NBA  FINAL           1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH     TOTAL
                     --- --- --- ---     -----
     DENVER           16  15  23  26       80
     NEW YORK         20  20  22  16       78    FINAL


 HIGH SCORERS:  DEN - NICK VAN EXEL 20, ANTONIO MCDYESS 16, TWO PLAYERS
                      WITH 11
                NYK - ALLAN HOUSTON 15, LATRELL SPREWELL 14, KURT THOMAS 13


 HIGH REBOUND:  DEN - RAEF LAFRENTZ 12, THREE PLAYERS WITH 6
                NYK - KURT THOMAS 13, LATRELL SPREWELL 8


 HIGH ASSISTS:  DEN - NICK VAN EXEL 5, BRYANT STITH 2
                NYK - CHRIS CHILDS 7, TWO PLAYERS WITH 4


          ATT:  19,763
                                                                        

Extended Box


DENVER (80) AT NEW YORK (78)


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


MCDYESS           F    30    6-16     4-9      1   5   6    1   5   1   3   16
POSEY             F    16    1-3      0-0      1   4   5    0   0   0   1    2
LAFRENTZ          C    38    4-11     2-2      3   9  12    1   3   1   1   11
BILLUPS           G    26    1-5      3-4      0   3   3    1   3   0   3    6
VAN EXEL          G    37    8-23     3-5      0   5   5    5   3   2   1   20
MCCLOUD                32    4-7      2-2      3   3   6    1   3   1   2   11
CLARK                  28    3-7      1-2      2   2   4    0   2   2   0    7
STITH                  22    2-4      3-4      2   4   6    2   1   0   0    7
ALEXANDER              11    0-2      0-0      0   1   1    1   1   1   1    0
BOWEN                 DNP - COACH'S DECISION
MERCER                DNP - SINUS INFECTION
ROGERS                DNP - COACH'S DECISION


TOTALS                240   29-78    18-28    12  36  48   12  21   8  12   80
                            (.372)   (.643) TEAM REBS: 12 TOTAL TO: 12(11 PTS)


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


SPREWELL          F    41    5-13     3-4      0   8   8    3   4   0   2   14
THOMAS            F    33    4-9      5-6      3  10  13    4   4   0   3   13
LANG              C    12    3-7      0-0      1   1   2    0   2   0   1    6
HOUSTON           G    43    7-20     1-2      1   4   5    4   3   0   4   15
WARD              G    26    2-4      0-0      0   5   5    0   2   1   0    6
DUDLEY                 15    1-3      0-0      2   1   3    0   4   0   0    2
CHILDS                 27    2-6      2-3      0   2   2    7   2   1   0    7
CAMBY                  25    3-12     3-4      2   3   5    0   4   1   0    9
L JOHNSON              18    3-6      0-0      0   4   4    2   2   0   0    6
BRUNSON               DNP - COACH'S DECISION
TURKCAN               DNP - COACH'S DECISION
WALLACE               DNP - COACH'S DECISION


TOTALS                240   30-80    14-19     9  38  47   20  27   3  10   78
                            (.375)   (.737) TEAM REBS: 7  TOTAL TO: 11(9 PTS)


   DENVER             16   15   23   26  -   80
   NEW YORK           20   20   22   16  -   78


BLOCKED SHOTS: DENVER -  STITH, LAFRENTZ, POSEY. NEW YORK -  DUDLEY 2,
THOMAS, CAMBY, HOUSTON.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: DENVER 4-19 (.211), POSEY 0-1, LAFRENTZ 1-3, BILLUPS
1-3, VAN EXEL 1-9, MCCLOUD 1-3. NEW YORK 4-11 (.364), SPREWELL 1-1,
HOUSTON 0-2, WARD 2-2, CHILDS 1-4, L JOHNSON 0-2.
TECHNICALS: DENVER - ILLEGAL DEFENSE.
OFFICIALS: JOE DEROSA, TONY BROTHERS, JASON PHILLIPS.
A - 19,763. T - 2:17.
                                                                        

Box Score


DENVER (80)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Mcdyess         30  6-16   4-9   1-6  1  5   16
Posey           16   1-3   0-0   1-5  0  0    2
Lafrentz        38  4-11   2-2  3-12  1  3   11
Billups         26   1-5   3-4   0-3  1  3    6
Van Exel        37  8-23   3-5   0-5  5  3   20
Mccloud         32   4-7   2-2   3-6  1  3   11
Clark           28   3-7   1-2   2-4  0  2    7
Stith           22   2-4   3-4   2-6  2  1    7
Alexander       11   0-2   0-0   0-1  1  1    0
Bowen          DNP - coach's decision
Mercer         DNP - sinus infection
Rogers         DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 29-78 18-28 12-48 12 21   80
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.372, FT-.643. 3-Point Goals:
4-19, .211 (Posey 0-1, Lafrentz 1-3, Billups 1-3,
Van Exel 1-9, Mccloud 1-3). Team rebounds: 12.
Blocked shots: 3 (Stith, Lafrentz, Posey).
Turnovers: 12 (Billups 3, Mcdyess 3, Mccloud 2,
Alexander, Lafrentz, Posey, Van Exel). Steals: 8
(Clark 2, Van Exel 2, Alexander, Lafrentz,
Mccloud, Mcdyess).


