Boykins leads Nuggets over Bucks

Boykins finished just 8-of-20 from the field but was a perfect 8-for-8 from the line while Allen Iverson scored 23 points for the Nuggets, who snapped a five-game losing streak.

"It feels good," Iverson said. "I’m just happy to get one and get back on track. It was tough to lose five in a row, but I learned a lot about this team going through some tough adversity."

Marcus Camby, who missed last Saturday’s loss to Utah with a hyperextended right wrist, posted a double-double with 19 points and 15 rebounds, while Reggie Evans contributed 13 points off the bench and grabbed 11 boards in the win.

Denver shot 44 percent from the floor.

Ruben Patterson led with 29 points on 13-of-21 shooting and 12 rebounds for the Bucks, who have lost three straight and four of their last five. Ersan Ilyasova had 15 points and Steve Blake chipped in with 11 points and seven assists in defeat.

Prior to the game, it was announced that Milwaukee’s Michael Redd will miss four-to-six weeks with a strained patellar tendon in his left knee. Redd, who leads the Bucks in scoring this year with 27.7 ppg, suffered the injury in last Saturday’s 95-86 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Milwaukee also learned that it will be without power forward Charlie Villanueva for at least another week. Villanueva, who averages 12.7 ppg, has missed 14 games due to tendinitis in his right shoulder.

After Dan Gadzuric drained a jumper to cut Milwaukee’s deficit to 29-26 with 1:36 left in the first quarter, Iverson hit a jump shot and Nene made four free throws to give Denver a nine-point edge.

Maurice Williams then converted once from the charity stripe and Andrew Bogut followed up with a tip-in as the Bucks trailed 35-29 after one. Williams left the game in the second quarter with a sprained left shoulder and did not return.

Milwaukee continued to trail, while the Nuggets opened up a double-digit lead midway through the second. Boykins’ trey capped the frame and put Denver up 60-49 at the break.

A 19-point third quarter by both teams led to a 79-68 Nuggets advantage entering the fourth.

The Bucks never threatened in the final frame and could only get as close as 87-82 on Ilyasova’s jumper with 4:57 left in regulation.

Game Notes

Denver’s Eduardo Najera left the contest in the first quarter with a left shoulder contusion. He did not return and ended with three points...Linas Kleiza had 11 points with nine rebounds for the Nuggets...Bogut netted nine points and pulled down 11 boards...The Bucks have lost seven of nine and 13 of their last 16 at Denver...Milwaukee finished 39 percent shooting.