Nuggets at Spurs
San Antonio will try to continue taking advantage of a favorable stretch of games when it wraps up a three-game homestand against Denver on Wednesday. The Spurs have won five straight games, three against teams that missed the playoffs last season and two over a struggling Portland team that lost its star forward - LaMarcus Aldridge - to San Antonio this offseason.
Aldridge had his string of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts snapped at 66, but six of his new teammates hit for 10 or more in Monday's 93-80 victory over the Trail Blazers. Despite the hot stretch, or maybe because it has come against a run of subpar opponents, the Spurs are viewing their progress with a critical eye. "We are still not moving the ball that well," said Manu Ginobili, who scored 14 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter against Portland. "And we've got to find a better equilibrium between the second unit and the first unit and when we play. We're still trying to figure it out." The Nuggets have turned around a slow start with wins in four of their last five games after a 115-98 victory at New Orleans on Tuesday.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FSN Southwest (San Antonio)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (6-5): Danilo Gallinari was coming off an injury-marred campaign in which he shot a career-low 40.1 percent, but is beginning to make amends. The former New York Knick scored 32 points in the win over New Orleans and has produced 25 or more in four of the last six games. Will Barton, who becomes a more important piece with Wilson Chandler (hip surgery) out for the season, has also increased his offensive contributions with an average of 20.7 points over the last three games while burying 10-of-15 3-pointers.
ABOUT THE SPURS (8-2): San Antonio has softened the blow of its inconsistent offense by clamping down on the other end of the floor, limiting four of its five straight victims to fewer than 100 points and three to fewer than 90. "That's the great thing about playing good defense. We kept them (at) 80, and that's what gave us air," Ginobili told reporters after the victory over Portland. "But if we would've played like this in another game, offensively, in Portland we would have lost by 20. It's good our defense was able to hold us." One consistent offensive performer has been point guard Tony Parker, whose scoring average (11.6) is down but who has a 53.3 percent mark from the floor, which would represent his best effort since 2005-06.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Aldridge averaged 27.8 points and 9.5 rebounds in four games against Denver in 2014-15.
2. San Antonio has won seven straight encounters overall and five in a row at home.
3. The Nuggets are 24-for-50 from 3-point range over their last two wins.