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NBA: Iverson propels Nuggets past Spurs in NBA thriller

Nene of the Denver Nuggets goes to the basket against the San Antonio Spurs at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, on Thursday. PHOTO: AFP

Allen Iverson scored 29 points and Carmelo Anthony added 17 to lead the Denver Nuggets past defending National Basketball Association champion San Antonio 80-77 on Thursday.

Marcus Camby scored only six points but yanked down 18 rebounds for the Nuggets, who blew a 16-point lead in the second quarter but hung on to win the showdown of rival Western Conference division leaders.

The Spurs sank to 21-9 but stayed one game atop Dallas and New Orleans in the Southwest division.

Denver won for the fourth time in five games to stay a few percentage points ahead of Portland atop the Northwest division after the Trail Blazers matched the Nuggets' victory with a 115-109 double overtime victory over Chicago.

Tim Duncan and Tony Parker each scored 20 points to lead the Spurs while Michael Finley added 18. Duncan grabbed 14 rebounds while Parker had nine assists.

Denver pulled to a 67-61 lead on a Eduardo Najera layup and two Iverson free throws with 8:14 to play but the Spurs went on a 16-6 run capped by a Parker layup with 1:42 remaining to put San Antonio ahead 77-73.

Anthony Carter answered with a 3-pointer for the Nuggets and passed to Kenyon Martin for a layup that gave the Nuggets the lead for good with 45 seconds to play.

Martin blocked a shot by Parker and Bruce Bowen missed from 20 feet for the Spurs. Iverson sank two more free throws to boost the edge before the Spurs missed a chance to equalize on Finley's three-point try at the buzzer.

Argentina star Manu Ginobili missed his fourth game in a row with a sprained finger.

Trail Blazers 115, Bulls 109

In Chicago, Jarrett Jack's three-point play with 19 seconds remaining in double overtime led the Portland Trail Blazers to a 115-109 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.

The win was the 15th in 16 games for the Trail Blazers, who rallied after trailing by 14 points in the third quarter.

"This was a big game for us," Portland coach Nate McMillan told reporters. "To win a back-to-back [games] on the road, especially the way we've played there, is huge."

Jack drove for a layup after Chicago's Ben Gordon lost the ball, then sank a free throw to put the Trail Blazers ahead for good at 111-108.

Joe Smith, who had 31 points and 11 rebounds, made one of two free throws for Chicago with 14 seconds remaining before Portland's James Jones scored the next four points on free throws to wrap up the victory.

Brandon Roy led the Trail Blazers with 25 points and 11 assists while Travis Outlaw added 21 points off the bench.

Gordon topped Chicago with 32 points while Bulls forward Luol Deng sat out the second half with tightness in his left Achilles' tendon. He scored two points.

The game went into overtime when Portland's Roy missed a jumper at the buzzer with the score knotted at 88-88.

Smith hit two free throws with 10 seconds left in the first extra period to tie the score at 102-102.

Suns 104, Sonics 96

In Phoenix, the home side rallied from a 20-point first-quarter deficit to beat Seattle and record its fourth straight victory.

Amare Stoudemire scored 34 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the Suns' 23rd win of the season -- the most in the Western Conference.
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