Nuggets-Jazz Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON

(AP) -- Utah won in Denver as part of its promising start to the season, but that's quickly becoming a distant memory.

The Jazz's recent struggles include a season-high losing streak that they'll attempt to snap in Friday night's rematch, but they'll have to slow down a resurgent Nuggets team riding its longest road winning streak in two years.

Utah (10-14) held Denver to 38.9 percent shooting and 5 of 20 from 3-point range in a 96-84 victory Nov. 5. The Jazz beat Memphis two days later to go to 4-2 for their best start since 2008-09, allowing an average of 85.0 points. They've since given up 101.0 per game while posting a 6-12 record.

They've dropped four straight after losing 104-94 to New Orleans on Wednesday, getting outscored 31-15 in the fourth quarter.

"Yeah it's frustrating, but I've been through it before," said forward Derrick Favors, who had 22 points. "Just have to keep working. Keep at it. Don't feel bad or sorry for yourself.

"You're going to have winning streaks and losing streaks just like you have bad games and good games. Just got to keep fighting."

The Nuggets (11-14), meanwhile, have won three in a row and five of six after a 112-100 victory in Minnesota on Tuesday. They shot a season-best 56.2 percent and went 10 of 18 from beyond the arc.

It was also their third consecutive road win after opening 3-7 away from home. This is Denver's longest road winning streak since a four-game run Nov. 25-Dec. 3, 2013.

Denver has topped 105 points in all three of the latest road wins and is averaging 104.2 on 46.0 percent shooting in the last six games overall. That follows an eight-game losing streak in which the Nuggets averaged 91.1 points and shot 40.5 percent.

Randy Foye had a season-high 19 points, tying Kenneth Faried for the team lead, and made five of his six 3-point attempts Tuesday. The veteran guard was averaging 5.0 points on 29.5 percent shooting, including 19.7 from beyond the arc, in his first 24 games.

"We all knew as an organization that the Randy Foye that's played in the first 20-some odd games isn't the Randy Foye we've seen for eight years," coach Michael Malone said. "We knew at some point he'd break out of it. It couldn't have happened on a better night."

It's unclear if No. 7 overall pick Emmanuel Mudiay, averaging 10.7 points and a team-best 5.7 assists, will return after missing the last two games with a sprained right ankle.

Jameer Nelson has started both games in his place, scoring 10 points in each with a combined 11 assists.

While sixth man Will Barton has sparked Denver's surge with an average of 18.5 points in the last six games, the Jazz's starting backcourt has been part of their recent struggles. Alec Burks and Rodney Hood combine to average 26.6 points but have totaled 29 over the past two games, with Burks shooting 4 for 19.