Nuggets At Rockets preview: Nuggets need big games from Lawson, Gallinari (6pm MT)

The Nuggets travel to Houston tonight to face the Rockets, again. After beating the Rockets last night in Denver, the Nuggets now face an even more difficult task in trying to beat the same team two nights in a row. Tough task. If the Nuggets are to do it they need big nights from a couple of their future stars.

Game: 60

Records:
Denver: 33-27 (14-15 on the road)
Streak: Won 1
Houston: 32-28 (20-10 at home)
Streak: Lost 3

Injuries:
Denver: Wilson Chandler (left hip strain) is probable, but should he play?. Al Harrington (torn meniscus) is probable, and his coach will most likely play him 48 minutes.
Houston: Marcus Camby (strained back) is questionable but will be demanding more set-shots from the training room.

Television: Altitude

Season Series: 2-1 Denver

Opposition’s Take: The Dream Shake

Well … here we are again. Feels like I just wrote the recap for you. Wait, I did.

Since there’s not much new ground to cover here I will keep this preview short and sweet. I’m of the mind that, considering the Houston Rockets home record, this game will be even more difficult that last night’s contest. While losing last night would have made the Nuggets task at victory tonight EXTREMELY difficult, a win lessens the pressure a bit, but only slightly. You see, the Nuggets will need this game tonight to get the tie-breaker over the Rockets for playoff positioning.

Simply put, if the Nuggets win they will have a two-game lead over the Rockets WITH the tie breaker (essentially making it a three-game lead). If the Nuggets lose they are tied, with the Rockets owning the tie breaker (due to other factors than head-to-head). So even though they are tied it would be as if the Rockets would have a one game lead. These are high stakes if the Nuggets want to not only remain playoff bound, but climb higher in the playoffs. Now, other teams have neatly lost all around them (Suns, Jazz, and Mavericks) making this playoff race a bit simpler, and a bit more complicated at the top. I’m sure those scenarios will be covered at another time.

Not much new to say, Marcus Camby strained his back in last night’s game. He is questionable for tonight. Wilson Chandler played briefly last night, but didn’t look healthy at all. Both men could be scratches for tonight.

If the Nuggets want to win this game they will need, not big, HUGE contributions from Ty Lawson and Danilo Gallinari. It’s one thing to beat a team with great effort at home, it’s altogether another to beat a team on the road. Gallo needs to find his confidence again and his ability to take over games. Ty needs to be aggressive and STAY aggressive all game like he did when the Nuggets beat the Rockets in early March. You combine that with the effort the Nuggets put forth yesterday and you will get good results.

I won’t push my luck by asking for another good game by Corey Brewer. Fingers crossed on that front however. Also, JaVale McGee needs to continue his solid games and Kenneth Faried needs to play outta his mind … yo!

Go Nuggets!

Song of the game

Fire on High by Electric Light Orchestra. Not much reason to put this one as the song of the game other than I have heard it as NBA pre-game hype music or introduction music. Also I believe I recently heard it in a commercial. That being said, it's nice to see Jeff Lynne had a band before the Traveling Wilbury's. Haha …