Neither team led by more than six points

Denver, CO (SportsNetwork. Custom Indianapolis Colts Jerseys .com) - Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried was able to carry the momentum from his starring role on Team USA this summer into the NBA regular season. Faried had 22 points, 17 rebounds and four assists in Denvers season-opening 89-79 win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. Fresh off helping the United States win gold and earning All-Tournament honors at the FIBA World Cup, Faried was at his best for the playoff-hopeful Nuggets. Denver missed the postseason a year ago, finishing with 21 fewer wins than the 2012-13 season while dealing with a number of injuries. Finally healthy, these Nuggets hope to contend in a crowded Western Conference. Arron Afflalo chipped in 15 points and Timofey Mozgov tallied 13 and 11 rebounds. All 12 Nuggets that took the floor scored at least two points. Josh Smith netted a game-high 25 points to lead Detroit, which was without forward Greg Monroe, who is serving a suspension for a DUI arrest last February and is out for the first two games of this season. Denver led by two through three quarters and put the game away early in the fourth despite shooting just 5-for-22 in the period. One of those buckets was an 18-foot jumper by Faried, who hit it 12 seconds after checking in to extend the lead to six at the 5:48 mark. Detroit scored the next four points on layups from Andre Drummond and A.J. Augustin to get within two. Out of a timeout, Faried hit a pair of free throws amd Mozgov made one of two from the stripe before his tip-slam made it 84-77. The Nuggets made just 5-of-8 from the foul line after that, but got enough stops to hold off the visiting Pistons. Neither team led by more than six points during a balanced first half that featured 10 ties and 10 lead changes. Denver led by three after Nate Robinsons three-point play at 7:35 of the second, but the Pistons countered with nine in a row. Jonas Jerebko knotted the score with a triple and Kyle Singler capped the run with a 3-ball less than a minute later. The Nuggets responted from there, with Ty Lawsons step-back jumper near the end of the half sending Denver into the locker room leading 42-40. Afflalo came alive in the third, dropping 10 points on 4-of-6 to help Denver hold onto its lead. The teams played to a draw in the period, and the spread was 65-63 heading into the fourth. Game Notes The Nuggets have won six straight games in the series ... Denver outrebounded the Pistons, 51-45 ... Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, starting for the injured Jodie Meeks, shot 3-of-19 from the floor. Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. Custom Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys . But sometimes the way you lose takes precedence over the final score. And how the Jets lost the 5-4 game to the New York Islanders on Thursday is what had Coach Claude Noel hot after the game. https://www.cheapcustomjerseysonline.com/custom-egypt-soccer-jerseys/ . Roy says he will know more about Duchenes potential playing status Sunday. Duchene has been out since damaging the MCL in his left knee when he ran into a teammate against San Jose on March 29. Hes been skating on his own all week, before joining the team Saturday hours before a pivotal game in a series tied at 2.CLEVELAND -- The Cavaliers have landed one of the Lakers front-line free agents. No, not that guy. Cleveland has agreed to terms on a two-year contract with forward Earl Clark, who played alongside Dwight Howard last season in Los Angeles. Clark, who spent two days visiting with the Cavs earlier this week, is getting a deal worth $9 million, said the person, who spoke to the Associated Press on Thursday on condition of anonymity because NBA teams cant officially sign players until the free agent period ends on July 10. The second year of the deal is a team option, the person said. The Sporting News first reported Clarks deal. The 6-foot-10 Clark set career highs in scoring (7.3), rebounds (5.5) and minutes (23.1) in 36 starts last season. Before joininng the Lakers, Clark played for Orlando and Phoenix. Custom Japan Soccer Jerseys. He made $1.2 million last season. With Tristan Thompson and No. 1 overall draft pick Anthony Bennett playing power forward, the Cavs needed an experienced small forward and believe Clark can compete for that starting role, along with Alonzo Gee, C.J. Miles, and Sergey Karasev, taken last week with the No. 19 overall pick. In Cleveland, Clark will be reunited with coach Mike Brown. The two were together in Los Angeles last season before Brown was fired after just five games. Clark has also worked with Cavs assistant coach Igor Kokoskov, who was previously with Phoenix. Clark, 25, was drafted in the first round (No. 14 overall) by the Suns in 2009 after playing at Louisville. ' ' '