Mavericks gameday: Denver Nuggets have shown improvement

Nuggets at Mavericks

7:30 p.m. Friday, American Airlines Center, Dallas

TV: FSSW Radio: ESPN/103.3 FM, ESPN/1540 AM (Sp.)

Records: Nuggets 23-35; Mavs 30-28

About the Nuggets: The Mavs know the Nuggets are battle-tested, and they pointed to their past two games as Exhibit A. Denver lost a tough game at home to Sacramento on Tuesday 114-110. But the next night, the Nuggets defeated the Clippers in Los Angeles 87-81. It was the second-fewest points the Clippers have scored in a game this season. The 81 points also were the fewest the Nuggets have allowed in a game this season. ... The Nuggets are 5-5 in their past 10 games. ... Danilo Gallinari (19.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Will Barton (15.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Kenneth Faried (12.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg) are the pace-setters for the Nuggets. ... Dallas native Emmanuel Mudiay is averaging 11.3 ppg.

About the Mavs: The Mavs have lost six of their past eight games and are 1-1 on this six-game homestand. ... Oklahoma City scored the first 15 points of the fourth quarter on Wednesday en route to beating the Mavs 116-103. ... Newcomer David Lee played 15 minutes and had four points and four rebounds against OKC. ... JaVale McGee has been on the inactive list despite being healthy for the past two games. McGee is behind Zaza Pachulia, Salah Mejri, Dwight Powell and Lee on the depth chart at center. ... The Mavs will play the Nuggets two more times and both will be in Denver — on March 6 and March 28. ... The Mavs beat Denver in Dallas 92-81 on Nov. 28.

This story was originally published February 25, 2016 at 7:31 PM with the headline "Mavericks gameday: Denver Nuggets have shown improvement."