INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Cavaliers coach Mike Brown has one message for his team when it tips off against the Denver Nuggets tonight at The Q: Get back on defense.
"They’re going to keep coming,'' he said of the uptempo Nuggets, who are 11-6 with a seven-game winning streak. "On top of getting back, obviously we have to try to protect the paint.
"If they don’t have it in transition, then they get it a lot of ways. They get it just by pushing the ball, driving and kicking in transition. They get it just driving and throwing the ball off the glass and their bigs come in offensive rebounding in transition. They get it with their bigs running or leaking out or throwing over the top of them for dunks.
"We have to get back and we have to protect the paint, even in the half court. They’re very good at getting into the paint, collapsing the defense and then moving the ball, not even for another shot but another drive, a third or fourth drive on the same possession.''
With the departure of coach George Karl and Andre Iguodala, the Nuggets were a bit of a question mark coming into the season, but they have answered a lot of questions recently.
"I think they just play hard,'' Kyrie Irving said. "A lot of guys on that team have been together for a while now. They just play extremely hard and they play for one another. Ty Lawson is playing great right now. He's leading that ball club and guys coming off the bench are doing a great job of sustaining that lead or extending it.
"That's what you need from a veteran ball club. You have guys who can just go out and get it.''
Probable starting lineups: Cavs -- F Tristan Thompson, F Alonzo Gee, C Andrew Bynum, G C.J. Miles, G Kyrie Irving. Nuggets -- F Wilson Chandler, F Kenneth Faried, C J.J. Hickson, G Randy Foye, G Ty Lawson.
Injuries: Cavs -- None. Nuggets -- Danilo Gallinari (torn ACL left knee) and JaVale McGree (fractured left tibia) are out. Kenneth Faried (right quad contusion) is probable.
Officials: Bill Spooner, Derrick Collins, Olanis Poole
Up next for Cavs: Friday at Atlanta