DENVER » One night after his step-back jumper beat Milwaukee, Manu Ginobili’s defense handed the San Antonio Spurs a 113-112 win over the Denver Nuggets.

Ginobili sparked the Spurs to a big fourth-quarter lead and he drew the foul that negated Carmelo Anthony’s winning basket in San Antonio’s escape last night.

"I knew Carmelo was going to attack the rim," Ginobili said. "We were not going to let him take that open shot. Antonio (McDyess) made him a driver and I was in the right position. It’s my job to be there and try to draw a charge. When he jumped I knew I was going to get it because I was right outside the circle.

"I definitely didn’t want to make any doubts for the refs. A guy that explosive, it’s hard to stop and pull up. I knew I was right out of the circle and he got me right in the chest."

Anthony, who led Denver with 31 points, thought he had the game-winning play, not Ginobili.

"No, obviously what I think and what they called are two different things. I thought I made a great play. I took advantage of how Richard (Jefferson) was guarding, attacked. I don’t think I could’ve got a better look at it than that," Anthony said.

"It’s tough, you know, just going out there playing as hard as we played out there and to lose the game on something like that."

The bizarre finish capped a frenetic finish in which the Nuggets erased a nine-point deficit with 6 minutes left.

The Spurs led 111-108 with 8 seconds to go when Anthony got behind the defense for a dunk. McDyess’ inbounds pass was deflected by J.R. Smith off Ginobili’s head and into the arms of Anthony, whose basket gave the Nuggets a 112-111 lead with 7.1 seconds left.

Ginobili’s running bank shot at 4.2 seconds put the Spurs back on top 113-112.

After a timeout, Anthony got the inbounds pass from Ty Lawson and drove the lane past Jefferson, but Ginobili slid over and drew the foul as Anthony’s shot fluttered through the net at the buzzer and the crowd went crazy.

Official Haywoode Workman waved off the basket for an offensive foul.

Nuggets coach George Karl was crestfallen over the call.

"It’s a play that I think goes either way a lot," Karl said. "It seemed like the referees, they like to hit us with tough calls. It was a tough call. Good play. Good basketball. Melo made a great play. It’s close. I’ve seen it called both ways."

But at the buzzer?

Told that TV analyst Scott Hastings said he hadn’t seen that in his nearly three decades watching NBA basketball, Karl said, "I’d probably agree with Scott."

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said: "I never even saw it. I just saw Carmelo barreling to the rim and I’m thinking, ‘Oh my god."’

Nets 97, Wizards 89

Devin Harris had 29 points and nine assists and Brook Lopez added 18 points to lead New Jersey past Washington to snap an eight-game losing streak.

The loss was the 13th straight on the road this season for the Wizards (6-18), who played without top overall draft pick John Wall and forward Andray Blatche, both of whom sat out the game with knee problems.

Celtics 102, Hawks 90

Kevin Garnett had 17 points and 14 rebounds — one of three Boston players with a double-double — to lead the host Celtics to their 12th straight win.

Paul Pierce had 15 points and 10 assists and Glen "Big Baby" Davis had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Ray Allen scored 18 points and Nate Robinson had 14 for the Celtics (21-4).

Marvin Williams had a season-best 26 points and Jeff Teague scored 18 for the Hawks.

NBA STANDINGS

EASTERN CONFERENCE

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Today
Cleveland at Indiana, 2 p.m.
Miami at New York, 2 p.m.
L.A. Lakers at Philadelphia, 2 p.m.
New Jersey at Toronto, 2 p.m.
Charlotte at Atlanta, 2:30 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Detroit, 2:30 p.m.
Utah at New Orleans, 3 p.m.
Sacramento at Oklahoma City, 3 p.m.
Memphis at Houston, 3:30 p.m.
Phoenix at Dallas, 4:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Portland, 5 p.m.

Tomorrow
Philadelphia at Orlando, 2 p.m.
Miami at Washington, 2 p.m.
New York at Cleveland, 2:30 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Chicago, 3 p.m.
Utah at Milwaukee, 3:30 p.m.
Memphis at San Antonio, 3:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Denver, 4 p.m.
Golden State at Portland, 5 p.m.

