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Hickson, Nuggets halt Clippers' 11-game win streak

Mar 18, 2014 - 6:57 AM Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - J.J. Hickson provided 21 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Denver Nuggets as they snapped the Los Angeles Clippers' 11-game winning streak with a 110-100 decision on Monday.

All five Nuggets starters scored in double digits, with Kenneth Faried supplying 18 points and 16 rebounds and Ty Lawson adding 19 points, including eight during a game-ending 14-2 run.

The Clippers were trying to become the first team this season to win 12 in a row, but they were outscored in the paint by a 54-44 margin and made just five of their 21 3-point attempts.

"Overall, good job by our team today to holding this team [Clippers], which was the hottest team in the NBA, to coming in and breaking their streak at 11 games and holding them to 39 percent shooting [and] 24 percent from three," Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw said.

Chris Paul led Los Angeles with 29 points, while Blake Griffin needed 25 shots to produce 26 points in the Clippers' first loss in nearly a month.

"I think we realize that doesn't matter," Paul said of the win streak ending. "A team like ours and other teams obviously try to do well and get your seeding right in the regular season but we had a 17-game win streak last year and got knocked out of the playoffs."

There were 13 lead changes and 14 ties over the first three quarters, and it was even at 83-83 entering the fourth.

Neither team led by more than five from there until the Nuggets pulled away in the final 4 1/2 minutes. Lawson started the surge with a go-ahead 3-pointer, added a three-point play the next time down, and by the time Randy Foye hit from long range, Denver suddenly had a 107-100 lead with 2:35 to play.

The Clippers, who were coming off a 22-point home win over the Cavaliers on Sunday, faded away in crunch time, missing seven of their last eight shots to come up short.

Los Angeles held a slim 25-23 lead after one quarter, and despite Paul's 14 points in the second, Denver took a 56-53 edge into halftime.

Game Notes

The Clippers had not lost since Feb. 21 in Memphis ... Griffin has scored at least 20 points in 27 straight games ... Denver held a 55-43 rebounding advantage ... The Nuggets have won four straight as the host in this series.