Carmelo Anthony - News

Future Sole on Sole Collector

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:35:00 -0800

Click the logo below to check out Sole Collector's great footage of Melo meeting the Future Sole competition winner.

The Future Sole competition 2010 starts soon so head over to http://www.nike.com/futuresole and sign up to be notified!

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Anthony gets help in Denver’s win over Wolves

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:05:00 -0800

Anthony gets help in Denvers win over Wolves

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, AP Sports Writer

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)Soaring through the air for a jaw-dropping, 360-dunk off an alley-oop pass, J.R. Smith showed everyone what teammate Chauncey Billups already knewthe Denver Nuggets are so much more than a two-man team.

Even though they held Billups and Carmelo Anthony in check for much of the game, the Minnesota Timberwolves were still powerless against a deeper and far more talented opponent.

Billups scored 25 points and got a huge lift from role players Smith, Chris Andersen and Nene in the Nuggets 110-102 victory over the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

Sometimes J.R. is going to have it rolling and I can take a back seat, just facilitate, Billups said. Sometimes other guys will be going. Thats the beauty of a team.

Andersen had 14 points and 10 rebounds, Nene had 17 points and nine boards and Smith scored 15 to shake the Nuggets out a first-half funk and deliver their fourth straight win.

Al Jefferson had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost their seventh straight game and 13th in the last 14. Minnesota has won once since Feb. 6.

Losing, it weighs on you, said coach Kurt Rambis, whose Timberwolves lost for the 51st time. s frustrated. This is where you look at peoples character and see what they do. Your options are to roll over or to fight.

Corey Brewer scored 21 points, but the Timberwolves shot 39 percent, which negated a 53-43 advantage on the boards.

Anthony added 19 points, but it was the contributions of his supporting cast that proved to be the most important for the short-handed Nuggets.

With coach George Karl watching from home while he undergoes treatment for neck and throat cancer, the Nuggets started sluggish against another struggling team and trailed by eight points with less than eight minutes to play in the third quarter.

Smith started the comeback for the Nuggets, hitting 3-pointers on three straight possessions to cut an eight-point deficit to one in the third quarter. Andersens two free throws gave the Nuggets a 70-69 lead, their first since the opening quarter.

Neither Billups nor Anthony even attempted a shot in the first 6:30 of the final period, but thanks to Nene, Andersen and Smith, the Nuggets added to their lead.

It was one of those games where we didnt have to shoot too much in the fourth quarter for us to win the game, Anthony said. J.R. had it going, we were spoon-feeding Nene down there. Games like this are a good time to get Nene and J.R., get the ball to Aaron (Afflalo), let them get their confidence up.

Smith punctuated the night with his monster dunk, giving Denver a 12-point lead with 4:25 to go.

That was one of the most impressive dunks Ive ever seen, said Wolves forward Kevin Love, who had 15 points and 11 rebounds. s just freakishly athletic. Unbelievable.

Karl had surgery on Monday to have a feeding tube inserted into his stomach and more chemotherapy on Tuesday so assistant Adrian Dantley filled in for the second time this season. Denver also continues to play without Kenyon Martin (knee) and Ty Lawson (shoulder) and have fallen behind the surging Dallas Mavericks to second place in the West.

Ten of Denvers 21 losses this season have come to teams with a record below .500, and the Timberwolves were the aggressors early, leading 23-20 after the first quarter and 53-48 at the break.

But Love and Jefferson were scratching their heads after the game at the lack of adjustments by the coaching staff when the Nuggets went small in the second half. During one stretch, Love, to everyones surprise, was guarding Anthony.

I love Kevin Love, but I dont think he can guard Melo one-on-one, Jefferson said.

Not many people can, Love said.

NOTES: The Timberwolves grabbed seven offensive rebounds and 18 overall in the first period. They had only four turnovers in the first half after 26 turnovers against Dallas on Monday night. Wolves C Darko Milicic grabbed 12 rebounds. Brewer extended his franchise record with a 3-pointer in 29 straight games in the first quarter. Its the third-longest active streak in the NBA behind Billups (33) and Houstons Aaron Brooks (36). In the Minnesota Nice department: A fan held a yellow and blue sign that read: Get Well Coach Karl.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

NBA supports Special Olympics

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:55:00 -0800

Carmelo Anthony took part in the Sixth Annual Denver Nuggets/Special Olympics Colorado Clinic last month. Photo Credit: Garrett W. Ellwood/ NBAE via Getty Images

NBA supports Special Olympics in bid to 'End the Word'

On Wednesday, thousands of Special Olympics athletes, Best Buddies participants and their supporters across the United States -- many of whom are students -- will participate in events to highlight the Special Olympics "Spread the Word to End the Word" campaign, designed to challenge and educate people about the hurtful use of the word "retard" and encourage others to think before they speak. Students are leading events in nearly every major city, designed to solicit pledges from people on www.r-word.org not to use the "R-word."

Spread the Word to End the Word began as a grassroots campaign by youth who participated in the Special Olympics Global Youth Activation Summit in February 2009, held in conjunction with the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Idaho. The campaign was driven by a united passion to promote the positive contributions people with intellectual and developmental disabilities make to communities around the world combined with a simple call to action -- a pledge to stop using the R-word.

Motivated by their commitment to action, actor John C. McGinley from the hit television series Scrubs was inspired to join these youth and their dedication to stop the casual use of the R-word.

"Most people don't think of this word as the language of hate, but that's exactly what it feels like to millions of people with intellectual disabilities, their families and friends," said McGinley. "I choose to believe that most of us are fundamentally good and that we're just not aware that the word is offensive and that it hurts."

Best Buddies also participated in the campaign during its inaugural year and officially signed on as a partner with Special Olympics for this year's campaign.

Soeren Palumbo (co-student founder of 'Spread the Word', Notre Dame, 2011) and "Timbo" Shriver (son of Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver), who together launched the Spread the Word campaign last year, said: "This campaign powerfully combines two things: the creative vision of a world accepting of all people and a youthful drive to realize this vision. It calls people to do more than volunteer and advocate; it inspires them to join, drive, and lead a social movement for the dignity of people with intellectual disabilities. And that's why it works."

Throughout the day, people will be asked to take the pledge online at www.r-word.org, or by signing a banner or pledge sheet at a local event. Tallies of pledges from each event will be available later in the week, as supporters strive to reach 100,000 pledges.

In addition, several members of the Special Olympics community are supporting this event. Included on that list:

Timothy Shriver, chairman and CEO Special Olympics

Anthony Shriver, founder and chairman, Best Buddies International

Loretta Claiborne, Special Olympics athlete and motivational speaker

Nancy O'Dell, TV journalist and Best Buddies International Board Member

Maureen McCormick, actress and long-time Best Buddies supporter

Eric Matthes, Best Buddies International Board Member and Buddy Ambassador (self-advocate and motivational speaker).

The NBA and the Special Olympics have a long-standing relationship, with several past and current players lending their time and efforts to various Special Olympics causes.

Details on the more than 500 local events happening across the country as part of the "Spread the Word to End the Word" campaign can be found at the campaign website.

Check out the PSA from the campaign:

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets edge Blazers 118-106

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:45:00 -0800

Nuggets edge Blazers

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights

DENVER (AP)Carmelo Anthony hurt the Portland Trail Blazers with his shooting and passing.

Anthony scored 30 pointshis third consecutive game with at least 30 pointsand the Denver Nuggets beat the Trail Blazers 118-106 on Sunday night for their third straight victory.

He also had five of the Nuggets 31 assists, reflecting the teams determination to incorporate everyone in the offense as a way to help make up for the absence of Kenyon Martin (knee) and Ty Lawson (shoulder).

I think its contagious, passing the ball, Anthony said. With Kenyon being out, of course we miss him, I think that just brings us closer together as a team, especially for me. Its that time of the year Ive got to start taking over, not so much scoring with the basketball, but making guys better, like I did tonight.

Martin, who missed a second straight game with what has been described as chronic patella tendinitis, underwent an MRI on his left knee late last week and is scheduled to have a consultation with doctors Monday to determine further treatment. There is some concern that he could miss a significant period of time, though there has been no definitive word yet on the severity of the injury.

m going to stay optimistic and not talk about that right now, Nuggets coach George Karl said, declining to address speculation about Martins injury.

J.R. Smith added 22 points, Chauncey Billups had 21 points and Nene 14 for the Nuggets, who improved to 28-5 at the Pepsi Center, the third-best home record in the NBA behind Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Fortunately, we scored enough and we stopped enough, Karl said. ve been saying for two years when we play with intensity defensively and pass the ball offensively, we have a hell of a chance to beat anybody in basketball.

ve held teams close to 40-percent shooting the last three games, and without Kenyon who quarterbacks a lot of our double teams. Usually, Kenyons the guy that orchestrates that and I thought we got it done with out him.

Jerryd Bayless 24 points led the Trail Blazers, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped.

Andre Miller had 19 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 16 but the Trail Blazers still lost for the 18th time in the past 20 trips to Denver.

We never established an offensive rhythm the entire game, said Brandon Roy, held to 12 points on 3 of 14 shooting from the floor. Even myself, I couldnt get into the flow. Wed get close and them turn the ball over or we wouldnt execute offensively and then they would shoot the ball well.

Like Denver, Portland was short-handed. The Trail Blazers were without Marcus Camby (ankle). On top of missing Camby, the Trail Blazers learned Sunday that center Joel Przybilla, who was already out for the season, had again ruptured the right patella tendon he tore in late December when he slipped in the shower at his home in Milwaukee over the weekend.

Trailing 66-49 at halftime, the Trail Blazers cut the deficit to 79-71 with 3:31 left in the third quarter when Martell Webster hit a 3-pointer and made one of two free throws in an ensuing possession.

The Nuggets rebuilt a double-digit lead with Anthony connecting on a 20-foot jumper and Nene driving through traffic for a dunk as part of a three-point play, helping Denver take an 89-75 lead into the fourth quarter.

Portland made another run at the Nuggets, opening the final period with an 8-1 surge capped by Bayless three-point play, pulling the Trail Blazers to 90-83 with 9:58 remaining.

The Nuggets responded with their transition game, getting fast-break layups from Anthony Carter and Billups followed with a driving layup by Smith to open a 96-83 lead with 8:29 left to play.

Again, the Trail Blazers pulled within seven when Rudy Fernandez hit a 3-pointer with 3:58 left. But Arron Afflalo made a pair of free throws and, after a missed layup by Miller, Smith hit a crucial 3-pointer for a 112-100 Nuggets lead with 2:40 remaining and Portland did not get the close again.

With Anthony scoring 19 points in the first half, the Nuggets led by 21 points and were in front 66-49 at halftime.

The Nuggets closed the first period with a 13-5 run, pulling ahead 34-21 on Anthonys 18-foot jumper just before the end of the period. Afflalos third 3-pointer of the game put the Nuggets up 64-43 with 1:31 left in the second, but the Trail Blazers narrowed the gap by scoring six of eight points before the halftime buzzer.

NOTES: Johan Petro had a game-high 10 rebounds in his first start of the season for the Nuggets. Portland had come in a season-high 10 games over .500. The Nuggets had 30 or more assists for only the eighth time this season but the second time in three games.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Anthony scores 34, Nuggets beats Pacers 122-114

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:20:00 -0800

Anthony scores 34, Nuggets beats Pacers 122-114

Preview | Box Score | Recap

DENVER (AP)After a brief lull, Carmelo Anthony is scoring big again.

Anthony had 34 points and the Denver Nuggets overcame the injury-related absences of Kenyon Martin and Ty Lawson to beat the Indiana Pacers 122-114 on Friday night.

It was Anthonys second consecutive 30-point performance after going a season-high six straight games without reaching that mark. He averaged 22.5 points during that six-game stretch before breaking through for 30 on 11-of-19 shooting in a win over Oklahoma City on Wednesday, just hours after being treated for dehydration with intravenous fluids.

s what All-Stars do. Thats why he puts up the numbers that he does, said Indianas Danny Granger, who scored 32 points. We just didnt have any answer for him.

Anthony, who has 25 games of 30-plus points this season, reached the milestone in back-to-back games for the first time since doing so in five straight from Dec. 8-16.

Anthony, who said he had been feeling run-down for about a week and a half, received additional intravenous fluids after Friday nights game, when he went 12 of 20 from the field and 9 of 10 from the free throw line.

I felt much better, Anthony said after getting the latest round of IV fluids. My legs are starting to get back. I had to get another one. That was for precautionary reasons.

Anthony said he wouldnt be surprised if he had to get more IV treatments in the coming days and weeks to help him hold up as the Nuggets make their playoff push.

The way that we play, the way I play, the traveling, it can wear on anybody, he said. The last week and a half, its been wearing on me.

On Friday, he was wearing on the Pacers.

Every time we started to climb back in, Carmelo just took over, Indiana coach Jim OBrien said. He is a terrific talent, no matter how closely you guard him. He makes shots. He just overpowers people. They have a heck of a basketball team.

J.R. Smith added 20 points off the bench and Chauncey Billups had 14 for the Nuggets, who sent the Pacers to their fifth loss in a row on the road.

Nene and Chris Andersen each added 13 points and they combined for 16 rebounds, helping to make up for the absence inside of Martin, who sat out with a recurrence of left knee tendinitis. Lawson, a key reserve, missed a third straight game with a bruised left shoulder.

While Anthonys big night was a huge factor for the Nuggets, it was their bench players who got them over the hump, combining for 48 points.

They all did great, Denver guard Arron Afflalo said. We needed that tonight and it was important for us.

Troy Murphy added 14 points, and Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush had 12 points apiece for the Pacers.

The Nuggets have put together successive wins at the Pepsi Center after finishing their most recent road trip with back-to-back losses in Los Angeles and Phoenix, the first time they had dropped consecutive games since late December.

Trailing by eight at halftime, the Pacers pulled to 82-76 when Josh McRoberts dunked over Andersen with 4:03 remaining in the third. But the Nuggets closed the period with a 15-6 run, with Andersen muscling in a putback and then hustling down court to swat an attempted layup by Granger.

Anthony had seven points in the surge that carried the Nuggets to a 97-82 lead heading into the fourth quarter. They maintained a double-digit lead until the final moments of the game.

Smith hit a pair of 3-pointers in the last 90 seconds of the first, helping the Nuggets take a 38-28 lead. Denver appeared on the verge of running away with the game when it scored 12 of the next 17 points, moving in front 50-33 midway through the second quarter on consecutive dunks by Nene.

But the Pacers strung together a 10-0 run to pull to 52-45 and trailed 64-56 at halftime after Granger and Dahntay Jones each made a pair of free throws in final 47 seconds of the second quarter.

NOTES: The Nuggets went 2-0 against the Pacers this season, their fourth series sweep in the last six years. Denver improved to 25-0 when scoring 110 or more points. Indiana has lost 10 of 12 to the Nuggets after winning 24 of the previous 29 meetings. Granger has 10 30-point performances this season, including his last four games. Smith had a career-high eight assists.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets crush divisional rival Thunder

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:55:00 -0800

Anthony scores 30, Nuggets rout Thunder, 119-90

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights

DENVER (AP)Oklahoma Citys Kevin Durant overpowered the Denver Nuggets the last time the teams played. It was a different story in a rematch.

Carmelo Anthony outplayed Kevin Durant, scoring 30 points, and the Nuggets took control with a big third quarter to rout the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-90 on Wednesday night.

Durant, the NBAs second-leading scorer, was held to 19 points after averaging 31 in two previous games against the Nuggets this season, including a 101-84 win in Oklahoma City on Jan. 29 in the teams last meeting.

Denver coach George Karl said the Nuggets focused their defensive efforts on Durant, using double teams and rotating their big men to give him different looks.

s been playing incredible and we just wanted to throw some things at him that disrupted him, make him do things hes not used to doing, Karl said. We felt like we had to give him different looks. Next time, he might beat them, but tonight, he seemed to be frozen a little bit by some of the switching that we did.

Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin said the more aggressive defensive stance took Durant out of his comfort zone.

We were putting two bodies on him, not letting him do the things hes great at doing, which is just catching and shooting the ball,: Martin said.

Durant finished 5 of 14 from the field, part of an abysmal shooting night by the Thunder, who converted only 33 percent of their field goals.

It came down to their defensive pressure, Durant said. They didnt allow us to come down and get the shots we wanted. We have to be better than that against a great team like that.

This is a wake-up game. You are going to have games like this. You have think about what we did, move on and make the adjustments we need to make for our next game. Its just a bump in the road. A minor setback.

Nene added 20 points and J.R. Smith had 18 for the Nuggets, who averted a third consecutive loss.

Along with Denvers defense, the Nuggets got a strong game from Anthony, who was treated for dehydration with intravenous fluids earlier in the day. Anthony said he has been feeling run down for the last week and a half.

I had some some IVs because Ive been under the weather, Anthony said. I just wasnt feeling right. My body wasnt right. My energy wasnt right and it took me a week and a half to figure out that i was almost down to nothing. I was dehydrated. I was literally drained.

The treatment did the trick though.

The juices kicked in. Obviously it worked, he said.

James Harden also had 19 points and Serge Ibaka 15 for the Thunder, who lost for just the third time in their last 15 games.

It was Oklahoma Citys sixth consecutive loss to the Nuggets in Denver, however.

