DENVER (AP) Raymond Felton hit a layup with 1.5 seconds remaining in double overtime, then blocked a last-second shot to help the Dallas Mavericks beat the Denver Nuggets 144-143 on Friday night.
Felton drove past Randy Foye and banked in a shot high off the glass. He then got a piece of Kenneth Faried's jumper at the buzzer, causing the ball to wind up short.
Danilo Gallinari scored a career-high 47 points, including eight in the first overtime and nine in the second.
Denver had a chance to win in regulation, but Faried's jumper rolled off the rim. Dallas had a shot to claim victory at the end of the first overtime, only to have Monta Ellis' long shot clang off the iron.
Dirk Nowitzki had 25 points and Richard Jefferson added a season-high 24.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle pulled most of his starters for the second overtime, relying on a fresher unit. The strategy worked.
The Mavericks rested guard Rajon Rondo with the team locked into the seventh seed. They're still uncertain who they will face in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Ty Lawson had 19 points and 18 assists for the Nuggets (29-50), who lost 50 games in a season for first time since 2002-03. Interim coach Melvin Hunt fell to 9-11 since stepping in after the firing of Brian Shaw last month.
Denver led by as many as four points in the first overtime, only to have Dallas tie it on a layup by Ellis.
Dallas appeared headed toward a rout early in this game, leading by as many as 23 points in the first half. Denver climbed back with a 37-20 third quarter.
The Nuggets took their first lead on a dunk by Faried with 2:45 remaining in regulation. They increased it to 119-114 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Wilson Chandler and Lawson.
But the Mavericks tied the game at 121 with 29.5 left on Jefferson's layup.
Chandler wasn't too pleased with Jusuf Nurkic late in the second quarter, glaring at the Nuggets rookie after he pushed Chandler from behind on a dunk. The officials assessed Nurkic a flagrant-1 foul.
The Mavericks were comfortably up 73-52 at halftime, tying the most points they've scored in the opening half this season. They shot nearly 63 percent from the field and had 20 assists.
Carlisle said he plans on closely monitoring the minutes of his players. Still, he wants them to head into the postseason with an edge, so with Denver charging late, he couldn't afford to rest his regulars.
Denver was without Jameer Nelson (strained right hip flexor) and Darrell Arthur (strained calf). It lost Erick Green in the second quarter when he hurt his left shoulder.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Chandler Parsons (right knee) missed a third straight game. ... Carlisle earned his 336th win as Mavericks coach. He can tie Don Nelson for most victories (339) in team history should they win out.
Nuggets: Former Nuggets coach George Karl returns Sunday in charge of Sacramento. ''I can't wait to be able to sit down and chat with him prior to the game,'' said Hunt, who was an assistant under Karl. ''He'll have some insightful nuggets to throw out there for us. It's always good to see him.'' ... Faried was given a technical foul in the first quarter for arguing a blocking call when he thought he drew a charge.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: at Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
Nuggets: host Sacramento on Sunday.
