Nuggets close in on playoff spot

DENVER -- Sixth man J.R. Smith’s 23-point effort sparked the Denver Nuggets to a 111-94 rout of the Houston Rockets on Sunday night that both clarified and cluttered the wild Western Conference playoff race.

“That’s all he’s got to do is come into the game and the energy is there,” said Allen Iverson, who scored 33 points.

Now all the Nuggets have to do to reach the playoffs for the fifth straight time is beat Memphis on Wednesday at home.

Denver (49-32) moved half a game ahead of Golden State for the final Western Conference playoff spot. The Nuggets might even be able to catch Dallas for the seventh spot if the Mavericks lose at home to New Orleans on Wednesday night.

The fifth-place Rockets (54-26) can still get the West’s top spot but they must win out and have other teams lose.