By ,
Published May 02, 2016
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Denver Nuggets hope to close out a disappointing five-game road trip on a positive note when they visit the Orlando Magic Sunday from Amway Center.
The Nuggets opened the road trip with a double-overtime victory against the New Orleans Pelicans, but have dropped subsequent matchups with the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat.
In a 108-91 loss in South Beach on Friday night, Kenneth Faried led the visitors with 20 points, while Jusuf Nurkic and Randy Foye scored 16 points apiece. Wilson Chandler had 13 points and Ty Lawson ended with a double-double of 10 points and 12 assists for the Nuggets, whose losing streak comes on the heels of four wins in a row.
"We generated some good shots, and then we turned the ball over," said Nuggets coach Melvin Hunt.
Denver had 16 turnovers converted into 26 Miami points, but shot well at 46.8 percent. The Heat, though, made 53.1 percent from the field and outrebounded the Nuggets by a 44-35 difference.
The Nuggets are 10-25 on the road and will host Philadelphia and Utah next.
Meanwhile, the Magic opened a five-game homestand with Friday's 111-104 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers and were led by rookie Elfrid Payton's second straight triple-double.
Payton had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to become the first player in Magic history with consecutive triple-doubles. The first-round draft pick had 15 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in a loss to Dallas on Wednesday.
"Obviously I need help in order to get that, so that means my teammates are playing well too," said Payton. "And that's important to me."
Victor Oladipo and Nikola Vucevic also scored 22 points for Orlando, which rallied for 36 points in the fourth quarter after producing only 17 in the third stanza. Orlando shot 45.7 percent for the game and had a 50-44 advantage in rebounds.
The Magic ended a six-game slide and improved to 12-22 at home. They still have Atlanta, Detroit and San Antonio to play on this homestand.
Magic forward Tobias Harris (ankle) has missed two straight games and is listed as questionable Sunday. He is averaging 16.9 ppg.
Orlando lost in Denver, 93-90, on Jan. 7, as Lawson scored 23 points and Vucevic countered with 20 points and 11 boards. The Nuggets have won four straight and six of the last seven meetings with the Magic.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nuggets-conclude-trek-in-orlando