Nuggets game day: Why Tuesday's matchup is the biggest game of the year

There’s a popular saying in Nuggets’ coach Michael Malone’s Rolodex that he’ll use ahead of games that may have a little more meaning attached to them.

“It’s an important game because it’s the next game,” Malone would say when previewing an upcoming opponent.

Tuesday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers (8:30 p.m., TNT) is important because it’s the next game on the Nuggets’ schedule. It’s also a pivotal Western Conference showdown featuring two teams battling for playoff positioning with a little over a month left in the regular season.

A Nuggets’ win and Denver gains a full game on the Clippers. A loss and the Nuggets have their work cut out for them over the rest of the season where Denver plays just eight of its 21 remaining games at home.

Entering Tuesday, the Nuggets (33-27) are eighth in the West. Denver is a game up on the Clippers (31-27) who currently sit in ninth place. Seeds three through nine in the conference are separated by just four games.

Los Angeles comes to town winners of eight of its past 11 and haven’t played since Friday when the Clippers coasted to an 11-point win over the Suns behind Lou Williams’ 35 points.

In the Nuggets and Clippers first matchup of the season, Los Angeles edged Denver 109-104. Gary Harris, who struggled in Denver’s 119-114 loss to Houston on Sunday and scored just six points on 2-12 shooting, finished with a team-high 19 points for the Nuggets in their five-point loss on Jan. 17. Denver turned the ball over 21 times leading to 23 Clipper points that night but the Nuggets are averaging just 13 turnovers per game over their last 10 contests.

Former Nugget Danilo Gallinari, who spent the last five seasons in Denver, is questionable for Tuesday’s game with a right hand contusion. Gallinari suffered the injury on Thursday against the Warriors and missed Friday’s win over the Suns.

Avery Bradley (sports hernia), Jawun Evans (abdomen) and Patrick Beverley (meniscus) all remain out for the Clippers.

Paul Millsap, who’s missed Denver’s last 44 games after suffering a left wrist injury on Nov. 19, was upgraded to questionable ahead of Tuesday’s matchup. Millsap started practicing with the team this week. Torrey Craig (left hamstring strain) is also questionable.

Nuggets Projected Starters

Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Will Barton, Wilson Chandler, Nikola Jokic

Clippers Projected Starters

Austin Rivers, Tyrone Wallace, Wesley Johnson, Tobias Harris, DeAndre Jordan