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Saturday, Jan. 8 9:00pm ET
Van Exel stings Hornets with 32 points | |||||
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 GAME FLOW
DENVER (AP) -- Nick Van Exel stepped up -- and out -- for the Denver Nuggets. Van Exel was 7-of-11 from 3-point range in a 32-point performance as Denver beat Charlotte for the first time in nine meetings, 97-92 on Saturday night. "The basket was like an ocean," Van Exel said. "I didn't think they would double Antonio McDyess the whole game and leave me open on the perimeter." Van Exel was 11-of-20 from the field, and also had eight assists. "Nick had a terrific night," Nuggets coach Dan Issel said. "We rode on his back." Ron Mercer added 24 points, and Raef LaFrentz had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Denver. Elden Campbell led Charlotte with 21 points and 14 rebounds, and reserve Brad Miller added 20 points and nine rebounds. The Hornets, who last lost to Denver on Dec. 3, 1994, have lost five in a row and seven consecutive games on the road. "Our main guy (Eddie Jones) isn't here," Charlotte coach Paul Silas said. "That's 19 points a night we are not getting and we are losing by four or five a night." George McCloud's jump shot, Mercer's two free throws, and Van Exel's seventh 3-pointer gave Denver an 89-83 lead. But Brad Miller scored the next five points to get Charlotte within one at 89-88 with 4:45 left. Ricky Davis got the Hornets as close as 95-92 with 30 seconds left, but Van Exel sealed the victory with his 11th field goal. "Our defense was very good at the end because we basically quit doubling and our big guys played pretty well," Issel said. "We got some big blocks at the end and even when they got the shot away it was over a raised hand and under a lot of pressure." The Nuggets blocked 14 shots, six in the final quarter. Charlotte took a 76-71 lead into the fourth quarter, but Ron Mercer's jump shot and LaFrentz's 3-pointer with 7:36 left put the Nuggets ahead 82-81. The Hornets regained the lead on a basket by Coleman. "We played with some fire that we had been lacking," LaFrentz said. "Nick is our leader and we followed his lead tonight." Game notesCharlotte is 4-7 on the second night of back-to-back games. ... The Hornets are 2-7 in the nine games Eddie Jones has been out of the lineup. ... Denver shot 75 percent from the line (21-of-28) after shooting 56 percent (45-for-60) in its pervious three games. ... Anthony Mason (1,943) moved past Kenny Gattison (1,942) for fourth place on the Hornets rebounding list. | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Charlotte Clubhouse Denver Clubhouse RECAPS Minnesota 110 Detroit 105
Denver 97
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