Nuggets 100, Jazz 81
Ty Lawson recorded 17 points and 10 assists and Kenneth Faried had 15 points and 13 rebounds as visiting Denver extended Utah’s season-opening losing streak to eight games.
Andre Miller scored 15 points and J.J. Hickson added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Nuggets. Denver used a 24-6 run in the fourth quarter to break open a close game and win for the second time this season.
Gordon Hayward scored 22 points and Derrick Favors added 21 points and 13 rebounds for the Jazz. Utah’s skid is the worst for the franchise since the expansion 1974-75 New Orleans Jazz lost their first 11 games.
The Jazz took a 73-72 lead early in the fourth quarter on a three-point play by Alec Burks. Denver responded with 10 of the next 11 points to take an eight-point lead and the advantage reached 96-79 on Miller’s two free throws with 2:04 remaining.
The Nuggets led 46-45 at halftime and opened a seven-point lead on Hickson’s basket with 7:24 left in the third quarter. Utah rallied to within 70-68 entering the final stanza.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Denver had a 52-35 rebounding edge, with 13 coming on the offensive end. … Hayward committed seven of Utah’s 14 turnovers. … The Jazz have lost their last three games by an average of 22.3 points and each of their last six defeats have been by double digits.