Up by nine at halftime, the Nuggets outscored the Thunder 31-12 to take a 92-64 lead into the final period.

Oklahoma City hit only four of 23 shots from the field in the period (17 percent), and when Anthony nailed a 17-foot jumper to start the fourth, the Nuggets were up by 30 points.

Anthony, who ranks third in the league in scoring behind LeBron James and Durant, scored 23 in the first half, helping the Nuggets take a 61-52 lead.

Denver used an 11-3 burst, capped by successive dunks by Chris Andersen and Nene, to open up a 15-point advantage with 6:21 left in the second quarter but Durant responded with a 3-pointer to touch off a surge that reduced Denvers lead to single digits in time for the break.

NOTES: Nuggets G Ty Lawson missed a second consecutive game with a left shoulder contusion. Oklahoma City allowed an opponent to reach 100 or more points for only the seventh time in the last 22 games. The Thunder fell to 15-22 against teams that are .500 or better. Denver improved to 26-5 at the Pepsi Center this season. The Thunder has not won in Denver since March 28, 2007. Kenyon Martin and Ibaka each finished with 13 rebounds.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Future Sole

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:35:00 -0800

Each year Nike's Future Sole contest offers high-school designers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to design for the world's best. The goal is to discover and develop the next great footwear designers of the future.

The 2009 contest provided both Nike and Jordan design categories. Here are a few pics from the meet up between Melo and the winning designer, 17 year old Austin Jermacans.

See more picture in the Future Sole 2009 Gallery!

Click the image below to see video from the event courtesy of ABC 7 Denver:

Want to more about the Future Sole program? Check out this video:

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Suns stop Nuggets 101 - 85

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:45:00 -0800

Suns stop Nuggets 101-85

By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post

PHOENIX Muhammad Ali sat courtside Monday night while the Suns Sonny Listoned the Nuggets.

Denver actually led by 13 points in the second quarter, but the visitors were outscored 33-11 in that quarter, arguably their worst of the season, and the result never got any better in a 101-85 loss to Phoenix.

Monday was Denver's fourth game in five days in four different cities and it sure looked like it.

All-star Carmelo Anthony couldn't get into a rhythm, shooting 7-for-21 (17 points), a day after Ron Artest spent the afternoon seemingly up inside Anthony's jersey, as Melo went just 7-for-19 in a loss to the Lakers at L.A.

Grant Hill, whom the Nuggets tried to get last summer, entered the game with an 11.4 scoring average and finished with 19 points, which included making all seven of his free throws.

The teams split their first two matchups this season, both at the Pepsi Center, and now the Suns join the Kings as the only teams to beat Denver twice this season.

The Nuggets (39-21) come back to Phoenix for the last game of the regular season April 13.

The loss, coupled with the victory by the Dallas Mavericks (40-21) against Charlotte, dropped the Nuggets to third place in the Western Conference

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets fall to Lakers 95 - 89

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:50:00 -0800

Lakers beat Nuggets 95-89

Preview | Box Score | Recap

LOS ANGELES (AP)So much for all that confidence the Denver Nuggets had built up during their two impressive wins against the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this season.

The defending NBA champions picked up on the playoff vibe inside Staples Center on Sunday and got things back to normal, despite a poor-shooting effort from Kobe Bryant.

Lamar Odom scored nine of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed 12 rebounds, helping the Lakers overcame an 11-point third-quarter deficit and pull out a 95-89 victory against the team they knocked off in last years Western Conference finals. Pau Gasol added 15 points and 14 rebounds.

It was nice to be in somewhat of a pressure-cooker, Bryant said. s been two years now where weve beaten them in the postseason, so Im sure theyre fed up. They played with a lot of energy and intensity, and we had to step up against them. It was a playoff type of intensity.

Ron Artest added 17 points and tied a season high with six steals for the Lakers, who trail the Cavaliers by one game for the leagues best record. They lead Denver by 5 1/2 games for the Western Conference lead.

They slowed our offense down, Nuggets coach George Karl said. They picked up the pressure on us in the second half and we didnt have the perseverance to pass the ball or penetrate before the pressure came. Our whole thing with Kobe was to try to plug him and keep him away from the rim and off the free throw line. We got that done pretty much the whole game.

Bryant was just 3 for 17 from the field, finishing with 14 points and 12 assists. He was 1 for 9 during the first three quartersthe only field goal coming on a layup with 5:37 left in the opening period.

God knows I love the triangle (offense), but I kind of had to get into a playoff mode a little bit todayjust put the ball in my hands and let me make the decisions. But I missed a lot of shots, Bryant said. My jumper was off. So Ive got to get back in and work on it so its consistent again, after being off for a long time.

Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points for Denver before fouling out for the second time this season with 2:13 to play and the Nuggets down by four.

They did a great job of trying to keep the ball out of my hands and denied me every chance they got, Anthony said. They were much more aggressive in the second half and made adjustments to what we were doing.

Lakers guard Derek Fisher, who picked up two fouls 57 seconds apart during the first 2 minutes and went to the bench, didnt get his third until he fouled Chauncey Billups behind the 3-point line with 5 1/2 minutes to play. Billups made all three free throws to tie the score at 82. But the Nuggets did not make a field goal over the final 4:10, ending their three-game winning streak.

Kenyon Martin finished with six points in 36 minutes. He missed Friday nights 107-102 win over Detroit because of a bruised left knee, the same one that forced him to miss two games earlier this month because of tendinitis.

Martin committed three fouls and two turnovers before making his first field goal with 8:37 left in the third quarter, giving the Nuggets a 54-50 lead after the Lakers had rallied from a 13-point deficit in the first half.

This was the first meeting this season in which both teams had their regular starting lineups intact. On Nov. 3 at Denver, the Nuggets ended a six-game winning streak by the Lakers. In the second meeting on Feb. 5 at Staples Center, Billups compensated for the absence of the injured Anthony by equaling a career high with 39 points in a 126-113 win that snapped an eight-game winning streak by the Lakers.

Toward the end of the season, you need games like this to start firing you up toward a playoff type of consistency, Karl said. I think with teams that have won championships and have been there more consistently, theres more confidence to be able to turn the switch on.

Notes: Karl, who missed Thursdays game at Golden State to undergo treatment for throat and neck cancer, doesnt expect to miss another one until March 10 at Minnesota. He also is doubtful for the game at New Orleans two nights later, and possibly another during Denvers five-game trip at the end of the month. m not going to miss treatments. So when were on the road during the middle of the week, Im probably going to miss those games, said Karl, who received good wishes and a warm handshake from Jack Nicholson at courtside. m going to be tough, but Im not going to be stupid-tough. The radiation and the chemotherapy treatment will get harsher and more difficult in weeks to come, but putting off the treatment would not have made any sense. Nuggets reserve guard Ty Lawson left the game with 5:53 left in the first half because of a bruised left shoulder.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

All-Star Weekend

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:05:00 -0800

Here are some images of Melo from All-Star Weekend 2010:

Check out more in the All-Star Photo Gallery.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets end skid vs. Pistons

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:35:00 -0800

Nuggets end skid vs. Pistons with 107-102 win

Preview | Box Score | Recap

DENVER (AP)Nothing comes easy for the Denver Nuggets against the Detroit Pistons, especially winning.

Chauncey Billups scored 25 points, Carmelo Anthony added 24 and the Nuggets snapped their longest active losing streak to a single opponent by beating the Pistons 107-102 on Friday night.

I know my record against Detroit is terrible, Anthony said. s good to get this one tonight after the grueling trip we had. We had to grind this one out.

J.R. Smith added 15 points and Arron Afflalo had 14 for the Nuggets, who had lost their previous seven games to the Pistons. Joey Graham, who with Malik Allen played in place of the injured Kenyon Martin (knee contusion), chipped in 13 points.

The Northwest Division-leading Nuggets didnt get back to Denver until earlier Friday after beating Golden State the night before. Martin was injured during the second quarter of Thursdays game when he banged his knee against another player.

That was the biggest challenge we faced, having a tough game against Golden State last night, getting in at 4 in the morning and having to grit and grind it out against a team that was waiting for us, said Billups, who spent six-plus seasons in Detroit and helped lead the team to the NBA title in 2004. s a great win for us.

Richard Hamilton led the Pistons with 20 points, Rodney Stuckey added 19 and Jason Maxiell had 16 off the bench.

In the tightly contested game, the Pistons had gone in front 70-67 when Austin Daye made a 3-pointer with 2:36 left in the third quarter. The Nuggets responded with a 10-1 surge that helped them take a 77-75 lead into the fourth quarter.

The lead changed hands six times during the final period, with Detroit going in front for the last time at 93-92 on Hamiltons 3-pointer with 4:53 remaining.

Denver scored 10 of the next 12 points, punctuated by Billups 3-pointer with 2:22 left after Maxiell had hit a short jumper to seemingly stall the Nuggets momentum.

It could have gone either way, Hamilton said. Chauncey had a big shot with that 3. We had our chances. We didnt value the ball on a couple of possessions and they got the win.

Detroit coach John Kuester lamented the turnover factor in the fourth quarter, when the Pistons had seven of their 17 turnovers in the games.

That ends up hurting you so bad, he said. We need quality possessions. Youve got to make sure you continually get good opportunities and it just didnt happen. They clamped down on us defensively, and we have to fight through that.

Billups and Anthony combined to make seven of eight free throws down the stretch secure the victory.

This was a hard game for us to play, said Nuggets coach George Karl, who was back on the bench coaching after missing the Golden State game due to his treatments for neck and throat cancer. I think we were a little fatigued. I was looking for some energy and a little zip. They have defensive players that match up well against us. But Chauncey really has a knack for finding a winning way in the fourth quarter and I thought we made some good stops down the stretch.

Down 29-22 after the first quarter, the Nuggets got a boost from Graham in the second quarter, when he scored 11 points, including a pair of breakaway dunks. Afflalo also connected twice from 3-point range and the Nuggets moved in front 53-49 at halftime.

NOTES: The Nuggets improved to 30-3 when leading after three quarters, including 22-0 at home. It was Detroits first loss to the Nuggets since March 1, 2006. Detroit lost for just the second time in 10 games when scoring over 100 points. Hamilton scored at least points for the 14th time this season. The Nuggets improved to 11-1 against Eastern Conference opponents at the Pepsi Center.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets hold off Warriors

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:25:00 -0800

Nuggets hold off Warriors

Preview | Box Score | Recap

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)s Chauncey Billups chatted amicably with an antagonizing fan in the crowd, then casually strolled over to the home teams bench and hugged Golden State trainer Tom Abdenour.

Thats how easy and relaxed the Nuggets were in their first game without coach George Karl since he revealed he has neck and throat cancer.

Billups had 37 points and nine rebounds, Carmelo Anthony added 27 points and Denver beat Golden State 127-112 on Thursday night.

As a player you always find confidence and that calmness when you look over there and your head coach is sitting on the bench, so it was a little different not having him out there, Billups said. But on the flip side (assistant coach Adrian Dantley) did a great job controlling the game and with his play-calling. But it was weird without (Karl).

Karl, who disclosed he has cancer Feb. 16, stayed in Denver to receive treatment but is expected back Friday night at home against Detroit.

He had to like what he saw his team do against the Warriors.

The Nuggets set a season high with 16 3-pointers, completed a four-game sweep of Golden State for the first time since 2000-01 and remained unbeaten in 23 games when scoring 110 points or more.

Prior to the game Karl called Dantley and offered a few words.

George told us just to focus on the game and not worry about him, Dantley said. The main thing with George is he wanted the win. We got that. It was weird but Im glad this game is over.

J.R. Smith had 25 points and had seven 3-pointers, while Billups added six 3s.

Stephen Curry had 30 points and 13 assists for Golden State, which has lost 13 of its last 16 to drop to 16-41.

I have no problems with this game, Warriors coach Don Nelson said. We competed for four quarters, gave them everything that we had and it wasnt enough.

Denver led comfortably most of the night, though the Nuggets got sloppy at times. Twice they allowed Golden State to whittle big leads down to single digits, but answered each time to turn the Warriors away while extending their lead to a full-game over Utah in the Northwest Division.

Denver built a 19-point lead midway through the second quarter, made nine 3-pointers in the first half and got another All-Star effort from Billups, who had 19 of points before intermission.

Anthony added 10 points, and Ty Lawson, who sprained his left thumb in practice Tuesday, added eight to help the Nuggets take a 65-56 halftime lead.

They also survived without leading rebounder Kenyon Martin in the second half. Martin limped off the court just before halftime after hitting knees with another. He was initially expected to return but spent the rest of the game on the bench.

Golden State has had injury issues of its own all season and it didnt get any better against the Nuggets. C.J. Watson was held out of the game with flu-like symptoms and a team spokesman indicated Watson might also be suffering from appendicitis.

That left Golden State with only three guardsEllis, Curry and Anthony Morrow which made it tough to keep up with the speedy Nuggets.

The Warriors made a brief run in the fourth quarter, pulling within 106-100 on Morrows four-point play with 8:13 remaining, but Billups made a short, off-balance flip-shot then later made a perfect alley-oop pass to Smith, and Anthony followed that up with an 18-foot jumper to make it 115-103.

NOTES: The Nuggets have scored at least 123 points in winning each of their last six games against the Warriors. Curry scored 30 points or more for the fourth time this season. Denver is only 13-10 this season against teams with sub-.500 records.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo surpasses 12,000 points

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:45:00 -0800

Melo surpassed 12,000 career points on his first basket Sunday, an 18-foot jumper, 3:41 into the game.

He now has 12,022 point and ranks as the Nuggets third-leading scorer in franchise history!

Congrats Melo!

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo's 23 points help defeat the Celtics

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:40:00 -0800

Smiths big 4th quarter helps Nuggets top Celtics

Feb 21, 8:05 pm EST

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights

DENVER (AP)The Denver Nuggets are building an impressive record against the NBAs elite teams.

J.R. Smith scored 16 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and the Nuggets recovered from blowing an early 20-point lead to beat the Boston Celtics 114-105 Sunday.

Chauncey Billups had 26 points and Carmelo Anthony had 23 for the Nuggets, who improved to 4-0 against the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. Theyve beaten Cleveland twice and Orlando and Boston once each this season.

re still inconsistent at times, said Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds. If we can lock in and just do the stuff we can do and learn from the mistakes we make, that can go a long way.

Said Anthony, re just playing good basketball, thats it. Well let you all decide if you consider us one of the top teams.

The inconsistency Martin cited in the play of the Nuggets was evident against the Celtics, who rallied from 20 points down in the first quarter to tie the game at 66 in the third before fading down the stretch.

re right there, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said when asked to size up the Nuggets. We knew that before the year started. Theyre just as good as anybody else. They can win it all. We can win it all. All those teams, but you dont get a trophy for the regular season.

Ray Allen had 25 points and Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo and Marquis Daniels added 15 points each for the Celtics, who lost for the first time in their last four road games. They remain an NBA-best 20-10 away from home.

When you get down by 20 against one of the top tier teams, its always tough to come back in their building, said Paul Pierce, who had just 5 points on 2-for-10 shooting that was affected by a sore thumb.

But Im happy with the road trip for the most part. I feel like were headed in the right direction. Wed like to have gotten all four wins, but we didnt. Now we have to start establishing ourselves at home and play better.

After Boston fell behind big early, Daniels made a lay up following a three-point play by Allen that made the score 66-66 with just under 5 minutes to play in the third.

From there, the Nuggets scored 16 of the next 24 points, culminating with Martins rim-shaking dunk to take an 82-73 lead into the fourth quarter.

A team like the Celtics, we know theyre going to make shots, make runs throughout the game and thats what they did, Anthony said. We gathered together as a team and said lets not get rattled.

Smith helped make sure the Nuggets didnt fall apart. He began the final period by hitting a 3-pointer and nailed another with 7:50 left to put Denver in front 92-80. He hit two more 3s in the period, skipping back down the court after his fourth came with 4:31 remaining to rebuild the Nuggets lead to 105-88.

Boston managed to get back within 107-97 on Ray Allens 3-pointer with 2:29 remaining but Anthony answered with a 3-pointer with 1:35 left to give the Nuggets all the cushion they needed.

Notes: A huge get well card for Nuggets coach George Karl, who disclosed last Tuesday he was battling neck and throat cancer, was unfurled at the Pepsi Center atrium to allow fans to express their best wishes. Anthony surpassed 12,000 career points on his first basket, an 18-foot jumper, 3:41 into the game. He now has 12,022 point and ranks as the Nuggets third-leading scorer in franchise history. Boston lost to a Northwest Division team for the first time in seven games this season. Both teams struggled from the free throw line with the Celtics hitting 13 of 24 (54.2 percent) and the Nuggets making 25 of 40 (62.5 percent). Anthony and Billups were a combined 18 of 19 in free throws while the rest of the Nuggets were a collective 7 of 21.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Wizards put a spell on Nuggets

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 11:35:00 -0800

Bad habits hurt Denver against Wizards

Lack of assists costly in surprising setback

By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post

WASHINGTON The Nuggets had just KO'd the King and the Cavaliers, euphoria filling the cramped locker room, and there sat Chauncey Billups, talking about the Washington Wizards.

