Paul Millsap has snapped Denver out of an NBA slump with a lead-saving three-pointer with 2:26 remaining, sending the Nuggets to a 126-117 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Gary Harris scored a game-high 32 points and Will Barton added 23 as the Nuggets on Saturday, coming off a 108-102 win at Memphis the night before, won for the sixth time in their last eight games.
LeBron James recorded a 25-point, 10-rebound, 15-assist triple-double for the Cavaliers, who have lost four of their past six games.
James lost for the 15th time in 27 career games against Denver.
He has a losing record against just three teams, including Houston and San Antonio.
The clubs meet again in Denver on Wednesday.
After trailing by as many as 15 points in the third quarter, the Cavaliers rallied to within 115-114 by holding the Nuggets scoreless for eight straight possessions, with the Nuggets missing seven shots in that span.
But after two free throws by James with 2:40 left got Cleveland within one, Millsap connected on his critical hoop, sending the Nuggets on an 11-0 burst that produced the victory.
In Saturday's other NBA games, Evan Fournier hit the tie-breaking three-pointer with 22 seconds remaining as the Orlando Magic posted a 107-100 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, whose losing streak reached 13 games.
Eric Gordon scored 29 points off the bench as the Houston Rockets outlasted the Boston Celtics 123-120 to extend their winning streak to a season-high 15 games.
Lonzo Ball hit a career-best six three-pointers as the Los Angeles Lakers rallied in the final two minutes to beat the San Antonio Spurs 116-112.
The Miami Heat strengthened their grip on an eastern conference post-season berth with a 105-96 over the Detroit Pistons, the Utah Jazz beat the Sacramento Kings 98-91 and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-100 - their sixth-straight victory.
