NUGGETS 105, ROCKETS 102: Arron Afflalo scored 26 points and Ty Lawson added 25 as visiting Denver won both games of a home-and-home set and improved its standing in the Western Conference playoff picture.

The Nuggets, who are 4-1 in their last five games, won the season series 3-1 and moved one-half game ahead of Dallas into sixth place in the Western Conference.

Lawson put the Nuggets ahead by four points on a deep corner 3-pointer with 44 seconds remaining.

Afflalo, who scored 17 points in the first half, had a chance to make it a two-possession game but missed the second of two free throws, giving Houston a chance to tie with three seconds left. Chandler Parsons came up short on a deep 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded.

The Rockets lost their fourth straight game and fell into a tie with Phoenix for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.

Parsons and Goran Dragic led Houston with 21 points each. Courtney Lee chipped in with 12 of his 18 points in the first half.

Al Harrington, who has been playing on a torn meniscus in his knee, scored 15 points off the bench for Denver, including three 3-pointers.

GAME NOTEBOOK: A night after scoring 29 fast-break points, Denver netted 19 points on the fast break. … Houston has lost four straight for the third time this season. … Denver’s bench outscored Houston’s 39-23.