"Tomorrow, I think, is an even bigger game," Billups said Thursday, and did so with a straight face. "We don't want to take three steps forward and then take some steps backward. So, we got to forget about this one and worry about a big one tomorrow."

About 24 hours later, after losing 107-97 to the woebegone Wizards, Billups again sat in front of his locker, explaining the inexplicable.

"We've done this too many times this year," the point guard said. "It's easy to do in November, but now we're in the end of February and we're still

making the same kind of mistakes (against teams with losing records). It's disappointing, especially when we have our goals set with where we're trying to go. We can't have these kind of slip-ups."

Yes, Denver was emotionally exhausted after Thursday's big win and the ensuing postmidnight travel but the Wizards (19-33) aren't exactly title contenders. Denver is. Yet the new-look Wizards (four key players were traded in the past week) scrapped all night, climbing out of a 13-point hole in the third quarter to snatch the lead in the fourth. Denver's record fell to 36-19.

"At the end of the day, when it was winning time in the fourth quarter, they wanted it more than we did, and it was obvious," said Billups, who scored a game-high 28 points but had just two assists. "They got second- chance points, offensive rebounds, steals, beating us to the punch. Most of the time in any games at any level the team that's going to do that is going to win."

Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, who hails from nearby Baltimore, traditionally plays well in his lone homecoming game each season. In his career, he averages 24.6 points per game, but in the six games in D.C. entering Friday, he averaged 28.1, which is actually skewed against him because he scored an efficient 23 points in just 26 minutes last season.

Coming off the best game of his season Thursday, Melo was hot again Friday, making six of his first eight shots. But he made just one more from the field, finishing with 23 points, this time in 34 minutes. Melo wasn't Melo, getting rattled by Al Thornton for much of the night.

"Shots that I made last night, I didn't make them tonight. It happens," Anthony said. "They capitalized on our missed shots and converted them."

The Nuggets thrive when they pass crisply and consistently they are 29-5 when they have 20 or more assists. That means they're 7-13 when they tally fewer than 20. Make that 7-14. The Nuggets had just 12 Friday.

"If we don't pass it, we're not a great team," coach George Karl said. "We have a selfish disposition at times. Sometimes it might come from fatigue, sometimes complacency. But you can't beat anybody with 12 assists. It's just a joke. We should be much more mature and understanding (that) if that's the way we're going to try to beat people, we're going to have nights like tonight."

Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo's game winner ends Cavs winning streak

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:25:00 -0800

Anthony has 40 as Nuggets end Cavs 13-game streak

Preview | Box Score | Recap

CLEVELAND (AP)George Karl called being on the court his sanctuary. Carmelo Anthony answered his coachs prayer.

Anthony scored 40 points, including the winning basket, and Denver overcame LeBron James monstrous night to end the Cavaliers 13-game winning streak with a 118-116 victory in overtime Thursday night in Karls first game since revealing he has neck and throat cancer.

I think hes happy, Anthony said of his coach. This boosted his spirit up a lot. In the back of our mind, we know his situation. Were playing for him.

James had his triple-double by the end of regulation, and became the first NBA player with at least 43 points, 13 rebounds, 15 assists, two steals and four blocks, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

James triple-double came in front of Oscar Robertson, who averaged a triple-double during the 1961-62 season. He was honored before the game along with Jerry West, James and Anthony as co-captains of U.S. Olympic gold medal basketball teams.

Robertson and West captained the Americans gold medal in 1960, while James and Anthony were the co-captains in 2008.

James is also the first player to have at least 40 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds in a game since Robertson had 42 points, 18 assists and 15 rebounds on Feb. 13, 1962.

In that sense, its huge because of what he was able to do, James said. But in the sense of us losing the ball game, it means nothing.

Anthony matched him shot for shot, hitting the winner on a deep jumper over an outstretched James with 1.9 seconds left.

s finally me being on the other end I guess, James said. m so used to being on the other end making shots and looking at guys. Its a great player and a great shot. If I got any closer, I was going to foul him. Big shot.

Anthony jogged to the other end of the floor after hitting the shot, nodding his head and shouting to no one in particular as the Cavaliers called timeout.

A lot of people got some good pictures out of that moment, Anthony said. I wanted the ball. I made the shot.

Cleveland had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but James slipped while receiving the inbound pass and his 3-pointer rattled off the rim.

James, who played 47 minutes, missed his final four shots. Anthony, who played 48 minutes, made 7 of his last 8. Anthony and the Nuggets have now won 10 of 14 games against James and the Cavaliers since the two superstars entered the league.

It was a great game to watch, but Im not sure it will go on my coaching resume as very polished, Karl said. We probably should have won the game a little easier. We kept giving them chances and they kept taking advantage of them.

Karl will likely miss some games and practices while undergoing a rigorous six-week treatment program of radiation and chemotherapy, but he accompanied the Nuggets on their two-game trip after deciding against taking time off now.

I think I need the gym and I need the juice of being happy about kicking someones butt and preparing and watching video, Karl said. I felt very early it made no sense for me to separate from the team. Its going to be my sanctuary to do what I like to do and forget maybe the things that are always going to pop into your mind.

Denvers Kenyon Martin had 18 points and a season-high 17 rebounds, but the night belonged to two of the leagues top three scorers, who put on a memorable display.

Anthony added seven assists and six rebounds for the Nuggets. James triple-double was his third of the season and 27th of his career. He scored 18 of Clevelands 27 points in the fourth quarter and his 15 assists tied a career high.

James and Anthony entered first and third in the league in scoring, just as they entered the league in 2003 as the No. 1 and No. 3 overall picks. Neither disappointed on Thursday. The two combined to make just 4 of 20 shots in the first quarter, then spent the rest of the night hitting huge shots in each others face.

You want to play against the best on the biggest stage, James said. Tonight was a big stage and we both did what we had to do to put our teams in position to win. He just made one more play.

The Cavaliers introduced Antawn Jamison on Thursday, but were a bit short-handed since he couldnt be activated in time for the game. They traded Zydrunas Ilgauskas on Wednesday to acquire Jamison in a three-team deal from Washington and the team is hopeful Jamison can be in the lineup Friday at Charlotte.

Shaquille ONeal had 18 points and seven rebounds and J.J. Hickson had 14 points for Cleveland, which made just 23 of 40 free throws.

We have to chalk this under another game of us beating ourselves, ONeal said. The whole world knows we beat ourselves tonight. Too many turnovers, too many missed shots.

NOTES: Robertson believes James could average a triple-double for a season, as he did. No doubt about it, he said. Denver reserve Chris Andersen walked to the locker room while holding his back in the fourth quarter. He did not return. Martin returned to the Nuggets after missing the final two games before the break with tendinitis in his left knee. Denver has won five of its last seven in Cleveland.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo leads West Conf All-Stars with 27

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:15:00 -0800

Anthony's shot can't carry West stars

By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post

ARLINGTON, Texas The arena looked like a spacecraft, and inside, 108,713 were along for the ride, as well as a constellation of all-stars, a hovering 160-foot-wide television beamed by 300 million light bulbs, men with asteroids hanging from their necks, Shaquille O'Neal and the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders all waiting, at any moment, to blast through the Milky Way and land on planet Earth.

Sunday's NBA's All-Star Game at Cowboys Stadium was a surreal scene, featuring the largest crowd ever to watch a basketball game.

"I'm way too old to fathom the reality of what we just participated in," said Nuggets coach George Karl, who coached the Western Conference in the 141-139 loss to the East.

And the All-Star Game was actually a game for a change. Down by nine points to start the fourth quarter, the West clawed back, thanks to 14-fourth quarter points by the Nuggets' Chauncey Billups. And then the Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony launched a leaning 3-pointer at the final buzzer, but it only grazed the front rim.

"We wanted to go for the win," said Anthony, who received the inbound pass with five seconds left, dribbled and then shot over Dwyane Wade's outstretched arm. "George tried to draw up a play (in the huddle), but we wanted to go for the win. It was history tonight. And if I made it, I was a hero, and if I didn't, we lose. But it was fun. And I thought I was going to make it.

"(My teammates) were all saying they wanted me to make the shot. So I felt good in that situation, to have those all-star guys tell George that they wanted me to take the shot."

Melo had a stellar night. He finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds, both team highs. Miami's Wade won the MVP honors after getting 28 points, 11 assists and five steals.

The game was the brainchild of two big brains and big heads in Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. They wanted to put on a Texas-sized party. They did just that, yes, sir.

"Does Dallas, Texas, know how to throw a party, or what?" Cuban said.

Entering the game, the biggest star was Dirk Nowitzki, the pride of Dallas and its Mavericks, and he earned the loudest cheers in pregame introductions, then looked up at the record crowd and announced into a microphone, "Everything's bigger in Texas!"

For Anthony, this wasn't his first rodeo it was his third All-Star Game appearance. But it was his first as an elected starter, and the look on Anthony's face in pregame introductions showed his childlike appreciation for the honor he beat his chest, saluted the crowd (Mile High salute?) and then put his hands into the air, reaching out to the screaming fans.

"For us to be a part of a moment like this," Melo said, "I don't think we'll ever be part of another situation like this."

For Karl, it was one of the most memorable weekends of his 58 years. For one, he received a one-year contract extension for $4.5 million. And then, he spent the weekend star-gazing. At his core, Karl is a basketball junkie. He loves the spirit of the game. Its history. He talks often about the sport's "karma." And there he was, coaching the game's greatest.

"As I told the team, there have been four or five experiences in my life that I have been humbled or quieted," Karl said. "Being in the presence of Arnold Palmer or when I met Bill Clinton at the White House. Coaching these guys the last two days, a mesh of the good older players and the beginning of a lot of the great new (careers) .. they are classy guys and they are the class of our league. And I thought it was a classy performance."

Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Jazz take out the Nuggets

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:45:00 -0800

Kirilenko leads Jazz over Nuggets

By DOUG ALDEN AP Sports Writer

SALT LAKE CITYThe Utah Jazz already blew one chance to gain on Denver when the Nuggets were without their two top players.

When the Nuggets showed up short-handed again, Utah was able to take advantage.

Andrei Kirilenko scored 22 points and Carlos Boozer had 19 points and 13 rebounds as the Jazz increased their winning streak to eight with a 116-106 victory over the Nuggets on Saturday night.

"As a team we're playing really great basketball right now. This is the basketball we're supposed to play," said Kirilenko, who also had five steals.

Utah had a huge edge from the start when the Nuggets said All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups would not play because of sprained ankles. Denver had also just beaten the Lakers the night before in Los Angeles while the Jazz had been off since Wednesday.

The Jazz caught the weary Nuggets early with 38 points in the first quarter, then held on for the victory and pulled within two games of Denver in the Northwest Division.

"It's huge. We've got a chance to get the second (playoff) seed," said Boozer, who had missed three straight with a strained right calf. "If we can maintain our streak, we have a chance to get it maybe even before the All-Star break gets here."

Even without their top two players, the Nuggets were able to cut a 17-point deficit to three early in the fourth quarter before Utah put the game away.

"I thought we kept fighting and fighting. We didn't have a lot of things go our way," Denver coach George Karl said. "We're banged up. We need a couple of days off."

Deron Williams added 22 points, nine assists and three blocks for the Jazz.

Ty Lawson led Denver with 25 points.

Anthony and Billups, who scored a career-high 39 the night before in a win over the Lakers in Los Angeles, were both out with sprained ankles. It was the eighth game in a row without Anthony, who averages nearly 30 points per game.

The Nuggets also rested Billups and still were able to hang with the Jazz until late in the game.

"We all played hard, especially when we made our adjustments after the first half," Lawson said. "We've just got to keep winning and make sure we hold our spot."

J.R. Smith scored 19 and Kenyon Martin had 16 points and 13 rebounds for Denver. Joey Graham also scored 16 and Chris Andersen 15.

The Nuggets were without Anthony and Billups when they played here on Jan. 2 and still won 105-95, but on Saturday, Denver couldn't overcome 20 turnovers, which led to 22 points as the Jazz extended their winning streak and drew another game closer to Denver for first place in the division.

"You look out there and see they don't have Billups and they don't have Carmelo Anthony, so we should have won real easily probably," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "But they beat us here with those two guys out the last time we played them and that shows you how strong their team is."

Boozer and Kirilenko went 8 for 11 from the floor. Paul Millsap had 16 points and six rebounds and C.J. Miles scored 12 for Utah.

The Nuggets got back in it with a 12-3 run late in the third quarter, including two three-point plays by Chris Andersen. Utah led 93-86 entering the fourth and Denver continued to push. Malik Allen scored right away, then Anthony Carter drove for a layup to cut it to 93-90 a minute into the final period.

But the Jazz regrouped and slowly rebuilt the lead back to double-figures and held on for their first win over the Nuggets this season.

NOTES: The Nuggets have never swept a season series against the Jazz. ... Millsap fouled out with 4:26 left in the game. ... The Jazz were 23 of 41 in the first half (56 percent). ... Graham was called for a flagrant foul on Ronnie Brewer with 8 minutes left in the third quarter. ... Brewer finished with eight assists.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Despite no Melo, Nuggets bury Lakers 126 - 113

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:25:00 -0800

Billups scores 39 as Nuggets bury Lakers 126-113

By BETH HARRIS, AP Sports Writer

Preview | Box Score | Recap

LOS ANGELES (AP)The Lakers and Nuggets wont know for another few months whos got the others number. For now, though, give Denver the edge.

Chauncey Billups scored a career-high 39 points, including nine 3-pointers, and the Nuggets won 126-113 Friday night, ending the Lakers eight-game home winning streak and improving to 2-0 against them.

Billups was 12 of 20 from the floor, including 9 of 13 from 3-point range, and made 6 of 8 free throws to go with eight assists for the Nuggets, who played without Carmelo Anthony for the seventh straight game because of a sprained left ankle.

ve always got to be confident. Theres a lot of people that can say it, but until you can do it, youve got to get that confidence from the right place, Billups said. re the world champs. But we feel that we can compete with them.

Billups scored 21 points in the third quarter alone, the most against the Lakers in one period since Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia 76ers had 23 in a game in February 1966. Billups nine 3-pointers were the second-most ever against the Lakers.

He was shooting considerably beyond the line, Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. m just glad that didnt happen in a playoff game.

Kobe Bryant scored 33 points on his sprained left ankle, but the first-place Lakers proved no match for the Western Conferences No. 2 team, the one they beat in last years conference finals en route to their 15th NBA championship.

I could still be effective and play, Bryant said tersely. Obviously, Im not as explosive as I was but I can still command double teams, things like that.

Asked if the Nuggets think theyre the better team, Bryant replied, m sure they do. They played extremely well the first two games this season and they have every right to feel that way.

Denver coach George Karl had wondered before the game how the Nuggets would make up Anthonys 29.7 scoring average. Billups took all the concern away as he beat up the Lakers in the third, when Los Angeles had its nine-point lead erased on his long-range daggers.

They really put a rush on us in that third quarter, Jackson said. We never really recovered.

Billups hit four consecutive 3s to give Denver an 87-85 lead, its first since late in the second quarter.

Without Melo out there, youve got to make up for a lot of different things, he said. Our style of play is a tough style to play against if youve got guys that are making shots. If were not making shots, theyd probably beat us pretty handily. But when we are, were a tough group to defend.

Ty Lawson took a cue from Billups, making his own 3-pointer and the Nuggets regained a 94-89 lead heading into the fourth.

J.R. Smith and Lawson took over in the final 12 minutes, combining for the Nuggets first 12 points and extending their lead to 106-96. Billups became the distributor in the end, finding Arron Afflalo in the left corner for a 3-pointer one of a season-high 15 by the Nuggetsthat made it 121-110.

Smith finished with 27 points and Lawson 13 as six Nuggets reached double figures.

It was huge, especially to win on their court, Smith said. ve struggled a lot out here, so getting one here without Melo is big. And when we get him back, hopefully we can keep it rolling.

The win allowed the Nuggets to get to .500 on the road at 12-12.

They shot 57 percent from the floor, 68 percent from long-range and 71 percent at the line. The Lakers hit 45 percent from the floor.

NOTES: Karl and Billups were among Denvers late arrivals on a rainy night, showing up 60 minutes before tipoff. A wrong turn and too much traffic, Karl said. Karl said Anthony could return in a few days. Denver leads the season series 2-0, having won 105-79 at home in November. Dodgers manager Joe Torre and actor Denzel Washington attended the game. Jamie McCourt, the estranged wife of Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, sat courtside after greeting Torre.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Insider Report: Carmelo Anthony

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:05:00 -0800

David Aldridge talks with Carmelo Anthony about several topics including challenging the Lakers and playing with Chauncy Billups. Video courtesy of NBA.com

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo expects to return vs. Suns

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:50:00 -0800

'Melo plans on returning Wednesday:

According to the team's official Web site, Nuggets F Carmelo Anthony had a good workout on Tuesday and said that he plans to return from a sprained right ankle Wednesday against Phoenix. He would replace Joey Graham in the starting lineup.

How do you think he'll do? Leave your comments below.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Minus Melo, Nuggets defeat Spurs 103-89

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:55:00 -0800

Minus Melo, Nuggets defeat Spurs 103-89

By Chris Dempsey
The Denver Post

SAN ANTONIO Going back to his days with the New Jersey Nets, Kenyon Martin knows his jump shots will be open when he plays against a team coached by Gregg Popovich.

