Denver @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 1, 2017 ) Toronto 111, Denver 129

The Denver Nuggets are running out of time if they want to capture a playoff spot and they face a tough assignment when they visit the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday. Denver sits 1 1/2 games behind Minnesota for the eighth and final postseason berth in the Western Conference as it looks to upset the top team in the East.

The Nuggets hurt their chances Monday, when they were routed 123-104 by Philadelphia, and coach Michael Malone was highly disappointed in the performance. "The one thing that stood out to me was that we had no discipline," Malone told reporters. "Zero discipline in terms of who we are guarding personnel-wise and how we are guarding certain actions." Toronto is on its way to claiming the top seed in the East and is two victories away from matching the single-season franchise record of 56 set in 2015-16. The Raptors split the first two contests of their three-game string at Air Canada Centre and possess the second-best home record in the NBA at 30-7.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), TSN (Toronto)

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (40-34): Denver misses the firepower Gary Harris (knee) provides, and the shooting guard who is averaging 17.7 points will miss his sixth straight game on Tuesday. Harris is making progress from the injury he suffered on March 15, and the club is hoping he might be ready when it finishes a seven-game road trip in Oklahoma City on Friday. Will Barton, who has been starting in Harris' place, made five 3-pointers for the second straight game while scoring 25 points against the 76ers.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (54-20): Toronto's success the past few seasons typically is due its star-studded backcourt of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, but the duo also stood atop the blame list in Sunday's 117-106 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Both players scored just 11 points in the setback, and DeRozan was just 3-of-12 shooting while suffering through his second-worst performance of the month. "Just one of those nights," DeRozan told reporters. "You can't play how you want to play every single night."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Nuggets G Jamal Murray scored 24 points as the team recorded a 129-111 home win over the Raptors on Nov. 1.

2. Denver PF Paul Millsap recorded 16 points and nine rebounds against the 76ers after registering just two and one in 25 minutes versus Washington on Friday.

3. Toronto C Jonas Valanciunas posted 16 points and 10 rebounds against the Clippers for his seventh double-double of the month and 24th of the season.

PREDICTION: Raptors 115, Nuggets 107