MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A win in Memphis on Tuesday night allows the Nuggets to do something they haven’t done in seven years: Start a season 4-2 on the road.
The last time they had four wins in their first six road games was in the 2009-10 season when they finished 53-29. And while this team isn’t nearly as seasoned as that one was, led by Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups and coming off an appearance in the Western Conference Finals, each step they can take is one in the direction they want.
The Nuggets had only 15 road victories a season ago.
“When you’re on the road itap just you,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “Itap just us against a hostile crowd, and sometimes that allows you to come together, bond and really get in that foxhole together. I love how we’re playing. Win at New Orleans, win (at Boston), win at Minnesota, tough loss at Toronto. And the one bad loss was at Detroit. But when you think about all of the young guys that we’re playing right now, I’m pretty impressed where we’re at – not satisfied, but I know we’re heading in the right direction.”
The Nuggets are averaging 104.0 points on the road, well above the 100.1 they put on the board in road games a season ago. They put 123 up on the Celtics on Sunday in a game that, offensively, was nearly everything Malone is asking for out of his players.
“I liked how we played,” Malone said. “We had pace in everything that we did. The ball was moving; we were fun to watch. That Detroit game we were so lethargic, the ball was sticking, we didn’t move, we were easy to guard. So we have to learn from this, understand why you win in the NBA. You don’t win just because you win, you play a certain way. And we have to continue to play like that to give ourselves chances moving forward.”
On the current five-game road trip the Nuggets are 2-2.
“If we want to be a good team, a playoff team we have to enjoy (the Boston win), but we have to bring it every night,” Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari said. “We’re going to have another tough game on the road against a very good team in Memphis and if we don’t do the same thing we did (on Sunday), then we’re going to take a step back.”
DENVER AT MEMPHIS, 6 p.m. Tuesday, ALT, 950 AM
Spotlight on Chandler Parsons: The prized free agent made his season debut on Sunday in a loss to Portland, and he was rusty, which is to be expected after a long layoff. Parsons didn’t score, missing all eight of his shots from the field. He had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee in March, but that didn’t stop the Grizzlies from signing him to a four-year, $94 million contract. Now, with one game under his belt, he’ll look to settle in with his new team a little more.
Nuggets. The Nuggets made their regular trip to St. Jude Hospital in Memphis on Monday, visiting with patients for a few hours. They didn’t have a formal practice after traveling into town late Sunday night after a win in Boston. … Wilson Chandler is listed as questionable for the game after suffering left hamstring tightness in Sunday’s game. Will Barton, meanwhile, will miss his fourth consecutive game due to a sprained left ankle.
Grizzlies. Memphis is on a two-game losing streak, the latest a 100-94 loss to Portland on Sunday. They have played five of their first seven games at home, and are 3-2 at FedExForum under new coach David Fizdale. … Forward Brandan Wright is out of the game due to ankle tendinitis. He has not played this season.
