Denver Nuggets (19-27) at Memphis Grizzlies (33-12), 8 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Memphis Grizzlies are glad to have Zach Randolph back in the lineup and will try to stay on track when they host the Denver Nuggets Thursday at FedExForum.
The Grizzlies are 8-2 since Randolph returned from a sore knee, and the big man has recorded 19.6 points and 13.1 rebounds in that stretch. The double- double machine (26) posted 22 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday's 109-90 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
"My teammates kept coming to me and believing in me, and I just kept getting aggressive," Randolph said.
Marc Gasol scored 15 points and both Courtney Lee and Nick Calathes finished with 13 for the Grizzlies, winners in four straight and eight of nine games. Memphis made 53.2 percent for the game and held Dallas to 18 points in the fourth quarter.
The Grizzlies have won three in a row at home and are 19-5 as the host. The Oklahoma City Thunder will make a stop in Memphis on Saturday.
Grizzlies guard Mike Conley (wrist) is questionable Thursday and did not play against the Mavericks. He is averaging 17.4 points and 5.6 assists.
Denver put the brakes on a seven-game losing streak its last time out and will wrap up a three-game road trip against the Grizzlies.
The Nuggets prevailed, 93-85, on Wednesday in New Orleans, as Arron Afflalo led the charge with 20 points and Jusuf Nurkic scored 15 points. Kenneth Faried notched 14 points to go with seven rebounds, while J.J. Hickson provided 10 points off the bench in the win.
"I thought defensively that we were active," Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said. "We didn't turn the ball over a great deal."
Ty Lawson finished with five points and handed out 13 assists.
Denver had only eight turnovers and held the Pelicans to 39 percent shooting. New Orleans managed only 15 points in the fourth quarter.
The Nuggets are 7-15 as the guest and will host Charlotte on Saturday.
Lawson scored 25 points to go with 11 assists in a 114-85 victory over Memphis on Jan. 3 at the Pepsi Center and Gasol countered with 18 points. The two teams will meet again March 16 on Beale Street.
Memphis has won three straight and six of the past seven at home in this series.