• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Lawson makes 10 threes as Nuggets crush Timberwolves

Apr 10, 2011 - 6:41 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Ty Lawson made all but one of his 11 three-point shots and scored a career-high 37 points in Denver's 130-106 rout of Minnesota, sending the Timberwolves to their 13th straight loss.

Lawson had an NBA record at one point by making his first 10 three-point shots until missing a desperation attempt at the end of the third quarter. It was part of a Nuggets franchise-record 19 made three-point shots. Denver made half of its long-distance tries and cruised to victory by placing eight players in double figures.

Raymond Felton had 11 points and 14 assists for Denver, winners in eight of its last 10 games. The Nuggets are firmly entrenched as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

Martell Webster and Lazar Hayward each scored 15 for Minnesota, which went 11- of-32 from beyond the arc. The Timberwolves last prevailed on March 11 against Utah and are 5-35 away from the Target Center this season.

Kevin Love (strained left groin) and Darko Milicic (sprained left ankle) both missed the game for the Timberwolves, while the Nuggets lost starting forward Danilo Gallinari to a sprained right ankle in the first half. X-rays were negative.

The Nuggets made this game a blowout during a third quarter that saw Lawson scored 24 points. He went 7-of-8 from beyond the arc in the period.

Prior to that, Wesley Johnson's three-ball had the Timberwolves within 43-42 with five minutes left in the opening half. Denver, though started the pull away thanks to an ensuing 17-2 burst, capped by a three from Lawson and bank shot from Gary Forbes.

Ahead 65-51 at the break, Denver really turned it on offensively in the next quarter. Lawson's three-ball extended the cushion to 87-62 with 4:35 left. He later hit a pair of threes within a span of 26 seconds, moving the difference to 100-66. That made him 10-for-10 from that distance.

"It just felt like it was going in, even the last one I missed I thought that was going in," Lawson said.

If not for the miss at the end of the quarter, he would have attained an NBA record for most makes from long distance without a miss. That distinction is held by the New York Knicks' Latrell Sprewell, who went 9-of-9 in a game.

The Nuggets were in front 101-69 going to the fourth and coasted to the finish.

Denver was ahead 25-23 after one quarter, but fell behind by as many as seven in the second quarter.

"Obviously we didn't get our defense in order in time in order for guys to be able to rotate out," Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis said. "We just have to do a much better job of rotating."

Game Notes

The Nuggets have won 21 of the last 25 meetings overall...Denver is 17-6 since trading away Carmelo Anthony...Denver has won six straight and 16 of the last 17 meetings...J.R. Smith went 6-of-13 from beyond the arc and had 18 points for Denver.