Nuggets point guard Andre Miller nearing another milestone

Another impressive milestone will be within reach for Nuggets point guard Andre Miller when Denver faces the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.

With seven assists, Miller will pass Rod Strickland (7,987) for ninth place on the NBA’s career list. Miller already is one of just eight players in league history with at least 15,000 points and 7,500 assists.

So far this season, Miller also has added the 3-point shot to his repertoire. Picking his spots on the perimeter, he is 6-for-8 from beyond the arc.

“Just taking my time,” Miller said. “I think I’ve always been able to shoot the ball from back there, just never have – never even thought about shooting it back there.”

Now in his 15th season, Miller typically attempts fewer than 100 3-pointers per year. Five times in his career, he hasn’t made more than six in an entire season.

“Later in your career, you kind of have to find ways to stay on the court,” he said of his early success in 2013-14. “I try to get my shots up in practice whenever I can.”

Miller’s forte, however, remains finding open teammates – a skill that has put him 19 assists from 8,000.

NUGGETS AT THUNDER

WHEN: 6 p.m. MT
WHERE: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City.
TV; RADIO: Altitude; AM-950

PROBABLE STARTERS
DENVER (3-4)
F Wilson Chandler
F Kenneth Faried
C J.J. Hickson
G Randy Foye
G Ty Lawson

OKLAHOMA CITY (6-3)
F Kevin Durant
F Serge Ibaka
C Kendrick Perkins
G Thabo Sefolosha
G Russell Westbrook

INJURY REPORT
DENVER: Danilo Gallinari (knee) and JaVale McGee (fractured left tibia) are out.
OKLAHOMA CITY: None to report.

SERIES NOTES
The Nuggets have claimed 18 of the last 27 games overall against the Thunder/Sonics, dating back to the 2006-07 season . . . Denver has performed extremely well on the road against the OKC franchise in recent years, having gone 13-11 since the 2001-02 season . . . Last season was the Thunder’s second multi-win season against the Nuggets since 2005-06 . . . The Nuggets claimed a 3-1 series win over the Thunder in 2009-10, marking their fourth straight season series win against the OKC franchise until the last two seasons . . . Denver has recorded seven non-losing season series out of the last nine against the Thunder/Sonics (had been seven straight until 2010-11) . . . The biggest win in Nuggets regular-season history (52 points) came against the OKC franchise on 3/16/08 – a 168-116 win over the Seattle SuperSonics at Pepsi Center . . . The 168 points scored by Denver on 3/16/08 also marked the most points the Nuggets have ever scored in a non-overtime game.