Spurs face Nuggets on Thursday, seek more consistency

Tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on FSN Southwest

Courtesy: Getty Images

SAN ANTONIO – The Denver Nuggets are suddenly the hottest offense in the NBA and scored at least 125 points in each of their last three games - all wins. The competition is about to get a little stiffer when the Nuggets attempt to get out in the open court while visiting the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

The only time in the last 15 games that Denver failed to score at least 100 points came in a 127-99 home setback to the Spurs on Jan. 5, which came in the midst of a five-game slide. The Nuggets broke out of the slump during a trip to London last week, where they blasted the Indiana Pacers 140-112, and kept up the scoring surge with triumphs over Orlando and the Los Angeles Lakers.

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"I think the way we have been playing is fun," Denver coach Michael Malone told reporters. "People feel involved. They are part of it and it is definitely contagious."

The Nuggets might be catching the Spurs at the right time, with San Antonio dropping two of its last four games and needing to come from behind to earn a 122-114 home triumph over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.

TV: 7:30 p.m. CT, FSN Southwest (San Antonio)

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (17-23): Denver's surge is being led by 21-year-old power forward Nikola Jokic, who led the team in scoring and rebounding in each of the last three games. Jokic scored a career-high 30 points in Monday's 125-112 triumph over the Magic and followed it up the next night with 29 points and 15 rebounds in the 127-121 win over the Lakers. Jokic got some help on the perimeter Tuesday from shooting guard Will Barton, who went 5-of-5 from 3-point range en route to 26 points and added a season-high eight assists.

ABOUT THE SPURS (32-9): San Antonio is suddenly struggling to find some consistency and gave up 71 points in the first half against Minnesota before locking down in the second half and yielding 43 points.

"I have no clue. We're not where we want to be. That's all I know," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. "And no team is where they want to be. Maybe Golden State is. But the rest of us are trying to get there."

One player who looks like he's where he wants to be is star forward Kawhi Leonard, who scored 30 or more points in each of the last four games - the first San Antonio player since Tim Duncan in 2003-04 to accomplish the feat.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Nuggets PF Kenneth Faried is averaging 18.3 points and is 25-of-30 from the field in the last three games.

2. Spurs PG Tony Parker went 10-of-11 from the floor and handed out a season-high nine assists in the Jan. 5 win over Denver.

3. San Antonio won 11 of the last 12 in the series.