Oklahoma City @ Denver preview
Ball Arena
Last Meeting ( Jan 9, 2022 ) Denver 99, Oklahoma City 95
Will Barton is poised to become the most prolific 3-point shooter in Denver Nuggets history, and he can reach that mark Wednesday night when Denver hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Barton has made 767 from beyond the arc with Denver and trails J.R. Smith by one in the Nuggets' record book after he missed all five of his attempts in Portland on Sunday night. That didn't ding the veteran's confidence.
"They all know I'm a great shooter," he told the Denver Post.
Barton will likely surpass Smith on Wednesday, or sometime on the four-game homestand that begins against Oklahoma City. He has already made 120 on the season, and is on pace for a career-high (156 in 2017-18).
What means more to the Nuggets is keeping alive their winning streak, which reached six with a 32-point win over the Trail Blazers.
Despite injuries to significant players, Denver is poised to make a run at a top-four seed in the Western Conference. The Nuggets are 3 1/2 games behind fourth-place Utah and has played five fewer home games than the Jazz.
The six-game winning streak has happened as Denver's bench has started to gel. Newcomers Bryn Forbes and DeMarcus Cousins have made an immediate impact, and there could be more depth coming soon.
Michael Porter Jr., who hasn't played since Nov. 6 and underwent lumbar spine surgery in late November, has been cleared for contact. The Nuggets have few days off over the next six weeks so they are sending Porter to the G-League where he will get more practice time.
Denver will have to concern itself on the defensive end with the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has topped 30 points in each of his three games since returning from an ankle injury that cost him nearly a month.
Gilgeous-Alexander had a triple-double in a win over the Nuggets on Dec. 22 but was held in check when Denver beat the Thunder on Jan. 9, when he managed just eight points on 2-for-14 shooting.
In his fourth season, Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as Oklahoma City's top player.
"I'm just playing my game," he said after a 21-point home loss to Sacramento on Monday night when he went for 37. "I think as the season's gone on, I've gotten into a little rhythm. My cardio's gotten a lot better. Ultimately, it's feeling more comfortable."
He has earned the respect of his teammates.
"He doesn't really move fast, it's just his pace," Tre Mann said. "It's crazy how he blows by defenders but he's not moving fast. It seemed like they got him beat to a spot, but he's always got a counter move and he's always getting to the rim."
The Thunder have lost eight of 10 and head into Wednesday with a 10-21 road record. They will be without Aaron Wiggins, who suffered a right ankle sprain in the loss to the Kings. Coach Mark Daigneault said after Tuesday's practice Wiggins won't play against Denver.
Wiggins did not play in the first game against the Nuggets and scored eight points in the 99-95 loss to them on Jan. 9.
--Field Level Media