Nuggets End Clippers' Team-Record Win Streak at 17

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Danilo Gallinari top scored 17 points as the Denver Nuggets stopped the Los Angeles Clippers' franchise- record winning streak at 17 games with a 92-78 victory Tuesday night.

The Clippers' streak was the longest in the NBA since the Boston Celtics won 19 in a row from Nov. 15-Dec. 23, 2008.

Kenneth Faried added 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, who won its eighth in a row at home. Andre Miller, starting in place of point guard Ty Lawson, had 12 points and 12 assists for the Nuggets, while forward Andre Iguodala also chipped in with 12 points and eight assists.

Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe had 12 points apiece to lead Los Angeles, which were hurt by poor shooting from 3-point range (5 of 29, 17.2 percent) and the free-throw line (13 of 29, 44.8 percent).

After Bledsoe hit a 3-pointer to pull the Clippers to 65-58 with 1:54 left in the third quarter, the Nuggets scored eight of the next nine points, including JaVale McGee's first 3-pointer of the season at the buzzer to take a 75-59 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Clippers cut it to 87-73 with 4:02 remaining when Griffin made one of two free throws but the Nuggets, as they did throughout the game, had an answer with Iguodala getting loose in the paint for a slam. The Clippers didn't threaten the rest of the way.

In New York, the Portland Trail Blazers overcame Carmelo Anthony's 45 points and spoiled Amare Stoudemire's season debut, beating the New York Knicks 105-100.

Nicolas Batum led the way for Portland with 26 points, while Damian Lillard added 21 points, six assists and five rebounds.

Stoudemire had six points on 3-of-8 shooting and one rebound in 17 minutes off the bench in his return from knee surgery. Anthony shot 14 of 24 and nearly led the Knicks back from 19 points down after missing two games with a knee injury, but the Trail Blazers had too many options.

In Washington, Vince Carter scored 23 points and O.J. Mayo and Darren Collison had 15 apiece as the Dallas Mavericks ended a six-game losing streak with a 103-94 win over the Washington Wizards.

Dallas, which had arrived in Washington in the midst of its longest slump in nearly 14 years, rallied after trailing by four at the half by outscoring the Wizards 35-19 in the third to take an 83-71 lead.

In Los Angeles, Jrue Holiday had 26 points and 10 assists and Evan Turner added 22 points and 13 rebounds in the Philadelphia 76ers 103-99 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers with only 15 wins have matched their worst start after 31 games since the 2002-03 season, when they began defense of their third straight NBA title with a 12-19 record.

In other games Saturday, Josh Smith scored 23 points in the third quarter to lead the Atlanta Hawks over the Charlotte Bobcats 95-86 and Greg Monroe had 18 points and 11 rebounds in the Detroit Pistons 103-97 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

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