Everything was set up for a great start to the home schedule. Tracy McGrady Jersey . The Denver Nuggets led Portland by two points in the final seconds Oct. 29, and one more stop would give them a 2-0 record and a win in their home opener.A defensive breakdown led to Damian Lillards wide-open layup to send it into overtime and the Trail Blazers went on to win and spoil the night for Denver fans.Nearly eight weeks later, the Nuggets have a chance to exact revenge when the teams meet Thursday night at Pepsi Center.Both teams are trying to reverse a downturn to their seasons. The Blazers (13-14) got a big win against Oklahoma City on Tuesday to end a four-game losing streak while Denver (9-16) had one of its worst outings in a blowout loss in Dallas on Monday.Portland held Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook in check in the 114-95 victory Tuesday, building some important momentum before heading to Denver.I think our minds was right, Damian Lillard told The Oregonian. We knew we needed to come in and get a win (before) going back on the road again.The Trail Blazers face a team struggling to save its season just a quarter of the way through the schedule. The Nuggets lost eight of their last 11, none more disappointing than the 112-92 loss in Dallas to wrap up a six-game road trip. The Mavericks, despite having the fewest wins in the NBA, dominated the game. They scored 65 in the first half against a seemingly non-existent Denver defense.Our one-on-one defense is pathetic right now, Nuggets coach Michael Malone told The Denver Post. We dont take pride in it. We allow guys just to back us down and score way too easy.The defense might get a boost against Portland. Guard Gary Harris may return after missing the last 16 games with a foot injury. He missed 20 games overall with the foot and groin injuries and said Wednesday he has a pretty good chance of playing against the Trail Blazers.His return bolsters the perimeter defense, but how much he plays is a question. He has been out since Nov. 12 and conditioning is an issue. However, having to go against the backcourt of Lillard and C.J. McCollum, the Nuggets can use all available bodies against the Trail Blazers.For Portland, a sixth straight win against Denver will help it get pointed in the right direction. The win over the first-place Thunder was nice, but the Trail Blazers want to get some momentum going before heading to Golden State on Saturday night.Portland should know by Thursday if it will have forward Al-Farouq Aminu back. He was a late scratch against Oklahoma City with a sore back initially hurt against Memphis last week, and with the Trail Blazers having played Monday the quick turnaround prompted him to be in street clothes.The Trail Blazers may not need him against the Nuggets, who are struggling with ball security and consistency. If Denver wants to make a serious run at its first playoff berth in four years, it has to start at home Thursday.You just throw this one out the window, Emmanuel Mudiay told The Denver Post after Mondays loss. We played horrible. ... But we got to let this one go and try to move forward in a positive way. Robert Horry Jersey . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU. James Harden Rockets Jersey . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. http:///...reen-Rockets-Jersey/ . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. MIAMI -- The ball kept falling the Royals way during their nine-game winning streak, and that changed in the ninth inning Wednesday.When Alcides Escobar pulled a liner toward the hole on the left side of the infield, shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria made a spectacular leaping, backhanded catch. The play short-circuited a comeback bid by the Royals, who lost to the Miami Marlins 3-0.That changed the game, Escobar said. I hit that ball really good. When I saw it, I said, `Oh! Thats a great play.Hechavarrias catch came after a leadoff single by Alex Gordon. Kansas City went on to load the bases against Fernando Rodney before he retired Christian Colon for his 25th save and eighth for Miami.That ended the Royals longest winning streak since June 2014.Miamis Jose Fernandez pitched seven innings and shook off calf cramps. Fernandez (13-7) grimaced after retiring Colon with his ninth strikeout to end the seventh.I was cramping for the last five pitches, Fernandez said. I was sweating and changed my uniform twice. Sweating, sweating. The last pitch, when I finished I felt the cramp and I was, `OooowwI came in and took some Gatorade, and Im ready to go -- fantastic.Fernandezs nine strikeouts increased his season total to 213, breaking the Marlins record of 209 set by Ryan Dempster in 2000. Fernandez allowed six hits and won for the first time since July 23 to snap his three-game losing streak, a career worst.Christian Yelich broke a scoreless tie in the sixth with a two-run single.The Royals went 0 for 8 with runnerrs in scoring position against Fernandez. Hakeem Olajuwon Jersey. They loaded the bases in the second, but Fernandez escaped by retiring Paulo Orlando and Colon. Their first two batters singled in the sixth, but Gordon struck out and Escobar bounced into a double play.Orlando struck out in all four at-bats against Fernandez.He was just tough, Royals manager Ned Yost said. He had a really, really good slider and went to it when he got in trouble.Dillon Gee (5-7) allowed only two of the first 18 batters to reach -- and both times it was Fernandez. He had an infield single in the third and another single in the sixth.He can swing the bat a little bit, Gee said. The second one might have been the hardest hit I gave up all night. I wasnt overpowering by any means, but I felt like I threw the ball fairly well.The Royals relievers extended their franchise-record scoreless streak to 34 2/3 innings.The bullpens doing fine, Yost said. They came in and did their job and held us right there.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: LHP Mike Minor, who has not pitched in the majors since 2014 after suffering a torn labrum in 2015, is being shut down for the year after struggling in several rehab starts.UP NEXTRHP Edinson Volquez (9-10, 5.04) is scheduled to face Marlins RHP Tom Koehler (9-8, 3.82) in the series finale. Volquez is 6-0 in seven career starts against Miami. Koehler is 3-0 over his past six starts with a 1.62 ERA. ' ' '