Mike Dunleavy scored 30 points, Shawne Williams had 21 and the Indiana Pacers held off the Denver Nuggets 112-110 on Tuesday night.
The Pacers led 106-97 with a minute left but didn’t secure the win until J.R. Smith missed a free throw with 2.7 seconds left and Indiana leading 111-110.
The Nuggets put together a furious rally to nearly steal another victory from the Pacers. Dunleavy’s 3-pointer gave Indiana the nine-point lead, but Allen Iverson and J.R. Smith hit back-to-back 3s to pull to 107-103.
After Jamal Tinsley hit a free throw, Iverson’s layup made it 108-105. Williams hit two free throws, and Smith hit another 3 to pull to 110-108 with 12.5 seconds left.
Williams’ free throw with 11.4 seconds left made it a three-point lead, but Dunleavy fouled Smith on 3-point attempt to put him on the line. Smith hit the first two foul shots, but the third bounced off the rim.
Iverson had 26 points and Carmelo Anthony had 25 to lead the Nuggets, who have lost three of their last four after a six-game winning streak.
The Pacers, who blew a 25-point lead in a 113-106 loss to Denver on Nov. 10, have won four of their last six.
Indiana trailed 83-76 with 50 seconds left in the third quarter, but scored the final six points of the period to cut the lead to one.
The Pacers took control to start the fourth, going ahead 95-86 on Dunleavy’s 3 with 7:22 left.
Like they did in their meeting 17 days ago in Indianapolis, the Pacers started fast and the Nuggets struggled. Indiana scored the first 13 points of the game and led 21-3 midway through the first period. But reserve guard Anthony Carter gave the Nuggets a spark off the bench, scoring six points to help Denver cut the lead to 27-25 late in the quarter.
The Nuggets tied the score at 37 early in the second period, and they took their first lead when Eduardo Najera hit back-to-back 3s to make it 45-44 with 4:22 left in the half.
Denver led 48-46 with 2:53 left, but the Pacers went on an 10-2 run to take a 56-50 lead into the third quarter.
The Pacers increased their lead to 64-52, but the Nuggets charged back. Led by Iverson’s nine points, Denver went on an 23-4 run, capped by Carter’s 3, to take a 75-68 lead.
