DENVER, March 1 (Ticker) -- Juwan Howard scored 24 points and Tim Hardaway added 22 as the Denver Nuggets snapped their season-high six-game losing streak with a 96-83 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

It was the Nuggets' ninth straight win overall against the Grizzlies. They improved to 12-2 all-time against them at home.

Howard scored 22 points in the first three quarters and played just 90 seconds in the fourth quarter. Hardaway also had 22 points through three quarters and did not play in the final period.

Both Howard and Hardaway were acquired in last week's seven-player deal that sent Nick Van Exel and Raef LaFrentz to Dallas. This was Denver's first win since the trade.

NBA TV highlights from Grizzlies-Nuggets: 56k | 300k Antonio McDyess made his season debut Friday night, scoring seven points while starting at center. William R. Sallaz NBAE/Getty Images

"(Our) first win, it was good," Howard said. "A lot of positive things came out of this game. We played well in transition and passed the ball well. "

"It felt good getting back in the swing of things," Hardaway said.

"We needed to get our morale up around here after our game against Golden State (a loss on Wednesday)."

Rookie Pau Gasol scored 22 of his 26 points in the first half for the Grizzlies, who are 3 1/2 games behind the Nuggets and have the worst record in the Western Conference.

"I felt confident in the first half," Gasol said. "I felt good, I got a little frustrated in the second half not getting too many shots. But I was more worried about the team and winning and not my shots."

The game was tied 49-49 at halftime before Denver took a seven-point lead with 5:13 remaining in the third quarter. But the Nuggets scored the next 13 points to take an 80-60 lead going into the final period. Hardaway scored seven points during the spurt.

"Tim really stepped up in the third period," Nuggets coach Mike Evans said. "We played great defense in the third, limiting them to 11 points."

"They turned up the defense a notch in the third quarter," said Grizzlies rookie guard Shane Battier, who scored 10 points. "Tim Hardaway got hot and we didn't recognize it soon enough."

George McCloud scored 12 points and Calbert Cheaney added 11 for Denver, which shot 49 percent (36-of-73).

Memphis committed 21 turnovers, leading to 25 points for the Nuggets.

"We were more aggressive in the first half," Grizzlies coach Sidney Lowe said.