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Nuggets 114, Mavericks 107
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
DENVER — Guard Ty Lawson had 29 points and 12 assists, forward Kenneth Faried scored 22 and pulled down 14 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Dallas Mavericks 114-107 Wednesday night.
Forward Wilson Chandler added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets, who had to hold on down the stretch for their fifth straight victory.
Guard J.J. Barea led Dallas (27-13) with 17 points. Forward Richard Jefferson scored 16 for the Mavericks, who lost for the third time in four games.
Both teams were down to 10 available players. Dallas coach Rick Carlisle sat forward Dirk Nowitzki, guard Rajon Rondo and center Tyson Chandler for rest after an overtime game in Sacramento on Tuesday. It was just the third missed game for Nowitzki this season and the second for Chandler.
Denver’s bench was shortened by injuries and a Tuesday trade, leaving Lawson on the court for 44 minutes. He had 10 points in the first half to help the Nuggets take a 59-50 lead at the break.
The Nuggets (18-20) had a comfortable 15-point advantage early in the fourth but had to hold on in the end.
Dallas went on a 15-5 run to cut the margin to three, but after a Denver miss, guard Devin Harris missed a pair of 3-pointers that would have tied the score at 104.
Faried responded with four straight points and a key block on forward Dwight Powell to help preserve the win.
Denver led 61-55 before taking control in the third quarter. A 3-pointer by Chandler and two baskets by Lawson started a 17-4 run that made it 78-59 with 4:56 left in the period.
Barea hit two free throws, a 3-pointer and a tip-in as Dallas went on a 12-1 run to get within 79-71 late in the third.
Guard Alonzo Gee’s 3-pointer pushed Denver’s lead to 15, but forward Charlie Villanueva hit a 3-pointer to make it 90-78 heading into the fourth.
NOTES: Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said he didn’t think the injuries to C Tyson Chandler (ankle) and G Rajon Rondo (left Achilles soreness) would be lingering problems. He rested the two players after they logged heavy minutes in Sacramento on Tuesday night. … Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said G Jameer Nelson, acquired from Boston on Tuesday for G Nate Robinson, would join the team Thursday and could play Friday in Dallas. … Shaw said G Randy Foye (strained right quad) could return next week. Foye has not played since Nov. 23.
