Pistons-Nuggets Preview

By MATT BECKER
Posted Mar 20 2012 5:42PM

The signing of Wilson Chandler seems like it couldn't have come at a better time for the Denver Nuggets.

With Danilo Gallinari and Andre Miller suffering injuries in their last game, the Nuggets might need Chandler to shoulder more of the offense Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons.

Denver (25-21) re-signed Chandler to a five-year deal worth nearly $37 million Sunday. He was acquired last February as part of the trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to New York and averaged 12.5 points while starting 19 of 21 games.

He then played overseas during the lockout, averaging nearly 27 points and 12 rebounds in 32 games, but couldn't return to the NBA until his Chinese team and FIBA - basketball's governing body - signed off. That finally happened and he was back on the court Monday against Dallas.

The timing was impeccable as Gallinari and Miller left with injuries in the 112-95 loss.

Miller, who averages 10.1 points and 6.5 assists, separated his right shoulder and is expected to miss at least one game. Gallinari, who was averaging 18.0 points in his previous three contests, broke his left thumb and could be out a month.

"I don't know how long it's going to be," Gallinari told the Nuggets' official website. "It's not going to be short. It's a fracture. The doctor told me the fracture takes four weeks to heal. Hopefully I can put something on and play sooner than that."

Chandler had 13 points and took a team-high 16 shots in 28 minutes Monday, and the 6-foot-8 swingman will likely be even more involved in the offense against the Pistons (16-29).

Starting point guard Ty Lawson, who averages team highs of 15.2 points and 6.8 assists, will also probably see his minutes increase with Miller sidelined.

This season's only matchup with the Pistons concludes a nine-game homestand in which the Nuggets have split the first eight. Monday's defeat dropped Denver 1 1/2 games back of Dallas for sixth place in the Western Conference, and it gave the tiebreaker to the Mavericks since they won the season series.

"As I told the team, I'm excited about what's going to happen in the next 20 games," coach George Karl said. "It's not going to be easy, but it's going to be fun. It's going to be a challenge. There will be some great games."

Karl said he expects center JaVale McGee, acquired from Washington on Thursday, to get some minutes against the Pistons after dressing but not playing Monday.

Detroit arrives in Denver to conclude a five-game trip after suffering an 87-83 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. Greg Monroe had 23 points and 15 rebounds and Tayshaun Prince scored 20 for the Pistons, who shot 3 for 16 in the fourth quarter while blowing a late nine-point lead.

"We're putting ourselves in position," coach Lawrence Frank said, "and the next step is learning how to finish out games."

The Pistons haven't had much luck doing that on the road, where they've lost six of seven and are 4-18.

The Nuggets swept last season's two-game series with Detroit for the first time since 1993-94, and they've won three in a row over the Pistons after losing 16 of the previous 18 meetings.

McGee's dunk lifts Nuggets past Pistons 116-115

Posted Mar 22 2012 1:17AM

DENVER (AP) JaVale McGee's debut with the Denver Nuggets was punctuated by a smashing finish.

And the Nuggets needed it to overcome Ben Gordon's record-tying night from 3-point range.

McGee soared into the lane to rebound a teammate's missed free throw and dunk with 5 seconds remaining, and the Nuggets withstood Gordon's season-high 45 points for a 116-115 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.

McGee's rebound and slam followed a missed foul shot by Arron Afflalo, who was fouled while making a driving layup with 5.6 seconds left. That basket pulled the Nuggets within 115-114 after they had blown a 25-point lead.

"I didn't think Arron was going to miss the free throw, but if he did, as long as I went hard, I figured I'd maybe get the tip-in or at least the tip out," said McGee, playing in his first game since being acquired by Denver a week ago in the trade that sent Nene to Washington.

"I just went hard and pushed (Greg) Monroe under the rim and I was wide open. It bounced and bounced and I was trying not to goaltend it and I just dunked it. It was definitely exciting, my first game winner. I'm definitely excited to be in Denver, my new home."

Afflalo went from dismay over missing the foul shot to relief once he saw McGee flying through the lane to grab the rebound and put it back in.

"I'm very happy he made a great play," Afflalo said. "Forget my free throw percentage. I'll take the `W' any time. You want to come through in those moments, but if we could plan that, I would do it again."

Gordon, who tied the NBA record by going 9 for 9 behind the arc, said the loss was especially tough to take after coming all the way back.

"We had our shots, we just had two bad possessions at the end," Gordon said. "Obviously the Afflalo drive; we fouled him while he was driving to the basket while we were up three. Should have just let him get the two. And the tip dunk by McGee. It came off the rim so fast and he got up there."

Ty Lawson led the Nuggets with 25 points and Afflalo had 23. McGee finished with 15.

"I'm sure it's a proud moment for him, coming here and in the first game that he plays in, to win a game," Nuggets coach George Karl said of McGee. "It's pretty classy, a pretty good chapter."

Brandon Knight had 16 points for Detroit. Monroe added 13 points and Jonas Jerebko had 12.

The Pistons trailed 45-20 early in the second quarter, but took their first lead 78-76 on Gordon's eighth 3-pointer with 5:48 left in the third quarter.

Knight hit a 16-foot jumper less than three minutes later that gave Detroit a six-point lead, but Afflalo hit a 3-pointer and, after being fouled on a shot from beyond the arc, hit all three free throws to tie it at 91 going into the fourth.

