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Nuggets-Jazz Preview

Jan 2, 2010 - 2:37 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Denver (20-12) at Utah (18-14), 9:00 p.m. EDT

The Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz have combined to win the last four Northwest Division titles, and only two games separate them in the current standings.

However, neither team can be happy with how it closed out the 2009 calendar year.

The Nuggets make their first visit of the season to Salt Lake City on Saturday, looking to avoid their first four-game losing streak in more than two years.

Denver (20-12) and Utah (18-14) opened the season against each other Oct. 28, when Carmelo Anthony had a game-high 30 points - equaling his team-leading season average - in the Nuggets' 114-105 home victory.

Led by Anthony, Denver is tied with Portland for the division lead. Utah is two games behind, tied with Oklahoma City.

Both teams struggled at the end of December, especially the Nuggets, who are trying to avoid their first four-game skid since Feb. 14-24, 2007. They lost 106-101 at Sacramento on Monday.

Anthony finished with 34 points, but the Nuggets combined for 38 in the second and third quarters and were unable to recover.

"Losing is extremely frustrating," coach George Karl said. "You don't like to lose, but Sacramento is playing at a good level and we are not playing at a great level. I told the team the best they have going is that we have three days off practice."

The additional time off this week might not be enough for Chauncey Billups, who remains questionable with a strained groin. He has missed five of the last six games, and he sat out the second half of the only game he played in that stretch - a 107-96 loss at Portland on Christmas Day.

Monday's loss was also Denver's sixth straight on the road. The Nuggets have averaged 96.5 points during those games - more than 10 below their season average. They haven't lost seven in a row away from the Pepsi Center since an eight-game skid Dec. 17, 2004-Jan. 17, 2005, but matching that streak is quite possible given their struggles on the road against the Jazz.

Denver has lost four straight in Salt Lake City and seven of eight visits there since the start of the 2005-06 season.

The Jazz have dropped three of five overall, including an 87-86 loss at Oklahoma City on Thursday, when Utah's rally from an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit came up short.

Utah was held below 100 points for the fifth time in seven games, and to fewer than 90 for the third time during that stretch. The Jazz were 0 for 9 from 3-point range - the first time they failed to make a shot from beyond the arc since they went 0 for 10 on Nov. 11 against Boston.

"We played good enough defense the whole game to win the basketball game," said Deron Williams, who scored 10 of his 14 points in the final five minutes. "Just offensively, we didn't have everybody going."

Williams has recorded 12 consecutive double-doubles against the Nuggets, including a 28-point, 13-assist effort in the season opener.