CELTICS 102, HAWKS 90

ATLANTA

Smith 0-8 1-2 1, Horford 4-7 0-0 8, Collins 0-0 0-0 0, Bibby 5-9 0-0 11, Williams 9-15 7-9 26, Powell 3-6 0-0 6, Teague 8-11 2-3 18, Pachulia 2-3 6-6 10, Wilkins 2-4 3-4 7, Evans 0-2 0-0 0, Jo.Crawford 1-3 0-0 3. Totals 34-68 19-24 90.

BOSTON

Pierce 5-15 3-4 15, Garnett 8-10 1-1 17, Erden 5-6 0-2 10, Robinson 6-15 0-0 14, Allen 7-13 2-2 18, Davis 8-15 2-2 18, Daniels 3-5 0-0 6, Bradley 0-0 0-0 0, Harangody 2-4 0-0 4, Wafer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 44-83 8-11 102.

3-Point Goals–Atlanta 3-10 (Jo.Crawford 1-2, Williams 1-3, Bibby 1-3, Evans 0-1, Smith 0-1), Boston 6-18 (Pierce 2-5, Allen 2-6, Robinson 2-7). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Atlanta 42 (Horford 7), Boston 39 (Garnett 14). Assists–Atlanta 16 (Bibby 8), Boston 28 (Pierce 10). Total Fouls–Atlanta 15, Boston 17. Technicals–Bibby, Horford, Atlanta defensive three second. Flagrant Fouls–Davis. A–18,624 (18,624).

NETS 97, WIZARDS 89

WASHINGTON (89)

Thornton 6-14 5-6 18, Booker 2-8 7-8 11, McGee 1-5 0-0 2, Hinrich 5-10 0-0 10, Arenas 8-19 0-0 19, Armstrong 2-5 0-2 4, Young 6-14 9-10 22, Seraphin 1-1 0-0 2, Gee 0-0 0-0 0, N’diaye 0-0 1-2 1, Martin 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 31-78 22-28 89.

NEW JERSEY (97)

Ross 1-4 3-6 5, Humphries 5-7 2-4 12, Lopez 6-12 6-8 18, Harris 7-25 14-17 29, Farmar 3-5 3-4 9, Outlaw 3-8 7-8 13, Uzoh 1-1 0-0 2, Favors 2-3 0-0 4, Petro 1-4 0-0 2, Graham 0-2 0-0 0, Murphy 1-3 0-0 3. Totals 30-74 35-47 97.

3-Point Goals–Washington 5-17 (Arenas 3-10, Thornton 1-1, Young 1-3, Hinrich 0-1, Martin 0-2), New Jersey 2-8 (Murphy 1-1, Harris 1-5, Outlaw 0-1, Farmar 0-1). Fouled Out–Arenas. Rebounds–Washington 45 (Booker 9), New Jersey 64 (Humphries 17). Assists–Washington 17 (Arenas 9), New Jersey 15 (Harris 9). Total Fouls–Washington 37, New Jersey 25. Technicals–Arenas, Washington defensive three second 2. A–10,764 (18,500).

SPURS 113, NUGGETS 112

SAN ANTONIO

Jefferson 4-6 2-4 13, Duncan 12-18 4-6 28, Blair 3-4 0-0 6, Parker 9-19 6-8 24, Ginobili 5-15 4-4 16, Hill 1-5 0-0 2, Bonner 3-4 1-2 10, Quinn 1-2 0-0 2, Neal 2-7 1-1 6, Udoka 0-0 0-0 0, McDyess 3-3 0-0 6. Totals 43-83 18-25 113.

DENVER

Anthony 10-20 10-14 31, Williams 1-6 0-0 2, Nene 7-14 5-6 19, Lawson 6-10 2-2 15, Afflalo 8-12 2-2 20, Harrington 4-9 1-2 12, Smith 3-6 6-7 12, Carter 0-1 0-0 0, Forbes 0-3 1-2 1. Totals 39-81 27-35 112.

3-Point Goals–San Antonio 9-26 (Jefferson 3-4, Bonner 3-4, Ginobili 2-10, Neal 1-5, Parker 0-1, Hill 0-2), Denver 7-14 (Harrington 3-6, Afflalo 2-3, Anthony 1-1, Lawson 1-2, Smith 0-1, Forbes 0-1). Fouled Out–Nene. Rebounds–San Antonio 50 (Duncan 16), Denver 47 (Anthony 9). Assists–San Antonio 26 (Parker 9), Denver 20 (Lawson 7). Total Fouls–San Antonio 29, Denver 23. Technicals–San Antonio defensive three second, Denver defensive three second. A–16,190 (19,155).