The AP reports: J.R. Smith had a career-high 45 points and franchise-best 11 3-pointers to help the Denver Nuggets clinch the Northwest Division title and home-court edge in the playoffs for the first time in 21 years with a 118-98 win over the Sacramento Kings on Monday night… Smith was so hot down the stretch, when he single-handedly turned a nail-biter into a laugher, that the Kings resorted to fouling him intentionally so he wouldn’t get off 3-pointers. Twice he did anyway, and he sank all three foul shots both times… Carmelo Anthony had 21 points, nine assists and nine rebounds in 32 minutes against Sacramento, which was led by Ike Diogu’s career-best 32 points.Center Spencer Hawes injured his left knee on a flagrant foul by Kenyon Martin in the first quarter and did not return.
