NUGGETS 110, HORNETS 97: Arron Afflalo scored 26 points and host Denver handed New Orleans its fourth straight loss.

Reserve Al Harrington had his seventh double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Nuggets won for the fifth time in six games.

Denver point guard Ty Lawson chipped in with 11 points and 10 assists for his fourth double-double in the last five games.

Lance Thomas scored 18 points and Jarrett Jack added 17 for New Orleans, which dipped to a Western Conference-worst 9-31.

Afflalo scored 13 of his points in the third quarter as the Nuggets went ahead by as many as 12 and carried a 79-71 lead into the final 12 minutes.

Denver's bench helped blow the game open in the fourth. Harrington and Andre Miller ignited a 14-3 spurt to open a 95-78 cushion with just under 7 1/2 minutes to play.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Nuggets leading scorer Danilo Gallinari continued to struggle with his shooting in his third game back since a 13-game injury absence. He scored nine points and has shot 5 of 20 in the three games. ... New Orleans fell to 0-20 when trailing at halftime. . ... The Hornets had won in Denver earlier this season, their only road victory over a team with a winning record.