DENVER -- Al Harrington said it was the topic of conversation when the game-weary Indiana Pacers convened for breakfast Wednesday.

The topic: How to avoid squandering a double-digit lead as the team had done in Portland the night before.

"It's been burning inside since we left Portland," said Harrington, one of the Pacers who rekindled the fire into passionate on-court play in a 99-85 win over the Denver Nuggets.

"We knew we had to play better defense and stop turning the ball over so much."