Wade gets 22, Heat flex defensive muscle and deal Denver 1st loss of season, 96-88

Heat deal Nuggets 1st loss of year, 96-88

MIAMI — Dwyane Wade scored 22 points, Jermaine O’Neal added 18 and the Miami Heat dealt the Denver Nuggets their first loss of the season, 96-88 on Friday night.

Mario Chalmers scored 16 points, Quentin Richardson added 13 and Udonis Haslem finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat, who are 5-1 for only the third time in their 22 seasons and beat Denver for the first time since Dec. 17, 2004.

Denver (5-1) got 30 points from Carmelo Anthony. Take away Anthony, and the Nuggets shot only 12 for 35 through the first 36 minutes, getting outscored 14-0 over a 6-minute stretch spanning the late second and early third quarters.

Arron Afflalo scored 18 for the Nuggets, held more than 27 points below their season scoring average.