Phoenix Suns (16-7) at Denver Nuggets (16-7), 9 p.m.
Sports Network | December 12, 2009
(Sports Network) - Two of the top teams in the Western Conference meet in the Rocky Mountains on Saturday, as the Denver Nuggets kick off a three-game homestand by playing host to the Phoenix Suns at the Pepsi Center.
The Nuggets are coming off a .500 road trip, winning a pair of games in San Antonio and Philadelphia before faltering in Charlotte and Detroit. Most recently Charlie Villanueva scored 27 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out five assists off the bench, as the Pistons continued their winning ways over Denver in Auburn Hills with a 101-99 victory on Thursday.
Carmelo Anthony tallied 40 points and six rebounds for the Nuggets, who have dropped 14 straight road games against Detroit and haven't won in Auburn Hills since March 10, 1995.
Chauncey Billups ended with 21 points against his former club. J.R. Smith finished with 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench for Denver, which has dropped two straight games since a four-game win streak.
"He was good tonight; he was very, very good tonight. He's amazing when he gets in an offense mode and tonight he was, but we didn't have enough guys that came with him," Nuggets head coach George Karl said of Anthony.
Phoenix hopes to snap a four-game losing streak on the road when it hits the floor tonight. The Suns, who are 8-7 away from the desert, ended a two-game slide and won for the second time in six tries with Friday's 106-103 victory versus the Orlando Magic.
Amare Stoudemire finished with a game-high 28 points and 10 rebounds, while Steve Nash dished out 18 assists to go with 20 points and seven rebounds in a winning effort. Jared Dudley and Jason Richardson added 19 and 16 points, respectively, for the Suns.
"It was a win we desperately needed with the schedule we have coming up," said Phoenix head coach Alvin Gentry. "It is really important for us to try to keep this thing going at home."
These two teams have split the past six games in the series, but Phoenix has dropped four straight trips to the Pepsi Center.
