Nets 112, Nuggets 89: Paul Pierce led the way with 18 points as Brooklyn bounced back from its worst defeat of the season by dominating host Denver.

Joe Johnson scored 10 points and Marcus Thornton added 10 off the bench for the Nets, who dropped a 124-80 decision at Portland on Wednesday. Mason Plumlee collected 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in a reserve role as Brooklyn won in Denver for the first time since 2007.

Randy Foye scored 15 points for the Nuggets, who have dropped four straight and nine of their last 10. Kenneth Faried recorded 14 points and eight boards as Denver shot 37.5 percent.

The Nets put the game away in the first quarter, outscoring the Nuggets 29-8 in the period and spreading it out to a 26-point gap less than three minutes into the second. Denver found a rhythm on offense later in the second but never managed to get the deficit to less than 20 points before going into the break down 59-36.

Aaron Brooks drove for a layup to pull the Nuggets within 66-42 just over three minutes into the third before Pierce scored the final six points on a 13-2 run to spread the lead out to 35 points. The Nets took an 89-56 lead into the fourth and got the starters plenty of rest while coasting through the fourth quarter.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Nuggets’ eight points in the first marked a season low for any quarter. … Nets C Jason Collins, whose jersey is the best selling in the NBA this week, logged eight minutes off the bench and scored three points. … Denver committed 24 turnovers, leading to 23 points.