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Nuggets hand Bobcats 15th straight loss

Dec 23, 2012 - 5:53 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Kosta Koufus led seven Denver players in double figures with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting as the Nuggets thumped the Charlotte Bobcats, 110-88, on Saturday at Pepsi Center.

Kenneth Faried netted 15 points to go with nine rebounds, while Andre Iguodala added 15 points on 6-of-9 from the floor with eight rebounds and eight assists for the Nuggets, who have won four of their last five games.

JaVale McGee scored 14 points and Danilo Gallinari added 12, while Jordan Hamilton and Corey Brewer contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively in the victory.

"We moved the ball really well," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "We were unselfish early on and our defense got us in the open court, which gave us a lot of easy baskets."

Ramon Sessions had a game-high 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, while Byron Mullens donated 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Bobcats, who lost for the 15th consecutive game.

The clubs swapped buckets early on as a Michael Kidd-Gilchirst slam gave the Bobcats a 10-9 advantage with 7:15 on the clock, but the Nuggets answered with an 8-2 spurt to seize a 17-12 lead with 4:46 to go in the opening quarter.

Kemba Walker buried a jumper with 1:07 to play in the first stanza to pull Charlotte within 25-23, but Denver scored the final four points of the frame to lead 29-23 after one.

Charlotte hung around in the second stanza as a driving layup by Sessions made it a 44-39 Nuggets lead with 6:01 to play before halftime, but the Nuggets pulled away over the final six minutes of the first half.

Gallinari buried a deep deuce that sparked the home side on a 12-2 surge, which was capped by an Iguodala layup to make it a 56-41 Denver advantage with 1:46 on the clock.

Kidd-Gilchirst hit a pair from the free throw line to bring the Bobcats within 11, but Gallinari capped the opening half with a 3-ball from the top of the arc with 1.3 showing on the clock to give the Nuggets a comfortable 64-47 edge at the half.

Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson did not play in the second half for precautionary reasons due to an Achilles strain, but the home team hardly needed him as they cruised through the second half, with the margin never dropping below 20 points over the final 24 minutes.

"Losing is one of the hardest things you can go through, especially losing as many as we have," Walker said. "But you have to keep your chin up, you have to know that these losses will turn into wins one day."

Game Notes

The Nuggets have won six consecutive home games and improved to 7-1 all-time against the Bobcats ... Lawson finished scoreless with five assists in just over 16 1/2 minutes of action ... The Nuggets scored 78 points in the paint against 40 for Charlotte.