DENVER – Danilo Gallinari scored a season-high 28 points and outplayed Tim Duncan down the stretch as the Denver Nuggets beat the San Antonio Spurs 112-106 on Tuesday night.
Duncan had 31 points — also a season high — to go along with 18 rebounds for the Spurs, who closed a 15-point lead to three with 3:38 left before the Nuggets closed it out for their third straight win.
Manu Ginobili scored 16 points for the Spurs, who have lost four of their last five.
San Antonio trailed 98-83 before charging back. Patty Mills hit two 3-pointers, Duncan scored eight points and Tony Parker hit a 3 to pull the Spurs to 105-102.
Gallinari responded with a 3-pointer from the wing and Andre Miller hit a floater to stretch the lead to 110-102 a minute later.
Two free throws by Duncan and a basket by Ginobili made it 110-106 with 53 seconds left. A turnover by Denver gave the Spurs a chance to get closer but they missed three straight 3-pointers in the final 24 seconds.
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