New York @ Denver preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 30, 2017 ) Denver 110, New York 116

The road continues to befuddle the New York Knicks, who have dropped three of the first five on their seven-game trip and are 6-18 away from Madison Square Garden on the season. The Knicks will try to pull even on their trek when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.

New York held a first-half lead against defending champion Golden State on Tuesday before fading as All-Star forward Kristaps Porzingis sat and ended up suffering a 123-112 setback. The Knicks are losers of 13 of their last 17 overall and are surrendering an average of 117.1 points over their last eight games. The Nuggets will attack that suspect defense with point guard Jamal Murray, who is on a tear with back-to-back efforts of 30-plus points. The 20-year-old Kentucky product scored a career-high 38 on 14-of-19 shooting in Monday's 104-101 win over Portland that snapped a two-game slide and pushed Denver back above .500.


TV: 9 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), Altitude (Denver)

ABOUT THE KNICKS (21-27): Porzingis just missed out on a starting spot in the All-Star Game but was named as a reserve when the rosters were announced on Tuesday. The 7-3 Latvian forward averages 23.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and an NBA-best 2.34 blocks but twisted his knee in practice on Monday and is listed as day-to-day with left knee irritation. Michael Beasley started in Porzingis' spot on Tuesday and led the New York with 21 points, marking the fifth time in his last 10 games that he scored 20 or more.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (24-23): Murray scored in single digits in two games before sitting out at the Los Angeles Clippers last week and returned a different player, going a combined 24-for-36 from the floor in his last two contests. "You're just seeing him kind of grow up in front of our eyes," coach Michael Malone told reporters of Murray. "The level he's played at the last couple games, I think it's tremendous. ... To have a young guy like that that you know is not afraid and right now is playing with great confidence, yeah, that's definitely a great feeling moving forward." Murray could use some help from shooting guard Will Barton, who is 3-for-17 from the floor in his last two games - including 0-for-9 from 3-point range.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Knicks SG Courtney Lee had his franchise-record streak of made free throws come to an end at 52 on Tuesday.

2. Nuggets C Nikola Jokic has recorded back-to-back double-doubles but is just 10-for-29 from the floor in his last two games.

3. Porzingis scored 38 points in a 116-110 home win over Denver on Oct. 30.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 119, Knicks 107