Denver @ Orlando preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 11, 2017 ) Orlando 107, Denver 125

Two teams fighting through injuries to key players meet Friday night when the Denver Nuggets visit the rejuvenated Orlando Magic. The Magic grinded out a 110-106 overtime victory over Atlanta on Wednesday for their third win in five games, but saw second-leading scorer Evan Fournier go down with a sprained ankle, while Denver is without two of its top three scorers - Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap - with injuries.

Orlando had lost nine straight contests before its recent improvement and trailed by nine with under 10 minutes to go Wednesday, but battled back against the second-worst team in the league at home. “The guys stuck with the plan, stayed with the fight and played a great fourth quarter and great overtime,” Magic coach Frank Vogel told reporters after his team improved to 6-5 at home. The Nuggets allowed an average of 122.5 points while losing the last two games, including a 123-114 setback at New Orleans on Wednesday when they allowed the Pelicans to shoot 53.5 percent from the field. “It’s becoming the same story every single night,” Denver coach Michael Malone told reporters. “And until our guys start taking it personally, until our guys start understanding the importance of playing defense and guarding your man 1-on-1, forget the playoffs. That is a word we should not use with this team.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FSN Florida (Orlando)

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (13-11): Jokic (ankle) is expected to miss his fourth straight game and Millsap (wrist) will sit out his ninth in a row, taking almost 31 points and 17 rebounds per game out of the lineup. Will Barton tops the balanced offense at 15.8 points per contest after averaging 22.8 over the last four games and Gary Harris (15.3) scored almost 20 per outing in the same span. Jamal Murray has raised his level of play the past three contests, averaging 21.7 points, while Emmanuel Mudiay scored 17 in the loss to New Orleans after totaling 37 in the previous seven outings.

ABOUT THE MAGIC (11-15): Fournier, who scored at least 20 in three of the last four games and averages 18.3, will be re-evaluated after initial x-rays on his ankle came back negative for a fracture. Forward Aaron Gordon, who averages a team-high 18.7 points, scored 24 and hauled in 15 rebounds against Atlanta last time out while center Nikola Vucevic recorded his second double-double in the last three contests. Jonathon Simmons is averaging 16 points over the first four games of December, but connected on just three of his 17 tries from 3-point range in that span.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Denver PF Trey Lyles is averaging 11.3 points over the past four games - almost six above his season mark.

2. Orlando PG D.J. Augustin drained 8-of-11 from 3-point range in the last five games, including one to tie Atlanta at the end of regulation Wednesday.

3. The Nuggets have won the last three meetings after a 125-107 triumph at home on Nov. 11, led by 32 points from Murray.

PREDICTION: Magic 106, Nuggets 98