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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
DENVER (AP) -- Nick Van Exel missed the Denver Nuggets' shootaround Friday morning because of a splitting headache. Twelve hours later, it was the Cleveland Cavaliers who were reaching for the aspirin.
|  | | Antonio McDyess blocked four shots to go along with his 20 points and 16 rebounds for Denver. |
Van Exel, who finished with 19 points and 10 assists, had 11
points in the fourth quarter as the Nuggets twice rallied from
five-point deficits to beat the Cavaliers 91-88.
Antonio McDyess had 20 points -- eight of them in the final quarter -- and 16 rebounds as the sizzling Nuggets won for the ninth
time in 10 games.
Raef LaFrentz added 15 points and George McCloud had 14,
including two free throws that put the Nuggets ahead for good with
1:45 remaining.
"Nick woke up with a terrible headache," Nuggets coach Dan
Issel said. "He came in and we gave him some medication and sent
him home.
"Tonight, he kept telling me he was fine, but he didn't look like he was fine. Still, he got two big 3-pointers and hit the two free throws that sewed up the game for us."
Andre Miller, who scored eight straight Cleveland points in the final period including a basket that gave the Cavs an 84-79 lead
with 4:01 left, had 17 points. Lamond Murray had 15 and Jim Jackson
14.
After Miller's basket, McDyess hit two jumpers, then put back a
rebound to cut the deficit to 86-85 with 2:36 left. McCloud's free
throws put Denver ahead, and McDyess then hit a fadeaway jumper for
an 89-86 lead with 1:09 left.
Jackson made two free throws with 14 seconds left, and the Cavs
immediately fouled Van Exel, who made two of his own. Murray and
Jackson then missed shots in the closing seconds.
"I got a little sick before the game," Van Exel said. "My
head was hurting to a point that I couldn't handle it. I played at
about 90 percent.
"This was a big win. We knew coming in that this would be a
tough game for us because of their style of play. They play
halfcourt and really slow the ball up."
The Nuggets (24-16) are eight games over .500 for the first time
since 1988-89, when they were 42-34. It's their best record after
40 games since 1977-78, when they were 27-13.
"Van Exel and McDyess made some big shots for them," Cavs
coach Randy Wittman said. "Andre made some plays for us. We had an
open look to tie it, but it didn't work out. They made one more
play than we did."
The Nuggets jumped off to an early lead, taking an 8-2 advantage
on James Posey's fastbreak dunk.
But Cleveland's more deliberate play kept the game close, and
Clarence Weatherspoon's three-point play gave the Cavaliers a 15-14
lead with 2:42 left in the opening period.
Trajan Langdon had a 3-pointer and three free throws as Cleveland took a 27-22 lead with 9:20 left in the second period,
but the Nuggets countered with an 11-0 run, capped by McCloud's
3-pointer, for a 33-27 lead.
Weatherspoon's slam made it 33-33 a minute later.
In the final minute of the half, Raef LaFrentz had a driving slam and a 3-pointer that just beat the shot clock, and Denver led 47-42.
Denver shot 49 percent in the half compared to Cleveland's 30
percent, but the Cavaliers scored nine more points from the line.
Cleveland kept it close in the third period thanks to 11 points by Murray in the quarter and poor free-throw shooting by the Nuggets, who went just 8-of-14 from the line.
The Cavs had a 7-0 run early in the final quarter to produce a
72-68 lead, and Langdon's 3-pointer made it 76-71 with 7:32 to
play. Van Exel quickly tied it with a 3-pointer and a layup after a
Cleveland turnover.
Game notes
Cleveland rookie center Chris Mihm missed his seventh straight game because of a bruised bone in his right knee. ... Denver has won 14 of its last 17 games and has won seven straight at home. ... It was the final game of the Cavs' six-game road trip, during which they went 1-5. ... Denver, which had made 28
3-pointers in the previous two games, was just 6-of-18 from long range.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Cleveland Clubhouse
Denver Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 97
New Jersey 86
Toronto 101
Washington 79
Milwaukee 105
Charlotte 98
New York 97
Detroit 91
Denver 91
Cleveland 88
Golden State 103
Phoenix 95
Minnesota 98
Seattle 93
Miami 97
Vancouver 86
LA Lakers 114
Houston 101
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