Denver Nuggets Hope to Snap 8-Game Skid at Toronto
The Denver Nuggets travel to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto to face the Raptors in a Thursday night tilt, hoping to snap and 8-game losing streak.
The Denver Nuggets fell to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday by a final score of 99-90 at the Madhouse on Madison. Paul Gasol recorded a 26 point, 17 rebound double-double against the Nuggets on Wednesday, and out-rebounded Denver 62-49 on the night. The Denver Nuggets have not lost nine consecutive games since the 2002-2003 season, where they lost 14 in a row.
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Will Barton led the Nuggets in scoring on Wednesday at Chicago with 16 points off the bench, while Kenneth Faried added 14 points and 9 rebounds on the night. Against a fundamentally sound Raptors squad, both the starters and the bench will need to play efficiently in order to have a chance to win.
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The Toronto Raptors currently hold a 12-7 record, and sit in the upper echelon of Eastern Conference teams. Coming off a gutsy win at Philips Arena against the Atlanta Hawks where they trailed by 14 points at half-time, Kyle Lowry went off, scoring 22 points in the fourth quarter against the Hawks to lead the Raptors to victory.
Emmanuel Mudiay is tasked with defending Toronto’s All-Star floor general — which is no small task. Lowry is having a banner year for the Raptors, averaging 21.3 points per game, while shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc. The Toronto Raptors also possess a staunch defense, ranked 5th in the NBA in points allowed with only 95.8 per contest.
In addition to Kyle Lowry, the Denver Nuggets must also contend with DeMar DeRozan, who is averaging 21.0 points per contest while shooting 41 percent from the field. The Raptors dynamic backcourt is their biggest strength, and is key to their rise in the East.
If the Denver Nuggets hope to have a good chance at beating the Raptors, they must look to take the Toronto bigs away from the basket. Danilo Gallinari‘s good play is imperative to the Nuggets success, while Kenneth Faried must secure key rebounds. If the Denver Nuggets can contain Kyle Lowry and make him a facilitator, they stand a much better chance at pulling out a win at the Air Canada Centre.
Next: Denver Nuggets Lose 8th Straight, Fall to Bulls 99-90
The Denver Nuggets offense is reeling, and is currently 26th in the NBA with only 96.2 points per game. Against a good defense in Toronto and on the road, the Denver Nuggets have a tall task ahead of them if they hope to pull off an upset against an Eastern Conference Power. The Nuggets and the Raptors tip-off at 5:30 PM.