NEW YORK (78)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Sprewell        41  5-13   3-4   0-8  3  4   14
Thomas          33   4-9   5-6  3-13  4  4   13
Lang            12   3-7   0-0   1-2  0  2    6
Houston         43  7-20   1-2   1-5  4  3   15
Ward            26   2-4   0-0   0-5  0  2    6
Dudley          15   1-3   0-0   2-3  0  4    2
Childs          27   2-6   2-3   0-2  7  2    7
Camby           25  3-12   3-4   2-5  0  4    9
L Johnson       18   3-6   0-0   0-4  2  2    6
Brunson        DNP - coach's decision
Turkcan        DNP - coach's decision
Wallace        DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 30-80 14-19  9-47 20 27   78
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.375, FT-.737. 3-Point Goals:
4-11, .364 (Sprewell 1-1, Houston 0-2, Ward 2-2,
Childs 1-4, L Johnson 0-2). Team rebounds: 7.
Blocked shots: 5 (Dudley 2, Thomas, Camby,
Houston). Turnovers: 11 (Houston 4, Thomas 3,
Sprewell 2, Lang). Steals: 3 (Camby, Childs,
Ward).
____________________________________________
Denver             16   15   23   26  -   80
New York           20   20   22   16  -   78
____________________________________________
Technical fouls: Denver 1 (Illegal Defense, 11:05
2nd). Flagrant fouls: None.  A: 19,763. T: 2:17.
Officials: Joe Derosa, Tony Brothers, Jason
Phillips.
                                                                        

Game Story


NEW YORK (Ticker) -- The Denver Nuggets do not win much on the
road.  When they do, it sure does not come easy. 


George McCloud sank the go-ahead free throws with 12 seconds
remaining as the Nuggets survived a wild finish to earn their
first road victory of the season, 80-78 over the New York
Knicks. 


The Nuggets rallied from a 16-point deficit in the third quarter
and won the first time in six road games this season -- and for
just the sixth time in their last 88 road games since February
1997.  But they did everything in their power in the last 12
seconds to hand the game back to the Knicks. 


Trailing 78-77, the Nuggets turned to Nick Van Exel, who missed
a 3-pointer. But McCloud was fouled by Allan Houston going for
the rebound. A 77 percent free throw shooter, McCloud stepped to
the line and hit his freee throws to put Denver ahead for good. 


"That was huge. If we wouldn't have got it, we would've had to
foul then," Van Exel said. "Probably one of their better
shooters was close to the ball and we were fortunate that one
our better shooters got to the ball." 


After McCloud's free throws, the Knicks called their final
timeout and took the ball at mid-court.  Before they inbounded,
Denver's Keon Clark fouled Houston, sending him to the line for
one shot. 


An 85 percent foul shooter, Houston missed the shot. The Knicks
had another shot to win it but Latrell Sprewell had his jumper
blocked by 6-5 Bryant Stith, who has seen increased playing time
recently due to an injury to Ron Mercer. 


"At the end of the game we realized they would have an isolation
play for either Houston or Sprewell," Stith said. "We just tried
to cover them the best we could. When Sprewell pump-faked, it
gave me a chance to get my hand on him. I anticipated his shot
and tried to play a step ahead of him." 


Clark grabbed the rebound off the block and hit 1-of-2 from the
line with four seconds left. Houston had one last chance to send
the game into overtime but missed a running jumper off the front
rim as time expired. 


"It's definetely going to be hard to sleep tonight," Houston
said. "Those are the situations you like to be in.
Unfortunately, not 100 percent they're going to go your way." 


Van Exel scored 14 of his 20 points in the third quarter to lead
the Nuggets, who won in Madison Square Garden for the first time
since December 14, 1995. 


Raef LaFrentz also had 11 points and 12 rebounds for Denver,
which was opening a five-game road trip. 


"This is not the same Nuggets team you have seen over the last
couple of years," Nuggets coach Dan Issel said. "This is a real
good basketball team. Once we have some more playing time
together, we are going to be fine. Wins like this will help our
confidence down the stretch.  We will remember this one for a
while." 


Houston scored 15 points and Sprewell added 14 for the Knicks,
who lost for just the second time in their last six games. New
York has gone just 2-5 against Western Conference opponents. 


The Knicks led by nine points at halftime and took their biggest
lead of the contest at 49-33 with 8:35 left in the third quarter
as Sprewell drained an 18-footer.  Sprewell made 8-of-14 shots
and grabbed eight rebounds. 


Van Exel's big third quarter helped the Nuggets close to 62-54
entering the final period.  For the game, the volatile guard
connected on 8-of-23 shots, including just 1-of-9 from 3-point
range. 


Denver finally caught New York and took its first lead since the
early seconds at 69-68 with 5:04 remaining when Antonio McDyess,
who scored 16 points, converted a layup. 


Kurt Thomas added 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks, who
shot 37.5 percent (30-of-80). Denver shot 37 percent (29-of-78).
                                                                        

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