Pelicans at Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are battling for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference and can't afford to lose any ground to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Nuggets will try to put pressure on the Trail Blazers when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.
Denver went into play on Thursday one game behind the Trail Blazers after squandering a chance to gain a game by dropping a 110-104 decision at the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. "We fought them tooth-and-nail all the way to the end and came up a little bit short," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. "My message to our guys was, ‘Don’t drop your head. Feel really good about the effort we put forth tonight. We have basketball left. We’re still alive. There’s only two teams left fighting for that playoff spot.'" The Pelicans fell out of contention for the No. 8 spot earlier this week but are still playing hard and battled Denver to the wire in a 134-131 home loss on Tuesday. New Orleans finishes out the campaign with a four-game road trip and two back-to-backs but will get a chance to impact the race with games against the Nuggets and Trail Blazers.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN New Orleans, Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (33-45): New Orleans took the franchise in a different direction when it acquired center DeMarcus Cousins during the All-Star break, and Cousins believes the team made strides since his arrival. "I’m proud of the stuff we've taken as a team," Cousins told reporters. "Under the circumstances of how this team came about, I think we improved greatly. Do we have a lot to work on? Yes. I’m extremely excited for the future, I think this team has a bright future and we’re full of potential, it’s only a matter of time before everything comes together." Cousins is questionable to play on Friday due to an Achilles issue and the team is expected to rest other players on the back-to-backs.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (37-41): Denver plays the next two at home against New Orleans and Oklahoma City before finishing out the campaign with a back-to-back at Dallas and the Thunder on Tuesday and Wednesday. "We’ve been a good team the last 1 1/2 months and we play together,” budding star Nikola Jokic told reporters. "We’re going to continue to do that. We’re going to keep fighting in every game and we’ll see what happens." Jokic delivered 21 points and 12 rebounds in Tuesday's win at New Orleans and collected 12 points, 19 rebounds, nine assists and five steals in Wednesday's setback.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Nuggets rookie SG Jamal Murray is 5-of-23 from 3-point range over the last four games.
2. Pelicans PF Anthony Davis scored at least 30 points in six of the last seven contests.
3. New Orleans earned a 115-90 win at Denver on March 26 behind 31 points and 13 rebounds from Davis.