• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Nuggets take out Clippers

Feb 3, 2012 - 7:03 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Danilo Gallinari went 5-of-5 from behind the arc and scored 21 points, and the Denver Nuggets silenced the streaking Clippers, 112-91 at Staples Center.

Los Angeles came in 10-2 at home and was riding a four-game winning steak that featured a win in Denver on Sunday. The Nuggets avenged that setback emphatically, taking control by outscoring the Clippers by 32 points over the second and third quarters.

"In the middle of the second quarter we started to be more aggressive," Gallinari said. "We were able to win the game in the third quarter."

Ty Lawson finished with 18 points and six assists, and Arron Afflalo chipped in 15 points for the victors.

Blake Griffin paced LA with 18 points, while Chris Paul logged 15 points and nine assists in defeat.

The Clippers ended the first quarter on a 14-2 run to take a 32-19 advantage, but the second and third frames were dominated by the Nuggets.

Gallinari scored 10 points in the second quarter, and Denver netted 10 second- chance points in the frame to erase its 13-point deficit.

The Nuggets were on top at the break, 54-51, and Gallinari opened the third quarter with a pair of three-pointers.

Paul answered with a trey of his own, but Denver scored on its next five possessions en route to a 10-2 run that pushed its lead to 70-56.

Al Harrington drained two three-pointers in the final minute for an 86-67 cushion, and the Clippers emptied their bench in the fourth quarter.

"We played alright for the first quarter and a half, and then the floodgates opened up," Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro said. "Our energy wasn't there, we got ourebounded and we didn't manage the game well in any aspects."

Game Notes

Andre Miller, playing in his 1,000th regular season game, added eight points for the Nuggets, who shot 53 percent from the field and 12-of-21 from three- point range...Denver kicked off its second three games in three nights stretch this season...Randy Foye and Mo Williams netted 17 and 13 points, respectively, for the Clippers.