DENVER (AP) — Kyrie Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the
Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night.
C.J. Miles added 19 points for Cleveland, including four free throws down the stretch. Luol Deng scored
18.
The Cavaliers finished their five-game Western Conference road trip with a 3-2 record after winning in
Denver for the second time in three years. They led most of the way and held off a late rally by the
Nuggets that cut a double-digit lead to three early in the fourth quarter.
Denver had won its last four home games, but fell to 11-9 at Pepsi Center this season. It had a 38-3 home
record last season.
The Nuggets attempted a season-high 37 3-pointers, making 14, but struggled from long range down the
stretch.
After Tyler Zeller’s free throw made it 94-86 with 9:33 remaining, Evan Fournier hit a floating jump shot
in the lane and Nate Robinson made a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to three. It was the closest Denver
had been since the second quarter.
The Cavaliers responded with five straight points. Anderson Varejao hit a jumper and free throw and
Irving also scored to make it 99-91.
Denver made a couple more charges, but each rally fizzled when it got close.
Wilson Chandler hit two 3-pointers to help the Nuggets get within three at 111-108. Denver had a chance
to get within one or tie but an offensive rebound by Irving led to a dunk by Deng with 43.8 seconds
left, and Cleveland closed it out from there.
The Cavaliers led by 14 in the third quarter but Denver made a push to close to 87-80 heading into the
fourth. Chandler scored seven points in the period, including a free throw at the end to get the Nuggets
within seven.
Irving, Thompson and Miles all had 13 points in the first half for Cleveland, which used an 18-6 run to
take a 68-57 lead at the break. Irving scored 10 points in the spurt and Miles hit a corner 3-pointer
just before the end of the quarter to push the lead to 11.
The Nuggets hit nine 3-pointers in the first 24 minutes to keep it close but allowed the Cavaliers to hit
56.5 percent from the field in allowing 68 points in the first half for the second time this season.
Randy Foye led Denver with 14 points at the break.
NOTES: Nuggets F Darrell Arthur (left groin strain) missed his third straight game. … Deng is averaging
18 points since coming to the Cavaliers in a trade with Chicago on Jan. 7. … Nuggets coach Brian Shaw
missed shootaround with a sinus infection but was on the sideline for the game.
Cavaliers 117, Nuggets 109
CLEVELAND
Deng 6-17 6-7 18, Thompson 8-9 4-6 20, Varejao 2-5 3-4 7, Irving 9-16 4-5 23, Miles 6-12 4-4 19, Waiters
3-14 2-2 9, Zeller 1-4 2-4 4, Jack 5-7 3-3 13, Clark 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 42-88 28-35 117.
DENVER
Chandler 7-17 4-6 23, Faried 3-6 2-4 8, Hickson 4-8 0-0 8, Lawson 5-16 7-7 19, Foye 5-15 2-2 16, Mozgov
5-7 0-0 10, Q.Miller 0-4 0-0 0, Fournier 3-8 0-0 6, Robinson 8-11 0-0 19. Totals 40-92 15-19 109.
Cleveland 26 42 19 30 — 117
Denver 29 28 23 29 — 109
3-Point Goals—Cleveland 5-16 (Miles 3-7, Waiters 1-3, Irving 1-3, Deng 0-1, Clark 0-1, Jack 0-1), Denver
14-37 (Chandler 5-12, Foye 4-9, Robinson 3-5, Lawson 2-6, Q.Miller 0-1, Fournier 0-4). Fouled
Out—Chandler. Rebounds—Cleveland 59 (Varejao 16), Denver 50 (Mozgov 11). Assists—Cleveland 21 (Varejao
7), Denver 28 (Lawson 11). Total Fouls—Cleveland 19, Denver 28. Technicals—Denver defensive three
second. A—18,486 (19,155).