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Nuggets meet slumping Nets

Mar 16, 2009 - 6:57 AM By Matt Becker Stats Senior Writer

New Jersey (28-38) at Denver (42-25), 9:00 pm EDT

DENVER (Ticker) -- The Denver Nuggets are taking advantage of a seemingly easy portion of their schedule and have moved back atop the Northwest Division. Don't expect them to take the slumping New Jersey Nets lightly - especially after their last meeting.

Denver looks to avenge its worst loss in more than a decade when it wraps up a four-game homestand Monday night against the Nets, who could be without All-Star point guard and leading scorer Devin Harris.

On February 18, Denver was second in the Western Conference and had a 3 1/2-game lead in the Northwest. After losing eight of 11, though, the Nuggets dropped to seventh in the conference and one game in back of new division co-leaders Portland and Utah.

Denver opened its current homestand with a 97-95 loss to Houston last Monday, but bounced back with Wednesday's 112-99 win over Oklahoma City followed by Saturday's 107-94 victory over the Los Angles Clippers to move back into first, where they are one-half game ahead of the Blazers.

The Nuggets, who haven't won three in a row since February 10-18, hope to increase their lead at Memphis on Wednesday and home against Washington on Friday.

First, though, Denver needs to get past New Jersey (28-38), which has lost 11 of 15 and may not have Harris (22.6 ppg) available. He left with 8:53 remaining in the third quarter of Sunday's 107-105 loss to the Clippers because of a strained left shoulder.

Although the Nets are struggling, the Nuggets won't be overlooking them.

On February 7, Denver arrived in New Jersey riding a four-game winning streak but left after a 114-70 loss - their most lopsided defeat since a 107-63 setback to Portland on April 16, 1997. Harris led New Jersey with 28 points.

Carmelo Anthony scored 15 - the only Denver player in double figures - as the Nuggets shot just 35.6 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 54-30. Denver had a far better effort Saturday with five players scoring in double figures and outrebounding the Clippers 56-30.

Renaldo Balkman continued his solid play in place of the injured Kenyon Martin, who has missed five of the last six games with a lower back strain. Balkman had a career-high 22 points and 11 rebounds Saturday after finishing with 14 and 14 Wednesday.

The Nets arrive in Denver needing to quickly regroup. New Jersey rallied from 11 down with 4 1/2 minutes remaining to go up 105-102 on Vince Carter's 3-pointer with 12.7 seconds left but couldn't close it out.

Carter finished with a season-high 41 points along with seven rebounds and six assists for the Nets, who dropped 1 1/2 games back of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

"There's six teams fighting for that seventh and eighth spot, and we feel like we're very capable. But talking about it means nothing without executing in the game. And right now, we're not getting the job done," Carter said. "We've been in close games and still haven't gotten over the hump.

"This one hurts more than anything, because we had the lead."

New Jersey, which has lost 15 of its last 19 on the road, concludes a five-game road trip Wednesday against New York, which is tied with the Nets in the East.