Nuggets 97, Knicks 95: Ty Lawson scored a team-high 22 points and dished out eight assists as Denver held off a late New York rally for its fifth consecutive victory.

Randy Foye registered 17 points for the Nuggets and partially blocked Carmelo Anthony’s fall-away shot in the final seconds to preserve the victory. Nate Robinson scored 16 off the bench while J.J. Hickson added 13 points and 11 rebounds and Wilson Chandler had 13 points for Denver.

Anthony recorded a game-high 27 points and Andrea Bargnani added 22 for the Knicks, who have dropped eight straight contests. J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert scored 11 points each and Raymond Felton handed out seven assists for New York, which ended an 0-4 road trip.

Lawson and Foye each drained a 3-pointer during a quick 8-2 run midway through the first quarter and Denver built a 30-20 lead after 12 minutes. Robinson had 10 points in the second period as the Nuggets pushed their lead to 13 before Bargnani scored eight of his 13 first-half points to bring the Knicks within 51-45 at intermission.

The Knicks couldn’t get closer and Denver failed to break away after halftime as Anthony’s late three-point play brought New York within 75-67 after three quarters. Foye’s 3-pointer with 1:43 left put Denver up nine, but Shumpert’s basket brought the Knicks within 96-95 before Lawson made a free throw with 19 seconds left.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Denver F Kenneth Faried left the game in the third quarter with a bruised right quad and did not return to the floor. … Knicks F Metta World Peace played only four minutes and did not score for the second straight game. … The Nuggets have beaten the Knicks six straight times at home.