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Warriors' Ellis and Nuggets' Smith seek encore performances

Nov 22, 2006 - 2:17 PM Denver (5-4) at Golden State (7-4) 10:30 pm EST

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) - Wednesday's game between the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets originally presented itself as a showdown between Carmelo Anthony and Baron Davis. But judging on the teams' most recent games, the most intriguing matchup might be Monta Ellis vs. J.R. Smith.

A second-year guard, Ellis matched his career high with 31 points on Monday in the Warriors' 113-100 defeat to Phoenix. He made 13-of-26 shots and was the best player on the court for much of the game before two-time reigning MVP Steve Nash nailed the go-ahead 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds remaining.

Mickael Pietrus had 24 points, eight rebounds and five blocks and Mike Dunleavy Jr. scored 16 points for Golden State, which had won the first five games of its homestand.

The Warriors played without Davis, who sat out with a sore ribcage, but they likely will need him to keep up with the Nuggets, who have won five of their last six.

Denver captured a 113-109 triumph vs. Chicago on Tuesday as Smith set a career high with 36 points and made a personal-best five 3-pointers. Anthony scored 29 points, ending his streak of six straight 30-point efforts, and Marcus Camby collected 13 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks.

The teams meet again Friday in Denver.