The Denver Nuggets defeat the Indiana Pacers in front of their home crowd to score their first road victory this season. Ty Lawson pioneered the offense for the Nuggets with a double-double performance, registering 11 points and 10 assists. Arron Afflalo added a game-high 17 points for the Nuggets, who clinched their second victory in eight outings.
Kenneth Faried chipped in with 12 points and six rebounds for the Nuggets. Rookie Gary Harris provided a spark off the bench, scoring 13 points, snatching three rebounds, and dishing out two assists. Danilo Gallinari recorded 12 points, and Darrell Arthur scored 11 markers for Denver, who made 49 percent of their shots from the field compared to the Pacers' 40 percent.
Veteran guard A.J. Price led the way for the injury-riddled Pacers with 14 points and four assists. The Indiana Pacers missed the services of their three starters, who have been plagued with injuries. C.J. Miles left the game early in the first after suffering a sore right calf. Lavoy Allen, Solomon Hill, and Donald Sloan each had 12 points for the Pacers, who turned the ball over 13 times, which led to 22 points for the Nuggets.
The game was within striking distance at the end of the first quarter, with the Nuggets leading by three. The Nuggets went on to outscore the Pacers 34-19 in the second period, propelled by Aaron Afflalo's 10 first half points. Denver never looked back as they took a commanding 92-67 lead at the end of the third frame.
The Nuggets will look forward to their showdown with the Knicks in Madison Square Garden on Sunday, while the Pacers will try to bounce back from their latest setback as they go toe-to-toe with Eastern Conference powerhouse, the Chicago Bulls.