PREVIEW: The Denver Nuggets (10-3) travel to face the New Orleans Pelicans (2-12) on Wednesday, with the Western Conference's second-place squad taking on the conference basement dwellers. Denver brings elite perimeter defense that forces low-quality three-point attempts and efficient offensive execution, ranking second in three-point shooting and free-throw accuracy. Both teams seek redemption after recent setbacks, with the Nuggets coming off a narrow 130-127 loss to Chicago while New Orleans fell 126-109 to Oklahoma City. The Nuggets dominated their first meeting this season with a 122-88 blowout victory, setting the stage for another potential mismatch on the road. The Pelicans present significant vulnerabilities on both ends, ranking 28th in three-point shooting and 30th in three-point defense while struggling to run cohesive offensive sets. Denver's balanced attack produces 124.6 points per game while holding opponents to 112.7, compared to New Orleans' league-worst 108.3 points scored and defensive struggles that allow 121.9. Injury concerns plague New Orleans with Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, and Jordan Poole ruled out, while Denver's Christian Braun and Julian Strawther are also unavailable. Nikola Jokic continues to anchor the Nuggets' dominance with his remarkable all-around production, providing Denver the star power needed to navigate through a depleted opponent.