Denver ? The game ball was delivered by Denver mayor John Hickenlooper on a bicycle, a fan was given tickets for recycling the 10 millionth cup at Pepsi Center and the Nuggets looked like Christmas trees in their uniforms for the NBA's Green Week.
Yet the Jazz would have been forgiven for feeling as if they wanted to throw away and forget about Thursday night's 114-104 loss, leaving them only a game ahead of eighth-place Dallas and a potential first-round series against the Lakers. J.R. Smith came off the bench and changed the game almost single-handedly, hitting eight three-pointers and scoring 28 points as the Nuggets won their fifth straight even with Carmelo Anthony going 9 for 25 with 23 points.
The Jazz remain winless on the road -- 0-11 -- against the Western Conference's other eight playoff contenders. They shot 36.6 percent as Carlos Boozer (7 of 23) and Mehmet Okur (2 of 12) both struggled mightily.
If the playoffs started today, the Jazz would be back at Pepsi Center to face the second-seeded Nuggets. C.J. Miles led the Jazz with 19 points while Deron Williams had 18 points and 10 assists.
The Jazz trailed by 14 with 8:07 to play after Smith and Anthony Carter hit three three-pointers, but closed within 95-89 after Williams' three-point play with 5:31 remaining. They could get no closer, however, as Boozer had a shot blocked and missed another.
At the other end, Nene attacked Okur and was fouled as he flipped in a layup. Nene couldn't convert the three-point play, but Okur fouled Chris Andersen on the rebound and Andersen hit 1 of 2 free throws to make it 98-89.
The Jazz dropped 31/2 games behind Denver in the Northwest Division with seven games remaining. Their greatest concern right now might be staying in front of the Mavericks, who will host them in a now-critical game Wednesday.
Even as Denver drove for one layup after another in the third quarter, the Jazz stayed within striking distance, down by only seven. But the Nuggets outscored the Jazz 15-11 to close the quarter after Williams picked up his fourth foul with 5:00 left.
Williams was called for the foul as he bumped Chauncey Billups on the perimeter. He pleaded his case to referee Eric Lewis as walked off the floor, then was hit with a technical by Lewis from the bench on the Nuggets' next trip down court.
Even with Boozer and Okur struggling, the Jazz still built a 22-11 lead before Denver closed the first quarter with a 10-2 run the last two minutes.
The Jazz's demise started as Okur was called for an offensive foul backing down Anthony in the lane.
As Okur left the game with his second foul, the Nuggets came alive behind Smith, who pulled up for a 26-foot three-pointer and hit another three-pointer at the buzzer. Smith then opened the second quarter with his third three-pointer in two minutes.
Smith knocked down another three three-pointers in the second quarter, giving him 21 points in 15 minutes for the half, and Denver went into halftime with a 54-43 lead after Carter stripped Okur and scooped in a layup just before the horn.
rsiler@sltrib.com Western Conference
