Denver, CO -- (Sports Network) - Allen Iverson scored 23 points, handed out 10 assists and hit the game-sealing free throws as the Denver Nuggets survived multiple rallies by the Sacramento Kings to earn a 101-97 victory at the Pepsi Center.

Up eight with 4:20 to go in the game, Denver saw its lead whittled to 96-95 with under two minutes left following a Mikki Moore jumper. Kenyon Martin hit a pair of free throws on the other end to make it 98-95, and the Nuggets then forced Kings turnovers on the next three possessions.

Marcus Camby got his hand on a Ron Artest pass, and on the next defensive trip Anthony Carter stripped Beno Udrih and hit a free throw that gave Denver a 99-95 lead with 50 ticks on the clock. Martin then forced a jump ball and beat Artest on the ensuing tap, but Artest came up with a steal on the other end that led to two free throws from Francisco Garcia to make it 99-97.

Denver regained possession with 27 seconds left, but Iverson got caught in the air and committed a potentially costly turnover, throwing the ball up for grabs. Udrih scooped up the steal and hit Artest on the break, but Artest passed up an apparent lay-in to kick for Garcia outside the three-point line. Garcia's shot clanged off the back rim and went out of bounds with less than a second remaining.

A botched Sacramento inbounds play and a pair of Iverson free throws later, Denver finally had the win secured.

Martin finished with a season-high 20 points to go with 12 rebounds, while Carter had 17 and Carmelo Anthony went for 14. Denver has won four of its last five, and improved to 9-3 at home on the season.

"Winning ugly is part of the NBA," Nuggets head coach George Karl said. "I thought our passing and cutting was very ordinary."

John Salmons led the Kings with 25 points and six rebounds, and Udrih had 24 and seven assists. Garcia dropped 21 and Artest had 10 to go with 11 assists, but Sacramento dropped its second straight to fall to 0-8 on the road.

"We had shots down the stretch," lamented Kings head coach Reggie Theus. "And defensively we took them out of what they wanted to do, but we just couldn't get over the hump."

Neither team led by more than five during a back-and-forth opening quarter, and the game was tied 34-34 heading to the second. Denver used a 13-5 run to close the half, capped by four straight Iverson free throws, and led 59-47 at intermission.

Denver led 65-52 with 9:39 to go in the third after a Carter bucket, but Sacramento embarked on a 26-8 run to take a 78-73 lead with just a minute and a half to go in the stanza. Camby then provided a tip-in and J.R. Smith nailed a three from the corner as the buzzer sounded, and the game went to the fourth knotted at 78.

Camby finished with eight points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots for Denver, which outworked the Kings on the glass 45-34.

Game Notes

The Kings committed 11 fourth-quarter turnovers, and had 22 giveaways for the game; Denver committed a season-high 24 itself...Moore had 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Kings, while Brad Miller had seven before fouling out...Denver has won three straight overall against the Kings.