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Nuggets look to sweep season series from Clippers

Apr 3, 2009 - 10:33 PM By Dan Pieringer STATS Writer

DENVER (AP) -- A hot streak can go a long way toward determining where a team ends up in the tightly packed Western Conference playoff race, and the Denver Nuggets are the hottest team in the NBA.

A meeting with the woeful Los Angeles Clippers shouldn't change that.

The Nuggets look to continue their push for the playoffs and hold onto second place in the West by sweeping their season series with the Clippers when the clubs meet Saturday night in Denver.

After dropping eight of its first 12 games after the All-Star break, Denver (50-26) has won 10 of 11 to take over the Northwest Division lead and the No. 2 seed in the crowded West standings.

J.R. Smith scored 28 points and made a career high-tying eight 3-pointers as the Nuggets took a key 114-104 victory over division rival Utah on Thursday night - their seventh straight win at the Pepsi Center, where they're 30-8 this season.

The Nuggets, who joined the league in 1976, have matched last season's win total, reaching 50 in consecutive seasons for the first time. With six games left, they have a shot at topping their best record, 54-28 in 1987-88.

"Fifty wins is in the coaching profession, it's pretty important, it's a notch in the belt," coach George Karl said. "As I constantly tell you (in the media), I don't think any of you thought we were going to win 50 this year."

Three of those wins came at the Clippers' expense. Denver needed overtime to pull out a 113-103 road victory Oct. 31, then outlasted Los Angeles 106-105 on Nov. 26. Smith scored 17 points off the bench in Denver's 107-94 home win March 14.

The Nuggets' stars, however, have had their problems against the Clippers. Carmelo Anthony has scored 24.0 points per game in two games against them, but he's been held to 14-for-37 shooting from the field (37.8 percent).

Los Angeles has also done a good job containing Chauncey Billups, who's averaged 8.5 points and shot 25.0 percent (4-for-16) in two games.

The Clippers (18-57) have had a hard time trying to stop opponents lately. They've given up 107.1 points per game in losing 14 of their last 17, including a 104-98 home loss to New Orleans on Wednesday night.

Buoyed by the return of point guard Baron Davis from a two-game absence, the Clippers shot 50.0 percent. But they allowed the Hornets to shoot 53.1 percent.

Los Angeles might have an easier time keeping up with Denver if Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin can't play. Martin, who just recently returned to full health after dealing with a bad back for a month, left Thursday's game with a cartilage strain in his left rib cage. X-rays were negative.

Martin, who didn't know how he got hurt, said he was in a lot of pain after the game and wasn't sure if he'll be able to play Saturday. Karl hopes Martin's absence is brief.

"I like challenges but I would prefer to be healthy," Karl said. "I think 'Melo's getting healthier and everybody seemed to be on the route of getting healthier and had more bounce in their step. I'm hoping this is just a few-day injury and not much more than that."

This will be the second game in Denver for Clippers center Marcus Camby, who spend the last six seasons with the Nuggets. Camby had 11 points and seven rebounds in his first game back March 14.