Hornets-Nuggets Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Jan 08 2012 10:37PM

Danilo Gallinari is encouraged by the Denver Nuggets' start to the season.

His recent play may also be playing a factor in that assessment.

Gallinari looks to build on one of the best scoring performances of his career as the Nuggets try to remain unbeaten at home in another meeting with the struggling New Orleans Hornets on Monday night.

Denver (6-3) is the highest scoring team in the Western Conference, averaging 104.0 points. The Nuggets have featured impressive balance, with six players averaging in double digits led by Gallinari's 16.9.

The Italian forward has scored at least 20 points in four of the last five games, averaging 20.6. He matched his career high with 31 points while hitting 10 of 16 shots - 3 for 4 from beyond the arc - in Saturday's 121-117 loss at San Antonio.

Although the Nuggets had their four-game winning streak snapped, Gallinari likes the team's potential after nearly erasing a 20-point deficit.

"We have the chance to have a really good team," he said. "When you can come back from 20 points against the Spurs, it means you are a really good team. We've just got to be more ready, more focused when we come out to start the game."

Gallinari and the Nuggets, however, needed to overcome a slow start against the Hornets (2-6) on Friday. The Nuggets gave up the first nine points before taking the lead for good in the fourth quarter, as Gallinari scored a game-high 23 points in a 96-88 win.

Hosting New Orleans may be just what Denver needs to make a quick return to the win column.

The Nuggets are averaging 112.5 points while winning 16 of their last 17 at Pepsi Center, including a six-game winning streak dating to last season.

They've won all four games there in 2011-12, holding opponents to 89.8 points per contest.

The Hornets, 1-3 on the road, are averaging a Western Conference-low 86.5 points, and have lost six in a row after falling 96-81 at Dallas on Saturday. They haven't endured a longer slide since dropping eight straight from Feb. 28-March 18, 2006.

New Orleans' chances of snapping its slide could be made much more difficult due to potential absences.

The Hornets were without guard Eric Gordon (bruised right knee) and forward Trevor Ariza (groin strain) on Saturday, while forward-center Jason Smith was with his family after the death of his grandmother.

It's unclear when any of them will be available.

New Orleans is also concluding a stretch of three games in four days.

"It's difficult. It's part of the season, part of the grind. Guys have injuries, personal problems to deal with," guard Jarrett Jack said. "Getting healthy is part of it. We need to get back our nucleus and get back on track. I'm not going to make excuses. We've got to learn as we go."

Jack is looking for a better effort from the floor after making 4 of 14 shots for 13 points against the Mavericks. He had 15 points versus Denver the previous night, and is averaging a team-leading 7.7 assists on the season.

The injury to Ariza has meant more playing time for Al-Farouq Aminu, who had a season-high 15 points and a career-best 12 rebounds Saturday.

Aminu, though, only managed six total points and five boards in the prior two games in place of Ariza.

Landry scores 21 as Hornets beat the Nuggets

Posted Jan 10 2012 1:01AM

DENVER (AP) The New Orleans Hornets were happy to finally get another win.

Carl Landry scored 21 points, Chris Kaman added 20 and the Hornets ended a six-game losing streak with a 94-81 win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.

Marco Belinelli scored 19 and Jarrett Jack had 13 points and nine assists for the Hornets. New Orleans hadn't won since beating Boston on Dec. 28.

"It feels to get the monkey off your back," Landry said. "Losing six in a row is never easy, I don't care what sport it is."

The Hornets were struggling and missing key players Monday. Eric Gordon didn't make the trip and missed his seventh game with a bruised right knee. Trevor Ariza (groin strain) and Xavier Henry (sprained ankle) didn't dress.

Jack was questionable with a sprained right foot suffered against Dallas on Saturday but he played 35 minutes.

"I've been around him for five, six years and I've seen him miss only one game," New Orleans coach Monty Williams said. "He was in a car accident and he ran into a parked tractor trailer. He's a tough kid. We don't win this game without him."

Jack didn't think playing was special on his part.

"I didn't do it just to be on some Willis Reed stuff," he said. "People always told me your best ability is your availability. I just try to be there for my teammates. I felt like I would let them down if I didn't come out and at least give the effort."

Danilo Gallinari and Ty Lawson had 14 points each and Rudy Fernandez added 14 for Denver, which lost at home for the first time in five games.

Denver shot just 41 percent from the field, including 35 percent on 3-pointers.

"We couldn't get anything going, couldn't knock down shots, couldn't get any rhythm," Lawson said. "Coach said we were going to have three to five of these games a year. This was one of them."

New Orleans led by eight at halftime and increased it to 15 on Kaman's layup with 7:27 left in the third. Consecutive 3s by Arron Afflalo and Lawson sparked a 10-2 Denver run, but a running jumper by Jack and a block by Emeka Okafor helped the Hornets lead 78-64 heading into the fourth.

Denver never threatened in the final 12 minutes. Fernandez's 3 cut the lead to 80-69 early, but two jumpers by Kaman started the Hornets' 12-2 run that gave them a 92-71 lead with 3:22 left.

