Huge 4th quarter helps Nuggets down Warriors

Denver, CO – Danilo Gallinari scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half and the Denver Nuggets used a huge late run to notch a 116-105 victory over the Golden State Warriors at the Pepsi Center.

Ty Lawson added 20 points for the surging Nuggets, who recorded their season- high fifth consecutive win on the strength of a 15-0 surge that erased an 89-83 deficit with under 10 1/2 minutes to play.

Denver shot a sizzling 70 percent (14-of-20) in the fourth quarter and outscored the Warriors by a 33-16 count over the final 10-plus minutes.

Wilson Chandler returned from a two-month absence to contribute 14 points and six rebounds off the bench to the win, while fellow reserves Corey Brewer and Andre Miller netted 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the Nuggets.

The Warriors were dealt their third setback in four outings despite Stephen Curry dropping in 29 points and making 7-of-9 attempts from 3-point range. David Lee posted 23 points and 13 rebounds in defeat, with rookie Harrison Barnes putting up a career-high 21 points for Golden State.

Denver trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half and was behind by an 87-79 score entering the fourth quarter, then put on a torrid shooting display down the stretch to prevail.

Brewer had six points during the pivotal 15-0 tear, and his two free throws with just over nine minutes to go gave Denver a 90-89 lead. He scored in transition on the Nuggets' next possession to further extend the margin, which grew to six after Kenneth Faried was fouled on a dunk and made the subsequent free throw with 8:16 remaining.

"We got a bunch of steals," said Lawson. "We were getting hands in the passing lane and getting easy shots and easy layups. And once we started getting that, they were running back to the paint so fast we got open three's."

Denver scored the next three points to build its advantage to 98-89, but Curry knocked down a pair of treys to spark an 8-2 burst that pulled the Warriors within three at the midway stage of the fourth quarter.

Golden State would get no closer, as Brewer answered with a basket from beyond the arc and Gallinari followed with back-to-back buckets -- the last coming from long distance -- to put Denver up 108-97 with 4:48 to go.

The differential later grew to 13 points when Faried threw down a slam with 3 1/2 minutes left to make the score 114-101 in Denver's favor.

"We had turnovers at the start of the fourth quarter and that fueled their momentum, and once they got that going they were off to the races," said Lee.

The teams were deadlocked at 75-75 late in the third quarter before the Warriors erupted for 10 straight points, with Carl Landry's jumper capping the run at the 1:32 mark of the frame.

Denver overcame an early 13-7 deficit and a 55 percent shooting display from the Warriors in the first quarter to grab a 27-25 edge at the period's end, in large part to a 9-point effort out of Lawson. The second quarter was tight throughout, with the lead changing hands eight times during the stanza, though Golden State put together a 7-0 run capped by a Curry triple to take a 51-44 advantage with 3:37 left.

The Nuggets countered with an 8-1 stretch to tie the contest at 52-52, but Lee's putback layup with 1:05 remaining before the half enabled the Warriors to enter the break on top.

Neither team was ahead by more than five points in the third quarter until Golden State began to assume control over the latter portion of the session.

Game Notes

Denver's current win streak is its longest since ripping off six straight victories from Jan. 17-27 of last season ... The Nuggets improved to 14-2 at the Pepsi Center this season and have won 12 of their last 13 at home ... Chandler had been sidelined since Nov. 12 after experiencing soreness from offseason hip surgery ... Barnes' previous career best was 20 points, set at Dallas on Nov. 19 ... The Warriors have now lost in 16 of their last 18 visits to Denver, including a 102-91 setback back on Nov. 23.