NBA  FINAL           1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH     TOTAL
                     --- --- --- ---     -----
     DENVER           27  26  18  23       94
     VANCOUVER        26  27  35  21      109    FINAL


 HIGH SCORERS:  DEN - RON MERCER 31, RAEF LAFRENTZ 19, ANTONIO MCDYESS 17
                VAN - SHAREEF ABDUR-RAHIM 27, BRYANT REEVES 22, OTHELLA
                      HARRINGTON 20


 HIGH REBOUND:  DEN - ANTONIO MCDYESS 8, KEON CLARK 5
                VAN - SHAREEF ABDUR-RAHIM 10, OTHELLA HARRINGTON 9


 HIGH ASSISTS:  DEN - NICK VAN EXEL 7, BRYANT STITH 3
                VAN - MIKE BIBBY 16, SHAREEF ABDUR-RAHIM 4


          ATT:  12,159
                                                                        

Extended Box


DENVER (94) AT VANCOUVER (109)


DENVER
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


MERCER            F    37   11-17     4-4      1   3   4    1   1   0   3   31
MCDYESS           F    34    6-10     5-7      3   5   8    2   4   0   3   17
LAFRENTZ          C    38    7-16     4-4      1   3   4    1   3   0   2   19
POSEY             G    16    0-0      0-0      1   2   3    1   3   0   2    0
VAN EXEL          G    36    2-8      0-0      0   4   4    7   2   0   3    4
MCCLOUD                25    3-6      5-5      1   0   1    1   1   1   2   11
CLARK                  20    1-5      2-4      2   3   5    0   1   3   3    4
ALEXANDER              12    1-5      2-2      1   0   1    2   3   1   0    4
STITH                  10    1-1      2-2      0   0   0    3   1   1   0    4
BOWEN                  12    0-2      0-0      1   0   1    0   1   0   0    0
ROGERS                DNP - COACH'S DECISION
TAYLOR                DNP - COACH'S DECISION


TOTALS                240   32-70    24-28    11  20  31   18  20   6  18   94
                            (.457)   (.857) TEAM REBS: 4  TOTAL TO: 18(26 PTS)


VANCOUVER
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


ABDUR-RAHIM       F    43    9-16     8-8      2   8  10    4   1   3   1   27
HARRINGTON        F    37    9-15     2-2      7   2   9    1   5   0   1   20
REEVES            C    38   10-17     2-3      3   5   8    1   4   0   1   22
DICKERSON         G    31    3-8      0-0      0   1   1    0   3   1   1    6
BIBBY             G    36    7-12     3-5      1   5   6   16   5   1   1   17
PARKS                  16    2-3      2-2      1   2   3    0   5   2   1    6
STEPHENS               21    3-8      0-0      0   2   2    2   0   2   0    6
PRICE                  13    2-2      0-0      0   1   1    0   1   0   2    5
EKEZIE                  5    0-0      0-0      0   1   1    0   0   0   1    0
LOPEZ                 DNP - COACH'S DECISION
PALACIO               DNP - COACH'S DECISION
WEST                  DNP - TOE SURGERY


TOTALS                240   45-81    17-20    14  27  41   24  24   9   9  109
                            (.556)   (.850) TEAM REBS: 5  TOTAL TO: 10(7 PTS)


   DENVER             27   26   18   23  -   94
   VANCOUVER          26   27   35   21  -  109


BLOCKED SHOTS: DENVER -  MCDYESS 2, CLARK 2, LAFRENTZ. VANCOUVER - 
STEPHENS, REEVES.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: DENVER 6-17 (.353), MERCER 5-8, LAFRENTZ 1-5, VAN EXEL
0-1, MCCLOUD 0-1, ALEXANDER 0-1, BOWEN 0-1. VANCOUVER 2-6 (.333),
ABDUR-RAHIM 1-1, DICKERSON 0-1, BIBBY 0-1, STEPHENS 0-2, PRICE 1-1.
TECHNICALS: VANCOUVER - PARKS 2.
OFFICIALS: ED MIDDLETON, JOE FORTE, WOODY MAYFIELD.
A - 12,159. T - 2:04.
                                                                        

Box Score


DENVER (94)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Mercer          37 11-17   4-4   1-4  1  1   31
Mcdyess         34  6-10   5-7   3-8  2  4   17
Lafrentz        38  7-16   4-4   1-4  1  3   19
Posey           16   0-0   0-0   1-3  1  3    0
Van Exel        36   2-8   0-0   0-4  7  2    4
Mccloud         25   3-6   5-5   1-1  1  1   11
Clark           20   1-5   2-4   2-5  0  1    4
Alexander       12   1-5   2-2   1-1  2  3    4
Stith           10   1-1   2-2   0-0  3  1    4
Bowen           12   0-2   0-0   1-1  0  1    0
Rogers         DNP - coach's decision
Taylor         DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 32-70 24-28 11-31 18 20   94
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.457, FT-.857. 3-Point Goals:
6-17, .353 (Mercer 5-8, Lafrentz 1-5, Van Exel
0-1, Mccloud 0-1, Alexander 0-1, Bowen 0-1). Team
rebounds: 4. Blocked shots: 5 (Mcdyess 2, Clark
2, Lafrentz). Turnovers: 18 (Clark 3, Mcdyess 3,
Mercer 3, Van Exel 3, Lafrentz 2, Mccloud 2,
Posey 2). Steals: 6 (Clark 3, Alexander, Mccloud,
Stith).


