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Nuggets at Pelicans Preview

Associated Press

Anthony Davis credits the New Orleans Pelicans' longest winning streak of the season to the simple fact that everyone is having fun.

The miserable Denver Nuggets surely would like to knock them down a peg.

New Orleans seeks a fifth consecutive victory while dealing visiting Denver an eighth straight defeat Wednesday night.

The Pelicans (24-21) began their streak when Davis returned after missing three games with a sprained toe, in the process improving to three games over .500 for the first time since finishing 46-36 in 2010-11.

Davis finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in Monday's 99-74 win over Philadelphia to give New Orleans its fourth straight home win. Ryan Anderson followed his 18-point performance against Dallas a night earlier with 19.

"It doesn't matter who scores," Davis said. "Everybody's playing together. Everybody's playing hard and that's all that the coaches ask for."

Davis' words have best been exemplified by Tyreke Evans, who's started at point guard the last eight games since Jrue Holiday suffered a stress reaction in his right leg. Evans has averaged 7.4 assists during that stretch after setting a season high with 12 in back-to-back contests.

He's averaging 17.0 points on the season but finished with just six on a season-low six field-goal attempts against the 76ers.

"As long as were winning the game and everybody is having fun, it doesn't matter to me," Evans said. "I could have easily penetrated and got to the rim, but I'd seen guys open and I was looking to find guys."

Especially Davis, who was the beneficiary of a few alley-oops from Evans.

"I've got a good feel for A.D., I know what he likes to do," Evans said. "I'm comfortable playing with him and it's just fun out there when we're playing like that."

New Orleans didn't have much fun during a 117-97 loss to Denver on Nov. 21, a feeling the Nuggets have experienced plenty during their slump.

Denver (18-27) has lost its last three by a combined seven points, blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in Monday's 102-98 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Ty Lawson had 19 points and 11 assists while Wilson Chandler and Arron Afflalo added 18 points apiece for the Nuggets, who have led by at least eight in the second half of their past three games.

"The effort is there, but we've got to develop some killer instinct," coach Brian Shaw said. "We're not making plays other teams are making, and that's preventing us from winning games."

Shaw can point to the fact that Denver hasn't outscored an opponent in the final quarter in 11 straight games since a win over Memphis on Jan. 3.

"I don't know if we're growing at all," Shaw said.

Denver has dropped 10 of 12 on the road and will be making its second stop on a three-game swing.

The Pelicans are 15-5 at home, where Evans is averaging 20.1 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 49.2 percent from the field. He's putting up 14.5 points and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 38.7 percent on the road.