DENVER - Tony Parker scored 26 points and Tim Duncan had 19 to help the San Antonio Spurs stave off the Denver Nuggets 92-83 Wednesday night.

Allen Iverson snapped out of his shooting slump by sinking 15-of-25 shots for 33 points for Denver.

The Nuggets got guard J.R. Smith back from a 10-game suspension for fighting, and he chipped in 12 points.

The Spurs were coming off a home game against Portland just 24 hours earlier and it showed in several missed layups, mostly by Parker, in the first three quarters.

Although Duncan added 13 rebounds, he was an uncharacteristic 3-of-10 from the line, and San Antonio had trouble putting away the Nuggets, who played one of their best games since losing star Carmelo Anthony to a 15-game suspension last month.

The Spurs didn't lead by more than six until Manu Ginobili's two free throws with 5:25 left gave them an 82-75 lead. Ginobili finished with 16 points.

Smith was at the center of the fight between the Nuggets and New York Knicks that spilled into the stands at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 16, which led to 10 ejections and seven suspensions.

Anthony, the NBA's leading scorer, got the harshest punishment, a 15-game suspension. He won't be back until Jan. 22, when Denver plays Memphis at the Pepsi Center.

Smith, who didn't start, got a loud ovation when he checked in with 5:35 remanning in the first quarter and an even louder one when he took a pass from Iverson from the top of the circle for an alley-oop dunk in the final minute of the first quarter.

Smith's rust showed in errant 3-pointers, an early traveling violation and an ill-advised behind-the-back pass that went straight to Robert Horry ¡ª just the kind of play coach George Karl had admonished him not to attempt in his first game back.

Smith also didn't get many calls despite getting hammered in the lane a few times.

The Nuggets took a 49-48 halftime lead thanks to 15 points from Iverson, but Duncan's bucket in the opening seconds of the third quarter gave San Antonio the lead for good. The Spurs took a 68-65 lead into the fourth quarter.

They built their lead to 88-80 on Parker's bucket after Ginobili swiped the ball from Marcus Camby in the lane. Camby had 9 points and 16 boards but was quiet after halftime, when he had no points and three rebounds.

Earl Boykins added 18 points for Denver.