LOS ANGELES-
Allen Iverson scored 17 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter and Linas Kleiza hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 15.8 seconds to play, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 96-93 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.
There was plenty at stake for both clubs, who are among four teams that came in separated by three games in the race for the last three Western Conference playoff berths. The victory helped Denver tie the Lakers for sixth place in the standings and gave the Nuggets the advantage over the Clippers in any scenario in which the teams finish tied.
Corey Maggette scored 24 points and Elton Brand had 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Clippers, who squandered a chance to go over the .500 mark for the first time since Feb. 5.
The Clippers held a 74-66 lead after three quarters. Quentin Ross converted a layup into a three-point play 33 seconds into the fourth, but Los Angeles didn’t make another field goal until Jason Hart’s layup with 6:56 to play.
The Nuggets, coming off their best defensive effort of the season in a 75-71 win over the league-leading Dallas Mavericks, pulled even at 83-all with 11 points from Iverson in a 5:22 stretch—including a 3-pointer with 3:58 remaining.
Los Angeles went back in front by four on Chris Kaman’s hook shot with 1:43 left, but Iverson hit a layup and added a 16-footer after a shot clock violation by the Clippers, tying the score at 91 apiece. Brand’s layup regained the lead for Los Angeles with 44 seconds to go, but Kleiza made his shot from in front of the Clippers’ bench.
The Clippers called their final timeout at that point. On the ensuing inbounds play, Maggette turned at the free throw line to drive past Carmelo Anthony, but Iverson stripped him of the ball and converted two free throws at the other end for a three-point lead with 4.5 seconds left.
Out of timeouts, Maggette was forced to throw a Hail Mary pass downcourt from the other baseline. Hart outleaped Iverson for the ball in front of the Denver bench, but missed a tying 3-pointer from the left corner as time expired.