Nuggets 118, Pistons 109: Aaron Brooks scored a season-high 27 points and recorded a career-best 17 assists to help host Denver slip past Detroit.

Randy Foye made five 3-pointers and scored 22 points for the Nuggets, who won for the fourth time in five games. Kenneth Faried added 15 points and Darrell Arthur scored 13.

Greg Monroe scored 22 points, Rodney Stuckey added 18 and Kyle Singler and Charlie Villanueva tallied 13 apiece for the Pistons, who lost their 11th straight road game. Already playing without injured Andre Drummond (neck), Detroit lost forward Josh Smith to two third-quarter technical fouls en route to its 13th loss in 16 games.

The contest was tied early in the fourth quarter before Denver went on a 17-4 burst to open up a 13-point lead midway through the period. The Pistons answered with a 12-4 run to get within 108-103 with 2:52 remaining before the Nuggets held off the charge.

Detroit had an 11-point lead midway through the second quarter and led 61-54 at the break. The Pistons held another 11-point advantage early in the third but Foye scored 12 points in the period to help the Nuggets take an 85-84 lead into the final stanza.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Brooks was 10-of-19 from the field and played 47 minutes while starting in place of PG Ty Lawson (sinus infection). … Drummond was injured in last Saturday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers and hopes to return later this week. … Denver C J.J. Hickson had 11 points and 11 rebounds for his third consecutive double-double.