NBA Playoffs : Fast Start by Nuggets Finishes Jazz, 116-104

Denver forward Calvin Natt scored 11 of his 21 points in the first five minutes to ignite a surge that eventually produced a 30-point lead, and the Nuggets held on for a 116-104 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night to clinch their National Basketball Assn. series.

Denver, which won the best-of-seven conference semifinal series, 4-1, will meet the Lakers for the Western Conference championship.

The Nuggets, despite the loss of point-guard Lafayette Lever to a knee injury, jumped to a 43-23 lead at the end of the first quarter. Natt, hitting two jump shots from the key and muscling inside for his other baskets, staked Denver to an 18-8 advantage with 7:05 left in the opening quarter.

Natt hit all five of his field-goal attempts, and Alex English was 5 for 6 in the quarter as Denver raced to its big advantage over the Jazz, who were plagued by 10 turnovers in the period.

Natt had 11 points in the quarter and English 12.

English’s fast-break basket made it 69-39 late in the second quarter, but Utah guard Rickey Green sparked a Jazz rally late in the third quarter. Utah scored 16 straight points, seven by Green, to draw within 90-77 with 2:21 left in the quarter.

Rookie Willie White’s three-pointer padded Denver’s lead to 97-79 at the the end of the quarter. The Jazz eventually cut the margin to eight points on a turn-around basket by Darrell Griffith with 2:35 remaining in the game, but White scored on a basket underneath and English sank a 14-foot jumper as Denver eased out to a 12-point lead and the victory.

English finished with 30 points, while Mike Evans came off the bench to get 16. Wayne Copper added 15. White, in only his third start of the season, had 13 points.

Green paced Utah with 22 points, followed by Griffith with 20 and Thurl Bailey with 19.