Respect only goes as far as what you believe your opponent can't do. Popovich has always backed off of Martin's jumper. Wisely, in some years. Not so wisely Sunday afternoon.

Martin made shots from all angles in the Nuggets' 103-89 win over the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center.

His game-high 27 points and 11 rebounds closed out the Nuggets' three-game trip out in style, despite playing again without Carmelo Anthony, who missed his fourth consecutive game because of a sprained ankle. The Nuggets finished 2-1 on the trip, and Sunday's win completed a sweep of the Spurs in San Antonio, the first time ever when playing two or more games there.

Before the season, Martin said he had worked with a shooting coach to improve his jump shot and was ready to take more of an aggressive scoring role. It's beginning to appear the work is paying off.

"This is definitely the best stretch he's had since I've been a Nugget," guard Chauncey Billups said of Martin. "He's just playing with so much confidence. He's picking his spots well. He's getting some opportunities to score for us, and he's knocking his shot down. A lot of times when a player picks it up offensively, his defense slacks off. But he's been just as great defensively."

Martin put the exclamation point on his best month as a Nugget, when the team went 12-3 including winning nine of the last 10 games.

He had 10 double-doubles in 15 games. He averaged 14.9 points and 11.2 rebounds. He shot 51 percent from the field, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range.

Martin has turned nearly all of his detractors to supporters. Nearly all of the talk about him not living up to his $90 million contract is gone.

"He was incredible," Denver coach George Karl said. "It might havebeen the best game Kenyon's played for us in the time I've been here. His decisions, his efficiency, his defense, and he made shots made big shots."

Martin is a big reason the Nuggets have been able to survive without Anthony.

"There are more opportunities there," said Martin, who hit 12-of-21 shots Sunday. "Most of the sets run through Melo, so just making plays, making myself more available. I can do it when he's there, but I'm more likely to pass it to Melo a lot of times. So I can do it when he's in the game as well, but I've been trying to be more aggressive."

Billups, Karl said, "was a stud" with 25 points, 11 assists and six rebounds against the Spurs. Arron Afflalo contributed 14 points for the Nuggets, hitting all six of his shots.

Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com

NBA Game Recap Nuggets vs. Spurs From 31.01.2010

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets win eighth straight

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:10:00 -0800

Nuggets win eighth straight, 97-92 vs. Rockets

By CHRIS DUNCAN, AP Sports Writer

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights

HOUSTON (AP)The Denver Nuggets are learning how to win without Carmelo Anthony.

J.R. Smith scored 22 points, Kenyon Martin added 12 points and 15 rebounds and the Nuggets extended their winning streak to eight games with a 97-92 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

The Nuggets won for the second straight time without Anthony, the NBAs second-leading scorer, who sat out with a sprained left ankle. Anthony also missed five games earlier this month with a bruised knee, and Denver won three of them.

Denver held the Rockets to 18 points in the final quarter to take control. The Nuggets have won three of the last four games Anthony has missed, holding the opponents to an average of 94 points in the victories.

Since January, weve been trying to get more serious about every game, every situation, every circumstance, Denver coach George Karl said. Early in the season, I dont think we made as many big-time defensive plays as we made last year. Our defense is starting to play better.

Chauncey Billups scored 21 points, Nene added 18 and Denver went 29 for 39 from the free throw line to win in Houston for just the fourth time in 16 trips.

Martin has 12 double-doubles in his last 16 games, another reason why the Nuggets have surged while Anthony has been in and out of the lineup this month.

He doesnt get enough credit, Billups said. s been phenomenal for us. Hes more aggressive at both ends of the court.

Aaron Brooks scored 22 points and Luis Scola added 20 for the Rockets, whove lost four of their last five home games.

Houston was up by two after three quarters, and led 80-79 after Brooks free throw with 8:40 left. The Nuggets answered with a decisive 10-0 run, capped by back-to-back 3-pointers by Smith.

Houston missed 10 of its first 12 shots in the last quarter, after shooting 48 percent through the first three.

There are stretches in the game where we play really good quarters and in two or three minutes, we throw everything out. s been happening like that all season.

Scola scored with 4:53 left to pull the Rockets within seven, but Martin swooped in for a rebound dunk with 3:48 remaining to stretch the lead back to nine.

Brooks sank a 3-pointer with 1:18 left, and Billups was whistled for an offensive foul with 58.7 seconds to go. But Scola missed a mid-range jumper, Martin rebounded and the fans started making another early exit.

The Rockets lost for the eighth time in 12 games, despite a dominating start.

Denver mustered only 16 points in the first quarter and trailed by 15.

But Chris Andersens free throws with 5:37 left in the half tied it at 38-all, and Billups hit two free throws on Denvers next possession to give the Nuggets their first lead.

The Nuggets went 15 for 16 from the free throw line in the second quarter, and the Rockets said that disrupted their offensive rhythm.

We are a better team than that, Brooks said. When we gave up 12 fouls in the second quarter, that slowed us down a lot.

The Rockets shot 49 percent in the first half (20 of 41) to lead 51-50 at the break. The Nuggets stayed close by going 21 for 24 from the free throw line.

Brooks sank two 3-pointers early in the third quarter, but then picked up his fourth foul and left the game. But the Rockets finished the quarter with a 9-2 spurt to take a 74-72 lead to the fourth. Denver went 1 for 8 from 3-point range in the third quarter.

NOTES: Karl expects Anthony to return for Fridays game against Oklahoma City. Smith had an eventful day, making a last-minute payment to Houston attorney Rusty Hardin before the game to stall a lawsuit. Hardin was seeking unpaid legal fees after representing Smith in 2006, when Smith was accused of breaking a players jaw in a pick-up game. Smith paid a chunk of the fees, and has 30 days to settle the debt and void the lawsuit. The Nuggets had only seven assists, a season low for a Houston opponent. Denvers 39 free throw attempts were a season high for a Rockets opponent this season.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Dime Magazine picks Melo for MVP

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:15:00 -0800

Midseason Awards: Nobody Has Been Better Than Carmelo Anthony

By Dime Magazine

The 2009-10 season is just about at it's midway point. These two-and-a-half months have been filled with a whole lot of surprises. Who would have thought Gilbert Arenas would be suspended for the season or Blake Griffin and Greg Oden would suffer season-ending injuries? And who would have thought Allen Iverson would be back in Philly or the Nets would be so bad (Okay, well that one wasnt so far fetched).

There have also been a lot of positive surprises. A lot of unexpected players have stepped up and made a huge splash so far this season. While a lot can happen between now and mid-April, here are our midseason awards.

MVP: Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets) It is funny to think that Anthony didnt even make the All-Star team last year, yet he is probably the leading candidate for the MVP award so far in the season. His stats have been ridiculous: 29.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.3 apg. But more importantly, he has kept the Nuggets near the top of the Western Conference standings. Theyve slipped a little in the past weeks and Melo has been nursing a knee injury, but Denver has been 2-0 since he returned.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo out against the Bobcats

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:10:00 -0800

The Denver Post reports that Carmelo Anthony will miss Monday's game against the Bobcats due to a sprained ankle.

"The best bet is to wait until Wednesday's game to get it better. It didn't swell up, so that's a good sign. I've had ankle injuries before, but this one is not as bad as the others," said Anthony.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo scores 30 in OT win over Hornets

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0800

DENVER (AP)No last-second magic for the New Orleans Hornets on Saturday night. Arron Afflalo made sure of that.

Afflalo had a season-high 19 points and hit two 3-pointers in overtime to help the Denver Nuggets beat the Hornets 116-110.

Carmelo Anthony had 30 points and 11 rebounds, and Kenyon Martin added 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Nuggets in their season-high sixth straight victory.

Chauncey Billups had 20 points and nine assists as all five Denver starters scored in double figures.

Chris Paul had 26 points, seven in overtime, and 10 assists for the Hornets. Darius Songaila added a season-high 20 starting in place of the injured David West.

The loss comes after the Hornets won two straight games on buzzer-beating layups by James Posey. Saturday, the hero was Afflalo, who rebounded from a poor outing against the Hornets on Dec. 18. Afflalo was 2 for 9 and missed all six of his 3-pointers in that 98-92 loss.

s nothing I took into this game, Afflalo said. It was a brand-new opportunity.

He made a career-high five 3-pointers.

Arron hit some huge shots tonight, Billups said. I just told him just stay focused, youre the one whos going to get the looks. Theyre not going to sink off me and give me a look, and Melo, you saw how they played him.

With the Hornets focusing their defense on Anthony, Afflalo stepped up. His first 3-pointer of overtime gave Denver a 106-101 lead, and after Paul hit his only 3 to make it 108-106, Afflalo struck again with 1:33 left.

s always a weakness to the double team and I thought Melo did a good job of getting us a good shot, Nuggets coach George Karl said. In overtime Afflalos two 3s were huge. Were not a pretty team, we just win games.

The Nuggets didnt escape the game unscathed. Anthony rolled his left ankle after landing on Devin Browns foot with 1:04 left, but stayed in the game and hit two free throws to give Denver a 113-106 lead.

s better than I thought, Anthony said. It looked pretty bad at first, but its better than I thought. Well see how it is (Sunday).

The Nuggets had a chance to win the game before overtime. They led 101-99 with 24 seconds left, but Paul hit a shot to tie it with 18 seconds left.

We had our chances in regulation, Hornets coach Jeff Bower said. It was going to be hard for us to win the game in overtime.

Anthony missed two shots in the final seconds that would have won it in regulation.

I thought we had it won when Melo got the tip-back but he just missed it, Billups said. In the overtime we were focused and took the game over.

It was a struggle for Denver until then. Stojakovic hit three 3-pointers in the third quarter as New Orleans surged ahead, but the Nuggets came storming back. Anthony hit a turnaround and after New Orleans miss, Martins putback dunk made it 75-72 with 2:59 left in the frame.

Denver led 79-78 heading into the fourth.

The attention of our team, our effort and our concentration is outstanding, Bower said. I thought we played every possession and tried to do what we wanted to do on every possession. It didnt always work, but we gave ourselves a chance to win.

West, the Hornets second-leading scorer, missed the game after spraining an ankle against Minnesota on Friday night. Songaila started in Wests place and scored eight points in the first quarter to help New Orleans take a 33-32 lead.

In basketball, when a guy is out, different guys step up, Paul said. Darius was real big tonight.

NOTES: The Nuggets had four players with more than 10 rebounds and held a 61-37 edge on the boards. Martin has 15 double-doubles this season. Stojakovic has hit at least three 3-pointers in 14 games this season.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Helping Haiti and making a difference

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:55:00 -0800

Athletes Relief Fund for Haiti Receives More Than $800,000 of Initial Support from Professional Sports Community

Initiative Founded by Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade in Aftermath of Earthquake Elicits Generous and Passionate Response from Athletes

MIAMI January 18, 2010 The Athletes Relief Fund for Haiti, co‐founded by NBA legend Alonzo Mourning and Miami HEAT all‐star Dwyane Wade, has received pledges totaling more than $800,000 from the sports community since its unique inception on Friday.

Mourning and Wade launched the initiative with the intent to form a united front within the world of professional sports and to rally collective support to fund immediate relief efforts.

Contributing athletes are: From the NBA, Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks), Anthony Parker (Cleveland Cavaliers), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Kenyon Martin (Denver Nuggets), J.R. Smith (Denver Nuggets), Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets), Ben Gordon (Detroit Pistons), Mike Dunleavy (Indiana Pacers), Michael Beasley (Miami HEAT), Udonis Haslem (Miami HEAT), Quentin Richardson (Miami HEAT), Devin Harris (New Jersey Nets), Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Michael Finley (San Antonio Spurs), Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors), Carlos Boozer (NBA, Utah Jazz), Ronnie Brewer (NBA, Utah Jazz), Caron Butler (Washington Wizards), and Gilbert Arenas (Washington Wizards).

From the NFL, Terrell Owens (Buffalo Bills), Joshua Cribbs (Cleveland Browns), Donte' Stallworth (Cleveland Browns), Wes Welker (New England Patriots), Randy Moss (New England Patriots), Michael Vick (Philadelphia Eagles), and Clinton Portis (Washington Redskins).

The response from our colleagues has been overwhelming, said Mourning, who personally traveled to Haiti on Friday. We accept these donations with complete confidence that Project Medishare will put each dollar to quick and efficient use. Having been in Haiti, I have seen their work in action, and will be returning tomorrow morning to continue to assist them with their efforts.

I expected nothing less from my friends and colleagues in the sports community, Wade said. Our commitment to this cause knows no bounds, and we will continue to accept any and all donations throughout the days ahead.

Dwyane Wade has personally committed $175,000 to the cause. Alonzo Mourning, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paul have each pledged $100,000.

Since first learning of the tragedy in Haiti, I was intent on finding a way to help, said James. I feel fortunate to be in such a position to provide support and my heart and prayers continue to be with the people of Haiti.

The situation in Haiti is devastating. I wanted to do my part, and contribute to the Athletes Relief Fund so the people of Haiti know we care and support them, said Durant.

Chris Paul noted $61,000 of his $100,00 donation was in honor of his deceased grandfather, offering a personal story. A high school student at the time, Paul scored 61 points in a game the day after his grandfathers passing.
Equally moved by the effort, Donte Stallworth turned to his Twitter account, and offered to donate $1 for every follower. To date, he has 34,000 followers.

Funds raised will be directed to Project Medishare, which is actively working to support the Haitian people.

Dr. Barth Green, a co‐founder of Project Medishare for Haiti, is emerging as a key player in the current efforts to save injured Haitians. One of the first foreign doctors to arrive in Haiti, Dr. Green is helping to coordinate the international medical relief, and to oversee a new field hospital erected in two tents on vacant land in the northwest corner of Port‐au‐Princes international airport. The makeshift hospital will house a medical staff of 100 and two operating rooms, and is expected to assist more than 300 patients immediately.

Project Medishare is dedicated to sharing its human and technical resources with its Haitian partners in the quest to achieve quality healthcare and development services for all. Project Medishare is working closely with Haitian President René Préval to organize all medical teams on the ground and implement a plan to set up field hospitals and triage centers around the capital city of Port au Prince.

For more information on the Athletes Relief Fund for Haiti, or if you'd like to make a donation of your own, please visit www.AMCharities.org.

For more information on Project Medishare, go to www.ProjectMedishare.org.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo named All-Star starter

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:00:00 -0800

Congrats to Melo for being named a starter for the 2010 NBA All-Star game!

Melo also has plenty to be proud about as he was the West's top vote-collecting forward.

Leading the league in scoring (30 ppg) Melo is focused and nearly unstoppable as the Nuggets stand atop the Northwest Division.

Check out Melo's All-Star reel:

Click here for the full list of starters from both East and West.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo puts up double-double in Nuggets win

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:55:00 -0800

Nuggets beat Clippers for 5th straight win

By Aaron J. Lopez, Nuggets.com

During a timeout late in the second quarter Thursday night, Nuggets coach George Karl tried to prod his team out of a daze.

mon, gentlemen. It seems like were stuck in the mud a little bit, he shouted.

Sitting with a towel over his head, Carmelo Anthony responded without missing a beat.

re still asleep, he said, coaxing a smile out of his coach.

After getting back to Denver at about 3 a.m. following an overtime win at Golden State, the Nuggets slogged through the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers before emerging from the break looking like a squad that slugged a case of Red Bull.

Led by newly minted All-Star starter Anthony and reserve All-Star candidate Chauncey Billups, Denver outscored the Los Angeles Clippers 31-9 to start the third quarter and cruised to a 105-85 victory at the Pepsi Center.

I think we woke up out of that dream we was in, Anthony said. The first half, we was dreaming. I know we was dreaming. The game was slow 40-something to 40-something (48-47).

Anthony, officially named Thursday as a starter for the Western Conference All-Star team, finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds, while Billups scored 13 of his 20 points in the decisive third quarter.

We had two tired ballclubs on a back-to-back coming from the West Coast and it was a battle of wills, Billups said. I just knew that I was going to be very aggressive and attacking in that third quarter and just try to turn the tide and get some energy in the building.

After hitting two huge three-pointers in overtime against the Warriors on Wednesday night, Billups didnt wait that long to get going against the Clippers. He hit back-to-back threes 39 seconds apart to put Denver up by 19 with 4:23 left in the third quarter. The second trey came after he did a 360-degree pivot a pirouette, if you will just outside the arc.

That was my daughters dance class, he said. s been teaching me at the house, so I just wanted to put it into my game.

The dance was all but over at that point, as the Nuggets avenged a 106-99 loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles two months ago.

We talked about that today when we came in for the game, just keep in mind that embarrassment that we had out there in L.A., Anthony said. That was definitely on our mind.

Kenyon Martin had something else on his mind at tipoff. Before the game, he pledged $1,500 to aid relief efforts in Haiti for every rebound he grabbed against the Clippers. Martin didnt disappoint, scoring 13 points and grabbing 14 boards good for a $21,000 donation.

I just wanted to pick a game and do something, because theyre in need, said Martin, who also plans to make additional contributions through his foundation. m doing all I can. Others around the league and pro sports should do it as well. Were in a position to help.

