A tougher test for the the Hornets tonight as they take on the Denver Nuggets way up in the Rockies. Segababa, coming off two skin-of-your-teeth wins, should be fun. Game tips at 8 Central.

The 28-14 Nuggets are flying high at the top of the Western Conference, trailing only the defending champs. They’ve won five straight games, scoring an average of 113.4 points per game during that stretch, +12 on their opponents. Chauncey Billups has been especially hot, averaging 25.6ppg and 6.6apg in the last five, shooting 50 percent from the field and from deep.

Most recently the Nuggs blew out the visiting Clippers on Thursday, 105-85, 24 hours after prevailing in OT against the Warriors in Oakland. Carmelo Anthony led the way against L.A. with 28 points and 10 boards.

The Hornets have already done the meet and beat thing with the Nuggets once this season, knocking them off 98-92 in New Orleans a month ago. Chris Paul had 30 points, 19 assists and 9 boards in that one, clearly still not cool with how the Nuggets smacked his team in last year’s playoffs.

According to the Times-Pic, David West is listed as questionable for tonight’s game after turning his ankle last night in Minnesota. I’d be surprised if he played. Meanwhile, the Nuggets are fully healthy.

Numbers:

Pace: Nuggets 98.2 (5th), Hornets 94.1 (21st)
Offensive Efficiency: Nuggets 109.3 (2nd), Hornets 104.3 (14th)
Defensive Efficiency: Nuggets 103.7 (14th), Hornets 105.5 (19th)

Linkage:

• Lagniappe: Deja vu for Posey and some unkind playoff odds
  
• Rival bloggers: Denver Stiffs | Roundball Mining Company (THN) | The Nugg Doctor

(Many thanks to Dariusz for today’s banner featuring Tyson Chandler. Be sure to check out more of Dariusz’s designs in our Wallpapers vault.)