Nuggets at Magic
The Denver Nuggets started a five-game road trip on a losing note and
attempt to bounce back when they visit the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
Denver had a four-game winning streak snapped with Monday's 124-119 loss
to the Miami Heat as it began a stretch in which nine of 11 games are
on the road.
The Nuggets aren't part of the Western Conference playoff race despite the recent streak but have been thriving on offense. Denver has scored at least 110 points in each of its seven March contests and is averaging 116.3 points during the stretch. Orlando considers itself as being in the Eastern Conference race but four losses in five games, including Saturday's 121-84 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, presents a different view. "The rallying cry has been the rallying cry and you're not eliminated until you are mathematically eliminated," Magic coach Scott Skiles told reporters. "That's just the way it goes, but the fact that we haven't been able to do the things that we consistently need to do, that's not a good sign."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (28-39): Power forward Kenneth Faried made all 11 of his field-goal attempts against Miami to match Oklahoma City center Enes Kanter for the best perfect percentage shooting night in the NBA this season. "I just played basketball," Faried said afterward. "Just trying to get a 'W.' We lost, so it's tough." Faried had 24 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double in the past six games and is averaging 17.1 points and 9.8 rebounds during the last 10 contests.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (28-37): Shooting guard Evan Fournier is averaging a career-best 14.5 points in his fourth NBA season and has solidified his future as part of the team's building process. "I feel like Evan, the whole season, has been really consistent, if not our most consistent player," Skiles told reporters. "You know that you can count on him playing pretty good individual defense and most nights he's going to knock down shots and score it in some sort of way. I think he’s been really consistent for us." Fournier spent his first two seasons with the Nuggets before being traded to Orlando and struggled in a visit to Denver earlier this season with just three points on 1-of-7 shooting.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Magic recorded an 85-74 road win over the Nuggets on Dec. 8 to end a five-game losing streak in the series.
2. Denver rookie PG Emmanuel Mudiay had 23 points and 10 assists against Miami and is averaging 20.1 points and 6.3 assists in March.
3. Orlando C Nikola Vucevic (groin) likely will miss his fifth straight game and PG Elfrid Payton (elbow) likely will sit out for the third straight game.