Cleveland @ Denver preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 19, 2019 ) Cleveland 102, Denver 124

The Denver Nuggets were looking at a poor road trip until Nikola Jokic found his MVP form and led them to wins at Atlanta and Dallas. Jokic and the Nuggets will try to maintain the same intensity when they open a three-game homestand by hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jokic broke out with a career-high 47 points in the 123-115 triumph over the Hawks on Monday and followed that with 33 points on Wednesday at the Mavericks, including the go-ahead basket with 7.9 seconds left in the 107-106 triumph. "He took his time and scored against a smaller guy in the post," Denver coach Michael Malone told reporters of Jokic's game-winner. "He's our go-to player, he's an MVP candidate for a reason. At the end of games, the ball will be in his hands to make the right play, and tonight it was to score." The Cavaliers can match Jokic on the inside with Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson, who combined for 52 points in a 115-112 overtime win over Detroit on Thursday after a day spent answering questions about reports that coach John Beilein used the word "thugs" when addressing his players instead of his intended word, "slugs." "We're behind him 100 percent," Cavaliers rookie guard Darius Garland told reporters of Beilein after the win. "I mean, he's trying to win just like we are. We're all collectively trying to win, and that’s our mindset."

TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: FS Ohio, Altitude

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (11-27): Thompson scored a career-high 35 points on 15-of-20 shooting to go with 14 rebounds in 45 minutes on Thursday, carrying the team through its tough day and leading all five starters in double figures. "A lot of people made big plays, but Tristan was the guy - held it down all night," Love told reporters. "Career night for him. Unbelievable and that was why afterwards we were tossing water on him and having fun with it. Good, big road win for us, first of 2020 and I guess on this road trip. It felt good." The victory snapped a five-game losing streak and kicked off a six-game road trip.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (26-11): Jokic scored 26 of his 33 points in the second half on Wednesday, including 21 points in the third quarter. "I told him to stay with it and that we're going to keep going to him," Malone told reporters of his message to Jokic at the half. "He's a great player. Give them credit because they guarded him well in the first half. But can you guard him for all 48 minutes? That's a tall task to ask of anybody and that's why he's a great player." The win gave Denver a 3-2 road trip and the team sits in second place in the Western Conference with a showdown looming against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday in the second of a back-to-back.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Nuggets SG Will Barton (personal) sat out Wednesday and is day-to-day.

2. Cavaliers PG Dante Exum (illness) sat out Thursday and is questionable for Saturday.

3. Denver took the two meetings last season by an average of 20.5 points.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 112, Cavaliers 103