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Nuggets-Thunder Preview

Jan 29, 2010 - 4:16 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Denver (31-14) at Oklahoma City (24-21), 8:00 p.m. EDT

The Denver Nuggets are the NBA's hottest team, but they're not the most powerful force to arrive in Oklahoma City.

Friday night's game between the surging Nuggets, who expect to have Carmelo Anthony back as they go for a ninth straight win, and the suddenly struggling Thunder could be delayed with a severe winter storm blanketing Oklahoma City.

Denver (31-14) boarded an airplane shortly after Wednesday's 97-92 win over Houston to beat an ice storm that has since covered the Oklahoma capital and surrounding area. The ice has made conditions there dangerous, and the game may be postponed.

The Nuggets would probably like to get this game in considering how well they've been playing lately.

Denver is outscoring its opponents by an average of 10.4 points during its winning streak, and has opened a four-game lead over second-place Utah in the Northwest Division. The Nuggets haven't won nine straight since reeling off 10 in a row from March 30-April 13, 2005.

"Since January, we've been trying to get more serious about every game, every situation, every circumstance," Denver coach George Karl said. "Early in the season, I don't think we made as many big-time defensive plays as we made last year. Our defense is starting to play better."

The Nuggets have won their last two games without Anthony (sprained left ankle), but the three-time All-Star is expected to face Oklahoma City (21-21). Anthony, second in the league with an average of 29.6 points per game, has scored at least 31 in five of the last six games against the Thunder.

Anthony finished with 31 in a 102-93 win over Oklahoma City on Dec. 14, the only meeting of the season between the Northwest rivals. The Nuggets have won the last five over the Thunder franchise and nine of the last 10.

Although Anthony is Denver's scoring leader, Chauncey Billups and Kenyon Martin have had just as much to do with the team's success this month.

Billups' directs an offense that ranks second in the league with an average of 107.5 points. Despite averaging 24.6 points and 6.5 assists in his last 10 games, he was left off the Western Conference All-Star roster.

Martin finished with 12 points and 15 rebounds against the Rockets for his 12th double-double in 16 games. He had only six points on 3 of 12 shooting against Oklahoma City last month, but had 11 boards.

"He doesn't get enough credit," Billups said. "He's been phenomenal for us. He's more aggressive at both ends of the court."

While Billups wasn't among the All-Star reserves named Thursday, Kevin Durant was selected to the game for the first time.

Durant is third in the NBA in scoring with an average of 29.3 points, and has helped Oklahoma City surpass last season's win total of 23 to get in the mix for a playoff berth.

Although the Thunder are in the postseason picture, they've lost three in a row following a three-game winning streak. They shot just 36.9 percent in Wednesday's 96-86 loss to Chicago, and are averaging 89.7 points during their skid - down from 95.3 in the previous three.

Despite the slide, the team isn't about to panic.

"You win some and you lose some. It's only a three-game losing streak," forward Jeff Green said. "It ain't like we've lost 11 in a row. We can rebound from this."