The Nuggets need a win like Hillary Clinton.
Denver returns to the Pepsi Center tonight after two consecutive losses to Eastern Conference teams with losing records.
Yes, they were road games and back-to-backs. But the Nuggets couldn’t hide from Hyde, notably on Saturday at Milwaukee, where Denver lacked rebounding and shooting focus while squandering a 23-point advantage, their biggest blown lead this season.
The Nuggets (33-22) are back home tonight, where they are 22-6. But Chauncey Billups is back home, too, meaning the Denver native and his Pistons are in town. Detroit (41-15) is a title contender.
“They are a defensive, executing, consistent basketball team,” Nuggets coach George Karl said. “They don’t beat themselves. On most given games, they’re an ‘A’ to ‘A-minus’ defensive team, and they have a lot of weapons that get hot and figure out who’s going to be shooting. And now their bench is playing well. They’re very, very powerful.”
Billups, an all-star, played at George Washington High and Colorado, and for the Nuggets from 1998-2000. It was in Detroit where he ascended, and now, Karl said, “he’s top-five, maybe top-three point guard in the league. In a seventh game (of a playoff series), who’s proven himself more than Billups over the last four or five years?”
On Sunday, Billups had 14 points and 11 assists (and only two turnovers) in Detroit’s 116-86 victory against the Phoenix Suns, also title contenders.
DETROIT AT DENVER
7 p.m. tonight, ALT, KKFN 950 AM
NOTEBOOK
Nuggets: Center Marcus Camby, who leads the NBA with 4.0 blocked shots per game, has averaged 6.0 in his past five games. Power forward Kenyon Martin had 14 rebounds at Milwaukee, his most since 17 on Jan. 18, 2006, against Cleveland. Guard Allen Iverson leads the NBA in free throws made per game (8.3). Against Eastern Conference teams at the Pepsi Center, Denver is 12-1.
Pistons: The Pistons have won four of their past six games in Denver and 10 of the past 12 overall meetings. Former Nuggets star Antonio McDyess plays for the Pistons. In six seasons during two stints with Denver, McDyess averaged 18.2 points and 9.0 rebounds. Spotlight on Richard Hamilton: On a team with balanced production, it’s hard to believe that Hamilton has led Detroit in scoring each of the past six seasons. This season, he leads with 18.0 points per game, the lowest average of an NBA team leader.
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
