Utah Jazz: Beat Nuggets 114-111, even series

They were shorthanded, but not short on heart.

The injury-decimated Jazz beat Denver 114-111 Monday night at the Pepsi Center in Game 2 of their first-round NBA playoff series, tying the best-of-seven showdown at 1-1 heading into Friday's Game 3 at Utah.

Down by one at 106-105 coming out of a timeout with one minute and 43 seconds remaining, the Jazz took the lead for good with a Kyle Korver 3-pointer from the right side that made it 108-106.

Utah sealed the victory with 6-of-6 shooting from the free-throw line over the final 25.4 seconds, including two each by C.J. Miles (after Carmelo Anthony fouled out), Deron Williams (to make it 112-109) and Korver (with 6.0 seconds to go).

Denver's Chauncey Billups took a last-second 3-point attempt to try to force overtime, but it caught back rim, giving Utah the most improbable of victories considering just how hurt it was.

"They're a wounded team," Billups said. "We always say a wounded animal is the most dangerous animal."

Williams finished with a game-high 33 points, game-high 14 assists and 16-for-18 free-throw shooting for the Jazz, who also got 20 points and 11 rebounds from Carlos Boozer, 18 points off the bench from Paul Millsap, 17 from Miles and 13 from Korver.

"We needed all we could get," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said, "to try to beat this team.

"I was very proud of them," he added. "I don't say that very often."

The Jazz held Nuggets star Anthony — who scored a Denver all-time playoff high-tying 42 points in Game 1 — to 32 and 9-for-25 field shooting.

"We tried to get to (Anthony) a little bit earlier," Sloan said. "In the game before we let everybody go where they wanted to; they shot 57 percent, and we were never much of a factor trying to guard him.

"Sometimes you get tired of taking a butt-kicking and you have to step up and fight back a little bit," Sloan added, "and I thought our guys tried to do that — although we can't stop him. We try to make him work for everything he gets."

Credit Miles and rookie Wesley Matthews, who had a rough go in Game 1, for that.

"They did great," Boozer said. "They set the tone by being a little more physical with him when he crossed halfcourt."