The AP reports: LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 points, Brandon Roy added 19 and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets 101-92 on Tuesday night. Joel Przybilla had 19 rebounds and 10 points, going 4-of-4 on free throws in the final 2:40 to help Portland (18-11) tie the Nuggets atop the Northwest Division… Linas Kleiza had 20 points, including five 3-pointers, for the Nuggets, who lost three in a row before beating Portland 97-89 on Monday night in Denver. Nene had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Chauncey Billups added 17 points on 4-of-12 shooting.
Category: Denver Nuggets Blog
Nuggets blog – Denver Nuggets blog. A great Nuggets news blog
Dec 22: Nuggets 97, Blazers 89
The AP reports: The Denver Nuggets didn’t need Carmelo Anthony’s offense to beat Portland. Their defense wouldn’t let Brandon Roy have another career night. Nene scored 19 points and had 11 rebounds, Chauncey Billups added 19 points and 10 assists, and the Nuggets’ defense shut down Roy to beat the Trail Blazers 97-89 on Monday night. Roy scored a career-high 52 points against Phoenix on Thursday, but Denver’s defense held the Portland guard to just eight points… With Roy struggling, LaMarcus Aldridge pitched in with 20 points and Travis Outlaw had 15. Greg Oden, who also was in foul trouble most of the game, fouled out with 10 points… “That’s the way it has to be,” said Kenyon Martin, who led the Nuggets with 12 rebounds. “There are some guys who have to step up and play well, which they did tonight.”
Carmelo Anthony out two games
Denver Nuggets F Carmelo Anthony will not play tonight or tomorrow night vs. Portland in order to rest his right elbow contusion.
For the season, Anthony is shooting 42.0% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range for 20.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.96 steals per game.
With 17 wins and 10 losses, the Nuggets are tied for first in the Northwest division with the Portland Trail Blazers.
If the playoffs began today, Denver would be the 4th seed in the Western conference.
Dec 19: Cavs 105, Nuggets 88
The AP reports: The showdown between Olympic teammates LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony quickly turned into more of a smackdown—and a statement. James said Cleveland’s 105-88 runaway win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night was a shout-out to the rest of the NBA and all those doubters out there who contend the Cavaliers’ record—now 22-4—was more a testament of their soft schedule than their championship caliber… In sweeping ‘Melo’s Nuggets for the first time in his career, James had 33 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. He was 13-of-20 from the floor. Zydrunas Ilgauskas celebrated his return to the Cavaliers lineup for the first time since Dec. 10 by making nine of 14 shots for 23 points. He had missed three games with a sprained left ankle. Delonte West added 22 points.
Dec 16: Rockets 108, Nuggets 96
The AP reports: Tracy McGrady did it all, Yao Ming dominated inside and Ron Artest provided support off the bench. Finally, the Houston Rockets showed a glimpse of how good they can be. McGrady notched his fourth career triple-double and first this season, Yao scored 32 points and the Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 108-96 on Tuesday night. McGrady had 20 points and reached season highs in rebounds (14) and assists (10) for his first triple-double since last December. Artest scored 20 points and backup point guard Aaron Brooks added 18 for the Rockets, who’ve won five of their last seven games despite a seemingly unending rash of injuries… Carmelo Anthony scored 22 and J.R. Smith had 17 for the Nuggets, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.
Rockets-Nuggets connections
Houston Assistant Coach T.R. Dunn spent two seasons (2002-04) as an assistant coach for Denver.
In 10 seasons as a player with the Nuggets (1980-88 and 1989-91), Dunn scored 3,585 points and became a mainstay in the franchise’s record books, where he still ranks second all-time in steals (1,070), fourth in games played (734) and fourth in minutes played (18,322).
Rockets Rehabilitation & Performance Coordinator/Assistant Athletic Trainer Keith Garnett is a native of Denver.
Houston Assistant Coach Elston Turner played three seasons with the Nuggets (1984-85, 1985-86 and 1988-89).
Rockets guard Von Wafer averaged 1.3 points and 0.2 assists in 21 games with the Nuggets in 2007-08.
Dec 15: Nuggets 98, Mavs 88
The AP reports: Reserve J.R. Smith scored 25 points, Carmelo Anthony added 23, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Dallas Mavericks 98-88 on Monday night to extend their winning streak to four games. Chauncey Billups had 15 points and eight assists for the Nuggets, who have won seven of eight and improved to 16-4 since Billups joined the team after a Nov. 3 trade with the Detroit Pistons. Dirk Nowitzki had 27 points and 10 rebounds, and Jason Terry scored 19 points for the Mavericks, who had won 11 of their previous 13. Mavericks forward Josh Howard was back after being inactive for 11 straight games because of a sprained left ankle. He came off the bench late in the first quarter and played 14 minutes, scoring seven points.
Dec 13: Nuggets 123, Warriors 105
The AP reports: The Denver Nuggets didn’t need another 33-point third quarter from Carmelo Anthony. Fourteen was enough to put away Golden State. Anthony had 27 points and nine rebounds, Chauncey Billups added 16 points and 11 assists, and the Nuggets beat the Warriors 123-105 on Saturday night… Kenyon Martin, who returned to the lineup after missing two games with a sprained left wrist, had 15 points for the Nuggets, who had six players score in double figures. Jamal Crawford scored 25 points and Rob Kurz had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors, who have lost 11 of their last 13.
Dec 11: Nuggets 116, Wolves 105
The AP reports: Carmelo Anthony matched George Gervin’s NBA record with 33 points in the third and finished with a season-high 45 points in the Denver Nuggets’ 116-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night… Chauncey Billups added 24 points in Denver’s eighth straight win over Minnesota. After the game, he was still in awe of Anthony’s performance… Al Jefferson had 26 points and 12 rebounds, and Randy Foye also scored 26 points for Minnesota, which has lost seven straight games and two in a row since Kevin McHale took over as head coach on Monday.
Melo scores 33 in one quarter
Wednesday night the Denver Nuggets hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves, and home star forward Carmelo Anthony put on an incredible scoring display.
In the third quarter, Melo scored 33 points, scoring in a variety of ways, including jumpers in the face of defenders, cuts to the basket, and any other way he felt like it.
Anthony’s outburst is the greatest single-quarter point scoring in Nuggets history.
At the end of the third quarter the Nuggets lead the Wolves, 84-78.
Minnesota was actually playing a terrific game until the third. At halftime they were up 56-44.
For the game, Melo is 15-of-24 for 42 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals.
–InsideHoops.com editor