Denver, CO (My Sportsbook) - Chauncey Billups had 23 points -- including two free throws with 2.2 seconds left -- to lift the Denver Nuggets to a 99-97 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at the Pepsi Center.

Nene added 20 points for the Nuggets, who improved to 4-1 on their season-long seven-game homestand. Dahntay Jones had 16 points, while Chris Anderson posted 15 points and 10 rebounds -- including a half-court three at the end of the third quarter.

Anthony Carter provided 13 points for Denver.

Dirk Nowitzki had game-highs of 44 points and 14 rebounds for the Mavericks, who have lost three straight. Jason Terry added 16 points, while Brandon Bass was the only other Dallas player in double-figures with 10.

Trailing by six at the outset of the fourth, Dallas tied the game at 86 on Terry's basket with five minutes left.

Billups answered with a deep three, but Terry knocked down a three to give the Mavs their first lead, 93-91, since early in the first quarter with 2:11 to play.

Each team added two points, and Nene tied the game on a layup with 51.6 seconds left.

Off a Dallas turnover, Carter scored an uncontested basket with 28.0 seconds on the clock to put Denver up two, but Nowitzki responded with an emphatic dunk to knot the game again with 19.6 seconds to go.

Billups was fouled with 2.2 seconds left on the ensuing possession and drained both free throws; with no timeouts, the Mavs desperation inbounds play failed, and Denver took the victory.

Nene tallied nine points in the opening quarter, and the Nuggets led, 33-26, heading into the second.

Denver led, 60-47, at halftime.

The Nuggets scored the first four points of the third to take a 17-point lead, but Dallas climbed all the way back, cutting its deficit to only one on a Bass dunk with 1:35 to go in the frame.

Jose Barea tied the game at 72 on a free throw, but Denver scored six points in the final 1.1 seconds of the third to take a six-point lead. Jones converted a three-point play, and Anderson intercepted the inbounds pass and drained a half-court three-pointer at the buzzer.

Game Notes

Jason Kidd had two points, seven assists and nine rebounds for Dallas...Denver will also host Orlando and Phoenix on its homestand...The Mavs' Josh Howard sat out with a sprained wrist, while the Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony continued to sit out with a broken hand...Denver leads the season series, 3-0.