"We have to win the games at home that we're supposed to win,": Malone, Nuggets have eyes on third win in a row

DENVER — The Denver Nuggets host the Dallas Mavericks tonight at Pepsi Center with a three-game win streak on the line.

Up until this point in the regular season, the Nuggets have yet to win three in a row and a chance to build up such a streak, especially with a tough stretch of games coming up, would be a huge accomplishment for a Nuggets team that has put together an inconsistent season up until this point.

“We’d love to close out the homestand 3-0 playing the right way,” Michael Malone said pregame. “We feel good about ourselves right now after a disappointing road trip out East going 2-4. To come back and go 3-0 at home would be great. We have a tough bunch of games coming up. We have to win the games at home that we’re supposed to win.”

Denver has been firing on all cylinders recently. A 12-point win at home against Portland where the Nuggets shot 51.2 percent from the field and 48.4 percent from three. Then, a 13-point win over the New York Knicks where Denver shot 55.6 percent from the field as all five starters scored in double-figures, not counting Kenneth Faried‘s 25 and Will Barton‘s 17 points off the bench.

“We just have to come out and play the way we’ve played recently and understand why we’ve had success, don’t get bored with that,” Malone said. “Continue to play that way and hopefully, we can get another win.”

Another key to tonight’s matchup will be Nikola Jokic, who has to avoid the foul trouble that’s plagued him the past two games.

“We’ll have to wait and see on that one,” Malone said addressing if Jokic will cut out the stupid fouls that have limited the big man’s playing time over the past few games. “Stay tuned.”