"Chris Kaman was big on the offensive end," Williams said.

Landry put an exclamation point on the win when he scored on a dunk as he was leveled by Nene with a hard foul. He stayed on the court for a moment before getting up and hitting the free throw.

"I definitely got hit in the face," he said. "It was a tough hit. I felt like it was more than an average foul. I took it and got up."

Jack scored five points in the spurt. His 3 gave the Hornets an 87-71 lead midway through the fourth.

The short-handed Hornets led for most of the first half. Belinelli, who averages eight points a game, sparked New Orleans with 16 and Landry came off the bench to score 13 before the break.

The Nuggets led 27-26 after the first quarter, but the Hornets took control in the second. Belinelli scored five straight points, including a 3, to put New Orleans ahead 39-31.

Landry had a dunk and a layup, and Belinelli hit another shot to increase the lead to 45-35 late in the second.

Gallinari scored 12 points and Lawson had 10 to try to keep the Nuggets close, but the Hornets led 54-46 at halftime.

"This loss isn't going to throw away all the good basketball we've played," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "Be humbled by the defeat and go out and work hard tomorrow."

NOTES: New Orleans C Jason Smith was away from the team for his grandmother's funeral. ... Lawson suffered a right foot strain at the end of the second quarter. An X-ray at halftime was negative, and he returned to the game with 9:41 left in the third quarter. ... The Nuggets' previous scoring low was 89 against the L.A. Lakers.

Notebook: Hornets 94, Nuggets 81

By Michael Kelly, for NBA.com
Posted Tuesday January 10, 2012 12:44AM

THE FACTS: Carl Landry scored 21 points, Chris Kaman had 10 and the New Orleans Hornets ended a six-game losing streak with a 94-81 win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. Jarrett Jack had 13 points and nine assists despite being a game-time decision for New Orleans with a sprained right foot.

QUOTABLE: "I didn't do it just to be on some Willis Reed stuff. People always told me your best ability is your availability. I just try to be there for my teammates. I felt like I would let them down if I didn't come out and at least give the effort."
-- Jack, on playing with pain.

THE STAT: Hornets had only 11 players available due to injury and personal issues but overcame the altitude and Denver being unbeaten at home. DaJuan Summers played for the first time this year and had four points, three rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes.

TURNING POINT: Early in the fourth quarter the Nuggets were looking like they were going to make a run. Kaman calmly hit two jumpers from the elbow to keep the lead in double digits and the Nuggets never got the lead under 11.

QUOTABLE II: "I've been around him for five, six years and I've seen him miss only one game. He was in a car accident and he ran into a parked tractor trailer. He's a tough kid. We don't win this game without him."
-- New Orleans head coach Monty Williams on Jack.

HOT: Marco Belinelli hadn't scored more than 13 points in a game this year and was averaging 8.0 coming into Monday but he torched the Nuggets for 16 in the first half. He hit two 3-pointers and made a falling-down, one-handed bank shot in the second quarter when the Hornets built a 10-point lead. He finished with 19.

NOT: Fan favorite Chris Andersen played only 5:26 and didn't get off the bench in the second half. In his last three games he has averaged less than five minutes of playing time and seems to have lost a spot in the rotation with the emergence of Kosta Koufas and Corey Brewer.

QUOTABLE III: "This loss isn't going to throw away all the good basketball we've played. Be humbled by the defeat and go out and work hard tomorrow."
-- Nuggets head coach George Karl.

INSIDE THE ARENA: New Denver mayor, Michael Hancock, presented the game ball before tip-off.

GOOD MOVE: Rarely is the game turned in the first minutes but Williams called a quick timeout when Denver went ahead 8-2. Williams was concerned that the Nuggets scored three fast-break baskets, so he reminded his team to get back on transition defense.

BAD MOVE: Late in the game Nene put a hard foul on Landry, who fell to the floor after dunking the ball. Landry got up to make the free throw.

QUOTABLE IV: "I definitely got hit in the face. I didn't see the ball go in, I just know I hit the ground pretty hard. It was a tough hit. I felt like it was more than an average foul. I took it and got up."
-- Landry, on Nene's hard foul in the fourth.

ROOKIE WATCH: Hornets guard Carldell Johnson played 14 minutes and scored only three points but he drew a key offensive foul in the fourth quarter when New Orleans was pulling away.

NOTABLE: The Hornets are 6-5 in Denver since the start of the 2005-06 season.

UP NEXT: For the Hornets, Wednesday vs. Oklahoma City, Friday vs. Minnesota, Saturday @ Memphis. For the Nuggets, Wednesday vs. New Jersey, Friday vs. Miami, Sunday vs. Utah.

• Hornets: Ariza, Henry
• Nuggets: Hamilton, Stone

• Hornets: --
• Nuggets: --

• Lead Changes: 7
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
• Officials: #48 Scott Foster, #12 Violet Palmer, #20 Leroy Richardson
• Attendance: 14002
• Duration: 2:11