Gordon's ninth 3-pointer gave the Pistons a 112-109 lead with 2:51 to play. After Wilson Chandler drove in for a layup, Knight hit a 3-pointer for Detroit for a four-point lead.

Gordon got off a long jumper at the buzzer but it hit the back of the rim and bounced away.

"It's a painful, painful way to lose," Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said. "We put ourselves in a position to win and we put ourselves in a position to lose. It's one or two plays that can determine if you win the game or sweep the trip. We're not quite ready for it yet. It's going to take some painful experiences like this."

The Nuggets led 62-57 at the half after being outscored 39-22 in the second period. Gordon scored 21 points in the quarter, going 5 for 5 from 3-point range.

NOTES: The Pistons were without Rodney Stuckey, who was rested because of lingering soreness in his left big toe. ... Gordon scored a career-high 48 points against Milwaukee on March 4, 2007, while with Chicago. ... With Chandler starting in place of injured Danilo Gallinari (thumb), the Nuggets have used 18 different starting lineups this season.

Notebook: Nuggets 116, Pistons 115

Posted Thursday March 22, 2012 12:51AM

By Michael Kelly, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: JaVale McGee dunked a missed free throw with five seconds left and the Denver Nuggets, who blew a 25-point lead, overcame a 45-point night from Ben Gordon and beat the Detroit Pistons 116-115 on Wednesday night.

Arron Afflalo had 23 points and his missed free throw turned out well for Denver. Down by three, Afflalo hit a layup and was fouled. His foul shot went off the back iron and McGee dunked it to give the Nuggets the win.

Gordon's 45 points were a season high and the most he has scored since joining the Pistons, but it wasn't enough. He missed a potential game winner from 21 feet with 2.8 seconds left.

QUOTABLE: "You have to go through a little bit of hell to get to heaven. It's a painful, painful way to lose. We put ourselves in a position to win and we put ourselves in a position to lose."
-- Pistons coach Lawrence Frank.

THE STAT: Gordon hit all nine of his 3-pointers for the second time in his career. He and Latrell Sprewell are the only players to hit that many 3s without a miss in NBA history.

TURNING POINT: The Pistons failed to foul Afflalo before he made a move to the basket, putting him at the line and setting up the final sequence. On the missed free throw, McGee was quicker than Greg Monroe into the lane and got to the front of the rim for an uncontested dunk.

QUOTABLE II: "I just went hard and pushed Monroe under the rim and I was just wide open. I was trying not to goaltend it and I just dunked it. It was definitely exciting -- my first game-winner."
-- JaVale McGee.

HOT: Gordon was lights out after the first quarter. In the second quarter he scored 21 points to lead Detroit back from a 45-20 deficit to within five at the half. He scored 17 more in the third, and in the fourth he turned into a playmaker before hitting a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:52 left.

Gordon was just three points shy of his career high set more than five years ago when he was with the Chicago Bulls.

QUOTABLE III: "Our bigs were setting some hellified screens, getting me open, getting me some space. I tried to seize the opportunity and I was fortunate to get a game like that.
-- Ben Gordon.

NOT: Nobody seemed to have an off night offensively -- which was bad news for both defenses. The Pistons shot 50.6 percent and Denver hit 58.2 percent from the field. The Nuggets made 19 of their first 23 shots.

GOOD MOVE: Frank started Gordon because of Rodney Stuckey's sore toe. Some bench players prefer to continue to come off the bench when someone is injured but Gordon showed he's comfortable starting or subbing in.

QUOTABLE IV: "The guy was freakin' off the charts. Not only did he make shots, he made plays. You can't say enough positive adjectives about the job he did. He was phenomenal."
-- Lawrence Frank, on Gordon.

BAD MOVE: The Pistons didn't foul Afflalo early enough on Denver's last offensive possession. When Afflalo did start going to the basket the prudent thing would have been let him go in for an uncontested layup and finish the game at the line.

QUOTABLE V: "The plan was to foul after two seconds went off the clock. I think we had a chance to foul before Afflalo actually got the ball. After he got the ball I was thinking to let him go but then I hear everybody screaming 'foul, foul, foul!' I should have stuck with my instincts and wrapped him up so he couldn't finish."
-- Ben Gordon.

ROOKIE WATCH: Detroit point guard Brandon Knight had a solid game, scoring 16 points and hit a big 3-pointer down the stretch.

NOTABLE: The Pistons hit their first 11 shots from 3-point range and finished 14 of 18 from that distance. ... Ty Lawson led the Nuggets with 25 points. He made his first 10 shot attempts and missed his last two, both 3-pointers. ... Denver is 12-1 against the Eastern Conference, 7-1 at home.

UP NEXT: For the Pistons, Friday vs. Miami, Saturday @ New York, Monday @ Washington. For the Nuggets, Friday @ Utah, Sunday @ Minnesota, Monday @ Chicago.

• Pistons: Macklin
• Nuggets: Fernandez, Koufos

• Pistons: --
• Nuggets: --

• Lead Changes: 10
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
• Officials: #8 Marc Davis, #11 Derrick Collins, #79 Kevin Scott
• Attendance: 16681
• Duration: 2:16