Martin now has recorded 10 double-doubles in his last 13 games, doubling his total from all of last season. He is averaging 14.3 points and 11.9 rebounds during that 13-game stretch.

The surge most likely wont be enough to earn Martin an invitation to the All-Star game in his hometown of Dallas, but its tough to make the roster when his teammate Anthony monopolizes most of the votes.

Anthony led all Western Conference forwards wire-to-wire in the balloting, making his third All-Star selection somewhat anticlimactic.

To be honest with you, just following the voting and all that stuff, I almost kind of knew, he said. If I wouldnt have been a starter, something was wrong . . . It feels good to know the fans out there recognize me and voted for me. I want to continue to do what Im doing so they can keep recognizing me.

The Nuggets (28-14) are lobbying for more recognition after winning their fifth straight game and improving to 8-2 in 2010. By matching the second-best start in team history, Denver is starting to gain some momentum in the final three-week push leading into the All-Star break.

We havent completed our personality yet, Karl said. re a little bit of a work in progress and the last couple weeks have been great.

Notes: Despite twisting his right shoulder Wednesday night, Nuggets forward Nene scored 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting before sitting out the fourth quarter . . . Billups is averaging 25.4 points in seven games since returning from a groin injury . . . Denver has shot 129 free throws in the past three games; the opposition has attempted 78.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Denver beats Warriors 123-118 for fourth straight victory

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:20:00 -0800

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)The Denver Nuggets are back to playing like one of the NBAs best teams now that Chauncey Billups is healthy and in the lineup.

The groin injury that cost him eight games earlier this season? Gone. Denvers struggles on the road? Still there, but not looking as imposing a hurdle anymore.

Billups matched his career high with 37 points, including 10 in overtime, and Denver beat the Golden State Warriors 123-118 on Wednesday night for its fourth straight victory.

I said I didnt want to come back until I was able to do what I do, Billups said after leading the Nuggets to their third straight win over the Warriors this season. m feeling good. Ever since I came back, I havent felt (the injury) one day.

Billups scored the Nuggets first eight points of the extra period, then went scoreless for nearly two minutes before he and Carmelo Anthony each made two free throws in the final 25 seconds to seal the win for Denver.

In the six games since returning from the groin injury, Billups is averaging 26.3 points and Denver is 5-1.

The Nuggets needed every bit because Anthony, the NBAs leading scorer, struggled with his shot all night. Anthony went just 7 of 22 from the floor and only had three points in overtime.

s been big for us, Anthony said. The last couple of weeks weve had some injury problems that threw us out of sync. Having everyone back, were starting to get going.

Anthony scored 23 points, including two clinching free throws with 12.5 seconds left to help the Nuggets (27-14) win for just the second time in nine road games.

Monta Ellis had 39 points and 10 assists, while Corey Maggette added 33 points and nine rebounds for Golden State (12-28), which lost for the fourth time in five games.

re full strength, we were not and were still in these kind of games, Golden States Stephen Curry said. s tough, you give all that effort and you have it in your hands.

The Nuggets have been struggling away from the Pepsi Center and have had even more trouble with some of the NBAs weaker teams. Denver went into the game just 11-8 against teams with a .500 record or lower, a stat that was on the verge of getting worse before Billups took control in overtime.

Denver, which is just 9-11 on the road this season, maintained its two-game lead over Portland in the Northwest Division.

ve been losing these games, Denver coach George Karl said. The truth of the matter is we still find mistakes and ways that hurt ourselves, but tonight we figured out enough to win it.

Both teams had a chance to win in regulation but came up short. Anthonys driving layup attempt was blocked with 3.9 seconds left before Anthony Tolliver, one of three NBA Development League call-ups on Golden States roster, missed a long jumper at the buzzer. Tolliver also missed a 3-pointer late in the final seconds of overtime.

That Golden State made it close had to surprise coach Don Nelson, whose patchwork lineup nearly needed revamping yet again after Ellis pulled out of the afternoon shootaround complaining of soreness in his left ankle.

Ellis, who injured the same ankle in an offseason mo-ped accident in 2008 one month after signing a $66 million six-year contract, then didnt come out for pregame warmups until seven minutes before the game and took only a handful of shots before lying on the floor and stretching.

Ellis leads the NBA in complete games (9) and was averaging a league-high 42.2 minutes before playing all 53 against Denver, but denied the heavy workload affected his ankle.

s just that I have a plate in my ankle and when it rains my ankle throbs, Ellis said. So it wasnt nothing like Ive been playing on it too much and it was hurting. It was just because of the weather.

NOTES: Ellis had eight or more assists for the third straight game, the first time hes done that in his four-year NBA career. Maggette has scored at least 32 points in each of his last three games. The Warriors signed Cartier Martin to a second 10-day contract earlier in the day.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo Sizzles in Nuggets Win Over Jazz

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:30:00 -0800

Anthony's 37 points, Billups' big shot propel Nuggets past Jazz

Like Jay Leno, the Jazz just wouldn't go away.

Down by double digits in Sunday night's third and fourth quarters, pesky Utah clawed back each time, even cutting Denver's lead to four with a minute left the time when nicknames are made.

"At that point in time in the game, if Chauncey Billups is open and I give it to him, I have faith in him," Carmelo Anthony said.

In Denver's 119-112 win, Mr. Big Shot hit the biggest a "dagger" 3-pointer, as Nuggets coach George Karl called it, a play that finally swatted away the Jazz (23-18).

"We had a lot of big wins this season, and this is probably one of the biggest wins right here," said Anthony, whose Nuggets have beaten the likes of the Lakers, Cavaliers, Spurs, Trail Blazers and Suns.

So, why was this one of the biggest? Well, Denver (26-14) has now won its first three games against Utah this season, neatly tying up the tiebreaker which could come into play since the Jazz began the night 2 1/2 games behind the Nuggets in the airtight Northwest Division. Entering Sunday, Utah had won four straight games, including the previous evening against Milwaukee, but Utah entered the night just 7-11 away from the friendly confines of Energy Solutions Arena. Denver, of course, is a beast at home, 18-3 this season.

"As far as playing our best basketball we're just starting to play our best basketball," said Anthony, who scored a game-high 37 points.

Similarly to knocking down a giant by punching him in the knees, Denver broke down Utah's defense by attacking the feet. The Nuggets' perimeter players seldom let the Jazz defenders get set, and the result was 49 Denver free throws, tying the most by a team this NBA season (set by Denver in the second game of the season).

The Nuggets made 41 of them (Billups alone was 17-for-19), also an NBA season high. This was one reason Karl wasn't concerned by the Nuggets' low assist total (16),

Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups, right, loses control of the ball as Jazz guard Deron Williams chases the play in the first quarter Sunday at the Pepsi Center. (David Zalubowski, The Associated Press)because no assist is awarded if a player is fouled while shooting.

"Otherwise, we might have had 30," Karl said.

From the other locker room, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said: "You give up 49 free throws on the road are you kidding me? You have no chance to win."

Anthony went into the locker room with a pedestrian eight points, but in the third quarter, he rediscovered his aggressiveness his swag, as he likes to say and he poured in 12 points during those 12 minutes and 17 more in the fourth quarter and did so by attacking, attacking and attacking.

"He was powering the ball to the rim," Karl said.

For the first time since Dec. 16, every Nuggets player was healthy, an uplifting turn

of events for Karl, who was wedging Anthony Carter and Joey Graham into big-minute roles. (Not that Karl is afraid to play those guys, but consider that Denver has lost just four times when everyone was healthy.)

Nuggets guard J.R. Smith had another "J.R. Clank" night, going 4-for-12 from the field, but his passing, for much of the night, looked like he was a Jazz point guard or something. Smith finished with a team-high five assists, threading numerous needles via bounce passes, many to Nene. Smith also tossed a brilliant floater in transition to Nene, a pass that whizzed over Jazz fingertips into Nene's fingers for a layup and an ensuing free throw.

Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1254 or bhochman@denverpost.co

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo Continues Dominant Comeback

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:25:00 -0800

Anthony, Billups lead Nuggets past Magic 115-97

DENVER (AP)The Denver Nuggets knocked Dwight Howard out of his comfort zone with tough, physical defense and by using an array of defenders against the Orlando Magics star center.

Howard ended up having one of his worst games of the season, and the Nuggets fed off their defensive effort, getting 27 points from Carmelo Anthony and 24 from Chauncey Billupsin a 115-97 victory over Orlando on Wednesday night.

Offensively and defensively combined, it might be the best game weve played all year, Nuggets coach George Karl said.

Karl said the defensive effort against Howard was especially important to Denvers dominating performance.

We were trying to be physical with him, Karl said. Turning him over five times and not allowing him to make many shots was huge. Theres not going to be many teams that hold him under 10 points.

Howard, who had 30 points and 16 rebounds in Orlandos win at Sacramento on Tuesday, had 13 rebounds and three blocked shots but was held to 8 points.

They did a good job of mixing it up and trying to have me off-balance, said Howard, who made only one of seven shots from the floor while being guarded at various times by Nene, Chris Andersen and Kenyon Martin.

They swarmed him and their big guys are very athletic, said Matt Barnes, who had a season-high 28 points to lead Orlando. s Superman, but when you swarm him with that many guys, its hard to get a shot off.

Said Anthony: Our big guys did a great job tonight making it tough for him. Each guy we put on him had something different for him.

JJ Redick, with 13 points, and Mickael Pietrus, with 12, were the only other Magic players in double figures.

It was Denvers fourth win in five games, including victories over fellow division leaders Orlando and Cleveland.

ve been pretty good against good teams. Our problem has been that switch of intensity when facing lower-level teams, Karl said. We have to stop messing around with our intensity and play the same way every night.

The Magic were playing without their leading scorer, Vince Carter (shoulder), for a third straight game and the second game of a back to back after winning at Sacramento the night before.

The rugged schedule may have caught up to the short-handed Magic in the third quarter, when the Nuggets outscored them 35-19, going from a three-point deficit at halftime to an 85-72 lead heading into the fourth.

We clearly got totally dominated in the second half, said Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy. m very disappointed.

Denver began the decisive quarter with a 12-0 run, finishing the flurry with consecutive 3-pointers by Anthony and Arron Afflalo. Rashard Lewis 8-foot running jumper broke up the string, but Afflalo, who had 13 points, answered right away with another 3-pointer.

With 4:24 left in the period, Redick connected on a 3-pointer that cut Orlandos deficit to 72-63. From there, though, Denver extended the lead, scoring nine of the next 11 points and moving ahead by 16 when Billups connected from 3-point range with 1:57 left in the period.

By the time J.R. Smith broke free for a fastbreak dunk midway through the fourth quarter, putting Denver up 101-76, the Nuggets were coasting.

It didnt begin that way for Denver.

Anthony sparred verbally with officials and was hit with a technical after they did not call a foul when Anthony felt he was roughed up trying to drive through a double team for a layup in the waning seconds of the second quarter.

The Nuggets got the ball to Anthony for a 3-point try from the top of the key at the buzzer but it bounced off the rim and Denver trailed at the half 53-50.

NOTES: Nuggets G Ty Lawson missed his fourth game in a row with a left ankle sprain. Orlando fell to 9-12 in 21 games in Denver.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo scores 24 in return as Nuggets beat T-Wolves

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:05:00 -0800

Anthony scores 24 in return, Nuggets beat T-Wolves

DENVER (AP)Returning from a right knee bruise that forced him to miss five games, Carmelo Anthony started slowly but finished strong.

Anthony scored 10 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, including consecutive 3-pointers midway through the period to help quash any chance of another upset by Minnesota, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Timberwolves 105-94 on Monday night.

Early in the game it was hard to figure what I can do and what I cant do, said Anthony, who didnt get his first basket for more than 8 minutes. I was trying to ease my way into the game.

But with just over a minute left in the first quarter, the All-Star forward began to rediscover his form. He put a nifty move on Sasha Pavlovic, brushing past him for a layup despite getting fouled and then completed the three-point play.

I made that move on the baseline, got that 1-on-1, and once I was able to do that, it felt pretty good, Anthony said.

The NBAs leading scorer, Anthony was injured Dec. 28 against Sacramento. His return was a welcome development for the Nuggets, who are getting healthy again after being buffeted by a series of injuries that saw some of their best players lose time due to various ailments.

It was great to have him back, said Chauncey Billups, who scored 18 points. He got an opportunity to run around, shake off a little rust, get a little bit of rhythm. I thought he really caught the rhythm in the second half.

Billups returned from a groin injury last week. The only Denver player who missed the Minnesota game due to injury was rookie guard Ty Lawson. He remained inactive because of a sprained left ankle, missing his third consecutive game.

Arron Afflalo added 15 points for Denver, which reversed the outcome of its Nov. 29 meeting with Minnesota. The Timberwolves overcame a 14-point halftime deficit to beat the Nuggets 106-100 in that one, snapping their 15-game losing streak.

Minnesota handed Denver its first loss of the season at the Pepsi Center, ending a 17-game regular season home winning streak that dated to last season.

But the Nuggets have regained their footing since that embarrassing loss, especially at home, where they have gone 9-2 since.

They definitely did not want to lose to us again on their home court, said Minnesotas Kevin Love, who had 20 points and 14 rebounds. They came out and kind of put us out in that third quarter. We fell too far behind in the fourth and we just couldnt pull it out.

Anthony said the Nuggets did not want to repeat the mistakes of their past meeting with the Timberwolves, when they blew a double-digit lead.

We didnt want them to beat us at all, he said. We didnt want to give that team no confidence. Last time we got up 14, we loosened up and they beat us. Tonight we didnt want to make that the case.

Anthonys return also made a difference.

He comes right back and doesnt miss a step, Love said. s just kind of what you expect from him. You hope to contain him, slow him down, push him into a drought, but for us, it was too little, too late.

Corey Brewer had 25 points for the Timberwolves, who lost their fourth consecutive game on the road. Al Jefferson added 22 points and 15 rebounds.

Up by eight at halftime, the Nuggets extended their lead to 85-70 by the end of the third quarter. Billups had eight points in the period, twice hitting 3-pointers to deflate runs by the Timberwolves.

The Nuggets took a 58-45 lead when Billups converted a three-point play with 56.4 seconds remaining in the second quarter. The Timberwolves closed within 58-50 at halftime by scoring the last five points in the period, including a three-point play by Brewer, who had 20 of his points in the half.

NOTES:@ The three teams ahead of last-place Minnesota in the Northwest Division all have winning records, topped by Denver. Denver has defeated the Timberwolves in 11 of the last 12 meetings. Kenyon Martin had 15 rebounds to go with his eight points for Denver. Ryan Gomes, who had a season-high 27 points in Minnesotas victory at Denver, was held to two points Monday.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Kings beat Nuggets on Evans’ bucket with 0.7 left

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:30:00 -0800

Kings beat Nuggets on Evans bucket with 0.7 left

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)This time, Tyreke Evans was determined to start his move earlier and make sure he got a shot off, something he failed to do twice in game-winning situations in late December.

Unlike the other two games, losses to Cleveland and the Lakers, this was a game to savor for Sacramentos rookie guard. Evans made the tiebreaking jumper with 0.7 seconds left and scored 27 points, helping the Kings beat the Denver Nuggets 102-100 on Saturday night to snap a season-high, five-game losing streak.

Following a timeout, Evans drove inside, pumped fake, and hit 10-foot fadeaway over Kenyon Martin.The clutch basket capped a wild fourth quarter where the lead changed hands five times and was tied on three occasions. J.R. Smith missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Coach (Paul Westphal) gave me the opportunity and thats what I wanted to do, I wanted to be the guy with the ball in my hands, said Evans, who scored 10 fourth-quarter points. I had worked on that move a lot. I stopped in the lane, pump faked, and was fading away. I had a good look at the basket. I thought it was going in.

Evans second game-winning shot this season halted a recent slide of seven losses in eight games. In many of those losses the youthful Kings failed to function offensively down the stretch. That included a loss Friday night in Golden State where the Kings squandered an 18-point lead and were outscored 32-15 in the fourth quarter.

s very gratifying to finally pull one out like this, said Spencer Hawes, who scored 17 points and made a big 3-pointer in the fourth. It felt like every game we were in we couldnt execute down the stretch. Good teams finish in the fourth quarter. Thats what we did tonight.

Chauncey Billups had 27 points for Denver and made a 3-pointer from 25 feet to tie the game at 100 with 11 seconds remaining.

I was under the basket when it left his hand, it had the perfect trajectory, there was no question about it, Hawes said of Billups 3-pointer.

Smith scored 20 points for Denver, which played its fifth straight game without injured star Carmelo Anthony because of a knee injury. The NBAs second-leading scorer is expected to play Tuesday against Minnesota.

Martin had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets, who are 3-2 without Anthony. Joey Graham added 11 points.

In his second game back after playing just one half in the previous nine game while nursing a groin injury, Billups felt Denver let up after dominating the first half and leading by as many as 13 points.

The kid hit a great shot on a great defender (Martin), Billups said. It really shouldnt have came down to that. But they fought hard and we have to give them credit. There were a lot of reasons that we lost this game.

Hawes scored 17 points, Omri Casspi had 16 and Ime Udoka added 12 for the Kings. Making his first career start, Kings rookie John Brockman had a career-high 12 rebounds.

