Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) – Kenneth Faried had 19 points and eight
rebounds as the Denver Nuggets routed the New Orleans Pelicans 117-97 on
Friday night.
Arron Afflolo netted 19 points, while Wilson Chandler added 18 points and five
boards for the Nuggets, who have won three straight games on the heels of a
2-7 start.
Anthony Davis tallied 18 points and nine rebounds for New Orleans, which had
won five of its last seven games coming in.
Tyreke Evans, Davis and Alexis Ajinca each netted four quick points as the
Pelicans raced out to a 14-2 start, but Denver responded with a 16-4 surge
itself as Chandler’s layup tied the game at 18-18 late in the opening frame.
The Nuggets later went on a 13-2 swing that bled into the second.
Faried’s layup at the first quarter horn gave the hosts a 31-26 advantage
heading into the second. JaVale McGee’s layup finished off the flurry and
staked the Nuggets to a 37-26 cushion.
Denver took a 59-49 cushion into the break.
New Orleans never cut the deficit below eight in the third and Denver headed
into the fourth with a 86-73 margin. The Nuggets led by as many as 25 in the
final frame.
Game Notes
The Nuggets held a 52-32 points in the paint advantage … Denver turned the
ball over just 10 times … The Nuggets shot 53.4 percent (43-of-82) from the
floor and 11-of-24 from beyond the arc.
