Denver @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 20, 2019 ) Minnesota 100, Denver 109

The injury-hampered Denver Nuggets look to recover from a fourth-quarter collapse at home when they begin a three-game road trip just 24 hours later against the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. The Nuggets, who are tied for third in the Western Conference, saw their three-game winning streak come to an end Sunday when they were outscored 41-26 in the final 12 minutes of a 115-107 setback against Indiana.

Denver guards Gary Harris (groin) and Jamal Murray (ankle) along with forward Paul Millsap (knee) - who combine to average a little more than 40 points - all missed the loss to Indiana and are questionable for Monday’s matchup. The Nuggets will try to extend their winning streak in the series to seven games after taking a pair earlier this season, including a 100-98 overtime victory in Minnesota on Nov. 10 as center Nikola Jokic poured in 20 points. The Timberwolves have lost five in a row overall to sink farther out of playoff position in the West and the past two came with All Star center Karl-Anthony Towns back in the lineup after he missed more than a month with a knee injury. Towns scored 27 points in Friday’s 116-114 setback against Indiana before being held to 12 in the 122-112 loss to Toronto on Saturday as Minnesota allowed 51.6 percent shooting from the field and turned the ball over 17 times.

TIME: 8 p.m. ET. TV: Altitude, FS North, TSN

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (29-13): Jokic, who leads the team in scoring (19.5), rebounds (9.9) and assists (6.4), had 30 points and 10 boards in the loss to Indiana as Denver missed 20 of the 23 3-point shots it attempted. Guard Will Barton scored 16 in Sunday’s loss and is averaging 20 over the past three contests while reserve forward Michael Porter Jr. added 10 and has averaged 15 in his past four games. Forward Jerami Grant, who has been starting in Millsap’s place, had 16 points against the Pacers and Murray’s replacement Monte Morris is 4-for-16 in the last two contests after scoring just two on Sunday.

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (15-27): Towns leads the team in scoring (25.9) and rebounding (11.2) while Andrew Wiggins averages 22.6 points after posting his first career triple-double against Toronto with 18 points, 11 assists and 10 boards. Forward Robert Covington is third on the team in scoring (12.8) after registering a season-high 22 last time out while guard Shabazz Napier is the active leader in assists (4.5) after averaging eight the last three games. Rookie Jarrett Culver scored a season-best 26 versus Toronto and is averaging 15.4 points in January after managing just 7.2 in December.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Minnesota G Allen Crabbe, who was acquired from Atlanta last week, is questionable due to illness.

2. Denver PF Mason Plumlee averaged 14.3 points over the past three games - almost seven more than his season mark.

3. The Timberwolves are 29th in the league in field-goal percentage (43.2) and 3-point shooting (32.5 percent).

PREDICTION: Nuggets 112, Timberwolves 104