Cavaliers at Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets attempt to win for the 11th time in 14 games when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. The Nuggets rolled to a 135-105 rout of lowly Chicago on Thursday and now look to take advantage of the worst team in the NBA.
The shellacking of the Bulls had an extra dose of good feelings behind it after Denver was crushed 142-111 by Golden State two nights earlier. "We needed to wake up to try to play like we were supposed to play, not just this game, but every game," Nuggets center Nikola Jokic told reporters. "When we got to the other gear, we played the right way." Cleveland's gear has been plummeting downward as Friday's 115-99 loss to Utah was the team's 14th in 15 contests. The Cavaliers are getting routed regularly as 19 of their last 22 setbacks have been by double digits.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cleveland), Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (9-37): Cleveland trailed by 38 points in the third quarter before cutting into the deficit against Utah's reserves, but coach Larry Drew wasn't happy with his club's play over the first 30 minutes. "I didn't think we did a good job as far as moving the ball and moving our bodies," Drew told reporters. "We became too stagnant and played right into the heart of their defense." Backup point guard Cameron Payne scored 14 points to reach double digits in four of his six games since joining the Cavaliers.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (30-14): Denver knocked down a season-best 20 3-pointers against the Bulls, with point guard Jamal Murray going 7-for-11 from beyond the arc while scoring 25 points. "It feels good, just having fun," Murray told reporters of seeing his shots falling. "Everybody knows once I make one or two, that's all I need. After that, I'm locked in." Murray has topped 20 points in four of his last five games and is 11-for-18 from 3-point range over his last two contests.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Nuggets F Juancho Hernangomez scored 23 points in a 110-91 road win over the Cavaliers on Nov. 1.
2. Cleveland C Tristan Thompson (foot) likely will miss his second straight game.
3. Denver SG Gary Harris (hamstring) scored 14 points in 19 minutes off the bench against Chicago after missing the previous five contests.