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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
DENVER (AP) -- Aware that Toronto had played a tough game a night
earlier in Phoenix, the Denver Nuggets ran from the opening tip.
Nick Van Exel had 19 points and six assists, and Ron Mercer
scored 15 points as the Nuggets stretched a winning streak to three
for the first time in nearly three years, beating the Raptors
109-84 Wednesday night.
|  | | Defense by Ron Mercer, left, and the Nuggets contributed to Doug Christie's 1-for-9 shooting night. |
"That was like the good old days and we had to get up and down
the floor," Nuggets coach Dan Issel said. "We had to push the
basketball every time, but especially on a team that has been on a
western swing and playing the night before."
Raef LaFrentz added 13 points and a career-high 18 rebounds for the Nuggets, who last won three straight from Dec. 18-23, 1996.
Denver scored only 15 points off fastbreak chances, but
outrebounded Toronto 53-44, including 18 offensive rebounds.
"That helped us because we really didn't shoot that well,"
Issel said. "We were only shooting 35 percent at the half, but
because of the offensive rebounds, we got a lot more opportunities
than they did."
Vince Carter was held to 16 points on 7-for-13 shooting. The Raptors committed a season-high 24 turnovers in losing for the
second time in as many nights.
"We had a little moss on the stone," Toronto coach Butch
Carter said. "We turned the ball over 24 times and for the first
time in 12 games at times looked like the keystone cops."
Denver took a 79-63 lead into the fourth quarter opened an 89-67
lead when George McCloud made the second of two 3-pointers in the
quarter with 10:21 left. Toronto never got closer than 96-77 after
Alvin Williams' jumper with 5:04 left.
Trailing 53-46 at halftime, Carter made his first shot of the
second half, but LaFrentz's tip started an 18-5 run completed by a
turnaround jumper by Antonio McDyess with 5:41 left in the quarter.
Carter made two jumpers, and Curry's layup on the break cut the
lead to 75-63. Denver got its lead up to 16 points on baskets by Chauncey Billups and Keon Clark.
Curry made three 3-pointers and had nine points to keep the
Raptors close in the second quarter.
Tracy McGrady's layup gave them a 46-45 lead, but the Raptors missed
their next five shots and turned the ball over twice in the remaining
3:25 of the half, while James Posey keyed an 8-0 run with four points to build a seven-point lead.
Van Exel made his first three shots, all 3-pointers, to start
the game and scored 12 points in the first quarter. McCloud's
three-point play in the last minute gave Denver a 27-26 lead.
"They had a heartbreaker last night, and we knew we had to jump
on them and not get them a chance," Van Exel said. "They were
just in Phoenix who does the same thing that we do and knew we
could wear them down."
Game notes
Denver activated Billups and placed guard Chris Herren on the injured list. ... Ryan Bowen sat out the game
for the Nuggets because of an irregular heartbeat, but was cleared
to return to practice. ... Toronto's bench outscored it
counterparts for the ninth time in 12 games. ... Toronto last lost
in Denver on Jan. 27, 1996. ... Dell Curry, the NBA's top 3-pointer shooter, was 3-for-5 from long range in the game. ... Denver had
seven players reach double figures, the most this season.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
Denver Clubhouse
RECAPS
San Antonio 121
Boston 98
Washington 101
Philadelphia 93
Charlotte 89
Vancouver 73
Miami 93
Atlanta 91
Orlando 112
Dallas 100
Milwaukee 102
Chicago 95
Portland 88
Minnesota 81
Denver 109
Toronto 84
New Jersey 92
Golden State 84
LA Lakers 90
Utah 82
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