Irving’s late layup guides Cavs past Lawson, Nuggets

Wednesday’s other Nba games

Cleveland Plain Dealer

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They never played against each other in college, but Duke product Kyrie Irving and North Carolina alum Ty Lawson engaged in a little March Madness of their own on Wednesday night at Pepsi Center.

The two went back and forth, making big play after big play, as the Cavaliers and the Denver Nuggets battled down to the wire in a game that had no business being as close as it was.

In the end, it was the rookie Irving’s driving layup with four seconds left that was the difference when Lawson’s driving layup at the buzzer missed and the Cavs escaped with a surprising 100-99 victory. Cleveland (14-23) snapped a six-game losing streak. Denver’s four-game winning streak ended as the Nuggets slipped to 22-18.

The ageless Antawn Jamison, a North Carolina alum who was either not bothered by the altitude or used to it after so many years, finished with 33 points, while Alonzo Gee added 19 and Irving 18 and eight assists. It was Irving’s third game-winning layup, and he beat Sacramento with a pair of late free throws.

Al Harrington led Denver with 22 points, while Lawson added 18 points and six assists and former Cav Andre Miller had 16 points.

Jamison had 26 points in the first half, which ended with the Cavs ahead, 57-55. He made 8 of 13 field goals, and 8 of 9 free throws, with four rebounds.

The Cavs needed every contribution.