LOS ANGELES — Forward Kenneth Faried scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in three quarters, and the Denver Nuggets ended a three-game losing streak with an 87-81 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night at Staples Center.
Guard Gary Harris had 17 points for the Nuggets (23-35), who ended a four-game skid to the Clippers. Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari added 17 points and eight rebounds.
Guards Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick scored 20 points apiece for the Clippers (37-20), who had beaten Denver in the previous six meetings at Staples. Point guard Chris Paul had 17 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. No other Clipper reached double figures.
The Nuggets held a 71-62 lead at the start of the fourth quarter. They increased the margin to 12 points before the Clippers rallied. Paul pulled them within 80-75 with a 3-point bucket with 4:15 left in the contest. After the Nuggets turned the ball over with a 24-second clock violation, Redick nailed another trey to slice the lead to 80-78 with 3:37 remaining.
The two teams exchanged baskets before a 3-pointer by Harris gave Denver an 85-80 advantage with 1:58 remaining. A free throw by center DeAndre Jordan got Los Angeles within four, but it failed to get any closer after Green was called for an offensive foul with 30.4 seconds left.
Two foul shots by point guard Emmanuel Mudiay capped the scoring with 25.5 seconds remaining.
Denver wiped out an 11-2 deficit and outscored Los Angeles 21-8 for a 23-19 after one period. Paul (10) and Redick (nine) accounted for all of the Clippers’ points.
The Nuggets continued to control the contest in the second period, taking a 53-39 lead at the break behind Faried’s 17 points. Faried was a major reason the Nuggets earned a 30-8 edge in points in the paint in the first half. They also dominated on the boards, earning a 25-18 edge, including a 10-1 advantage on the offensive end.
For the game, Denver outscored Los Angeles 44-22 in the paint. The Nuggets outrebounded the Clippers 57-47 overall and 14-7 on offensive rebounds.
NOTES: Clippers coach Doc Rivers marveled at the recent play and work ethic of 35-year-old G Jamal Crawford. Since Dec. 25, Crawford was averaging 16.7 points per game before Wednesday’s game, second best among NBA reserves. “He breaks all of the new rules, like guys in the summer lift (weights) now and run and do all of the strength-coach stuff, and don’t play basketball,” Rivers said. “Jamal does no lifting — I don’t think he has a muscle in his body — but he plays pickup every day, all summer. There’s something to be said with the old-school way of doing things.” … The two clubs meet for the final time this season on March 27 at Staples Center. … Both teams resume play on the road Friday. Denver meets the Dallas Mavericks. Los Angeles faces the Sacramento Kings.