NBA Game Summary - Denver at Utah

Salt Lake City, UT (Basketball News) - Marcus Camby racked up 23 points and 16 rebounds as Denver downed Utah, 109-98, at the Delta Center.

Andre Miller amassed 24 points and nine assists for the red-hot Nuggets, who outscored the Jazz 33-22 in the fourth quarter to record their seventh win in eight games. Denver, which improved to 15-2 since the All-Star break, also received 23 points from Carmelo Anthony.

Mehmet Okur finished with 23 points and 17 rebounds for Utah, which has dropped two in a row. Matt Harpring added 16 points and Curtis Borchardt had a career-high 12 in the loss.

Denver trailed 83-81 with nine minutes remaining before Camby tied the game with a layup and Miller sank two foul shots with 8:27 to go for a two-point edge. On the Nuggets’ next trip down the court, Miller scored off Earl Boykins’ feed to put the visitors up 87-83.

The Jazz pulled to within 91-90 on Harpring’s jumper with 5:24 left, but Denver responded with a 10-0 run over the next three-plus minutes to seal the win.

Anthony had 10 first-quarter points as the Nuggets built a 33-27 lead after the first 12 minutes. Utah would begin the second period with a 6-2 run and eventually drew even when Okur’s tip-in with just under five minutes remaining before intermission made the score 40-40. However, Camby drove the lane and scored on the next possession and Miller followed with consecutive baskets to give Denver a six-point cushion with three minutes left in the half.

Ben Handlogten’s layup in the final minute of the second quarter brought the Jazz within 49-46 at the break. Okur finished with 16 first-half points on 7- of-9 shooting.

The Nuggets opened up a six-point lead, 58-52, after Miller’s layup and ensuing free throw just over three minutes elapsed in the third quarter. Utah would close the gap and knotted the score at 64-64 after Okur hit a technical foul shot with 5:05 left in the period. The teams went into the fourth quarter tied at 76-76.

The Jazz opened up an 81-77 lead after Borchardt’s layup with 9:37 remaining, but back-to-back baskets by Camby evened the score.