NBA Game Summary - New Orleans/Oklahoma City at Denver

Denver, CO (Basketball News) - Desmond Mason poured in 26 points and pulled down seven rebounds, as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets topped Denver, 102-95, at the Pepsi Center.

Six players scored in double figures for the Hornets, who have won three of their last four games.

Reserve guard Speedy Claxton had 19 points, J.R. Smith added 16 points and five assists, and Chris Paul came just short of a double-double with 10 points and nine assists.

Andre Miller led all scorers with a season-high 33 points for Denver, which has dropped two straight.

The Nuggets were playing without star Carmelo Anthony, who injured his ankle on Monday against New Jersey.

Marcus Camby picked up 16 points, 16 rebounds and eight blocks, while Earl Boykins contributed nine points and 12 assists off the bench.

The Hornets outscored Denver 31-26 in the second quarter to erase a four-point deficit and assume a 55-54 halftime lead.

Their offensive surge continued in the third stanza, as the Hornets put up 27 points to build their advantage to five points.

Denver cut the lead to four with just over four minutes to play on a Miller layup, but Mason hit a jumper and Claxton followed with a fadeaway from the baseline seconds later to make it a 96-88 game.

The Nuggets put together one last surge. Miller hit a jump shot with 1:52 remaining, then tipped in a shot with 47 seconds left to pull Denver to within three.

Denver then forced New Orleans/Oklahoma City into a bad shot on the defensive end, but the Hornets grabbed the rebound. Paul was immediately fouled, and the point guard hit both free throws to push the lead back up to five with 17 seconds remaining.

The Hornets were able to hold Denver off from there.