Nuggets 103, 76ers 92
PHILADELPHIA -- Jordan Hamilton and J.J. Hickson each scored nine fourth-quarter points Saturday night as the Denver Nuggets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 103-92 to snap a two-game losing streak.
Hickson, a center/forward, finished with 12 points, including the dunk with 6:20 left that snapped the last of the final period's four ties and put the Nuggets ahead to stay, at 88-86.
Hamilton, a reserve guard/forward, notched 13 points, including three 3-pointers in as many fourth-quarter possessions. They came amid a 15-2 run, which gave Denver a 101-88 lead with 1:48 to play.
In all the Nuggets, who have won eight of 10, outscored the Sixers 26-15 in the fourth quarter. Reserve guard Nate Robinson led Denver with 20 points, and the Nuggets' bench, which came in averaging 45 points a game (second-most in the NBA), outscored the Sixers' reserves 54-28.
Point guard Tony Wroten, filling in for Michael Carter-Williams (skin infection, right knee) for the second straight game, paced the Sixers with 20 points. Philadelphia dropped its second straight, and its sixth in seven games.
Denver was also without its starting point guard, Ty Lawson, because of a pulled left hamstring.
The Nuggets were seeking to start the game faster, after allowing the first 14 points and falling behind 39-15 after a quarter in Friday night's loss in Boston. But the Sixers opened early leads of 10-2 and 12-4 -- the latter on the strength of Tony Wroten's six points -- before Denver responded.
The Nuggets assembled a 15-6 run to take a brief 23-21 lead late in the quarter, as forward Wilson Chandler scored eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Forward Hollis Thompson's 3-pointer in the final minute of the period allowed the Sixers to build a 27-25 edge, and they stretched that to 47-37 late in the half by continually attacking the rim.
Ten of the 76ers' 12 second-quarter field goals came within five feet of the basket, and they made exactly half of their shots in the quarter, as well as the half.
Guard Randy Foye keyed a 12-4 Denver flurry late in the second quarter by scoring eight points, as the Nuggets cut the gap to two and settled for a 53-49 deficit at the break.
Wroten had 14 points by that point, while Robinson, his cousin, had 12 to top his club.
Denver's reserves accounted for 21 points in the third quarter -- eight of those by Robinson -- as the Nuggets assumed a brief two-point lead before settling for a 77-77 tie at period's end.
NOTES: Sixers G Michael Carter-Williams spent his third straight night at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to the team. He was being treated for a skin infection on the front of his right knee by the team physician, Dr. Brian Sennett, as well as Penn's infectious disease specialist, Dr. Neil Fishman. "It's being monitored closely, but nothing to get too overly concerned with," 76ers coach Brett Brown said before the game. "He's in good hands." Carter-Williams' official status is day to day. ... Brian Shaw, Denver's first-year coach, played four seasons for legendary coach Phil Jackson as a Los Angeles Laker, and was an assistant under Jackson for six years in Los Angeles. While Shaw said he relished being exposed to some of Jackson's unorthodox techniques -- like using yoga and sharing books with his players -- he is being true to himself. "For me to come in and try to mimic some of those things (Jackson did)," Shaw said, "guys would laugh at me." ... Philadelphia F Thaddeus Young started despite pain in his left gluteal muscle.
