Field Level Media
Jan 25, 2018
Gary Harris led seven players in double figures with 23 points as the Denver Nuggets withstood several comeback attempts by the visiting New York Knicks on Thursday night and posted a 130-118 victory at the Pepsi Center.
Reserve Trey Lyles added 21 as the Nuggets shot 60 percent for the third time this season and led virtually the entire game. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray added 18 apiece for Denver, which also shot 50 percent from 3-point range.
Wilson Chandler contributed 16, Mason Plumlee chipped in 14 and Will Barton had 10 as Denver beat the Knicks for the 10th straight time at home since November 2006.
Kristaps Porzingis and Michael Beasley led the Knicks with 21 points apiece. Porzingis returned from missing Tuesday's loss at Golden State with a knee injury but picked up his fifth foul with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter and fouled out with 4:49 remaining.
Enes Kanter added 20 points while Trey Burke provided a season-high 18 points and 11 assists.
The Knicks fell to 2-4 on their season-high, seven-game trip despite shooting 54.9 percent and handing out 32 assists.
Denver held a 73-60 lead at halftime but had a 3-pointer by Barton taken away at the buzzer when Plumlee was called for offensive goaltending.
Despite Porzingis being forced to the bench with 5 1/2 minutes left due to a fifth foul, the Knicks hung around and were within 99-92 entering the fourth following a mid-range jumper by Burke before the buzzer.
Barton and Lyles teamed up to score the first 10 points of the final quarter, and Denver opened up three 17-point leads in the opening minutes of the period. The Knicks cut it to eight five times and were within 122-114 on a layup by Burke with 2:57 left.
Murray hit a 3-pointer on Denver's next possession, and Harris added a 20-footer with a minute left to seal the win.
--Field Level Media