RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
DENVER (AP) -- Nick Van Exel finished one rebound shy of a
triple-double as the Denver Nuggets won their fifth straight at
home.
|  | | San Antonio's David Robinson, left, tries to block a shot by Keon Clark Friday night. |
Van Exel had 27 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds and Antonio
McDyess added 20 points to lead the Nuggets to a 102-92 victory
over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.
"I don't know if we have played any better defense, but it was
close," said Denver coach Dan Issel, whose team gives up slightly
over 100 points a game. "We played awfully well."
Van Exel was 11-for-17 from the field, including 5-for-6 on
3-pointers. McDyess had 12 of his points in the third quarter when
the Nuggets began taking control of the game.
Tim Duncan led San Antonio with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Derek
Anderson had 15 for the Spurs, who lost for only the second time in
their last 13 games against the Nuggets.
"Even in the first half, our defense wasn't that bad. We gave
up 15 second-chance points, which was killing us," Issel said.
"In the second half we held them to six points on second shots and
started making more shots."
Denver shot a season-high 73 percent (16-for-22) in the third
quarter to take an 86-73 lead into the fourth. Back-to-back baskets
by Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Raef LaFrentz increased the Nuggets' lead
to 92-78 three minutes into the final quarter.
"We didn't play as a team defensively, and didn't play with
discipline or aggressiveness," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich
said. "At the two-minute mark we had two team fouls for the half.
I thought we parked it to a degree when we were up by 15."
Duncan's three-point play and two free throws by Malik Rose cut
the deficit to 92-80, but the Nuggets responded with a 6-0 run. The
Spurs got as close as 99-85 on an inside jumper by Antonio Daniels,
but Voshon Lenard's 3-pointer with 1:12 to go put the Nuggets ahead
102-85.
Denver didn't lead until nearly four minutes into the second
half when James Posey buried a 3-pointer for a 59-58 lead. They
then started breaking away as McDyess began a 9-0 run with a
fadeaway jumper.
McDyess closed the quarter with eight straight points on four
jump shots, giving the Nuggets an 86-71 lead.
"They weren't talking anymore, and I think a couple of guys
even argued," McDyess said of the Spurs in the third quarter.
"When you get guys arguing and not helping each other out on
defense, you know that things will turn around for you."
San Antonio extended its four-point first quarter lead to 50-35
in the second quarter as Rose buried his first three shots of the
period, including a dunk over taller LaFrentz. The Nuggets closed
the gap with a 15-2 run in the last 2:36 of the half, with Posey
contributing two 3-pointers and Van Exel adding five points and a
steal.
"They came out of the gates at halftime," Duncan said. "Then
Antonio found his spot and went on a tear."
Game
notes
Samaki Walker remained in San Antonio with flu-like
symptoms. ... San Antonio had won eight of the previous 10 meetings
in Denver. ... Dan Issel refused to talk to the media after
Denver's morning shootaround. ... Issel shook up the starting
lineup and gave Lenard his first start of the year and Keon Clark
his second. ... Only two teams, Golden State and Phoenix, had
previously scored 100 points on the Spurs. ... Denver shot a
season-high 65 percent (11-for-17) from beyond the 3-point arc. ...
McDyess scored at least 20 points for the fifth time this season.
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NBA Scoreboard
San Antonio Clubhouse
Denver Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 76
Atlanta 67
Boston 103
Orlando 98
Cleveland 85
Miami 80
Detroit 118
Vancouver 96
Indiana 99
Washington 87
Charlotte 106
Milwaukee 90
Denver 102
San Antonio 92
Phoenix 80
Golden State 74
Utah 97
New Jersey 85
Seattle 98
LA Clippers 81
LA Lakers 115
Minnesota 108
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