Two teams trying to work their way into the conversation in the Western Conference playoff chase, New Orleans and Denver, meet Wednesday in the Crescent City. It's the second matchup of the 2014-15 season between the Western Conference clubs; in the first, Denver prevailed on its home floor by a 117-97 margin, the week before Thanksgiving. There will be two more Pelicans-Nuggets games this season, both in March, with New Orleans traveling to the Mile High City on March 1, followed by Denver's return trip here exactly two weeks later.
Both teams feature a prominent member of the USA Basketball squad that captured a FIBA World Cup gold medal in Spain this summer. At times during the Americans' run to first place in the event, Denver's Kenneth Faried and New Orleans' Anthony Davis were regarded as the national team's two most valuable players. Faried provided his trademark brand of frenetic energy on the backboards and in the paint, while Davis was an all-around force, supplying offense, fast-break finishes, defense and rebounding.
Faried was one of the Nuggets who helped make it a long night back for New Orleans on Nov. 21 in Denver, finishing with 19 points and eight rebounds. Five other Nuggets players compiled double-digit point production, resulting in one of the Pelicans' most one-sided losses of 2014-15. Davis paced New Orleans in that game with 18 points and nine blocks. The 6-foot-10 power forward continues to pile up individual honors, including being named a Western Conference All-Star starter on Jan. 22. Davis topped all West frontcourt players in voting, a significant jump from 2013-14, when he was a late injury replacement to the All-Star Game in New Orleans.
Intriguing matchup: Shooting guard, Eric Gordon vs. Arron Afflalo
Afflalo held a slight upper hand on Gordon during the Nov. 21 matchup, outscoring him 19-13. Afflalo is one of Denver's best three-point shooters and has often played well vs. New Orleans in recent years.