DEN VER, Colo., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Raef Lafrentz scored 29 points and Nick Van Exel added 25 as the Denver Nuggets put together a solid fourth quarter to post a 96-91 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and halt a five-game losing streak Thursday night.
Lafrentz shot 12-of-18 from the field and grabbed 10 rebounds while Van Exel was 10-of-24 and dished out 11 assists. Denver shot 49 percent overall (40-of-81).
Calbert Cheaney's jumper with 6:08 left in the third quarter gave Denver a 68-59 lead. But Cleveland closed out the period on a 14-4 run and took a 73-72 lead on Ricky Davis' layup as time
expired.
The Cavaliers appeared to have momentum, with Denver on the verge of another fourth quarter collapse. But the Nuggets shot 50 percent (9-of-18) in the fourth.
Avery Johnson hit two jumpers around a layup by Lafrentz, and Van Exel sank a free throw to cap a 7-0 run as Denver took the lead for good, 96-89, with 18 seconds left.
Lamond Murray paced the Cavs with 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Cleveland shot just under 42 percent (35-of-84) overall.
