Nuggets 117, Pelicans 97
Kenneth Faried had 19 points and eight rebounds and Arron Afflalo scored 19 points as Denver notched a home win over New Orleans for the seventh straight time.
Wilson Chandler added 18 points and made three 3-point baskets for the Nuggets, who won their third straight game. Danilo Gallinari had 17 points, JaVale McGee scored 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting and Ty Lawson contributed 11 points and nine assists as Denver won its third straight game.
Anthony Davis had 18 points and nine rebounds but was just 7-of-17 from the field for the Pelicans. Eric Gordon scored 13 points and Alexis Ajinca and Jrue Holiday had 12 points apiece.
Chandler scored the final six points of an 8-0 run as the Nuggets built a 98-77 advantage with 8:45 to play. Alonzo Gee’s basket pushed the lead to 25 with 3:17 left as Denver finished off the victory.
The Pelicans had an early 14-2 lead but the Nuggets controlled the rest of the first half and led by 16 with 4:58 to play. Denver held a 59-49 edge at the break and continued to lead by double digits most of the third quarter before taking an 86-73 advantage into the final stanza.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Denver had a 52-32 edge in points in the paint. … New Orleans C Omer Asik (back) missed his third straight game. … The Nuggets were 11-of-24 from 3-point range.