permanent coach, you might think he’s got an eye on finishing over .500 in his stint but he says it isn’t important. “I haven’t even thought of it,” Hunt told reporters. “Every now and then I’ll see the record that we’ve had since I’ve taken over, ‘Oh really, we’re 8-7.’ I’m focusing on today, trying to win the jump ball tonight, not worried about the next step.”
ABOUT THE SPURS (49-26): Small forward Kawhi Leonard continues to soar as a No. 1 scoring option and has scored in double digits in 19 consecutive games, scoring 20 or more 10 times during the stretch. The shy Leonard is also becoming more vocal due to his success, which includes being named MVP of last season’s NBA Finals. “This is my fourth year and coach (Gregg Popovich) has confidence in me, so I get to do a little more out on the floor rather than having him limit me on the floor,” Leonard told reporters. “It’s just about working on your game off the floor and knowing where to go, and that’s pretty much it.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. San Antonio is 3-0 against the Nuggets this season and has won the last six meetings.
2. Spurs SG Manu Ginobili had 13 points against Orlando to halt a string of five straight single-digit performances.
3. Denver PG Jameer Nelson had just three points on 1-of-8 shooting against Utah after averaging 20 points over the previous two games.