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Nuggets vs. Pelicans preview

By Evan Siegel

DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 23: Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets react to a play against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Pepsi Center on February 23, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 23: Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets react to a play against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Pepsi Center on February 23, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images) /
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The Denver Nuggets take the floor tonight against the New Orleans Pelicans in their second scrimmage game in preparation for the NBA restart.

After defeating the Washington Wizards in their first outing of any kind since the hiatus went into effect, the Nuggets are prepared to take on Brandon Ingram and the sneaky-talented New Orleans Pelicans.

Brandon Ingram is a leading candidate for most improved player of the year honors after he skyrocketed his point-per-game total to 24, six points higher than his previous high of 18. Ingram is also shooting 38.7 percent from beyond the arc, just three tenths of a percentage point lower than his previous career best of 39% in his second season with the Lakers.

The Pelicans stopped play with a 28-36 record, which left them tenth in the Western Conference and three-and-a-half games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the final playoff spot. They finished with a 5-5 split over their last ten games. New Orleans has not yet divulged much at all about the particulars of the kind of lineup they may use or how long they will play their top guns like Ingram, Derrick Favors, and Lonzo Ball.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets will get their next chance to use a player under 6″8 after they started all centers and power forwards in their first game against the Wizards. For whatever Michael Malone and his staff were thinking, it paid off for a team that was happy to get even a meaningless win after a disappointing ending to the normal passage of play in the NBA.

Next. Should the Nuggets consider trading for Rudy Gobert?. dark

The Nuggets currently sit at third in the Western Conference and remain just under two games ahead of the Utah Jazz. If the playoffs were to start today, the Nuggets would be matched up with the Houston Rockets, which would make for an absolutely fascinating matchup between a team prioritizing big men, and another prioritizing men too small to be a horse jockey.

Tip-off is at 8:30 ET.

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