Raptors 116, Nuggets 102
Kyle Lowry recorded 30 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds as visiting Toronto pulled away from Denver.
Lou Williams recovered from 5-of-19 shooting over the previous two games to shoot 11-of-18 for 31 points as Toronto improved to 2-1 on its six-game road trip. Lowry and Williams combined to drain seven 3-pointers as the Raptors shot a crisp 10-of-23 from outside the arc.
Ty Lawson scored 28 points to pace the Nuggets, while Wilson Chandler supplied 20 points and 10 rebounds. Kenneth Faried recorded 17 points and 19 boards - his third straight huge game - although Denver still lost for the third time in four outings.
Toronto held a 95-94 lead midway through the third quarter when Williams knocked down two foul shots and a 3-pointer on back-to-back possessions, Lowry made two free throws on the next trip and Amir Johnson dunked off a feed from Williams to make it 104-94. Lawson scored the next four points, but the Raptors answered on Lowry's three-point play and cruised home from there.
The Raptors led 54-41 with under three minutes left in the first half before rookie Jusuf Nurkic scored five points during a 13-2 run to help close the gap to 60-54 at intermission. Williams made a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute of the third quarter as Toronto took an 88-87 lead into the final period.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Williams and Lowry each shot 5-of-7 in the first half for 12 and 11 points, respectively. Lawson and Chandler scored 14 first-half points apiece to pace the Nuggets. ... The teams combined for only six turnovers in the first half - two by Toronto. The Raptors protected the ball well in the second half as well, finishing with 23 assists and six turnovers. ... Faried has averaged 21 points and 19.3 rebounds in the last three games.