Mavs Lose At Nuggets

DENVER — D.J. Augustin hit two free throws with nine-tenths of a second left in overtime, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Dallas Mavericks 116-114 on Sunday.

Augustin scored eight of his 12 points in the extra period to help the Nuggets get payback for an overtime loss in Dallas on Feb. 26.

Kenneth Faried had 25 points and a season-high 20 rebounds and Will Barton scored 20 for the Nuggets, who rallied from four down in the last 10 seconds of regulation to force overtime and get the win.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 30 points and Deron Williams had 17 for the Mavericks, who lost their second straight game thanks to Augustin, who scored the last eight points for Denver.

Augustin twice hit 3-pointers in the overtime to tie the game, the last after Dallas’ Wesley Matthews hit three free throws to make it 114-111.

Williams missed with 16.8 seconds left, and after a timeout Augustin drove to the bucket and was fouled by Raymond Felton.

He hit both free throws and Emmanuel Mudiay blocked Matthews’ desperation three-point attempt at the buzzer.

Mudiay had 16 points and eight assists, and Gary Harris also

scored 16 points for the Nuggets. Denver (25-38) had lost to Brooklyn on a tip-in with four-tenths of a second left in overtime Friday but rallied Sunday.

David Lee had 18 points and 12 rebounds and J.J. Barea scored 15 for the Mavericks (33-31). Dallas led Portland by a half-game for the sixth seed in the Western Conference entering Sunday. The Mavericks can avoid San Antonio and Golden State, which are a combined 108-15, in the first round if they can remain sixth or better.

Williams’ layup with 21 seconds left gave Dallas a 106-102 lead and seemed to ice the game. But Barton hit two free throws with 7.9 seconds left, Mudiay stole the inbounds pass and Faried tied it with a dunk with 3.3 left.