One game after being benched, Kenneth Faried posted a double-double to help lead the Denver Nuggets to a 121-113 road victory at Orlando.
Head coach Michael Malone said on Thursday after Faried did not play that his decision to sit Faried was part of a plan to utilize the power forward against Orlando. Both coach and player made good on that premise when Malone gave Faried 24 minutes off the bench and Faried contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds in the win.
Former Nugget Evan Fournier scored 24 points and Serge Ibaka had 22 but it was not enough to stop Denver, who shot 56.6 percent from the field in the win. Danilo Gallinari led the Nuggets with 21 points, including 9-of-10 from the free throw line.
Denver wraps up a six-game road trip against the 5-18 Mavericks on Monday. The Nuggets are 2-3 on the road trip, so far, and now sit at 9-15 on the season.
