Pelicans at Nuggets
The streaking Denver Nuggets look to record their sixth win in seven games when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. Denver is a stellar 27-5 at home and is just one-half game behind Golden State in the battle for the Western Conference lead.
The Nuggets had an opportunity to move ahead of the Warriors on Thursday, but they were outplayed by Utah and suffered a 111-104 home setback. All-Star center Nikola Jokic was a shaky 5-of-15 shooting but still recorded 16 points and 13 rebounds for his 43rd double-double of the season. New Orleans won for just the seventh time in 20 contests on Friday, when it was a scorching 16-for-27 from 3-point range during a 130-116 win at Phoenix. "We have to play with ball movement and people movement, that is when we're at our best," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. "We needed a win and got it here."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS New Orleans, Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (28-36): All-Star power forward Anthony Davis registered 17 points and eight rebounds in 21 minutes against Phoenix and is expected to be held out against Denver as the team finishes a back-to-back set. New Orleans has severely limited Davis' playing time since being unable to move him prior to the trade deadline and he sat out the final 15:29 against the Suns. Julius Randle scored 22 points against Phoenix and is averaging 24.7 over his last six games.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (42-19): Reserve point guard Isaiah Thomas, who is having trouble getting minutes since returning from hip surgery, scored four points while playing just 11 minutes against the Jazz. "He's trying to find that rhythm and get comfortable with the ball in his hands," coach Michael Malone told reporters. "The other (part) of that is, he has to understand how we play and move the ball and get guys involved." Making things harder is that starting guard Jamal Murray has put together back-to-back 20-point performances - making four 3-pointers in each game - and ranks second on the squad with an 18.2 scoring average.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nuggets have won their last four home contests against the Pelicans.
2. New Orleans SG E'Twaun Moore scored 20 points against Phoenix for his highest output since tallying 21 against Houston on Dec. 29.
3. Denver swingman Will Barton matched his career best of 13 rebounds against Utah and is averaging 22 points over his last two games.