Hornets 99 Nuggets 89

Friday, December 29th 2006, 12:38 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Rasual Butler scored 20 points, including a big 3-point play in the closing minutes, to lead the New Orleans Hornets to a 99-89 victory over the Denver Nuggets in a matchup of depleted teams Friday night.

The victory ends a three-game losing streak for the Hornets, who are without four of their top five offensive players due to injury.

Denver also is four players short, including Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, who are serving suspensions.

Allen Iverson scored 21 points but went just 6-22 from the field.

The Nuggets scored just 8-points in the final 9Â½ minutes.

Devin Brown, picked up as a free agent a week ago, had 19 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists for the Hornets. Desmond Mason added 17 points for the Hornets.

Earl Boykins led the Nuggets with 26 but scored just 8 in the 2nd half.