DENVER, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Rudy Fernandez was one of three Denver players to reach the 20-point mark Friday and the Nuggets dominated early in defeating Toronto 96-81.
Toronto scored only two points during the game's opening 8:46 and found itself in a 14-point hole. The Raptors trailed by 20 at halftime, then fought back within six early in the fourth period before their rally ran out of steam.
Fernandez made five 3-pointers and hit 9-of-11 shots from the field while scoring 23 points off the bench. Danilo Gallinari added 21 points and Nene had 20 for the Nuggets, who have won six in a row.
Toronto had captured back-to-back games, but had lost eight straight before that. The Raptors are in the midst of 11 games out of 14 on the road.
Leandro Barbosa led Toronto with 19 points.
