National Basketball Association

Nuggets 113, Pacers 109

Published Feb. 12, 2012 4:22 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Denver Nuggets found a way to hold off the Indiana Pacers and get a much-needed win.

Despite building a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets survived a late, fourth-quarter run by the Pacers to win 113-109 on Saturday night.

Ty Lawson scored 27 points to lead the Nuggets, who snapped their five-game losing streak.

''We won the game because we had more effort and energy,'' Nuggets coach George Karl said. ''Now we can have a good day off and enjoy the stress of a win instead of the stress of losing.''

Danny Granger scored 26 points for the Pacers, who have lost four of five had their first three-game losing streak of the season.

Arron Afflalo had 23 points and five rebounds and Corey Brewer had 19 points and five rebounds in his first game back after missing three straight because of the death of his father.

''His energy was amazing,'' Afflalo said. ''I think he's the reason we won tonight. We fed off him all night long. This was a great game for him and a good game for us.''

The Nuggets, who jumped to a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter after never taking more than a six-point lead in the first three quarters, survived a late run by the Pacers.

Indiana got back within a point late in the game and the Nuggets pulled away from the free throw line.

Afflalo was fouled and made two free throws to put the game away with 8.2 seconds left.

The Nuggets had an 87-84 lead to start the fourth and went on an 8-1 run to take a 10-point lead at 95-85 on a dunk with 9:02 left.

The Nuggets led 104-94 and the Pacers scored five straight points to make it 104-99 with 3:48 left in the game.

The Nuggets scored to make it 106-99 and Indiana's Paul George, who had 15 points, made another 3-pointer to cut the lead.

Darren Collison was fouled on a shot and made the free throw to make it 106-105 with 2:40 left in the game.

That's the closest the Pacers would get.

''Obviously disappointed in the loss,'' Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. ''I thought our transition defense was good most of the night, which it has to be against this team. We had too many turnovers. That probably cost us the game.''

The Pacers committed 20 turnovers. The Nuggets had 12.

Kosta Koufos scored and Afflalo made a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 111-105.

David West scored again, but the Pacers were never able to take the lead.

The Pacers went on a 5-0 run to take a nine-point lead midway through the first quarter. Granger hit a 3-pointer and Tyler Hansbrough made two free throws to make it 29-20.

The Pacers jumped to a 35-26 lead by the end of the first quarter, led by Granger's 18 first-quarter points.

The Pacers extended the lead to 10 at the start of the second quarter, the Nuggets scored and Indiana scored six straight to take a 46-33 lead, their biggest of the night.

The Nuggets eventually took a 56-55 lead when Brewer hit a 3-pointer to make it 55-54 and Afflalo scored the go-ahead layup. But George went to the line and tied the game with a free throw at 56.

The game was tied at 60 at halftime.

The Nuggets jumped to a five-point lead early in the second half, but the Pacers came back to get within a point when Granger and Collison scored.

The Nuggets extended the lead by as much as six points in the third, but could never extend it further until the fourth.

''We've lost a few games in a row and now we have to get back on the winning streak,'' Brewer said. ''We've got one. Time to get two or three or more.''

Timofey Mozgov was out again because of a sprained left ankle.

''Timofey is definitely our best big guy,'' Karl said. ''He protects the paint very well, protects the basket very well, is our best pick-and-roll defender.''

NOTES: Nuggets F Danilo Gallinari was also out with a sprained left ankle. ... Pacers C Jeff Foster was out with a sore lower back after making his first appearance in 14 games and had six points and seven rebounds against Memphis on Friday. ... Pacers G George Hill was out with a fractured left ankle.