’Melo and Nuggets go for six in a row

The last time the Nuggets won six straight games was January 21 - February 2, 1991. Denver (12-6) is off to its best start since 1989-90 when it had the same record after 18 games played.

On Wednesday, Voshon Lenard matched a career-high with 38 points for the Nuggets, who outlasted the Warriors, 117-109, at the Arena.

Lenard scored 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting in the first quarter alone, and finished the game 5-of-6 from three-point land.

Carmelo Anthony scored 26 points and Nene had 18 points with a team-high nine boards for the Nuggets. As a team, the Nuggets shot 59.7 percent from the field in the game.

Speedy Claxton led six Warriors in double-figures with 21 points. Nick Van Exel had 19 points and eight assists and Jason Richardson finished with 17 points.

Erick Dampier had a game-high 18 rebounds to go along with 16 points for Golden State, which had a four-game winning streak snapped.

Denver led 87-85 after three periods, and the teams stayed close until the latter stages of the fourth. Lenard scored five straight points to give the Nuggets a 106-100 lead with less than four minutes to go, but the Warriors pulled within two at 106-104 on baskets by Dampier and Sean Lampley with three minutes left.

Anthony then knocked down two free throws, but Lampley responded with another basket for the Warriors. Anthony scored again to make it 110-106 with two minutes left, but this time Van Exel dropped a bucket to pull within two.

Then, Anthony made a move into the lane and made a basket while being fouled, and converted the three-point play. At the other end, Richardson missed from the field and Lampley missed two free throws to set up the winning shot, a three-pointer by Lenard that gave the Nuggets a 116-108 lead with 45 seconds to go.

Each team added a free throw down the stretch for the final score.

With the win on Wednesday, Denver snapped a four-game losing streak to the Warriors, who has won seven of the last nine meetings with the Nuggets.

Golden State has won two straight and three of its last four at Denver.