Nuggets look for second winning streak of season against Nets

Regular Season Game No. 22 | Denver Nuggets (8-13) at Brooklyn Nets (5-15)

Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York | 5:30 PM MST | TV: Altitude

The Denver Nuggets bounced back and got a much-needed win against the Philadelphia 76ers and now look to start their second winning streak of the season against the Brooklyn Nets, who have lost 10 of their last 11 games.

Here are a few storylines to watch for going into the matchup with Brooklyn:

Nuggets inching closer to full health

With Nikola Jokic getting upgraded to questionable prior to the Nuggets matchup with the Nets it seems that Denver is nearing a completely healthy roster for the first time in recent memory and for the first time in Michael Malone’s time with the organization.

Will Barton looks healthy and like his bouncy and energetic self once again giving the Nuggets a much-needed scoring boost and an additional playmaker on the court. He is arguably the Nuggets’ best finisher at the rim and can play multiple positions, giving Malone even more flexibility then already at his disposal.

Darrell Arthur seems to be back in game shape and is coming off a solid performance against the 76ers with seven points, seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block over 22 minutes. Arthur played plus defense against Joel Embiid for the majority of the fourth quarter and held his own playing as a small-ball center. His three-point shooting percentage is at a career-high 42.1 percent and his defense has looked as good as advertised.

Once the Nuggets get Gary Harris back, who could potentially return by the end of the current six-game road trip, and Nikola Jokic, they will be ready to roll with a full complement of healthy players.

Kilpatrick’s revenge?

The Nuggets inked Nets starting two-guard Sean Kilpatrick to two 10-day contracts last season after signing him out of the D-League but chose to let him walk late last year. After just over a month, the Nets had signed him and he earned two 10-day contracts to finish out the season in Brooklyn. Kilpatrick then signed a three-year $2.25 million dollar contract to stay with the Nets for the immediate future.

Since signing his contract with the Nets, Kilpatrick has been scoring in bunches. He is currently averaging 16.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while his effective field goal percentage is at a decent 49 percent. He even put up a 38- point, 14-rebound effort against the Los Angeles Clippers to drag the Nets to their only victory in their last 11 attempts. To say he has taken many by surprise is an understatement and tonight is a chance for him to get back at the Nuggets, who let him walk last year.

Nuggets struggling to defend the three

The Nuggets have struggled mightily to guard the three-point line over their past five games. In that span, teams are shooting 42.7 percent from distance and are taking 27.4 attempts per game. The Nets are 2nd in the NBA with 37 three-point shots attempted per game but are converting only 32.9 percent of their attempts, which is good for sixth-worst in the Association. While Brooklyn may not convert a high amount of their attempts from distance, they can still beat you if the shots start to fall.

The Nuggets need to get back on track defending the three-point line and playing the Nets will give them plenty of practice. Stopping three-point shots starts with guard containment on the perimeter. If the Nuggets do not allow guards to collapse the defense on drives to the hoop then they won’t have to scramble to rotate which will inevitably lead to an uncontested three-point shot. Look for this to be a point of emphasis from Malone and his defense tonight.

If the Nuggets can limit the barrage of three’s from the Nets it would be a big step towards beginning the Nuggets second winning streak of the season.