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Nuggets host Mavericks in battle of division leaders

Tue 9th, February 2010

(Sports Network) - A pair of Western Conference powers meet in the Rockies Tuesday, as the Northwest Division-leading Denver Nuggets play host to the Southwest pacesetters, the Dallas Mavericks.

The Nuggets currently hold the second seed in the Western Conference but are coming off a tough loss to division-rival Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday. All-Star Deron Williams recorded 22 points and nine assists to lead a balanced Jazz attack in a 116-106 victory over a short-handed Denver club in that one.

Andrei Kirilenko scored 22 points as well for the Jazz, who moved to within two games of the Nuggets after their season-high eighth straight win. Carlos Boozer returned from a three-game absence (calf) to donate 19 points and 13 rebounds

Rookie Ty Lawson, starting in place of the injured Chauncey Billups, ended with a game-high 25 points for Denver, which was coming off a 126-113 win over the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Billups had 39 points in that game but sprained his ankle, forcing him to join fellow All-Star Carmelo Anthony on the bench Saturday.

"You look out there and see they don't have Billups, and they don't have Carmelo Anthony, so we should've won real easily probably," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "But they beat us here with those two guys out the last time we played them, and that shows you how strong their team is. They've got a terrific team."

J.R. Smith ended with 19 points for Denver, which received 16 points apiece from Joey Graham and Kenyon Martin, who grabbed 13 rebounds as well in a losing cause. It was the first loss for the Nuggets in four meetings this season against the Jazz.

"We were definitely missing 'Melo and Chauncey, but that's no excuse not to go out there and perform to the level that we're capable of, playing together like we did," Nuggets forward Chris Andersen said. "We were gassed a little bit, but you've got to give Utah the credit. They definitely knew the numbers, it was 3-0 [in games this season], and they definitely came out and started to run us."

Billups is listed as probable for tonight's game despite missing practice on Monday. Anthony, who has missed 13 of Denver's last 19 games, seems to be targeting a return after the All-Star break, however.

The Mavs, meanwhile, have been struggling recently but did manage to open up a three-game road trip in winning fashion last night in Oakland. Jason Terry made 6-of-9 three-point tries and finished with a season-high 36 points, along with nine assists and six rebounds, as Dallas took control in the fourth quarter in a 127-117 victory over Golden State.

It appeared as if the Warriors were on their way to snapping an eight-game losing streak, but the Mavericks outscored the hosts 37-19 in the final frame to earn just their second win in six games, a stretch which included a home setback to the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

Jason Kidd recorded 17 points and 12 assists while Josh Howard and Drew Gooden added 25 and 24 points, respectively, for Dallas, which received a 15- point, eight-rebound effort from Dirk Nowitzki. Gooden also pulled down 10 caroms in a winning cause.

Denver is a gaudy 22-4 on its home floor this season, but one of those losses came to the Mavericks on December 27. Dallas will be attempting to become the first visiting team in three years to win twice in one season at the Pepsi Center.