This time, in the final seconds, the Nuggets came up with the big shot.

Guard Arron Afflalo capped his big fourth quarter with a 19-foot jumper as time expired Thursday night to give the Nuggets a 121-120 come-from-behind win over the Dallas Mavericks at the Pepsi Center.

Afflalo’s basket helped the Nuggets atone for a loss Wednesday night in which they couldn’t score with eight seconds remaining against Golden State.

Thursday, Denver had to draw up the final play without its best player. Forward Carmelo Anthony, who scored a game-high 42 points, fouled out with 19.6 seconds remaining and the game tied at 119.

Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki missed the first but made the second free throw off the Anthony foul to set up the Nuggets’ final possession. Afflalo, who scored 19 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, took a pass from Chauncey Billups before sinking the game-winner at the buzzer.

Afflalo said it was his first buzzer-beater in the NBA or college. He was in the spot Anthony would have been in, had he not fouled out.

“When he passed it to me with about three seconds left, I knew I had enough time to get a one-dribble pull up off, and at that point it was just about getting a clean look and shooting a comfortable shot,” Afflalo said.

If not for Afflalo’s late heroics, it would have been a game that otherwise would have given fans at the Pepsi Center reason to dread the prospect of basketball without Anthony, who continues to be the subject of trade talks as the Feb. 24 league deadline approaches.

Anthony’s 42 points included 10 in the fourth quarter to lead Denver back to a tie in the final minute.

The Nuggets trailed 103-90 with 8:44 left in the game, and 119-110 with 2:51 remaining.

“My body feels good. I just feel good, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, I just feel good. My legs, I got my legs back,” said Anthony, who has scored 121 points in the past three games. “As far as me and my feeling for the game, I feel great right now.”

Billups nearly doubled his season average with 30 points, but 18 of those came in the first quarter as the Nuggets built a 15-point lead against the NBA’s hottest team. Dallas was on a 10-game winning streak coming in.

When Billups, who hit four first-quarter 3-pointers, went to the bench early in the second quarter, the Nuggets’ lead all but disappeared. Dallas’ bench players, led by guard J.J. Barea, outscored the Nuggets’ reserves 33-7 in the first half as Dallas climbed to within one point, 59-58, at halftime.

“I think there are games in the year that you remember, and this will be in that slate. Come June, you’ll talk about some of the crazy games, and I’m sure this will come to everyone’s memory,” head coach George Karl said. “And sometimes you can use the confidence and the karma of the game and get the funk out and think good thoughts and hopefully get a couple on the road.”

Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com

Afflalo’s fourth quarter: 19 points



6-of-9 field goals



3-of-4 3-pointers



4-of-4 free throws

Nuggets Recap

What you might have missed

J.R. Smith didn’t score, stopping a streak of 40 straight games of at least a point. The last time Smith did not score was on Nov. 16 against the New York Knicks. . . . The Nuggets won for the first time in a game in which Carmelo Anthony fouled out. They are now 1-12 in that situation. . . . The Nuggets’ bench was outscored 72-12 by Dallas. But Nuggets starters outscored Mavs starters 109-48. . . . Former Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall was at the game in his first visit back since leaving for Miami.

Final thought

Fantastic fourth quarter and game-winner by one of the NBA’s good guys.

Up next

at Memphis, Sunday, 4 p.m.

Chris Dempsey, The Denver Post