NBA Preview: Denver Nuggets (33-43) vs. Houston Rockets (50-25)
By Andrew Dill
Nov 16, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) passes the ball to guard Ty Lawson (3) during the first half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
The Denver Nuggets (33-43) injury woes continue as point guard Ty Lawson left Friday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies with a sprained ankle. Lawson was taken for x-rays after the game and they came back negative so Nugget fans can exhale. The status for Lawson on Sunday night is in question but it’s likely that he won’t play. Denver will be on the road yet again as they take on one of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Houston Rockets.
What: NBA Preview: vs.
When: Sunday, April 6th
Where: Toyota Center
Time: 7:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM MT
TV: Altitude Sports
This is game two of a three-game series between the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets as Houston currently holds the upper-hand with a victory in their last meeting. The two teams last played all the way back on Nov. 16th with Houston coming away with the 122-111 victory. Dwight Howard would lead the way for the Rockets, scoring a team-high 25 points on just 4-of-6 shooting. The center would get fouled quite a bit (on purpose) as he made 17-of-24 free-throw attempts to seal the deal. Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson scored a game-high 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting, collecting 17 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.
The Houston Rockets will be without point guard Patrick Beverley (knee) and center Dwight Howard (calf) as they both are currently injured. Houston looked fine without them Friday night as they took down the Oklahoma City Thunder with James Harden scoring a game-high 39 points with 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals.
Nuggets guard Randy Foye will have to step-up yet again if Lawson will be out for Sunday afternoons contest. Foye would score 21 points while adding 9 rebounds against Memphis where Denver would turn the ball over 20 times. Here is what rookie head coach Brian Shaw had to say about the game:
"“It was kind of an ugly game,” said coach Brian Shaw, whose team has lost 23 straight when failing to score 100 points. “We’re just trying to play hard and doing what we can to get the win.”"
Projected Starting Lineups:
Denver Nuggets:
PG: Aaron Brooks
SG: Randy Foye
SF: Quincy Miller
PF: Kenneth Faried
C: Timofey Mozgov
Houston Rockets:
PG: Jeremy Lin
SG: James Harden
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Terrence Jones
C: Omer Asik