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Afflalo helps Denver dominate Phoenix

Feb 15, 2012 - 6:00 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Arron Afflalo scored 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting, and the Denver Nuggets knocked off the Phoenix Suns, 109-92, at Pepsi Center on Tuesday.

Six Nuggets scored in double figures, including Ty Lawson's 17 points, Chris Andersen's 16, Kenneth Faried's 13, Al Harrington's 12 and Rudy Fernandez's 11. Denver won its second consecutive game after dropping its previous five.

Markieff Morris had 21 points, Michael Redd added 20 and Marcin Gortat contributed 10 points and 14 rebounds for the Suns, who dropped their second straight and third of their last four.

The Nuggets came out of the gate firing, scoring the game's first 10 points. Lawson paced Denver with a perfect first quarter, making each of the three field goals he attempted and converting all four of his free throw attempts en route to a 10-point first frame, and the Nuggets led 33-21 after one.

"The first two minutes, the first five minutes, or the first 12 minutes of the game, we got to come out and play for [the fans] and show we're interested and want to win this game," said Faried.

The Suns made it close in the second, outscoring Denver 30-25, largely due to Morris's effort off the bench. He scored 11 and pulled down five rebounds, four of which were offensive, in the period. Phoenix finished the half on a 7-2 run and went into the locker room down only seven, 58-51.

Phoenix built off that momentum to start the third, led this time by Redd. The guard scored seven points during an 11-4 Suns run out of the break, which saw their deficit erased and the game tied, 62-62. Denver never let the visitors take the lead, however, scoring the next six and 24 of the quarter's final 32 points to hold an 86-70 advantage after three.

"We got it tied and made a couple substitutions here and there that didn't work like we thought they would and, you know, before you know it we were down 12, 14," said Suns head coach Alvin Gentry.

The Suns were unable to produce another significant run in the fourth, as the Nuggets' lead ballooned to 22. Phoenix cut its deficit to 14 with 2:00 to play, but it was too little, too late.

Game Notes

Denver scored 54 points in the paint to Phoenix's 24...Phoenix returns home from a three-game road trip to face Atlanta Wednesday in the finale of a back- to-back-to-back, while Denver embarks on a three-game road trip Wednesday against Dallas.