But this was no 16-point drubbing. With 3min remaining, the game was in the balance. If anything, the home side had the momentum and the backing of a large crowd of about 2000.
With the Nuggets trailing 69-63, the ball rolled around the hoop threatening to drop. Mark Morrison attempted to tip it in, only for the ball to lip out.
Lance Allred, in his last game for the Nuggets, gathered the ball in and launched himself towards the hoop. Mika Vukona got in the way. Sitting on four fouls, he swatted the ball away with a superb block. The Giants moved the ball up-court and Rod Grizzard rolled in a lay-up.
Instead of trailing by four, the Nuggets were down by eight and Phill Jones snuffed out any chance of a comeback with some deft touches in the final moments.
The classy shooting guard helped seal the win, scoring 16 of his 23 points in the second half. Good players find ways to score when the pressure on and there are not many better than Jones.
Darryl Dora had a solid night with 15 points and six rebounds, as did Grizzard with 12 points and eight boards.
The Giants have won the last 16 encounters between the teams and have not lost since 2002.
Craig Bradshaw did his best to break the drought and battled away with Vukona. He top-scored for the Nuggets with 19 points and grabbed 13 boards in a commanding performance.
Allred's mid-range jumper was not hitting its mark but he still scored 12 points and pulled in 10 rebounds. He leaves Dunedin on Monday bound for the US to trial with NBA team the Charlotte Bobcats.
Earlier, Bradshaw opened the scoring, leaning on Vukona and rolling in a hook shot, and Morrison drilled a three-pointer in a promising start for the home side.
But the Giants seized the momentum through two three-pointers from Michael Fitchett. The pint-sized point guard tidied up some loose ball and potted the first with the shot clock almost complete. The second was a superbly executed play with the final pass finding Fitchett unmarked on the outside.
Not content with a 21-13 lead, the Giants emerged from the break all business, scoring 13 quick points to stretch the lead to 14 points.
Bradshaw got a bonus three points from the top of the key after Vukona beat a voluntary retreat having accidentally stabbed Bradshaw in the eye with his finger.
While Vukona got away with that foul, he was soon in trouble with three before halftime. Scott O'Gallagher (13 points) did a great job getting the free-throw line and Bradshaw kept the pressure on with nine points and five rebounds in the quarter to help his side claw the gap back to six points at halftime.
But transition defence has hurt the Nuggets all season and it cost them dearly again last night. Dora, who is built for comfort not speed, swiveled around Bradshaw and tossed in a delightful hook shot. Moments later he popped in a free lay-up, having got on the end of a fast break. The old master Jones scooped in a bounce pass from Grizzard and found the basket.
Bang, 10 points as quick as a flash. Nuggets coach Alf Arlidge called a time out and got his team back on track. The gap had blown out to 16 points but the Nuggets kept fighting and got into a position to challenge for the win.
• In other games last night, Waikato stretched its winning streak to nine matches to stay atop the standings, beating Taranaki 96-81 in New Plymouth, while Wellington remains two points adrift of Waikato after beating mid-table Manawatu 90-67 in Palmerston North.
In New Plymouth: Waikato 96 (Alex Pledger 20, Hayden Allen 19), Taranaki 81 (Marcus Campbell 26, Jack Leasure 16). Halftime: 50-42.
In Palmerston North: Wellington 90 (Lindsay Tait 18, Corey Webster 18), Manawatu 67 (Darryl Hudson 17, Kaine Hokianga 12). Halftime: 52-37.
THE SCORES
• Nelson Giants 79
Phill Jones 23, Darryl Dora 15, Rod Grizzard 12
• Otago Nuggets 63
Craig Bradshaw 19, Scott O'Gallagher 13, Lance Allred 12
• Quarter 21-13, halftime 41-35, third quarter 63-54