With Denver trailing by one, Nene was called for an offensive foul, giving the Kings the ball back with 22 seconds left. The Nuggets fouled Beno Udrih, who made both free throws to put the Kings in front 100-97 with 15 seconds left.

Sacramento was behind since late in the third quarter until Hawes made a 3-pointer and Evans followed with a drive and subsequent three-point play, putting the Kings ahead 91-88 with 4:02 left in the game.

Denver came right back to regain the lead at 93-91 with 2:35 left on a jumper by Billups and a 3-pointer by Smith.

After a lackluster opening half where they never led, the Kings scored the first eight points of the third quarter, leading to a 20-6 run. But Billups helped the Nuggets regain control, scoring 10 points in the period to help Denver take a 76-73 lead into the fourth.

The energy was good in the first half and the reaction was good, Denver coach George Karl said. In the second half they got a lot of points early and the game became more of an offensive game. They made some big 3s when they had to and made that big shot at the end.

Frustrated with the officiating and perhaps his teams losing ways the past two weeks, Westphal was given a technical late in the first half. He promptly sat on the scorers table, mimicking the same position of Karl.

m acting like George, why dont you treat me like George, said Westphal, who remained in that same position nearly a minute after the first half ended.

Graham and Martin scored 11 points and Billups added 10 for the Nuggets, who got off to a fast start in the opening quarter and led 54-43 at the half. Evans and Udoka had 10 points for the Kings.

NOTES: The Kings Kevin Martin, who broke his left wrist five games into the season and had surgery Nov. 9, is awaiting medical clearance. He is expected to pick a return date after a Tuesday doctors appointment. Former World Extreme Cagefighting champion, Urijah Faber of Sacramento, was in a courtside seat next to Kings owner Gavin Maloof. Faber will fight a non-title bout Sunday at Arco Arena. Rookie guard Ty Lawson missed his second straight game with an ankle injury.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Denver Nuggets beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 99-97

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:20:00 -0800

DENVER (AP)Even without Carmelo Anthony on the court, the Pepsi Center is still LeBron James personal house of horrors.

Anthony had the best seat in the arena for the big visit from James, missing the game but enjoying the result as the injury-riddled Denver Nuggets beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 99-97 Friday night.

Anthonys much-hyped matchup with James will have to wait until Feb. 18 because of a nagging knee injury that kept him out of his fourth straight game.

The Nuggets didnt need Melo to send James to his sixth loss in seven trips to the Pepsi Center.

Kenyon Martin filled in nicely for Anthony, scoring 19 points, grabbing 12 boards and playing tough defense on James down the stretch, forcing him to miss a layup and then inducing him to step out of bounds on back-to-back possessions in the final minute.

Those were big stops, teammate Anthony Carter said. K-Mart won the challenge.

If only begrudging respect from King James.

I think Kenyon is really good laterally, hes a physical guy, James said. As far as problems, I dont think he presents any problems. But he definitely did a good job of standing in front of me the last couple of possessions.

Nuggets coach George Karl said he made the right call by not putting Martin on James too early. He stuck with Aaron Afflalo and Joey Graham until the final minute.

I was just trying to make it tough on him, Martin said. s a great player and of course, the ball was going to be in his hands. I just was going to make him take a tough shot. Im always doing my job on that end. Hes a great offensive player, a great player, period.

And Martin is a great defender, Chauncey Billups insisted.

He doesnt get enough credit, but he always takes the toughest matchup every night, Billups said.

The Nuggets went on a 10-1 run to turn an 89-86 deficit into a seemingly safe 96-91 lead.

Despite committing eight turnovers and missing 16 shots, James scored 35 points and wouldnt go down easily. He sank a 3-pointer with 11.8 seconds left that made it 96-94.

J.R. Smiths two free throws with 11 seconds remaining gave Denver a 98-94 lead, and James misfired a 3-pointer at the other end. But when Nene missed two free throws for Denver, James made a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left to pull Cleveland to 98-97.

Following a timeout, Billups, who returned to the Nuggets lineup after missing eight of Denvers previous nine games with a strained left groin, took Martins inbounds pass and was fouled by Delonte West.

He sank his first free throw with 0.2 seconds left and missed the second one intentionally, then celebrated the Nuggets biggest win so far.

They were missing an All-Star of course in Melo, but they were able to get another one back in Chauncey, James said.

Nene returned from a sprained ankle and scored 20 points to go with Billups 23.

ESPN was on hand for what the network surely hoped would be a LeBron-Melo matchup, but Anthony wouldnt be swayed.

It would be the same if I was playing Minnesota. My health is more important right now, Anthony said after missing the Nuggets shootaround. Maybe five or six years ago, if somebody told me I had a chance to play against LeBron, I probably would go out here and be stupid and play on an injured leg and not even care about that.

ve got to be smarter than that. I want to play in this game more than anybody out there, but unfortunately, I (can

Denver trailed 91-88 with 90 seconds left.

We gave ourselves an opportunity to win, but one thing we cant do is turn the ball over a lot like we did, including myself, James said. Me, personally having eight turnovers, probably five or six of them unforced. We cant do that on the road.

Despite Clevelands 19 turnovers and 62 percent foul shooting, along with a tough goaltending call whistled on him in the fourth quarter, James said he wasnt frustrated.

re playing too good of basketball to be frustrated with one game, he said. Happy that we gave ourselves a chance to win. Down the stretch, being up three, those are the times we usually get a stop and then make a backbreaking play. Give a lot of credit to Denver. I feel like we played well enough to win, but we shot 60 percent from the free throw line, we turned the ball over 20 times. That cant help us.

Neither could Anthonys absence.

NOTES: Ty Lawson (ankle) remained sidelined for Denver. James is 4-9 against the Nuggets. Denvers Chris Andersen (ankle) also returned to action. K-Mart has 15 games with 10 or more boards after collecting just seven double-digit rebound performances in 66 games last season.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo returns to practice

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:50:00 -0800

Carmelo Anthony (knee) practiced on a limited basis Thursday, but his status for Friday's game against the Cavaliers is still unclear. "I thought he did more today," coach George Karl said.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo out against Golden State

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:40:00 -0800

Nuggets rally past Warriors 123-122 behind Smith's late free throws

By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post

J.R. Smith twirled the ball in his hands, bounced two hard dribbles and lifted the ball into the air, where two questions hung:

Smith's past two weeks had been a downward spiral. Would this be his breaking point?

Or would this be the moment when Smith's confidence was resuscitated?

With the Nuggets trailing the Golden State Warriors by one point Tuesday night and four-tenths of a second left, Smith made his first two free throws (purposely missing the third) and the reserve guard, for a change, was the clutch hero. The warrior-like Nuggets won 123-122 in a thriller at the Pepsi Center that will be remembered all season.

"I've been missing a lot of 3s and a lot of open shots," Smith said. "So this gives me a lot of confidence to go out there, focus and just make shots."

The Warriors (9-24) called a timeout with one-tenth of a second left, but their inbounds hoist was swatted away by the Nuggets' Kenyon Martin, sealing the oh-so-big win.

Denver (22-13) played without Chauncey Billups (groin), Carmelo Anthony (knee) and Chris Andersen (ankle). During the game, Nene sprained his right ankle and Ty Lawson sprained his left ankle. Both are listed as day to day.

Still, the Nuggets found enough scorers to put up 123 points and win by playing occasional defense.

"We actually had some very good defensive possessions, but we had some very, very poor ones," said Nuggets forward Malik Allen, who played 22 minutes. "It was going to come down to who ever had the last possession."

That was Denver, after a frantic final minute.

Down 122-121 with 15.4 seconds left, Denver's Joey Graham (a season-high 20 points) missed a baseline jumper. But after a scramble, a jump ball was called with three seconds left. The Nuggets' Arron Afflalo tipped the ball to Smith, who recovered it near half court, and coach George Karl called a timeout with 1.4 seconds left. Martin (a season-high 27 points) inbounded at half court to Smith, who was fouled with four-tenths of a second left while hoisting an impossible, off-balance 3 from near the Warriors' bench. Monta Ellis was the culprit for the foul. After the game, asked about the controversial call, Ellis replied with a terse and telling "No comment."

Smith needed to make just one free throw to tie the game, but this is Smith we're talking about. He has struggled with mental focus at times and from the line he shoots 68.8 percent.

But think back to three games ago. The Mavericks were called for a second-quarter technical foul, and Karl chose Smith to shoot the shot. It seemed like a weird choice. But Karl said he learned from former North Carolina coach Dean Smith that you "coach the season, not the game," and that giving a struggling player a free throw can be a sign of confidence from the bench, a jolt of motivation. J.R. made that shot, and he made the two huge ones Tuesday.

"I was willing them in," Martin said.

Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

76ers Take Advantage of Melo-less Nuggets

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 08:10:00 -0800

DENVER (AP)Allen Iverson had a pleasant trip down memory laneat the Denver Nuggets expense.

Iverson scored 17 points, Elton Brand added 16 and the 76ers held off a furious rally to beat the injury-riddled Denver Nuggets 108-105 on Sunday night.

It was Iversons third win against the team that traded him to Detroit three games into the 2008-09 season, and two of those have come in Denver.

s great to come back, said Iverson, who led the 76ers in scoring for the first time since re-signing Dec. 2. The fans still have love for me.

Nene had 24 points and 15 rebounds, and Ty Lawson finished with 23 points and nine assists for the Nuggets, who have lost six of eight.

The Nuggets played their second game in two nights without their top two scorers. Carmelo Anthony (right knee contusion) and Chauncey Billups (left groin strain) were in street clothes. Billups has missed seven of the last eight games since he was hurt Dec. 16 against Houston.

Anthony said after the game his injury was more serious than first thought and he doesnt know if he will play Tuesday against Golden State.

m hopeful, he said. I think it was worse than a lot of people expected.

Denvers rotation got even shorter when reserve forward Chris Andersen left the game with a sprained ankle midway through the second quarter and did not return.

ve got your leading scorer down, your leader, and now your energy guy, Lawson said. s tough.

Andersen left the Pepsi Center in a walking cast. Coach George Karl said Andersen would probably sit out Tuesday and against Cleveland on Friday.

ll probably be out this week, but well know more tomorrow, he said.

Even without three of their top eight players, the Nuggets nearly pulled out a win. The 76ers led 105-94 with 3:12 remaining when Arron Afflalo scored five straight points to kick off a 9-0 run that cut the lead to two with 31.8 seconds left.

Andre Iguodala hit a free throw with 15.6 seconds left to make it 106-103, and Lawsons driving layup with 11 seconds left again made it a one-point game. Willie Green and Iguodala hit a foul shot each to make it 108-105 with 4.9 seconds left, and Afflalos 3-pointer rimmed out as the 76ers escaped with their third win in four games.

Denvers first option was to go to J.R. Smith but Philadelphia denied him a chance to tie the game.

He would have made it if he got open, said Afflalo, who had 17 points. I got a good look at it.

Philadelphia didnt relax until Afflalos shot was no good.

My heart is still beating like a rabbit running across a field, coach Eddie Jordan said. We are just beginning to go uptown. You never know what this can take us. We hope it gets us going.

The 76ers took the lead for good with a 16-0 run that spanned the third and fourth quarters. Jason Smith hit a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired to give Philadelphia an 82-76 lead, and Green followed with a jumper with 30.7 seconds left in the period.

The 76ers scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter, capped by Rodney Carney 3-pointer, to push the lead to 91-76 with 10:16 left.

Denver, which led 76-75 with 3:14 left in the third, went 5:24 without scoring.

Philadelphia led 96-80 early in the fourth before the Nuggets rallied.

Except from about the 5-minute mark of the third quarter to the 7-minute mark of the fourth quarter we played good basketball, Karl said. And they had a stretch where guys were making shots against good defense, against shot clock running out. The luck of the game turned against us a little bit when they got the big lead.

Denver led most of the first half before Philadelphia made a run at the end of the second quarter. Iverson, who had just three points in the first period, scored seven points in the final 2:16 to help Philadelphia take a 59-55 lead with 42.4 seconds left before the break.

Lawson scored the final five points of the half to give Denver a 60-59 lead.

The Nuggets hit 14 of their last 16 shots in the first quarter, including nine in a row, before Martin missed a desperation heave at the buzzer.

Afflalo, who is averaging 7.7 points a game, had nine points in the first period to help the Nuggets take a 36-27 lead heading into the second.

NOTES: The Nuggets missed 12 of 29 foul shots. Nene recorded his eighth double-double of the season and 68th of his career. His 15 rebounds were a season high. Iverson was honored with a video tribute during a timeout in the first quarter.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo Misses First Game of the Season

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 08:30:00 -0800

Lawson scores 23 to lead Nuggets over Jazz 105-95

By DOUG ALDEN, AP Sports Writer

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)The Denver Nuggets were without Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and apparently any worries, too.

The Nuggets compensated for missing a huge chunk of their offense by playing gritty defense in a 105-95 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night, ending Denvers three-game losing streak.

Anthony (right knee contusion) is second in the league in scoring with an average of 30 points per game, and Billups (groin strain) has been averaging 17 points and almost six assists.

Yet the Nuggets led after every quarter and stifled Utahs limited efforts at rallying in the second half.

To have Chauncey and Melo out and still win says a lot about the other guys on this team, said Arron Afflalo, who scored 13 and was one of five Denver players to in double figures.

Rookie Ty Lawson started for Billups and had a career-best nine assists and scored 23 points for the Nuggets, who forced Utah into a season-high 26 turnovers.

Nene added 22 points and six steals and Kenyon Martin finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds for Denver, which was missing Anthony for the first time this season.

The basic game plan was to play hard and figure the game out as it happens, Denver coach George Karl said. The energy was good. The intensity was great. The defense was good and we hung on and got a great win.

Carlos Boozer had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Jazz, who compounded their own struggles with a bad night at the free throw line and some poor shot selection.

Utah did win the rebounding battle 41-32 and shot above 50 percent, but the Nuggets more than compensated by shutting down the Jazz when they tried to get inside. Denver outscored Utah 64-48 in the paint and scored 33 points off Utahs turnovers.

They did some kind of job defensively on us, Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. They got after us, made us take tough shots and they stayed after it.

Utah fans booed often and left early as the Jazz blew an opportunity to make up ground on the Northwest Division leaders, who had lost four straight in Salt Lake City.

The Jazz had the Nuggets at home and without Anthony and Billups, but were outplayed most of the night.

ve got other scorers, Lawson said. Just push the ball, get everybody involved early and everything will take care of itself.

J.R. Smith added 18 points for Denver.

Mehmet Okur had 16 points and nine rebounds and Deron Williams also scored 16 for the Jazz, who never recovered after falling behind by 16 in the third quarter.

Some of it was just a little bit of us being careless, Boozer said.

The Nuggets led 51-47 at halftime, then stuck with what had gotten them ahead. Denver kept Utah on the perimeter in the third quarter and swatted away the ball when the Jazz werent paying attention. Nene took two steals in for dunks during the period, including one that put Denver up 69-59 and kicked off an 8-0 run.

Nene added two from the foul line, Smith followed with two free throws, then grabbed an offensive rebound on a missed free throw and hit a 3-pointer for a 75-59 lead with 3:36 left in the third.

The Jazz added to their own struggles by committing nine fouls and nine turnovers in the period, and Denver took advantage for a 78-68 lead entering the fourth.

Williams pulled the Jazz to 86-77 on a three-point play, but the Nuggets answered that with a 6-0 run. Nene put back an offensive rebound, Chris Andersen hit a jumper and Anthony Carter drove for a layup that put the Nuggets up 92-77 with 7:20 left in the game.

The Nuggets kept the Jazz from rallying until there wasnt enough time for a comeback.

We tried to battle at the end, but it seemed like emotionally we didnt have much energy as a team, Williams said.

The Jazz shot 50 percent in the first half, but turned the ball over 12 timesleading to 17 points by the Nuggets. When Boozers shot at the buzzer was waved off after a replay, Denver led 51-47 at halftime. Lawson and Nene scored 11 apiece in the half.

NOTES: Nene tied his career-high for steals. Lawsons previous career high for assists was six on Dec. 28 at Sacramento. Lawson score nine in the first quarter, including a layup with three seconds left that gave the Nuggets a 28-25 lead entering the second period. Billups was out for the fifth time in six games. Utahs previous high for turnovers was 24. The Jazz went 20-for-27 from the foul line.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets Can't Catch a Break

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:55:00 -0800

Kings finally score win over one of league's big boys

By Jimmy Spencer, for NBA.com

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (NBA.com exclusive) -- First it was LeBron, and then it was Kobe.

Knocking off winning teams with premier stars hasn't been easy for Sacramento, with proof in the Kings' back-to-back losses to the Cavaliers in overtime followed by the Lakers in double-overtime.

On Monday night though, with another of the league's best in Carmelo Anthony visiting, the Kings finally broke the door down in their 106-101 win in Sacramento over the Nuggets.

"We knew it had to happen sooner or later if we kept ramming into that door," Kings head coach Paul Westphal said. "We have a resilient team that loves to compete and we got this one."

Persistence at home finally paid off for the Kings in the third game of a four-game home stand. Sacramento finally found a way to defeat a winning team on its home floor.

The victory against Denver marked the fourth of 11 home victories against teams that currently have a winning record.

