Rockets at Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets have won a season-best four consecutive games and look to add another when they host the Houston Rockets on Saturday in the first of a home-and-home set between the clubs. The Nuggets have opened up a 2 1/2-game lead over the Portland Trail Blazers for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference while Houston has a solid hold of third place.
Denver will be without forward Danilo Gallinari (knee) for the second straight game and backup forward Wilson Chandler (groin) for the third but has won by an average of 19 points during the winning streak despite coach Michael Malone being disappointed with the defense during Thursday's 129-114 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. "Our defense took a big step backward. I thought we let go of the rope," Malone told reporters. "With Houston coming in here next, we will have to find a way to try and get it back." The Rockets had a three-game winning streak snapped when they were defeated 128-112 by the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. All-Star guard James Harden produced 41 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists for his 18th triple-double of the campaign but the other four starters combined for just 29 points on 11-of-35 shooting.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (47-22): Houston has split its last six games and has allowed an average of 118.3 in the three defeats but remains four games ahead of the fourth-place Utah Jazz. But the effort against the struggling Pelicans was alarming and forward Ryan Anderson said the late arrival of the team's two buses from Baton Rouge — located about 80 miles away — was a factor while Harden and coach Mike D'Antoni both swatted that excuse aside. "There's people in the world that are having it a lot harder than somebody sitting on the bus for an extra half hour or so," D'Antoni told reporters. "We can't go there. It doesn't help; you can't go there. There's people worried about their Meals on Wheels or their health care, and we're worried about an extra half hour on the bus? I don't think that's quite right."
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (33-35): Denver recorded victories in seven of its past nine games as center Nikola Jokic has emerged as a star with five triple-doubles in the past 18 games. The back-to-back with the Rockets is followed with a home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Malone doesn't want to see the margin over Portland start to dwindle. "We have to hold ourselves to a higher standard, not just be satisfied with a win," Malone said. "We have to hold ourselves to a higher standard if we want to not only be a playoff team but also be a team that can make noise in the playoffs."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets drained 17 3-pointers while recording a 128-110 win in Denver on Dec. 2.
2. Houston backup SG Eric Gordon is in a deep shooting slump, making just 23-of-71 shots over the past six contests.
3. Denver swingman Will Barton scored a career-best 35 points against the Clippers and is averaging 28.5 on 19-of-30 shooting over the past two games.