Chauncey Billups scored 31 points and Carmelo Anthony added 24 as Denver held Oklahoma City without a basket for the final 9 minutes while finishing the game on a 22-5 run.
The Nuggets are chasing the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Thunder's Kevin Durant scored 33 points but missed a shot that would've tied the score in the final 10 seconds.
Anthony followed that with two free throws to clinch it with 6.8 seconds left.
In Phoenix, the hosts stayed tied for second in the Western Conference by dominating San Antonio.
Amare Stoudemire scored 29 points and Jason Richardson added 20 in Phoenix's 11th victory in 12 games.
Roger Mason led six Spurs in double figures with 18 points. San Antonio lost its first game in five to fall into a three-way tie for the West's final three playoff spots.
In Houston, Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin scored 28 points apiece as Houston defeated Utah.
Brooks hit five 3-pointers and has 197 this season, a new franchise record.
Rick Adelman became the 11th coach to reach 900 career victories.
Utah was led by Carlos Boozer's 18 points and 11 rebounds.
The Jazz slipped to fifth in the West.
In Dallas, Caron Butler scored 23 points and Dirk Nowitzki added 22 points and nine rebounds as Dallas crushed Memphis.
The Mavericks opened a three-game lead atop the Southwest Division and moved into a three-way tie for second place in the West.
Rudy Gay scored 23 points for Memphis, which lost its ninth in a row away at Dallas.
In Toronto, Boston capitalized on another injury to a Toronto player.
Following Chris Bosh's facial fracture the previous day, the Raprots lost Hedo Turkoglu in the first quarter Wednesday in a clash of heads that left the Turk with a cut nose and he was taken to hospital for a scan.
Rajon Rondo scored 21 points and Paul Pierce had 20 as the Celtics won their eighth straight over Toronto, sweeping the series for the second consecutive season.
Sonny Weems scored a career-high 21 for the Raptors.
In Orlando, Florida, Orlando boosted its chances of home-court advantage in a possible NBA finals series by thrashing Washington.
Dwight Howard had 17 points and 10 rebounds, while J.J.
Redick and Mickael Pietrus added 16 points apiece.
The Magic moved within a half-game of the West-leading Los Angeles Lakers in overall standings - a crucial stat if Orlando can make it all the way to the finals.
Washington was lead by Nick Young's 21 points.
In New Orleans, Charlotte clinched its first playoff berth since its founding six years ago, pipping New Orleans.
Stephen Jackson scored 29 points and D.J. Augustin hit a crucial 3-pointer with 16 seconds left for the Bobcats.
Charlotte blew a 26-point lead and trailed by as much as eight in the fourth quarter before clawing back, helped in large part by Augustin who hit three 3s in the fourth quarter.
In Los Angeles, Portland moved up two spots to sixth in the West by overcoming Los Angeles.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points and 12 rebounds and Brandon Roy added 23 for the Blazers, who have won 11 of 13 games.
In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Ben Gordon scored 22 points and made two key defensive plays in the final minute, leading injury-riddled Detroit over Atlanta.
Detroit came into the game missing starters Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton, then lost Rodney Stuckey to a first-half rib injury.
The Hawks fell into a tie with Boston for third place in the Eastern Conference.
In Miami, the hosts rallied past Philadelphia to notch a ninth straight win.
Dwyane Wade scored eight of his 22 points in the final four minutes and Dorell Wright added 19 off the bench for the Heat, which is on its longest winning streak for three years.
Samuel Dalembert put up 19 points and 16 rebounds for Philadelphia, but had two dunks disallowed in the final 34 seconds.
In Indianapolis, the hosts made it 10 wins from 11 home games by beating New York.
Danny Granger scored 33 points, and Troy Murphy had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers.
Toney Douglas scored 20 points to lead the Knicks.
In Milwaukee, John Salmons scored 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting as Milwaukee beat lowly New Jersey.
Jerry Stackhouse added 18 points for the fifth-place Bucks, who won their third straight.
Devin Harris scored 18 of his 25 points in the first quarter as New Jersey fell to 11-67, guaranteeing the Nets will finish with at least a share of the worst record in the league.
In Minneapolis, Don Nelson set the NBA career record for victories by a coach as Golden State defeated Minnesota.
Nelson won his 1,333rd career game, surpassing Lenny Wilkens to move atop the list.
Stephen Curry had 27 points, 14 assists, eight rebounds and a career-high seven steals, and Anthony Tolliver scored a career-high 34 for the Warriors, who mobbed their 69-year-old coach as the game came to a close.
Kevin Love had 17 points and 18 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