"To be able to knock off the Nuggets, one of the best teams in basketball," Westphal said. "It was very satisfying for us to backup our near misses with Cleveland and the Lakers and get this one tonight."

The last time the Kings defeated a winning club at home was on Nov. 13 in a victory versus Houston. Knocking off visiting Atlanta and Oklahoma City in early November marked the only other home wins against winning teams.

"Glad we knocked off one of the big boys at home, it's another step in our development," Westphal said.

Sacramento is now 9-1 when its big man Jason Thompson records a double-double.

"I think it was a long time coming, obviously it hurt with Cleveland and L.A.," said Thompson, who had 15 points and 11 rebounds. "There were so many chances ... we were right there. It's good to get this win."

Did the previous losses creep into Thompson's head?

"Yeah, you have that in the back of your mind because you don't want it to happen again. We started finishing and making big shots. Those two games we weren't making shots at the end."

The Kings trailed by two points with two minutes to play when Omri Casspi's 3-pointer, followed by a defensive stop and a Beno Udrih 3-point play put the Kings up 100-96, a lead the Kings would maintain at the free throw line to closeout the contest.

With Sacramento rookie Tyreke Evans sitting sideline in his suit resting a sore right ankle, it was a balance of Sacramento scoring. Five Kings were in double-figures, led by Andres Nocioni's 21 points.

Nocioni, who played just a combined 13 minutes in the first two games of the Kings' home stand, made the most of his 25 minutes on Monday night. Nocioni was a combined 3-of-17 in his last four games, including a Lakers game in which he didn't attempt a single shot.

Westphal joked after the game that he offered words of advice to Nocioni on breaking his shooting slump: "Keep shooting. It's a shame to be hot and not know it. You've got to find out."

Nocioni was near perfect on Monday, shooting 6-for-7 from the field, including four 3-pointers.

"You need to try and keep shooting but the right shots," Nocioni said. "Take open shots and keep shooting.

Denver was without its star point guard as well, as Chauncey Billups remains day-to-day with a groin strain.

A night after fouling out in a loss to Dallas that he scored just 16 points, Anthony dropped 34 points on 15-of-35 shooting. The league's leading scorer played the final eight minutes delicately on defense, nursing five fouls.

Kings second-year swingman Donte Greene, who guarded LeBron James (34 points vs. Sacramento) and Kobe Bryant (38 points) in the past week, took on Anthony on Monday night.

"I love it, give it to me next week," Greene said. "I just love it. It is challenging and it's not like I am out there talking trash. I am out there defending but I'm also learning.

"I'm not bashful, I will ask questions. I was out there asking Kobe questions right on the court."

Nene dominated the Kings inside, pounding in the paint to the tune of 25 points and eight rebounds.

The Nuggets, who have made 80.4 percent of their free throws this season, shot an uncharacteristic 57.1 percent (20-for-35) from the stripe in the loss to Sacramento.

The Kings are expected to announce a three-year contract extension with team president Geoff Petrie on Tuesday.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets lose to Mavericks 104-96

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:20:00 -0800

Mavs beat flustered Nuggets

By Aaron J. Lopez, Nuggets.com

Depending on how its channeled, emotion can be an ally or an enemy.

As a relatively young team, the Nuggets sometimes catch a wave and ride it to victory screaming, swaggering and chest-bumping along the way. At other times, the weight of emotion and frustration weighs them down like an anchor.

Even-keeled point guard Chauncey Billups tends to serve as the steadying influence, ensuring the highs outnumber the lows, but his absence was certainly missed again Monday night in a 104-96 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Still recovering from a groin injury, Billups sat out for the fourth time in five games, and power forward Carmelo Anthony was neutralized by foul trouble as the Mavericks ended a five-game losing streak against Denver, which frequently got flustered by the officiating and a poor shooting night (38.2 percent).

In the NBA, theres a lot of frustrations that come in a game, and it seemed like our emotional balance at times was too out of control, Nuggets coach George Karl said. In the same sense, our emotion (and) our passion makes us a good team. Tonight, it probably hurt us.

Anthony spent much of the second half with a towel over his head. He picked up his third and fourth fouls within a 37-second span early in the third quarter, and he fouled out for the first time this season with 2:47 left in the game.

Afterwards, Anthony struggled to comprehend some of the calls that went against him, saying the officials told him he was being too aggressive. He singled out referee Monty McCutchen, who ejected teammate Kenyon Martin from Denvers 114-96 victory over the Miami Heat on Dec. 3.

Every time we get Monty, its always tough, Anthony said. They let the other team play physical, but I cant. They say Im being too aggressive. Ive never heard of that before, but I cant complain about it. It happened. Its over with.

Even with their two leading scorers on the bench, the Nuggets trailed by only four points after Kenyon Martins lay-up with 2:34 remaining. Josh Howard missed a short jumper for Dallas, but Denver couldnt capitalize as Arron Afflalo missed a three-pointer from the corner and J.R. Smith missed a long three attempt after Dallas forward Drew Gooden split a pair of free throws.

Gooden sealed the win with a tip-in that capped a 19-point, 10-rebound performance. The Dallas reserves outscored their Denver counterparts 49-20.

I thought we fought hard at different spurts of the game. We just didnt fight smart, Billups said. So much of this game especially playing against really good teams is being smart, not making the same mistakes over and over again in the course of a game. We didnt do a very good job of that.

The Nuggets actually led 17-7 in the first quarter, but the rest of the game was a grind without Billups, who will also sit out Mondays game at Sacramento. Denvers primary ballhandlers Ty Lawson and Anthony Carter combined to commit six turnovers. Lawson and Carter also combined for 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting while the Mavs double-teamed Anthony with regularity. The strategy was effective as Anthony missed 14 of 19 shots and finished with a season-low 16 points.

Dallas did a nice job with the game scheme that they had, which was to double Melo off our (point guards), Karl said. I dont know if they would have done that against Chauncey. They executed a smarter game plan.

As the NBAs leading scorer, Anthony (30.2) feels the effect of Billups absence more than anyone. In the four games Billups has missed this season, he is averaging 24.5 points and shooting 38.8 percent from the field (31 of 80).

I expect to be double-teamed and triple-teamed. Thats a sign of respect, Anthony said. With Chauncey being out, the other teams point guards get to roam. With Chauncey in the lineup, it makes it tougher for them to do that type of stuff . . . When hes not here, its like a sigh of relief for the other team.

Overshadowed by the loss was an outstanding performance by Martin, who scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. He also helped hold Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki to 13 points on 6-for-15 shooting, but it wasnt enough to prevent Denver from falling to 13-2 at home.

The Nuggets close out 2009 on the road, where they have lost five in a row since beating Philadelphia three weeks ago.

re not scared to go on the road, Anthony said. We know we can win games. We just have to do it. We have to go out and get a good win and finish this year off right.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

No holiday cheer for the Nuggets

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 23:50:00 -0800

No holiday cheer for the Nuggets

Former Nuggets Blake riddles Denver with 14 points in the fourth quarter as Portland takes control.

By Benjamin Hochman - The Denver Post

PORTLAND, Ore. Steve Blake is the Blitzen of the Trail Blazers.

But on Christmas night, the reliable reserve erupted for 14 fourth-quarter points in the Trail Blazers' huge 107-96 win over Denver, Blake's old team.

Nuggets coach George Karl's favorite former players are intangible guys, be it Detlef Schrempf, Nate McMillan or Steve Blake, and there was Blake on Friday, catching fire and hitting four fourth-quarter 3-pointers after Portland entered the quarter trailing by two.

"Steve can make shots," Karl said. "The corner 3 has always been a part of (Portland's) personality, and tonight we didn't do a great job at covering it."

Denver is 20-10, while Northwest Division rival Portland, coached by McMillan, is 20-12.

Denver's Carmelo Anthony led his team with 32 points, while also grabbing nine rebounds.

Before the game, there were murmurs throughout the Rose Garden regarding the health of all-stars Brandon Roy (left shoulder) and Chauncey Billups (left groin). Both guys suited up, but Denver's Billups (10 points, five assists) played only the first half, resting the groin in a precautionary move. (Denver is off today but has a back-to-back on Sunday and Monday).

With Roy, the only pain was the one he provided in the Nuggets' backside. Dude was on fire. In the first half alone, Roy scored 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting, and he finished with a game-high 41 on 16-for-26 shooting. He hit a big 3 with 6:01 left in the game, which gave Portland a 93-85 lead.

"They had an urgency to their game and we never got a control of Roy's leadership," Karl said. "His drive was pretty obvious they knew this was an important game."

This was a tough loss, considering that last season Denver and Portland had 54-28 records, but the Nuggets claimed the tiebreaker and the division title. This season, the Nuggets snatched the first matchup in Portland, a statement-maker in just the second game of the season, a back-to- back win following another "wow" win against Utah.

Now, the series is split 1-1, with the next two games at the Pepsi Center March 7 and April 1.

"Any time we play them, they bring their hard hat, and I think we do the same," said Kenyon Martin, who had a technical foul and a flagrant one foul. "I don't shy away from it. I love competitive games. That's what it's about."

J.R. Smith had an electric 41-point performance in Denver's win Wednesday against Atlanta, and Smith scored 20 in 29 minutes against Portland, shooting 9-for-23 from the field and 2-for-6 from 3-point range.

The Nuggets' loss was their fifth straight on the road since a Dec. 5 win at San Antonio. And prior to Portland, the four straight on the road were all against teams under .500. Denver is now 7-9 away from home this season, but 10 of their next 14 are at the Pepsi Center, where the Nuggets have lost just once all season.

"I don't think we're picking the pace up on the road very much," Karl said. "We're not running and attacking."

The Blazers' win was more impressive considering their injured players could fill a jury. Among the wounded are two of their top rebounders in Greg Oden (8.5 boards) and Joel Przybilla (7.9) and two of their top bench scorers in Travis Outlaw (9.9 points) and Rudy Fernandez (8.6).

"When I was here two months ago, I thought they had too many good players," Karl said before the game. "Now, they might not have as many good players, but they're playing as well as they have all year, with energy and intensity. They beat San Antonio legitimately the other day by outworking them."

Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets clip Hawks

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:10:00 -0800

J.R. Smiths 41 points lead Denver past Atlanta

Preview | Box Score | Recap

DENVER (AP)J.R. Smith came off the bench to score a season-high 41 points, hitting 10 3-pointers, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Atlanta Hawks 124-104 Wednesday night.

Carmelo Anthony added 24 points and rookie Ty Lawson, starting in place of the injured Chauncey Billups (groin), had 16, helping Denver win its sixth in a row at home.

The victory was the first for Denver this season while missing an injured starter. The Nuggets entered 0-5 with Billups missing two of the losses and Kenyon Martin three.

Jamal Crawford scored 24 points and Al Horford scored 18 points and had 11 rebounds for Atlanta, which lost for only the second time in its past nine games.

Leading by 12 at the half, Denver had its lead cut to 63-57 when Atlanta opened the third quarter with a 6-0 run.

Arron Afflalo responded with a 3-pointer as part of a 12-3 run capped by Anthonys three-point play that put the Nuggets back in front 75-60 with 7:19 remaining.

Going into the final period, the Nuggets led 92-82. Atlanta managed to hang around until the Nuggets went on an 18-7 run that included four 3-pointers by Smith, the last an off-balance fadeaway from 26 feet that brought the crowd to its feet and put Denver ahead 118-97 with 3:42 left.

Smith misfired on his final three shots from beyond the arc, leaving the game with little more than a minute remaining one 3-pointer shy of tying the franchise mark of 11 3-pointers in a game that he set April 13 against Sacramento, when he also scored a career-high 45 points.

Denver led 34-24 at the end of the first quarter, and the Nuggets stretched their lead to 16 points with an 8-2 burst highlighted by successive 3-pointers by Smith. But the Hawks had a surge of their own, pulling to within seven when Josh Smith converted a fast-break dunk and Joe Johnson hit a jumper.

But Denver scored the next six points, starting with a dunk by Nene off a feed from Anthony Carter, en route to a 63-51 halftime lead.

Notes: Denver and Atlanta split the series for the fifth year in a row. The Nuggets improved to 16-0 when leading after the third quarter. The Hawks havent won in Denver since a 98-96 victory on Dec. 6, 2006. Denver ranks second and Atlanta fourth in scoring in the NBA.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets fall to Grizzlies 102-94

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:25:00 -0800

Randolph's big game powers Grizzlies by 'Melo, Nuggets

By Jason Smith, for NBA.com

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (NBA.com exclusive) -- Zach Randolph wasn't about to let the Memphis Grizzlies blow it down stretch Sunday against the Denver Nuggets.

Randolph scored a season-high tying 32 points, including 10 of Memphis' final 16 points in the fourth quarter, and grabbed an NBA season-high 24 rebounds to help the Grizzlies hold off Denver 102-96 Sunday at FedExForum.

Forward Rudy Gay added 19 points, Marc Gasol had 14 and O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley each had 11 for a Grizzlies squad that watched Denver cut a 23-point first-half deficit to two points on two occasions in the fourth quarter.

Randolph's 3-point play with 2:20 left in the fourth put Memphis ahead 93-88 after the Nuggets had made it a two-point game on forward Carmelo Anthony's 18-footer with 3:22 left.

Leading 97-91 with less than a minute to play, Randolph then put the game away with a 3-pointer from the top of the key. He finished 13-of-21 from the field and pulled down nine offensive rebounds in registering his 15th double-double of the season.

"They made a run and we stuck with it and got the 'W'," Randolph said. "Tonight, you know, I was feeling good. I was just trying to be aggressive on both ends.

"Winning games like this is what helps our confidence," Randolph said. "Carmelo came in and took some big shots, but we just kept playing. It's what we have to do. It's the NBA. Every team is going to make a run."

The win snapped Memphis' eight-game losing streak to Denver, which hadn't lost to the Grizzlies since April of 2007.

Anthony, the NBA's leading scorer, finished with 41 points on 13-of-26 shooting for the Nuggets, who were without point guard Chauncey Billups (left groin strain) for the second consecutive game. Denver (19-9), off to its best 27-game start in team history, was coming off a 98-92 road loss to the New Orleans Hornets on Friday.

"They jumped on us early," said Anthony, who had scored 42 points in a 133-123 victory over the Grizzlies in Denver on Nov. 1. "It was a wake-up call, especially for me, to be down like that [in the first half]."

Rookie guard Ty Lawson went scoreless and dished out two assists in replacement of Billups, who injured his groin in the third period of Denver's 111-101 victory over the Houston Rockets last Wednesday.

Nene had 19 points and seven rebounds and Kenyon Martin had 12 points for Denver, which connected on just 34 percent (16-of-47) of its shots in a first half in which it fell behind 50-27 midway through the second quarter.

Memphis meanwhile sizzled from the field in the first half, shooting 59.6 percent. Gay scored 15 of his 19 points in the first half on 7-of-9 shooting, while Randolph, Gasol and rookie center Hasheem Thabeet combined to go 11-of-16 from the field before the break.

"I thought our guys played hard from the start," Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said. "We jumped out on them. We withstood the run and showed a little poise in withstanding that run. We stepped up big and our defense was good with 40 percent shooting [by Denver]. It was a superb first half and they had great poise down the stretch."

Memphis (12-15), which improved to 8-5 at home, connected on nine of its first 12 shots in building an early 19-12 advantage. Randolph and Gasol combined to score 11 of the Grizzlies' first 17 points on a combined 5-of-6 shooting.

Denver fell behind by as many as 15 points in the opening quarter, as Memphis would go on to shoot 71.4 percent (15-of-21) in the period. Thabeet's one-handed jam over Nuggets forward Chris Andersen with 19.2 left in the first gave Memphis a 33-19 lead after one.

Denver shot just 26.1 percent in the first period, and wasn't much better in the second, as the Nuggets missed nine of their first 12 shot attempts over the first 6:07 of the second quarter.

But Anthony, who scored just four first-quarter points, began to warm up, scoring 14 of the Nuggets' final 16 points before the half.

Anthony's two free throws with 4:40 left in the fourth cut Memphis' lead to 88-86 before Randolph answered 17 seconds later with a tip of a Gasol miss.

Two minutes later, after Anthony's 18-footer pulled Denver within two again, Randolph's 3-point play gave Memphis a 93-88 cushion.

"I'm really comfortable," Randolph said. "I think the guys know the way I play, and I know how they play. We're really comfortable together. We're getting more comfortable together every game."

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Hornets handle Nuggets 98-92

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 09:10:00 -0800

Hornets handle Nuggets 98-92

With Billups out and Anthony scoring just 17 points, Denver fails to stop New OrleansBy Benjamin Hochman The Denver Post

NEW ORLEANS In the Nuggets' last visit to New Orleans Arena, they won a playoff game by 58 points, and at Friday's morning shootaround, someone mentioned the 58 and coach George Karl said, half-kidding: "Why do you have to bring that up, man? Let that go, that's bad karma. There will probably be some lingering spirits from that game and (playoff) series that we'll have to navigate through tonight."

