Game [Quick] Preview: San Antonio Spurs (53-17) vs Denver Nuggets (49-23)

December 18, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) drives to the basket around Denver Nuggets guard Andre Miller (24) during the second half at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 112-106. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Nuggets saw their 15 game winning streak Monday, as they took a 110 to 86 beating by the hands of the New Orleans Hornets.  Getting back on track likely won’t be any easier when Denver visits a San Antonio Spurs team that’s seeking a sixth consecutive home victory tonight as they host the Denver Nuggets.

Denver’s Ty Lawson has missed the last three games with a right heel injury and it’s uncertain when he’ll return. The Nuggets (49-23) have struggled against sub-.500 competition without him, slipping past Philadelphia and Sacramento by a combined seven points before losing 110-86 at New Orleans on Monday.

As I stated earlier, this loss ended a team-record, tying 15 game winning streak.

Danilo Gallinari had 24 points Monday, but he’s shot 32 percent over his last nine games. Andre Miller has been starting in Lawson’s place and scored nine for Denver, which was held to its lowest point total since an 81-72 loss to Memphis on Dec. 29.

The San Antonio Spurs are coming off of a devastating one point loss against the Houston Rockets on Sunday, as James Harden hit a

Mar 24, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden (13) drives the baseline against San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first half at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports

leaning game winner at the buzzer.  Tony Parker in his second game back from injury, caught fire in the fourth but was quickly extinguished by Harden.

Harden finished with 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists.  Forward Chanlder Parsons added 20 points and eight rebounds for Houston. Omir Asik who grabbed 14 rebounds.  He also could be credit it holding down Tim Duncan in the 4th quarter.

Parker led the Spurs (53-17), which saw their four-game winning streak overall and against the Rockets snapped, with 23 points on 7-for-13 shooting  and seven dimes.  Duncan, despite putting up a goose egg in the 4th quarter, finished with 17 points to go with seven rebounds.

San Antonio (53-17), which leads Oklahoma City by 1 1/2 games in the race for the top seed in the Western Conference, had its four-game winning streak snapped.  Gregg Popovich talked about how he feels the last few games have been for San Antonio to NBA.Com.

“The last few games have been pretty good,” Popovich said. “I thought we worked hard, executed pretty well, (but) you can’t turn it over 18 times on the road.”

The Spurs, winners of five straight at home, follow this contest by hosting the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday before Sunday’s showdown with league-best Miami, which is riding a 27-game winning streak.

The Spurs have won four of the last five meetings with the Nuggets in San Antonio.

Duncan finished with 31 points and 18 rebounds but Gallinari scored 28 in Denver’s 112-106 home victory in the most recent matchup Dec. 18.

Game InformationWhen:  March 27th, 2013 @ 7:30 PM (Spurs Time)Television:  FSSW  Radio:  1200 AM WOAI