• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Iverson, Nuggets outlast lowly Timberwolves

Jan 20, 2008 - 5:47 AM By Blake Redabaugh PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DENVER (Ticker) -- Allen Iverson scored 35 points and Carmelo Anthony added 26 and 10 rebounds as the Denver Nuggets squeaked by the Minnesota Timberwolves, 111-108, on Saturday night.

Denver, which swept the season's four-game series for the first time since the 1995-96 season, took over first place in the Southwest Division following Portland's loss at Orlando earlier.

"It was ugly," Iverson said. "We still got the win. That's the only thing that matters. We'd be feeling a lot worse if we didn't get the win."

"I feel like a thief," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "We weren't the better team but we won the game. I'm kind of happy we don't have to play them again."

Denver appeared to be cruising towards an easy victory, leading 56-42 midway through the second quarter before Minnesota came to life. Antoine Walker hit two 3-pointers to spark an 18-4 run to tie the game 60-60 at intermission.

With their 16th straight road loss in hand, the Timberwolves built on their first-half success and took an 85-77 lead with 4:21 remaining in the third quarter on Ryan Gomes' 3-pointer.

Gomes scored 12 of his 20 points in the quarter as Minnesota held on for a 90-87 lead heading into the final period.

Iverson poured in 13 points in the fourth and single-handedly brought the Nuggets back, scoring the Nuggets final nine points - including a 3-pointer with 26 seconds left for a 109-108 edge.

"(Iverson) hit two tough shots for them," Minnesota coach Randy Wittman said. "He made them and we didn't. I felt like we needed to make one more play and we would have had them."

Walker had a chance to regain the lead, but misfired on a 17-footer and Al Jefferson was called for a technical with nine seconds to go to send Minnesota to yet another road setback.

"We felt like we deserved to win this game tonight," Walker said. "Whatever possibly could go wrong for us in that 1:16, went wrong for us. We just got to keep working."

Rashad McCants led the charge with 23 points while Jefferson chipped in 20 and 16 boards for the Timberwolves, who fell to 1-20 away from the Target Center this season.