San Antonio, Texas – The Denver Nuggets are back in action tonight against a San Antonio Spurs team that has been tough to beat at home. This is the first time that these two teams have met this season after splitting the season series last year.
The Nuggets are one of just three teams in the Western Conference with a winning record on the road this season despite dropping their last three road games. Denver is still the top team in the Western Conference with a 21-10 record. The Nuggets lost their last game on Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers, falling 132-111.
The Spurs are 18-16 and sit 4.5 games behind the Nuggets in the standings. San Antonio has been a much different team at home than they have been on the road, going 13-5 at home compared to 5-11 on the road. The Spurs lost their most recent game against the Houston Rockets on Saturday, 108-101.
Here is what to watch for tonight:
Forcing the Spurs into bad looks: San Antonio is the best three point shooting team in the league, shooting 40.3% from deep this season. Davis Bertans leads the league in three point percentage at 49.6%. However, the Spurs attempt the fewest threes per game in the league at just 24.1 a night. The Spurs get 19.1% of their points from midrange looks, a mark that is the highest in the league. San Antonio is tied for the fourth highest field goal percentage at 47.6%.
The Nuggets have held their opponents to shoot the second lowest percentage from deep at just 32.4%. Denver has also held opponents to shoot 45% from the floor.
Winning in the paint: The Nuggets were outscored 80-50 in the paint during their loss to the Clippers on Saturday. Los Angeles shot 57.6% from the field on their way to 132 points. The Nuggets’ opponent tonight averages the fifth fewest points in the paint in the league at 43.4 while the Nuggets average the fifth most at 52.6.
Coming out strong: The Nuggets got behind early on Saturday and couldn’t come up with the firepower to keep up. The Nuggets were outscored in every quarter against the Clippers. Taking a lead early and holding onto it will be key for the Nuggets against a Spurs team that has been strong at home.
Tonight’s game will tip at 6:30 pm MT and will air on Altitude TV and the AltitudeNOW app. Fans can listen on Altitude Radio, 92.5 FM.