Denver plays Minnesota, seeks 4th straight victory

Minnesota Timberwolves (43-34, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (46-31, fifth in the Western Conference)

Denver; Friday, 9 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Denver heads into a matchup with Minnesota as winners of three straight games.

The Nuggets have gone 6-9 against division opponents. Denver is sixth in the Western Conference with 48.7 points per game in the paint led by Nikola Jokic averaging 15.6.

The Timberwolves are 11-4 against the rest of the division. Minnesota ranks fourth in the league scoring 15.1 fast break points per game led by Anthony Edwards averaging 3.6.

The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Timberwolves won 130-115 in the last matchup on Feb. 2.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jokic is scoring 26.5 points per game and averaging 13.6 rebounds for the Nuggets. Nah'Shon Hyland is averaging 16.0 points and 3.2 rebounds over the last 10 games for Denver.

D'Angelo Russell is averaging 18 points and seven assists for the Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 24.3 points and 10.1 rebounds while shooting 53.0% over the last 10 games for Minnesota.

LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 118.4 points, 43.2 rebounds, 30.1 assists, 6.2 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 51.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.8 points per game.

Timberwolves: 5-5, averaging 118.8 points, 43.7 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 8.3 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.3 points.

INJURIES: Nuggets: Zeke Nnaji: out (ankle), Vlatko Cancar: out (foot), Michael Porter Jr.: out (back), Jamal Murray: out (knee), JaMychal Green: out (foot).

Timberwolves: Jaden McDaniels: out (leg), Malik Beasley: out (ankle).

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