Nuggets 92, Clippers 78: Danilo Gallinari scored 17 points to lead six players in double figures and Kenneth Faried added 14 and 11 rebounds as host Denver ended Los Angeles' franchise-record 17-game winning streak.
Andre Miller contributed 12 points and 12 assists while Andre Iguodala also scored 12 for the Nuggets, who have won eight in a row at home and are 10-1 at the Pepsi Center.
Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe scored 12 points apiece and DeAndre Jordan chipped in 11 and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who lost for the first time since Nov. 26 after ending December as the third team in NBA history to go 16-0 in a single month.
Denver led by two after the first quarter and increased the advantage to 12 in the second before settling for a 48-43 lead at halftime. A layup by Jordan with 9:42 remaining in the third got Los Angeles within one, but the Nuggets scored the next seven points and ended the period with a 10-1 run for a 16-point cushion.
Kosta Koufos opened the fourth with a layup to give Denver its largest lead at 77-59. Matt Barnes' layup with 4:54 to play cut the deficit to 13, but the Clippers were unable to get any closer.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Los Angeles held its last lead at 16-15 when Chris Paul hit a 3-pointer with 6:27 remaining in the first quarter. ... The Nuggets improved to 58-19 at home against the Clippers. ... Los Angeles F Caron Butler opened the game with a 3-pointer, his eighth consecutive successful shot from beyond the arc. He missed his next attempt with 9:10 left in the first quarter, leaving him two shy of Quentin Richardson's club record.
L.A. Clippers | Denver | |
Eric Bledsoe 12 | Scoring | Danilo Gallinari 17 |
Chris Paul 6 | Assists | Andre Miller 12 |
DeAndre Jordan 11 | Rebounds | Kenneth Faried 11 |
Jamal Crawford 5 | Free Throws Made | Kenneth Faried 4 |
DeAndre Jordan 3 | Steals | Corey Brewer 4 |
DeAndre Jordan 3 | Blocks | Kenneth Faried 1 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
L.A. Clippers | 78 | 38.5 | 5-29 | 13-29 | 15 | 46 | 7 | 10 | 15 |
Denver | 92 | 45.1 | 7-23 | 11-21 | 28 | 52 | 4 | 11 | 16 |