DENVER: LeBron James celebrated his 29th birthday by scoring 26 points and adding 10 assists Monday to spark the reigning NBA champion Miami Heat over the Denver Nuggets 97-94.

The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player helped the Heat improve to 24-7 while the Nuggets lost their seventh game in a row, the team’s longest such skid since April of 2003, and fell to 14-16.

James missed the Heat’s win at Portland on Saturday with left ankle and right groin issues and was a game-time decision against Denver, but responded with a solid performance, although netting fewer points than his NBA average of 35 points in games on his birthday.

“Great road win,” James said. “We came in with a mindset that we wanted to end 2013 on the right note and we did.

“They made a run and we were able to withstand that and get a great road win.” Dwyane Wade scored 12 points for the Heat but departed in the third quarter with back spasms and did not return.

Chris Bosh added 17 points for Miami while Ty Lawson led Denver with 26 points.

Lawson sank a 3-pointer to put Denver ahead 91-90 but James answered with a jumper to put the Heat on top for good.

Ray Allen, who came off the Heat bench to score 13 points, followed with a basket before Wilson Chandler’s dunk pulled the Nuggets within 93-92.

Miami’s Michael Beasley answered with a 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining to give the Heat a 96-92 edge.

Randy Foye hit a layup for Denver but Allen added a free throw to put Miami ahead by the final margin.

Lawson missed a 3-pointer but the Nuggets grabbed the ball to set up a last-second shot. The opportunity was squandered when Denver could not inbounds the ball within five seconds, committing a turnover to seal Miami’s triumph.

“Heck of a shot by Beas down the stretch,” James said. “Everybody made a contribution.

“We believe everyone can make a big contribution. We trust everyone. He made a great shot and we got a big win.”- — Pelicans 110, Trail Blazers 108 Sixth man Tyreke Evans nailed an 18-foot jumper with 1.9 seconds left after Jrue Holiday scored 15 of his game-high 31 points in the fourth quarter to lift the New Orleans Pelicans past the Portland Trail Blazers.

Evans’ game-winner for the Pelicans came after Portland point guard Damian Lillard tied the game on a 28-foot three-pointer with 10.9 seconds left.

Lillard scored 29 points for Portland while forward LaMarcus Aldridge scored 28.

Mavericks 100, Timberwolves 98: Shawn Marion scored a season-high 32 points including two clutch three-pointers in the fourth quarter as the Dallas Mavericks held off the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Minnesota, down by 21 early in the third quarter, rallied to take a three-point lead early in the fourth before Dallas made the final push that included consecutive three-pointers by Marion that put his team in front 95-90.

Minnesota forward Kevin Love scored 36 points and pulled down 11 rebounds while guard Kevin Martin scored 19 points.

Bulls 95, Grizzlies 91: Jimmy Butler scored a season-high 26 points as the Chicago Bulls defeated the Memphis Grizzlies.

Memphis cut an 18-point second half deficit down to a point, at 72-71, with 9:01 to play in the fourth but were never able to even the score with the Bulls.

Point guard Mike Conley led Memphis with 26 points, nine assists and a season-high six steals.

Wizards 106, Pistons 99: John Wall scored 29 points, his seventh consecutive game with at least 20 points, as the Washington Wizards defeated the Detroit Pistons for the second time in three days.

Washington erased a 12-point, second-half deficit to win for the fifth time in six games.

The Wizards opened the fourth quarter with 11 unanswered points to take an 89-87 lead that set up victory.

Forward Greg Monroe led the Pistons with 22 points. He added 10 rebounds.

Jazz 83, Bobcats 80: Derrick Favors made a go-ahead dunk with 58 seconds remaining and point guard Trey Burke scored the final two of his 21 points on a late layup to lift the Utah Jazz to a victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.

Burke’s basket with 19 seconds remaining put Utah ahead 80-77 and barely beat the shot clock.

Former Jazz center Al Jefferson tried to tie the game with a three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining but missed.

Suns 107, Clippers 88: Goran Dragic scored 26 points as the Suns handed the Los Angeles Clippers their worst loss of the season.

Phoenix (19-11) snapped the Clippers’ five-game home winning streak and pulled to within a half-game of Los Angeles for the Pacific division lead.

Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford led Los Angeles with 15 points each but the Clippers (21-12) were outscored 31-16 in the second quarter and never recovered.