• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Lawson hits winning shot as Nuggets edge Thunder

Mar 2, 2013 - 8:17 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Wilson Chandler carried Denver with a career- tying scoring effort, but it was Ty Lawson whose deciding bucket pushed the Denver Nuggets to their fourth straight win, a 105-103 decision over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Lawson, who was just 4-of-13 prior to his winning bucket with 0.2 seconds remaining, used a crossover to create some space before rising above Thabo Sefolosha on a pull-up jumper. He finished with 11 points and seven assists.

"We were trying to get a matchup for Ty [Lawson] or [Danilo Gallinari]," said Denver coach George Karl. "They switched well, they switched everything on the plan and Ty had the space to play and he did."

Chandler posted 35 points on 13-of-19 from the field, hitting on 6-of-7 from long distance. Corey Brewer and Andre Miller each contributed with 14 apiece in the triumph.

The Thunder were seeking a fourth straight victory as well, but came up just short after rallying from a 12-point fourth quarter deficit. Russell Westbrook scored a game-high 38 points and Kevin Durant finished with 25 and 14 rebounds in the setback.

"We just have to do a better job," said Durant. "Whoever comes in the game has to play with a sense of urgency and fight; we can't let them hit us first. We have to hit them first, we have to do that all game, from first guy to last guy on the bench."

After Denver closed out the third period strong, Brewer's basket early in the fourth put the Nuggets ahead 87-75.

However, the Thunder came all the way back with a 16-4 push to tie the score at 91-91 and the teams were even at 96-96 after Serge Ibaka's free throws with 4 1/2 minutes to play.

Oklahoma City's next five points came at the free throw line as well, with Durant sinking a pair to knot the score at 101-101 after Miller's finger roll had put the Nuggets back on top.

Chandler then attacked the rim and scored a bucket from in close to put Denver back in front, but Durant had the equalizer at the other end on the possession prior to Lawson's game-winner.

With only two-tenths of a second left, Sefolosha's inbound pass toward the rim was intercepted to end the game.

Westbrook scored 15 points in the first and his team up by 11, but Chandler got going early as well, capping an 11-point first quarter with a triple to bring the Nuggets within 29-26.

Denver carried the momentum into the second, where it outscored the Thunder by a 30-18 count to take a 56-47 lead into the break.

Durant helped bring OKC back to within three with just over four minutes showing in the third with his three-point play, but Chandler knocked down his third triple of the quarter to stretch Denver's lead back up to nine soon after and it held an 85-75 edge heading into the fourth.

Game Notes

Denver's Danilo Gallinari returned from a two-game absence with a left thigh bruise. He was held to seven points on 2-of-7 shooting ... Kosta Koufos had a team-high 13 rebounds for the Nuggets ... The Thunder have lost nine of their last 11 in Denver ... OKC was 24-for-34 from the free throw line ... Ibaka finished with 17 points and eight rebounds ... The Nuggets bench outscored the Thunder's 71-11.