Nuggets game day: Denver tries to shake off road struggles in Miami

The Denver Nuggets opened their season Oct. 18 in a road game against the Utah Jazz. Denver was cruising along on opening night — at least until the fourth quarter. The Jazz, who trailed by as many as 15 in the game, pounded Denver 28-13 in the final 12 minutes and went on to win 106-96.

Nuggets fans didn’t know it then, but the disappointing loss served as a harbinger of more road struggles to come.

Fast forward five months, and the Nuggets are 11-22 away from Pepsi Center. Denver fell 11 games under .500 on the road after a head-scratching loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on St. Patrick’s Day. That ugly mark is a big reason why the Nuggets are likely to miss the playoffs for a fifth straight season.

Denver still has six games to go on its longest road trip of the season. It faces the Heat on Tuesday in Miami (5:30 p.m., Altitude). If it can’t get its issues away from Pepsi Center sorted out in a hurry, things could begin getting dark.

“We came out as flat as a pancake,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Saturday following his team’s loss to the tanking Grizzlies. “Got down 21. Losing is one thing, but the way we lost and the way we got down tonight is perplexing for what we’re trying to play for.”

The Nuggets trailed by 17 points after one quarter in Memphis. They’ll need a much better start against a Heat team that’s in line to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

Miami is expected to be without Hassan Whiteside (hip) and Dwyane Wade (hamstring), but the Heat won’t be a pushover with Bam Adebayo filling in for Whiteside and Goran Dragic carrying the load offensively. Dragic leads Miami in scoring (17.6 ppg) and assists (4.8 apg) this season. He hit the go-ahead shot and finished with 30 points in the Heat’s 92-91 win win over the Lakers on Friday. Adebayo, the 14th overall pick in the 2017 draft, contributed 11 points and eight rebounds against L.A.

Like Miami, Denver will also be shorthanded. Shooting guard Gary Harris will miss his second consecutive game after spraining his right knee Thursday in a win over the Pistons. Denver didn’t fare well without Harris against Memphis. Will Barton started in his place and struggled, shooting 3-12 from the floor.

Nuggets Projected Starters

Jamal Murray, Will Barton, Wilson Chandler, Paul Millsap, Nikola Jokic

Heat Projected Starters

Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson, James Johnson, Bam Adebayo