The Denver Nuggets trailed big early but a run later in the quarter has them trailing 20-18 against the New Orleans Hornets after one quarter on Wednesday. The Hornets led 18-7 with just a few minutes left in the period, but the Nuggets went on a 11-0 run before Carl Landry hit a buzzer-beater to put New Orleans up two.
Denver struggled offensively in the first quarter, shooting just 33 percent from the field. The Hornets shot much better, hitting 47 percent of their shots, but they also turned the ball over a brutal seven times. Those turnovers have helped to offset the large advantages that New Orleans has had in shooting and rebounding.
Kosta Koufos leads the Nuggets with five points off the bench and Ty Lawson has added four points. Trevor Ariza leads New Orleans with six points, plus Greivis Vasquez has four points and four assists. Chris Kaman has been big on the boards with six rebounds.
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