Two nights after the alternate-universe game transformed Linas Kleiza into a 41-point scorer, the stars realigned Saturday in a 111-108 Nuggets victory over Minnesota at the Pepsi Center.
Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony returned to their leading men roles, combining for 61 points as the Nuggets outlasted the game Timberwolves.
Nothing about the game, outside of the win, made Nuggets coach George Karl feel good.
“I feel like a thief,” Karl said. “We weren’t the better team tonight, but we won the game. Minnesota was the better team, and I’m kind of happy we don’t have to play them again because the way we’re going it looks like we would lose the next one.”
The Nuggets have won two straight games with solid offensive performances, but points allowed, particularly in the first half, continue to be a problem. The Timberwolves put 60 on the board by halftime.
The Utah Jazz scored 59 points in the first half against the Nuggets on Thursday; the light-scoring Charlotte Bobcats posted a 67-spot in the first half against the Nuggets on Monday; and Atlanta scored 65 in the first half Tuesday.
“We just didn’t play well,” said guard Allen Iverson, in reference to Saturday’s first half. “But they played well, too. It’s easy to look at their record and say they shouldn’t shoot 60 percent against us. We can do better defensively, and we have to if we’re going to be one of the elite teams in this league.”
Still, cries for defense from the crowd went without on-court results until late in the fourth quarter. Denver started the period down 90-87, but clawed back to take a 98-97 lead. Iverson sealed the deal with seven straight points to end the game and finished with a game-high 35 points.
“I told him we just needed to get the game over with,” said Anthony, who recorded his 11th double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
Questionable matchups hurt the Nuggets as much as offensive turnovers.
Kleiza, who struggles to guard bigger players in the post, was caught by Al Jefferson on the block on a number of occasions in the final couple of minutes, giving the Minnesota big man an easier path to the basket. Marcus Camby, who doesn’t like to venture out of the paint, was forced out to the 3-point line to guard Antoine Walker.
Walker hit a trey over Camby to give Minnesota a 108-104 lead with 1:18 left. But the T-wolves self-destructed in the final moments. Walker missed two free throws with 45 seconds left. He then missed another jumper with 9.6 seconds remaining. In a scramble, the ball was knocked out of bounds, ruled off of a Minnesota player. The Timberwolves argued the point and Jefferson was hit with a technical foul.
Rashad McCants missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have tied the game.
“You’ve got to give them credit,” Iverson said. “They come into the game 5-33 and they were playing like they were 33-5.”
RECAP
What you might have missed
Linas Kleiza started his second straight game at power forward. . . . Eduardo Najera continues to play with a hyperextended right elbow, which has hampered his shooting. He banked in a free throw with 8:52 left in the second quarter. . . . Minnesota’s Marko Jaric scored 10 points in the first quarter. It was the first time in five games he scored in double figures.
Final thought
It was ugly, and had no business being as close as it was, but the Nuggets took care of business in a game they needed before a big road test against the Lakers on Monday.
Up next
At Lakers, Monday, 8:30 p.m.
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
