Nuggets’ Seven-Game Win Streak Snapped

Golden State 105, Denver 95
DENVER, Dec. 30 (AP) -- The Golden State Warriors were focused on playing better defense against Denver and it paid off.

Baron Davis scored 28 points and Stephen Jackson added 23 to help Golden State beat the Nuggets 105-95 on Sunday night, ending a seven-game losing streak in Denver.

It was a far cry from the last meeting between the teams which Denver won 124-120 on Friday night.

"We just played better defense,'' Davis said. "We scored fewer points, but we gave up less as well. I'd say that if you do that and it comes with a win, it's more important.''

Carmelo Anthony had 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets. Linas Kleiza and J.R. Smith added 15 points each for the Nuggets, who saw their season-high seven-game winning streak snapped.

The Warriors limited Denver to 35 percent shooting. They also made a slight tweak in their defense putting Davis on Allen Iverson after having Jackson assigned to him on Friday.

"Jackson doesn't do as well with smaller guards so we went to Davis,'' Golden State coach Don Nelson said. "It helped that Allen wasn't feeling all that well.''

The result was Iverson had only 13 points on 2-for-12 shooting after having 39 points off Jackson.

"Every time I tried to penetrate they would bring a lot of people to me to make me give up the ball,'' Iverson said. "I just missed a couple of shots and struggled the whole night.''

Golden State last won in Denver on Feb. 24, 2003.

The Warriors took a 75-72 lead into the fourth quarter and extended it to 83-73 with 9:23 left. While the Nuggets managed only a free throw by Nene and 0-for-7 shooting, Jackson had a jumper and Davis and Monta Ellis converted layups off steals.

The Nuggets got within 87-83 with 6:27 remaining, but Matt Barnes hit a 3-pointer to begin a 10-4 spurt to put the game away.

The Warriors led 55-51 at the break on a 3-pointer by Al Harrington and free throws by Davis in the last 45 seconds. Denver had used a 9-0 run midway through the second quarter to erase a six-point deficit.

Jackson's two free throws provided Golden State with a 63-57 cushion early in the third, but Denver tied it at 63 with layup by Anthony Carter off a deep rebound ahead of two jumpers from Anthony with 6:51 left. The lead changed hands twice before Golden State pulled ahead 75-68 when Jackson hit a 3-pointer and two baskets.

Denver reduced the lead to 75-72 with four free throws in the final 1:36.

"We consider ourselves lucky,'' Nelson said. "I don't know if you could say it was all of our defense, but we did mix our zone up pretty good.''

source : NBA.com