Spotlight on Luis Scola: The 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward is averaging 19.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, the latter ranking 17th in the NBA. No Argentinean-born player has ever averaged 20 points or more over a full season, the closest being San Antonio’s Manu Gino- bili (19.5 in 2007-08).
Rockets: Houston defeated the Grizzlies 95-93 in overtime on Saturday for its first OT win this season after five losses. Shane Battier pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds. . . . Guard Kevin Martin ranks first in the NBA in free throws made. . . . Houston has won its last 10 games when holding an opponent under 100 points. . . . Houston owns a 81-74 advantage in the all-time series over Denver. The Rockets are 50-28 at home against the Nuggets and 31-46 on the road.
Nuggets: Carmelo Anthony had 33 points and 11 rebounds in a victory over the Rockets on Jan. 3. . . . Nuggets forward Gary Forbes appeared in four games with the Rockets’ entrant in the 2010 NBA summer league in Las Vegas. . . . Nuggets assistant coach Melvin Hunt spent five seasons with the Rockets in several capacities. . . . Rockets assistant coaches Elston Turner and T.R. Dunn both played for the Nuggets. . . . Denver’s game against the Mavericks in Dallas on April 6 has been changed to a 6:30 p.m. MDT tipoff and will not be televised nationally by ESPN.
