Nuggets rally past Warriors for 5th straight win

[January 14, 2013]  DENVER (AP) -- Danilo Gallinari scored 21 points, Ty Lawson had 20, and the Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Golden State Warriors 116-105 on Sunday night for their season-high fifth straight win.

Wilson Chandler scored 14 points in his first game in two months for Denver after being sidelined since early November because of pain in his left hip, which was surgically repaired last spring.

Stephen Curry scored 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, to lead Golden State. David Lee added 23 points and 13 rebounds and Harrison Barnes had 21 points.

Down by eight going into the fourth quarter, Denver opened the period with a 19-2 flurry to go up 98-89. Andre Miller and Corey Brewer each scored six points, running the floor and scoring primarily on layups. Kenneth Faried converted a three-point play when he muscled in a dunk and was fouled by Lee.

Lee broke up the flurry with a dunk and Curry connected on successive 3-pointers to pull the Warriors to within 100-97 with 6:10 remaining.

Brewer, who finished with 13 points, and Gallinari hit 3-pointers around a dunk by Gallinari to rebuild the Nuggets' lead to 108-97. Barnes' 3-pointer with 4:00 left cut the Warriors' deficit to nine points but Faried shook loose for a breakaway dunk and the Warriors didn't threaten again.

The Nuggets scored six straight points, including a short turnaround jumper by JaVale McGee to tie the score at 75-all with 3:23 left in the third quarter. Golden State, though, closed out the quarter with a 12-4 run.

Curry's bank shot and a dunk by Barnes started the surge that allowed the Warriors to take an 87-79 lead into the final period.

Curry hit five 3s in the first half, helping the Warriors take a 54-52 lead.

NOTES: Nuggets C Kosta Koufos scored the 1,000th point of his career when he made a hook shot with 6:32 remaining in the third quarter. ... Curry has scored 20 or more points 23 times this season. ... Lee finished four assists shy of a triple double.

[Associated Press; By DENNIS GEORGATOS]

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