Brewer rallies Nuggets over Sixers, stretch winning streak

Chicago Bulls’ Carlos Boozer (right) goes to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers’ Meyers Leonard during the second half of their NBA basketball game in Chicago, Illinois, on Thursday. (Reuters)

DPA/Los Angeles

Corey Brewer poured in a career-high 29 points, including three free throws with 2.1 seconds left, and the Denver Nuggets ran their NBA-franchise-best winning streak to 14 games, in a dramatic 101-100 victory over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night.

Trailing by five with 14 seconds left, the Nuggets went to Brewer, who buried a three-pointer from the left wing with 9.2 ticks remaining to pull the hosts to 100-98.

After Evan Turner blew a pair of free throws at the other end with 7.2 seconds remaining, Brewer calmly knocked down the go-ahead free throws after getting decked by Damien Wilkins on his three-point attempt.

The Sixers had a final shot to win but Anthony Randolph blocked Wilkins’ jumper at the buzzer, sending the Nuggets to their 16th straight win at home.

Andre Miller netted 21 points and Andre Iguodala added 12 against his former team for the Nuggets, who clinched their 10th consecutive playoff appearance despite the absence of starting guard Ty Lawson (left heel bruise) and top backup Wilson Chandler (separated shoulder).

Wilkins scored a season-high 24, while Jrue Holliday had 18 with 15 assists for the Sixers, who suffered their 14th consecutive road loss.

Elsewhere, LaMarcus Aldridge scored 28 points, Damian Lillard added 24, and JJ Hickson grabbed 21 rebounds, leading the visiting Portland Trail Blazers to a 99-89 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Joakim Noah netted 18 points, while Carlos Boozer added 16 and 11 rebounds for Chicago, which trailed 80-53 after three quarters.

Isaiah Thomas tossed in 24 points, Tyreke Evans added 11 of his

21 in the final quarter, and the Sacramento Kings held off the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 101-98.

Montenegrin Nikola Pekovic had 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Spaniard Ricky Rubio finished with 12 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the T-wolves, losers of nine in a row on the road.

Meanwhile, Chicago Bulls superstar Derrick Rose still isn’t sure when he’ll come back from his knee injury.

The former MVP point guard sounded like a player who just might miss the entire season, though he said he hasn’t experienced any setbacks in his recovery. He said Thursday that he’s still experiencing some soreness in his surgically repaired left knee and hasn’t set a target date for his return.

‘’It could be tomorrow and I feel like I can play the next game,’’ Rose said as the Bulls practiced before Thursday night’s game against Portland. ‘’Nobody knows but God.’’

Rose hasn’t played since he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during last year’s playoff opener against Philadelphia, an injury that sent the top-seeded Bulls toward a first-round exit. He had surgery in May, and his status has been a running soap opera surrounding this team.

His brother and manager Reggie Rose ripped the Bulls for standing pat at the trade deadline in an interview with ESPNChicago.com, saying it could be a ‘’big factor’’ in whether Derrick plays this season. Then, the website reported two weeks ago that Derrick Rose had been medically cleared to play but told the team he won’t until he can dunk with confidence off his left foot.