Nuggets at Cavaliers final score: Cleveland wins 98-88

The Cleveland Cavaliers rode a hot start to a 98-88 victory over the Denver Nuggets, snapping the Nuggets’ seven game winning streak.

Cavaliers’ point guard Kyrie Irving scored 23 points while forward Tristan Thompson had 17 points and pulled down a career-high 21 rebounds.

Guard Randy Foye had a team-high 16 points and J.J. Hickson scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Nuggets.

Cavaliers’ center Andrew Bynum, who told reporters he is likely going to feel a pain in his knee for the remainder of the season, got up 15 shots in 20 minutes. He hit six of those field goal attempts and finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.  Anderson Varejao, who also spent much of last season sidelined with an injury, had a season-high 18 points and 13 rebounds. Both are obviously very positive signs for the Cavaliers.

The Nuggets were playing the third game of a six game road trip and were on the second night of a back-to-back. They showed some fatigue in the game.

The Cavaliers, who improved to 6-12 with the win, will be in Atlanta to take on the Hawks Friday. The loss dropped the Nuggets to 11-7. They’ll be back in action Friday when they travel to Boston to take on the Celtics.