DENVER -- The Orlando Magic didn't make a 3-pointer for 45 minutes, but when they finally broke through it broke the backs of the Denver Nuggets.

Guard Evan Fournier made a 3-pointer to open up a tight game in the final 2:36 and the surging Magic used tough defense to beat Denver 85-74 on Tuesday night.

Center Nikola Vucevic scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and forward Tobias Harris finished with 17 points and nine rebounds. Guard Elfrid Payton had 18 points for the Magic, who won for the sixth time in seven games.

Orlando (12-9) improved to 3-1 on a five-game road trip that concludes in Phoenix on Wednesday night.

"That's big time," Harris said of a winning road trip. "We haven't had that in a long time here. We're not satisfied with today's win so we've got to go out there tomorrow and get another victory."

Forward Andrew Nicholson celebrated his 26th birthday with a career-high 14 rebounds.

"We said we were going to get the win for him," Harris said. "It wasn't the prettiest but we'll take the win."

Guard Will Barton led the Nuggets with 23 points, and center J.J. Hickson had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Denver (8-14) had its modest two-game winning streak snapped and lost for the fifth straight time at home.

The Nuggets, who shot just 24.4 percent from the field in the second half, were held to 11 points in the fourth quarter and committed 19 turnovers in the game.

"Winnable game, a game we're supposed to win," Barton said. "This is a game we've got to have so it's very disappointing."

It was there for the taking but Orlando made the plays down the stretch.

The Magic led 72-67 after four straight points from guard Victor Oladipo, but Denver closed the gap on Barton's third 3-pointer of the game.

Orlando guard Shabazz Napier hit a layup, and Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried split a pair of free throws to make the score, 74-72.

The Magic then called a play for Fournier, who drained Orlando's only 3-pointer of the night after the team missed 15 straight to extend the Magic's lead to 77-72.

"I was really happy for Evan that he was able to knock that down," Orlando coach Scott Skiles said. "I know he's been frustrated and that was a huge basket at the time. We ran that play specifically for him and he stepped up with confidence and knocked it down."

They were the only points Fournier scored against his former team.

"(Payton) called the play. I had an open shot and it went in," Fournier said. "It felt good but we've got to play better than that."

A 3-point play by Payton gave Orlando an 80-72 lead with 1:44 left. After a Denver basket, Vucevic scored off an offensive rebound to make it 82-74.

"We looked like the Bad News Bears," Denver coach Michael Malone said. "Some of our turnovers were embarrassing. Our defense played OK. Our offense is on a milk carton; it's missing."

The Magic rallied from down seven at halftime to take a six-point lead in the third quarter. Vucevic had 10 points and five rebounds and Payton had eight points in the period, but the Nuggets' late rally gave them a 63-62 lead heading into the fourth.

They weren't able to sustain the lead and wilted in the final five minutes.

"We've got to do a better job of withstanding a team's run," guard Jameer Nelson said. "We drop our heads too much. It's happening a little too often when teams make a run. We drop our heads, get a little tighter and we don't play the right way."

Denver's bench became thinner when forward Darrell Arthur left the game with right knee soreness. Center Joffrey Lauvergne was dressed but did not play because of an illness.

The Nuggets held Orlando to 14 points in the second quarter to take a 47-40 lead at intermission. Barton had 13 first-half points off the bench, and forward Danilo Gallinari had 11 points for Denver. Gallinari finished with 13 points.

NOTES: Orlando F Aaron Gordon was out with a sprained right ankle suffered in Saturday's loss at the Los Angeles Clippers. Gordon tested the ankle in warmups but wasn't able to go. ... Nuggets G Gary Harris missed his sixth straight game with a concussion. The team is hopeful he'll be ready for Friday's game against the Lakers. ... Nuggets C Joffrey Lauvergne was given intravenous fluids before the game to combat an illness. He did not play. ... Orlando G C.J. Watson missed his 13th straight game with a sore left calf.