Cleveland @ Denver preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 3, 2018 ) Denver 126, Cleveland 117

The Denver Nuggets attempt to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time in five days when the teams square off on Wednesday in the Mile High City. The Nuggets clicked offensively and were a stellar 19-of-35 from 3-point range while producing a 126-117 triumph on Saturday in Cleveland.

The Cavaliers, who are in third place in the Eastern Conference, rolled to a 112-90 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday after losing their previous two contests. Cleveland stands just a half-game ahead of the fourth-place Indiana Pacers as it embarks on a six-game road trip through the West. Denver is fighting for a playoff spot in the tightly packed Western Conference and suffered a hit with Tuesday's 118-107 road setback against the struggling Dallas Mavericks. "Very disappointing effort overall, very disappointing defensive effort," Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters afterward. "We got to go home and regroup and try to get one (Wednesday) night."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FS Ohio (Cleveland), Altitude (Denver)

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (37-26): Newcomer Larry Nance Jr. is averaging 14.8 points and 10 rebounds over the past four games and coach Tyronn Lue has anointed him as the starting center for at least two weeks with Tristan Thompson out with an ankle injury. Nance established career bests of 22 points and 15 rebounds in the victory over the Pistons and is thriving with the Cavaliers - the organization his father recorded 149 20-point outings for - since being acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers. "To be honest, playing here, I have quite a bit of confidence," Nance told reporters. "Whether it's the coaching staff or the guys, they have confidence in me. Therefore I have confidence in myself. The numbers, the night individually that I had, is all secondary to the win."

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (35-29): Shooting guard Gary Harris made six 3-pointers and scored 32 in the win over Cleveland but he struggled mightily against Dallas with just 11 points. Harris averaged 27 points and was 11-of-21 from 3-point range over the previous three games and had scored 23 or more points in five of the previous six games before a 5-of-13 shooting effort against the Mavericks. Backcourt mate Jamal Murray also struggled against Dallas with just six points on 2-of-8 shooting and he has failed to reach double digits in two of the past three games after scoring 17 or more in five of the previous six games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Nuggets swingman Will Barton contributed 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in Saturday's victory over the Cavaliers.

2. Denver C Nikola Jokic averaged just 7.3 points on 7-of-22 shooting during the team's three-game road swing and was benched for the fourth quarter of Tuesday's loss.

3. Cleveland F Jeff Green (back) is expected to miss his third straight game and fourth in the last five.

PREDICTION: Cavaliers 115, Nuggets 113