Cavaliers 110, Nuggets 101
LeBron James had 22 points and a season-high 11 assists and Kevin Love added 19 points and eight rebounds as visiting Cleveland knocked off Denver.
Dion Waiters scored 17 points and Anderson Varejao had 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting for the Cavaliers, who halted a two-game losing streak. Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson scored 12 points apiece and Shawn Marion added 10 as seven players scored in double digits.
Randy Foye had season highs of 28 points and nine assists for the Nuggets, who lost their fourth consecutive contest. Wilson Chandler had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Nate Robinson scored 14 points for Denver, which was without starting point guard Ty Lawson (ankle).
Cleveland led 85-71 entering the final stanza before Denver made a run and pulled within 98-92 on Chandler’s basket with 4:30 remaining. Waiters scored back-to-back baskets as the Cavaliers restored order and cruised to the finish.
James only had two points but handed out six assists in Cleveland’s 38-point first quarter. Denver cut into its 18-point deficit and trailed 58-45 at the break before the Cavaliers pushed the lead back out to 20 on Varejao’s basket with 8:23 left in the third.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Foye made five 3-pointers and is 8-of-15 from behind the arc over the last two games. … James (1-of-5) and Love (0-of-5) combined to miss nine of their 10 3-point shots and Cleveland was 6-of-23 overall. … Nuggets SG Arron Afflalo was held without a point in 31 minutes, missing all four field-goal attempts.