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Hornets-Nuggets Preview

Jan 23, 2010 - 5:43 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

New Orleans (22-19) at Denver (28-14), 9:00 p.m. EDT

Chauncey Billups wasn't named as one of the Western Conference All-Star starters on Thursday, but the veteran point guard is certainly making a strong case to join teammate Carmelo Anthony on the squad.

Billups, Anthony and the Northwest Division-leading Denver Nuggets look for their longest winning streak of the season Saturday night when they face the New Orleans Hornets at Pepsi Center for the first time since last season's Western Conference quarterfinals.

Although Billups is averaging a career-best 18.9 points and playing a significant role in Denver's 28-14 start, he will have to wait until Thursday to find out if the Western Conference coaches vote him as one of the seven reserves for the Feb. 14 game in Dallas. Anthony was named to his third All-Star team, and second as a starter, on Thursday.

"It's always a great honor to be an All-Star. I've been there (four) times now. That never gets old," Billups told the Nuggets' official Web site. "If I do make it, I'll definitely be honored. And if I don't, it won't be because I'm not playing at an All-Star level."

Billups has played particularly well lately, averaging 25.4 points and 5.9 assists in seven games since returning from a groin injury. Denver, which is trying to win six straight overall for the first time this season, is 6-1 since Billups returned.

The Nuggets have lost five of the eight games Billups has missed in 2009-10.

With Billups sidelined for the first time this season with the groin injury, the Hornets limited Carmelo Anthony's touches and defeated the Nuggets 98-92 in New Orleans on Dec. 18.

"We missed Chauncey, of course," Anthony said after scoring 17 points on 5-of-16 shooting in that matchup. "Once they figured out he wasn't playing, they made it their strategy to keep the ball out of my hands, which turned out to be a good scheme."

It was the teams' first meeting since the Nuggets closed out the visiting Hornets in Game 5 of last season's playoff matchup.

Including the postseason, New Orleans has lost four straight at the Pepsi Center since a 105-101 victory on Nov. 27, 2008. Earning another win in the Mile High City on Saturday could be a challenge for the Hornets (23-19) without David West, who is questionable after spraining his left ankle and missing the entire second half of Friday's 96-94 victory at Minnesota.

Paul, who had 30 points, a season-high 19 assists and nine rebounds in the November win over the Nuggets, should be ready to go Saturday despite getting elbowed and nearly having his left eye swollen shut against the Timberwolves.

"I couldn't see nothing," he said.

That hasn't been a problem for Paul in his recent visits to Denver. Including three postseason losses in 2009, he is averaging 19.6 points, 11.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds while posting eight consecutive double-doubles at the Pepsi Center.

Anthony, the league's leading scorer at 29.2 points per game, is averaging 27.8 in five games since being sidelined five games with a right knee contusion.

The Nuggets have the league's second-best home record at 19-3, but the Hornets have won five of seven on the road since losing 13 of their first 15 away games this season.