VANCOUVER (109)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Abdur-rahim     43  9-16   8-8  2-10  4  1   27
Harrington      37  9-15   2-2   7-9  1  5   20
Reeves          38 10-17   2-3   3-8  1  4   22
Dickerson       31   3-8   0-0   0-1  0  3    6
Bibby           36  7-12   3-5   1-6 16  5   17
Parks           16   2-3   2-2   1-3  0  5    6
Stephens        21   3-8   0-0   0-2  2  0    6
Price           13   2-2   0-0   0-1  0  1    5
Ekezie           5   0-0   0-0   0-1  0  0    0
Lopez          DNP - coach's decision
Palacio        DNP - coach's decision
West           DNP - toe surgery
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 45-81 17-20 14-41 24 24  109
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.556, FT-.850. 3-Point Goals:
2-6, .333 (Abdur-rahim 1-1, Dickerson 0-1, Bibby
0-1, Stephens 0-2, Price 1-1). Team rebounds: 5.
Blocked shots: 2 (Stephens, Reeves). Turnovers:
10 (Price 2, Abdur-rahim, Bibby, Dickerson,
Ekezie, Harrington, Parks, Reeves). Steals: 9
(Abdur-rahim 3, Parks 2, Stephens 2, Bibby,
Dickerson).
____________________________________________
Denver             27   26   18   23  -   94
Vancouver          26   27   35   21  -  109
____________________________________________
Technical fouls: Vancouver 2 (Parks 2, 5:50 2nd,
5:50 2nd). Flagrant fouls: None.  A: 12,159. T:
2:04. Officials: Ed Middleton, Joe Forte, Woody
Mayfield.
                                                                        

Game Story


VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) -- A visit from the Denver
Nuggets was exactly what the Vancouver Grizzlies needed to break
into the win column. 


Mike Bibby handed out a team-record 16 assists and Shareef
Abdur-Rahim scored 27 points as the Grizzlies used a big third
quarter en route to a 109-94 victory over the Nuggets, whose
road woes continued. 


Vancouver, which had been outscored by 17.5 points in losing its
first two games, took advantage of a team on a horrendous
three-year road skid.  The Nuggets have lost both of their road
games this season and have gone a porous 5-79 away from home
since February 1997. 


Bryant Reeves added 22 points and Othella Harrington, an
offseason acquisition, chipped in with 20 for the Grizzlies, who
outscored Denver 35-18 in the third quarter to open a 17-point
advantage. 


Bibby also scored 17 points.  His assist total broke Greg
Anthony's previous club record of 15, established January 7,
1996 against the Los Angeles Clippers. 


"I know I had to have at least double digits in assists," Bibby
said. "I wasn't sure of exactly how many. I was just trying to
win the game. That might be one of the best games I've ever had
on both ends of the court. I just came out and played." 


Denver's Ron Mercer, acquired in an offseason trade, scored a
season-high 31 points.  Raef LaFrentz added 19 and Antonio
McDyess 17 and eight rebounds. 


"I think some of the mentality on this team is that some of the
guys expect us to lose on the road," McDyess said. 


Abdur-Rahim made a layup with 8:45 left in the third quarter
that put Vancouver ahead for good, 63-62.  He followed with a
steal that led to a basket by Harrington and the Grizzlies
closed the quarter on a 25-9 surge, opening an 88-71 cushion
entering the final period. 


"We didn't come out in the second half like we usually do,"
Harrington said. "We were able to stop them from making run and
we really took it to them.  We started playing team defense and
helped each other out by limiting them to one shot. That got us
out on the fast break." 


"I think we played too soft. In the third quarter they came out
and pushed us all over the court," Nuggets coach Dan Issel said.
"They shot the ball extremely well, but we let them do whatever
they wanted. We have to be tougher then that." 


Led by Abdur-Rahim and Reeves, the Grizzlies had their best
shooting game of the young season, finishing at 56 percent
(45-of-81) from the floor.  Reeves hit 10-of-17 shots and
Abdur-Rahim went 9-of-16 and also grabbed 10 rebounds. 


Denver made a brief run but only could get as close as 103-90 on
Cory Alexander's layup with 2:45 left. 


The Nuggets struggled from the floor and on the boards, hitting
just 46 percent (32-of-70) while being outrebounded, 41-31.
Mercer made 11-of-17 shots, including 5-of-8 3-pointers.  He
scored 18 points in the opening half, which ended in a 53-53
tie. 


"The Grizzlies' energy level was a heck of a lot higher than us
in the second half," Mercer said. "None of my personal numbers
matter unless you win. In fact, I don't even care about my 31." 


Vancouver played without injured guards Felipe Lopez and Doug
West.  Lopez was sidelined with a shoulder injury and West is
nursing a bad toe. 
                                                                        

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