Tonights Matchups

DENVER NUGGETS (16-5) AT CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (8-11), 7 P.M.
courtesy of TSN
The Northwest Division-leading Denver Nuggets are on a hot
 streak thanks to top scorer Carmelo Anthony, who will lead the team into
 Charlotte tonight for a showdown with the Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena.
 
 Anthony leads the NBA with 29.6 points per game and scored 14 in Monday's
 93-83 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, spoiling the much-anticipated return of
 Sixers guard and former teammate Allen Iverson. Anthony did not score at least
 20 points for the first time this season. Chauncey Billups finished a perfect
 11-of-11 from the free throw line en route to 31 points for the Nuggets, who
 have won four in a row and eight of their last nine games.
 
 "Chauncey kind of took over when we needed him to," said Nuggets head coach
 George Karl. "That's the type of player he is. He has a feel for the game and
 gets done what needs to be done."
 
 Denver, which is 2-0 on a four-game trek, will also visit the Detroit Pistons
 on the current swing and is 7-4 away from the Rocky Mountains this season.
 
 The Bobcats will wrap up a quick two-game homestand this evening and ended a
 two-game slide with a 106-105 victory over the Sixers on Saturday.
 
 Raymond Felton recorded 18 points and eight assists, and his basket with 4.7
 seconds remaining in the game sealed Philly's fate. Boris Diaw registered a
 season-best 28 points and Gerald Wallace chipped in 24 points, 14 rebounds and
 four assists in a winning cause. Wallace leads the team with 15.6 points and
 12.2 boards per contest.
 
 Charlotte has won five of its last seven games and is 7-3 as the host.
 
 The Nuggets won both meetings with Charlotte a year ago, and have won three
 straight and seven of the previous nine matchups between the teams.
 
 
 MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (3-17) AT TORONTO RAPTORS (9-13), 7 P.M.
 
 (Sports Network) - The Toronto Raptors aim for their first three-game winning
 streak of the season when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday night
 at Air Canada Centre.
 
 The Raptors have won two in a row since a five-game losing streak and is
 coming off Saturday's 110-78 victory over the Chicago Bulls in the finale of a
 three-game road trip at the United Center. Chris Bosh netted a game-high 25
 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while Marco Belinelli added 15 points and five
 rebounds off the bench for the Raptors, who went 2-1 on the trek.
 
 "Our guys got off to a real good start -- good energy, good on the glass, and
 running the ball. It was a good start for us and we were able to carry it
 through," said Raptors coach Jay Triano.
 
 Rasho Nesterovic ended with 12 points and five rebounds in a winning cause.
 
 Toronto is 5-4 in Canada this season. Bosh (illness) is probable for tonight
 and Andrea Bargnani (ankle) is questionable.
 
 Minnesota posted just its third win of the season with a 108-101 decision over
 the Utah Jazz on Saturday, as Ryan Gomes scored 23 points and Kevin Love
 contributed 18 and 10 boards to help stop a two game slide and lift the club
 to a 3-17 mark this season. Love has played the last two games since missing
 the beginning of the season with a broken left hand.
 
 "We thought we played well in New Orleans and we wanted to come back tonight,
 bring more effort, more focus. I think we followed the game plan tonight and
 that's what led us to the win," Gomes said.
 
 Rookie Jonny Flynn had 16 points and Al Jefferson posted 15 points and 11
 boards for the Timberwolves, who are just 1-8 as the visitor.
 
 Toronto has owned Minnesota over the years, having won 10 straight and 12 of
 the last 16 meetings. The Raptors have also won the last five as the host in
 this series.