DENVER - The Denver Nuggets were struggling and scuffling when they left for the road a week ago. Five games later they look like the team coach Brian Shaw envisioned.Kenneth Faried and Arron Afflalo scored 19 points each, Wilson Chandler had 18 and Denver beat the New Orleans Pelicans 117-97 on Friday night.Danilo Gallinari had 17 points and JaVale McGee 14 for the Nuggets, who have won four of their last five after starting the season 1-6. They took two of three on the road last weekend and have won two straight at Pepsi Center to even their home record at 3-3.We still have a long way to go, Shaw said. It took longer than we would have liked but its nice to see it coming together.Anthony Davis led the Pelicans with 18 points and nine rebounds. It was the first time in eight games Davis has failed to eclipse 20 points.We just have to move on, Davis said. Youre going to have games like this.Davis looked like he was going to have a big night when he scored 10 points in the first quarter. The Pelicans led by 14-2 in the first four minutes, but a timeout by Shaw and a threat to bring in the bench got the starters motivated.We started playing a little defence, got the lead back and control of the game, guard Ty Lawson said. We all knew it was being lazy. Just gave the extra effort and it got better.Denver rallied to tie it at 18-all midway through the first. The Nuggets used an 11-0 run that spanned the first and second quarters to take a 37-26 lead.They never trailed again.The advantage grew to 50-34 on two free throws by Gallinari. Jrue Holidays 3-pointer got New Orleans within nine late in the second but the Nuggets led 59-49 at halftime.Gallinaris 17 points were a season high for the forward, who is coming off two ACL surgeries on his left knee.If you dont play basketball for 19 months, trust me, its not easy to come back, he said. You think it is but it is not.The Pelicans got within eight in the third quarter but Denver began to pull away behind Chandler. He scored six straight points, including a 3-pointer with 8:46 left, to put the Nuggets ahead 98-77.We have an identity, New Orleans coach Monty Williams said. When we stray away from that, we get this result.McGee had three dunks and Nate Robinson hit another 3-pointer to put Denver up 107-83 midway through the fourth.___GOOD LUCK SMOOCHMcGee gave the crowd a laugh when he fell into the courtside seats trying to save a ball in the second quarter. Before he got up he planted a kiss on a female fan.Thats my Buddha, McGee said. I dont know her name but thats my Buddha.SCUFFED PAINTNew Orleans came into Fridays game leading the NBA in points in the paint but was outscored 52-32 in the lane.They got all the 50-50 balls, Davis said. They turned them into a layup or a dunk or a three. Something good for them.TIP INSPelicans: Center Omer Asik re-aggravated his back during warm-ups and was a late scratch from the lineup. He has now missed three straight games with the injury. ... New Orleans is averaging an NBA-low 10.9 turnovers a game. In Tuesdays win over Sacramento, the Pelicans had a season-low six turnovers. They had eight in the first 15 minutes against Denver and didnt have another for 12 minutes. They finished with 13, one off their season high.Nuggets: The Nuggets entered Friday averaging just 13.8 turnovers a game. That would stand as the best in franchise history for a full season. They had 10 against New Orleans. ... In Denvers four wins before Friday, Chandler was averaging 13.3 points and 6.5 rebounds a game. ... Lawson is fifth on the franchise list in assists. He trails Michael Adams by 57 for fourth. ... Eight players played 20 or more minutes for Denver.UP NEXTBulls: At Utah on Saturday night.Nuggets: At L.A. Lakers on Sunday night. 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Watching them over the past year - and in some cases, two years - has given us a starting point for this seasons Craigs List.DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Colby Rasmus drove in two runs, Dioner Navarro hit an RBI double and the Toronto Blue Jays topped the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 on Friday. Pedro Alvarez doubled twice and scored both runs for Pittsburgh. Rasmus hit an RBI single in the first inning off Gerrit Cole. Navarros double scored Rasmus. Cole struck out two and gave up three hits in two innings. After spending last season with the Chicago Cubs, Navarro signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Blue Jays in the off-season. Navarro, who batted .300 with 13 home runs for the Cubs, said he has been taking extra swings to improve at the plate. His main focus, however, is getting to know the pitching staff. "Every time I get the opportunity, I jump in the cage. But right now its all about the pitchers," Navarro said. "Especially with me coming to a new team (and) seeing a lot of new faces. Its all about them. I will get my swings in. I will do my work." Blue Jays starter Mark Buehrle allowed one earned run in two innings. He gave up two hits, one walk and struck out one. Blue Jays outfield prospect Ricardo Nanita hit an RBI triple in the eighth. Matt Hague hit an RBI single and Gaby Sanchez doubled for the Pirates. Toronto star Jose Bautista, who homered and doubled twice in the first two exhibition games, was given the day off. STARTING TIME Blue Jays: Buehrle threw 43 pitches. He said his command was good overall, but he felt like he had trouble keeping his sinker in the strike zone. "I wasnt happy with how sharp it was today," he said. "I wasnt throwing too many sinkers for strikes. But its the first outing. Things are going to turn and get better as we go along." Manager John Gibbons disagreed and said the left-hander looked better than he did during camp last season. "I thought Buehrle for his first start was really good," Gibbons said. "I told him I thought he was a little sharper in this camp than he was (at the same point) last year.ddddddddddddIt showed today, thats a good sign." Pirates: Cole had a rocky first inning, giving up three hits and two runs. But the right-hander settled down in the second, striking out Dan Johnson and Ryan Goins and getting Maicer Izturis on a grounder. "I dont overcook their first outing," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of his pitchers. "They need to get out there. They need to reacquaint themselves with adrenaline, mound, rhythm and all that." "I thought Coles second inning was much more effective, just in terms of downhill plane, getting the ball downhill, mixing in the breaking ball." HAPPY TO BE BACK For the first time since sustaining a season-ending forearm injury last May, right-hander Brandon Morrow appeared in a game with the Blue Jays. Morrow allowed two hits and one run in two innings. He said he felt comfortable on the mound and was happy to finally see game action. "I felt great. I felt on time with my delivery," he said. "I was most happy with the life I had on my fastball and did what I wanted to." Navarro said he felt Morrow had strong command of his pitches, despite giving up a run. "He kept the ball down good, threw a couple good sliders and a couple good splitters," Navarro said. "I know people want to see zeroes on the board, but these guys are locating their fastball and then working off the fastball. As spring training goes on, velocity is going to go up." TRAINERS ROOM Sergio Santos was scheduled to appear in relief for the Blue Jays on Friday, but the right-hander was told to stay home after getting a stomach virus on Thursday night. Santos, who was 1-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 29 appearances last season, is expected to return to the Blue Jays on Saturday. His first outing has been rescheduled for March 4 against Philadelphia in Clearwater. Chad Jenkins took Santos place and allowed no hits in one inning of relief. 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