Thunder, Nuggets Collide In Denver
The Denver Nuggets will host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Ball Arena on Tuesday night.
The Thunder (6-6) were scheduled to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, but that game got postponed due to the NBA's health and safety protocols, meaning they had some extra rest to recover from what was a grueling overtime win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder in that game with a career-high 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting, to go with 10 assists, five rebounds and a steal. Luguentz Dort followed up with 21 points, eight rebounds, six steals and a block. Isaiah Roby tallied 14 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Kenrich Williams added 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. That was also the Thunder's first home win of the season, and they will attempt to extend their winning ways while playing on the road. They have gone 5-1 on the road this season.
Al Horford (personal) is a game-time call for Tuesday's matchup, while Ty Jerome (ankle) and Trevor Ariza (personal) are both ruled out.
The Nuggets (6-7) have had some impressive performances from Nikola Jokic this season, as the Serbian big man is currently averaging a triple-double, but his individual dominance hasn't translated to wins yet. The Nuggets are coming off a tight 109-105 loss against the Utah Jazz on Sunday, and that means they have now gone 3-2 in their last five games. Jokic led the Nuggets with 35 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and a block, in 39 minutes. Jamal Murray added 30 points, five rebounds, four assists and a block, while no other players scored in double digits for the Nuggets. The Nuggets shot 40 percent from the field, including 14-of-37 from long range. Denver has gone 3-5 at home this season.
Greg Whittington (knee) has been listed as a game-time decision for Tuesday's game, while Michael Porter Jr. (COVID-19) has been ruled out.
The Thunder (6-6) were scheduled to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, but that game got postponed due to the NBA's health and safety protocols, meaning they had some extra rest to recover from what was a grueling overtime win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder in that game with a career-high 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting, to go with 10 assists, five rebounds and a steal. Luguentz Dort followed up with 21 points, eight rebounds, six steals and a block. Isaiah Roby tallied 14 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Kenrich Williams added 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. That was also the Thunder's first home win of the season, and they will attempt to extend their winning ways while playing on the road. They have gone 5-1 on the road this season.
Al Horford (personal) is a game-time call for Tuesday's matchup, while Ty Jerome (ankle) and Trevor Ariza (personal) are both ruled out.
The Nuggets (6-7) have had some impressive performances from Nikola Jokic this season, as the Serbian big man is currently averaging a triple-double, but his individual dominance hasn't translated to wins yet. The Nuggets are coming off a tight 109-105 loss against the Utah Jazz on Sunday, and that means they have now gone 3-2 in their last five games. Jokic led the Nuggets with 35 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and a block, in 39 minutes. Jamal Murray added 30 points, five rebounds, four assists and a block, while no other players scored in double digits for the Nuggets. The Nuggets shot 40 percent from the field, including 14-of-37 from long range. Denver has gone 3-5 at home this season.
Greg Whittington (knee) has been listed as a game-time decision for Tuesday's game, while Michael Porter Jr. (COVID-19) has been ruled out.
Jazz Host Pelicans on Tuesday
The New Orleans Pelicans travel to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Tuesday.
The Pelicans (5-7) were ecstatic to pick up a win in their most recent game on Sunday, snapping a five-game losing streak. Suffering losing streaks like that happen to every team at one point or another but it's discouraging for a young team to deal with it so early in the season. The victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday is something to build off of though. Brandon Ingram had one of his quietest games of the season but Zion Williamson, Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe all had big nights. That's something this club has been waiting for and it's a nice sight to see them grab a win with their superstar struggling. Zion was particularly good, leading the team with 31 points on 13-of-15 from the field. That showcases his amazing ability to get to the basket and it's actually surprising he only took 15 shots at that sort of percentage. In any case, it's something to build off of and momentum is just what the doctor ordered for this struggling team.
The Jazz (9-4) also pulled off a huge win on Sunday, beating the Denver Nuggets on the road, 109-105. Winning in Denver is a tough task and it feels even sweeter when you consider that's the team that knocked Utah out of last year's postseason. The balanced scoring in that victory is a really promising sign, especially when you see that Jordan Clarkson led the team with 23 points off the bench. The thing that's really changed for them this year is the resurgence of Mike Conley. The former Memphis standout really struggled in his first season in Utah but it's clear he's found his role now. In fact, he's averaging 17.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game, taking a ton of the load off of Donovan Mitchell's shoulders.
These teams played four close games last season, with Utah prevailing in three of four. In total, the Jazz have won 11 of their last 14 games over the Pelicans dating back to 2016.
The Pelicans (5-7) were ecstatic to pick up a win in their most recent game on Sunday, snapping a five-game losing streak. Suffering losing streaks like that happen to every team at one point or another but it's discouraging for a young team to deal with it so early in the season. The victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday is something to build off of though. Brandon Ingram had one of his quietest games of the season but Zion Williamson, Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe all had big nights. That's something this club has been waiting for and it's a nice sight to see them grab a win with their superstar struggling. Zion was particularly good, leading the team with 31 points on 13-of-15 from the field. That showcases his amazing ability to get to the basket and it's actually surprising he only took 15 shots at that sort of percentage. In any case, it's something to build off of and momentum is just what the doctor ordered for this struggling team.
The Jazz (9-4) also pulled off a huge win on Sunday, beating the Denver Nuggets on the road, 109-105. Winning in Denver is a tough task and it feels even sweeter when you consider that's the team that knocked Utah out of last year's postseason. The balanced scoring in that victory is a really promising sign, especially when you see that Jordan Clarkson led the team with 23 points off the bench. The thing that's really changed for them this year is the resurgence of Mike Conley. The former Memphis standout really struggled in his first season in Utah but it's clear he's found his role now. In fact, he's averaging 17.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game, taking a ton of the load off of Donovan Mitchell's shoulders.
These teams played four close games last season, with Utah prevailing in three of four. In total, the Jazz have won 11 of their last 14 games over the Pelicans dating back to 2016.