J.R. Smith scored 23 points, including seven in the final 2:36, as the visiting Denver Nuggets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 104-96 on Wednesday.

Smith led five players in double figures as the Nuggets (48-30) won for the seventh time in eight games, and increased their lead to three games over sixth-place Portland in the Western Conference.

Denver's other three players scored nine points including Nene, who matched a season-high with 15 rebounds. Kenyon Martin had 18 points and Wilson Chandler added 16.

Shawn Marion scored 21 points and Dirk Nowitzki had 20 for the Mavericks (53-25), who have lost four straight and saw their lead on fourth-place Oklahoma City trimmed to one game.

The Nuggets led by as many as 15 in the third quarter and nine in the fourth before Dallas tied it at 94 with 2:50 left. Smith took over with a driving layup and jumper to give Denver a four-point lead, and his 3-pointer with 28 seconds left made it 103-94.

The Mavericks were without starters Jason Kidd (rest) and Tyson Chandler, who missed his second straight game because of back injury.