In a town voodoo spirits supposedly haunt, consider what happened to Denver in its 98-92 loss to New Orleans on Friday night. All-star guard Chauncey Billups sat out Friday's game with a groin injury and Carmelo Anthony, the NBA's leading scorer, tallied just 17 points. Then consider these two mysterious plays with

Denver down six and 58 seconds left, Melo missed both free throw attempts; then, on the other end, Chris Paul missed a layup, but for an instant, the Nuggets froze and New Orleans scooped up the loose ball and Paul hit a nail-in-the-coffin jumper.

Playing with playoff intensity and last season's playoffs on his mind Paul stole the show, shooting jumpers over centers, passing like he's Drew Brees. Paul scored a game-high 30 points (26 in the second half) along with 19 assists (one more than the Nuggets).

Without Billups, Karl started Anthony Carter at point guard and often played Ty Lawson, who scored 14 first-half points (but none in the second). Billups is day to day heading into Sunday's game at Memphis.

Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

A Very Melo Christmas

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:00:00 -0800

On behalf of the all the kids' lives who were impacted by Sunday's "A Very Melo Christmas," we would like thank everyone who participated in the event. There are a couple of pictures below for your enjoyment!

More coming soon!

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Anthony helps Nuggets overcome loss of Billups

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:30:00 -0800

Anthony helps Nuggets overcome loss of Billups

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights

DENVER (AP)Drawing on their depth and leaning once again on Carmelo Anthonys offense, the Denver Nuggets withstood the loss of Chauncey Billups to a groin injury for a 111-101 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

They may soon face more tests without their star point guard.

Anthony scored 38 points, his fifth straight 30-plus point performance, and the Nuggets were able to win despite missing Billups for most of the second half.

The team said Billups, who had 15 points before leaving with 9 minutes left in the third quarter, would undergo a precautionary MRI and officially was listed as day to day.

Nuggets Coach George Karl said he anticipated being without Billups for at least a couple of games. The Nuggets play at New Orleans on Friday and if Billups cant go, either rookie Ty Lawson or veteran Anthony Carter would likely start in his place.

Both Lawson (6 points and 6 assists) and Carter (5 points) delivered key baskets and helped facilitate the Nuggets offense after Billups exit. So did reserve J.R. Smith, who added 21 points for the Nuggets, winners of five straight at home since their only loss of the season at the Pepsi Center, 106-100 to Minnesota on Nov. 29.

Everybody tonight did their part, Anthony said. A.C. (Carter) came in and played well and he seems to always do that when he is called.

Added Kenyon Martin: s a professional. He stays ready. Thats what its about. J.R.s capable of handing the ball, Melo handles the ball a lot.

And so does Lawson, whose speed brings an added dimension to the offense.

Hopefully, Chauncey comes back soon but Ive got to be ready, Lawson said.

Aaron Brooks scored 23 points for Houston, which lost the second game of a back-to-back set for the first time this season. The Rockets were 5-0 previously in the second game of back-to-backs, including completing their first sweep of a two-game set earlier this month.

When we made a run, they made a run right back at us, said Trevor Ariza, who had 18 points for the Rockets. Anytime they needed a stop or they needed to get it going, they did and we didn

There was no letup on their part even after Billups left, Ariza added.

J.R. definitely got it going, Melo got it going again, Ariza said. He did what hes been doing every night, doing a lot of scoring and making plays for his team, and we couldnt do anything about it today.

Houstons Tracy McGrady played sparingly in his second game since returning from microfracture surgery on his left knee, missing the only shot he took in 7 minutes of play.

Being hurt last season, having the microfracture surgery, the progress I had to make to get to this point, its been a long road, said McGrady, who tested himself by guarding Anthony in the second quarter. The biggest question is, `Can I come out and get up and down the court without having any pain in my knee? I felt fine, wasnt favoring it. My knee is holding up pretty fine.

Down seven at halftime, Houston tied it at 71 when Ariza converted a three-point play. But consecutive 3-pointers by Anthony and Smith helped Denver regain command, and the Nuggets took an 85-78 lead into the fourth quarter.

From there, Denver scored 10 of the first 14 points in the fourth quarter, including two baskets by Anthony to open a 95-82 lead with 6:52 remaining. Anthony, the NBAs leading scorer, made 19 of 20 free throws, including six straight in the closing moments to help hold off the Rockets.

After a tip-in by Ariza pulled the Rockets within 49-46, the Nuggets scored nine of the next 13 points, culminating with a reverse layup by Lawson to put Denver up 58-51 at halftime.

Houston started out strong, taking a 19-11 lead on Arizas 22-foot jumper with 4:23 left in the first period. Denver got a three-point play from Anthony to start an 11-0 run, putting the Nuggets back in front.

NOTES: Houston coach Rick Adelman said before the game McGrady would be brought along gradually. s been out a whole year. Were not going to push his minutes right now, Adelman said. Anthony has scored 30 or more points in 17 games this season, four more than he had last season. Denver Broncos WR Brandon Marshall watched the game from a courtside seat. The Nuggets snapped a three-game losing streak to Houston and improved their home record to 12-1.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Anthony's 31 points leads Nuggets past Thunder

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Anthonys 31 points leads Nuggets past Thunder

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights

DENVER (AP)The Oklahoma City Thunder still cant find a way to beat the Denver Nuggets.

Carmelo Anthony scored 31 pointshis fourth straight game with at least 30 and Denver extended its run of success against Oklahoma City with a 102-93 victory Monday night.

J.R. Smith added 19 points and Chris Andersen had 15 for the Nuggets, who beat Oklahoma City for the fifth consecutive time since the former Seattle SuperSonics relocated there before last season.

I think weve played the Nuggets hard every time weve faced them, but theyre so talented, said Kevin Durant, who led the Thunder with 32 points. s tough to guard them when they have the best scorer in the league, getting a 30 a night. Then you have to watch out for Chauncey Billups, J.R. Smith, Ty Lawson. Its tough. Theyve got a lot of weapons.

It was Durants ninth straight game of 25 points or more, the longest active streak in the NBA.

Oklahoma City held the Nuggets below their league-leading average of 108.5 points per game but Denvers defense matched the Thunders aggressiveness, limiting Oklahoma City to 39.2 percent shooting from the field.

That team is pretty explosive, a dangerous team, Billups said. They have a lot of young players playing up-tempo style. So I thought our defense was pretty good. Sometimes there were opportunities for us to break it open and we couldnt but defensively we stayed focused.

A key sequence in the final minutes was a case in point. The Thunder, down by as many as 19 points in the third quarter, had a chance to cut Denvers lead to nine but Andersen blocked Nick Collisons layup with 2:44 remaining. That started a fastbreak that Andersen finished with a dunk to rebuild Denvers lead to 96-83.

The Thunder managed to get within 96-88 on Russell Westbrooks layup with 56.9 seconds remaining but the Nuggets hit all six of their free throws down the stretch, including four by Billups.

Anthony said Andersen deserved credit for spearheading the Nuggets defensive performance with his strong play off the bench. In addition, Andersen, nicknamed matched a season-high with 15 points.

Bird had a great game tonightrebounding, defending, hitting the offensive glass, Anthony said. Just the total game tonight. Thats the Bird we know.

Denver coach George Karl said: We had a 48-minute effort defensively. I think our switching gave some disruption to a young team, back-to-back and on the road. We didnt give them a lot of hope, a lot of confidence.

The Nuggets have won 11 of their last 12 games at the Pepsi Center.

The last couple of seasons, the home courts been good to us, Anthony added. After going through the run we did last year, realizing how important home court is, that was one of our main focuses coming into this season. Its a little more focused.

Russell Westbrook and Nick Collison scored 14 points apiece for the Thunder, who havent beaten the Nuggets since April 2008 when they were still the SuperSonics.

We have competitive players who have a lot of pride, Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. We just didnt do a very good job of keeping them off the offensive glass. They are big and put a lot of energy into it.

With help from a 3-pointer by Billups, Denver outscored the Thunder 7-2 in the last 90 seconds of the period to go up 55-40 at halftime, their biggest lead to that point.

NOTES: The Nuggets, with the second-best home record in the NBA, have won four straight at the Pepsi Center since their only home loss of the season, Nov. 29 to Minnesota (106-100). The Thunder lost for just the third time in 10 games after a loss. Durant has 20 games of 25 or more points, tying him with Anthony for most in the NBA this season. Anthony, the NBAs leading scorer, has had at least 30 points in five of his last six games and 16 overall this season.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets Rally Past Phoenix

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:40:00 -0800

Nuggets Rally Past Phoenix

By Chris Dempsey
The Denver Post

If the Nuggets thought the Suns were going to roll over on the second night of a back-to-back set, they were greatly mistaken.

The surprising Suns were more than ready to knock off the Nuggets, but Mr. Big Shot simply wouldn't let it happen.

Chauncey Billups hit two 3-point shots late in the fourth quarter to help the Nuggets outlast the Suns 105-99 Saturday at the Pepsi Center. Phoenix guard Steve Nash missed a layup with 7.9 seconds left that would have tied the game and wanted a foul. Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry picked up two technical fouls arguing the call. The free throws sealed the win, which snapped a Nuggets' two-game losing streak.

It was as hard-fought a victory as they come.

The Suns sprinted out to a 17-point lead in the first half before the Nuggets found themselves on the defensive end. But when they did, a massive turnaround ensued.

Once again, the third quarter was gold. The Nuggets turned up the defensive intensity and even inserted Anthony Carter, his first action in five games, to help matters on that end. The result was a 30-17 quarter that erased a 13-point halftime deficit and started the fourth tied at 77.

Both teams went shot for shot in the fourth. But the Nuggets were able to get out to a five-point lead when Billups hit back-to-back 3-pointers at 3:02 and 2:19. A Billups free throw made it a personal seven-point run and the Nuggets had a 101-97 lead as a result. They held on to win from there.

Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 32 points and eight rebounds. Billups finished with 23 points and eight assists. Nash led Phoenix with 28 points and seven assists.

Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Anthony exploded for 40 points against Pistons

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:35:00 -0800

Last shot fails to fall for the NuggetsRoad loss to Detroit points to the difference between Western Conference powers.By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. The Los Angeles Lakers are a great team.

They're 17-3 (goodness!) and 9-0 since all-star Pau Gasol returned from injury (gracious!).

At times, the Nuggets are a great team too. Remember when Denver beat the Lakers at the Pepsi Center? Or even last Saturday, when the Nuggets slapped the Spurs around in San Antonio?

But after Thursday night's 101-99 loss to the Detroit Pistons an encore to another what-the-heck? loss Chauncey Billups said with certainty: "We're not a great team. We're a good team, not a great team. We have an opportunity to get a lot better, our window is really big to get better, but we're not a great team. We should be winning games like this and the Charlotte game. If you're supposed to win, you got to win."

It's very early in this marathon of a season, and the Nuggets, on paper, indeed can battle L.A. in the Western Conference finals. But the Nuggets know that home-court advantage is paramount in the conference finals. And back-to-back losses to sub-.500 teams road, home, whatever are the ones you think about come Game 1 at the Staples Center.

"The (constant) in some of our losses has been that (against) a team that's young, struggling a little bit or don't have a great record, we give them hope and confidence by not really going after them early in the game," said Nuggets coach George Karl, whose team is 16-7 and split the four-game road trip.

On Thursday, Denver had a chance to make it a 3-1 trip. The final seconds seemed almost out of a script: Denver down two, final possession of regulation, ball in Billups' hands, on the court where Mr. Big Shot had hit so many. Billups drove but couldn't get the layup attempt to land.

Now, normally a loss to Detroit doesn't look that bad, because the Pistons have studs such as Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon. But all three didn't play because of injury, so guys such as Jonas Jerebko, Austin Daye and even former Nugget Chucky Atkins played big minutes in the Pistons' win, Detroit's second in two nights.

"How much courage did they have today?" Pistons coach John Kuester asked about his team. "They were phenomenal."

The Nuggets tallied only 14 assists three more than against Charlotte and Billups said Denver must "be more focused. The same thing I always say. Be more focused on detail."

The point guard himself had just two assists, but he scored 21 points, including 15 in the second half.

Carmelo Anthony was holy-moly good. Denver's small forward scored 40 points and did so on 16-for-28 shooting, but after the game said: "It's almost like it was useless, to be honest with you. I don't think anybody wants to go out there, score 40 and lose."

Detroit countered with Charlie Villanueva, who averages 15 points per game, but scored 27 on Thursday, playing in a 48-minute zone.

The Nuggets have now lost seven straight games to Detroit, Denver's longest current losing streak against one team. And Denver hasn't won a game in Detroit since 1995, when Anthony was scoring 40 points on Baltimore playgrounds after middle school.

Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo on top of Western Conference All-Star Balloting

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:00:00 -0800

NEW YORK -- Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets top the Western Conference, while Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers lead the Eastern Conference after the first returns of 2010 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by T-Mobile. Bryant, who shared All-Star MVP honors with Shaquille O'Neal last season, is the overall leader with 692,518 votes.

The 2010 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before an expected crowd of more than 80,000 -- the largest group ever to witness a live basketball game -- on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010.

In the Western Conference, Bryant, a three-time All-Star MVP, is followed at guard by the Houston Rockets' Tracy McGrady (281,545). Anthony, the league's leading scorer, paces forwards in the West (588,958) with the Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki (366,300) second. The Phoenix Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire (447,776) is the leading vote-getter among Western Conference centers, with the Lakers' Andrew Bynum (299,484) following.

The guards in the Eastern Conference are paced by Wade, the leading vote-getter in the conference with 672,227 votes, followed by the Orlando Magic's Vince Carter (292,002). James, a two-time All-Star MVP (2006, 2008), leads all Eastern Conference forwards with 649,327 votes, followed by the Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett (533,187), MVP of the 2003 All-Star Game. The Magic's Dwight Howard paces all centers with 625,279 votes; the Cleveland Cavaliers' O'Neal is second among centers in the East (206,657).

2010 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by T-Mobile, with associate partner 2K Sports, allows fans around the world to vote daily for their favorite players as starters for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. For the first time in balloting history, fans can vote for All-Stars any time by texting a player's last name from their mobile phones. Fans can cast one SMS vote per day, per phone number.

There are several ways fans can cast their votes, including: at each NBA arena; in 20 languages on NBA.com; and through mobile phones by texting the player's last name to 6-9-6-2-2 ("MYNBA"), via Web2Go on T-Mobile phones or wap.nba.com for any wireless carrier. A T-Mobile-branded All-Star Balloting widget is also available on NBA.com so that fans can "grab" the widget and place it on their blogs, social network pages, or personal Web sites allowing others to vote directly from the widget. Paper balloting will continue through Jan. 10, while wireless balloting and voting on NBA.com will conclude Jan. 18.

Updated results for the Eastern and Western Conferences will be issued regularly leading up to the announcement of the All-Star starters on Thursday Jan. 21, prior to a TNT doubleheader. Following the completion of fan voting and the starting lineup announcement, the head coaches in each conference will vote to determine the remaining All-Stars in their respective conference, which will be announced Thursday, Jan. 28 prior to a TNT doubleheader.

The NBA All-Star ballot lists 120 players -- 60 each from the Eastern and Western conferences -- with 24 guards, 24 forwards, and 12 centers from each conference comprising the list. Voters select two guards, two forwards and one center from each conference. The 120 players on the ballot were selected by a panel of media who regularly cover the NBA: Mike Breen (ABC/ESPN), Eddie Sefko (Dallas Morning News), Doug Smith (The Toronto Star and President, Pro Basketball Writers Association) Marc Spears (Yahoo! Sports), Marc Stein (ESPN.com) and Ian Thomsen (Sports Illustrated).

NBA All-Star 2010 in Dallas will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league's history for a global celebration of the game. The week leading up to the 59th NBA All-Star Game will feature a full slate of community-enhancing activities and fan festivals, including NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas and the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam. This will be the second NBA All-Star in Dallas. The city also hosted the event in 1986.

In conjunction with All-Star Balloting, 2K Sports will give fans the opportunity to experience Dallas and the best of basketball by entering the NBA 2K10 Sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to NBA All-Star 2010 and have their likeness as a digitized player incorporated in next year's game, NBA 2K11.

Get out and cast your vote by clicking here or the image below!

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets fall 107-95 at Charlotte

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:10:00 -0800

By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post

CHARLOTTE, N.C. The play sure looked promising when, somehow, Charlotte center Tyson Chandler ended up guarding Chauncey Billups on the left perimeter, Chandler's ankles just begging to break.

But Billups was the one looking out of place. With his Denver teammates moving as slow as the shot clock did fast, the flustered Billups tossed the ball to center Nene, who hoisted a 3-pointer with three seconds on the shot clock.

Air ball.

Such was Tuesday night for Denver in its 107-95 loss, in which the Nuggets looked discombobulated against the Bobcats (9-11).

The Nuggets (16-6) tallied only 11 assists, just two in the second half. Two. That's normally how many Billups gets during the national anthem.

Instead, Denver's point guard finished the night with one assist and five turnovers, one fewer assist and turnover than Carmelo Anthony logged.

"We looked a little tired offensively," said Denver coach George Karl, whose team won an emotional game the night before in Philadelphia. "We didn't pass enough to be good enough. My gut would say that defensively we didn't create a lot of good opportunities, and when we did pass the ball, we didn't finish. And we were probably a little too one-on-one oriented."

It's pretty simple. Pass more, win more. That's what Karl has preached all season. Be it fatigue, lack of motivation, egos, what have you, the Nuggets, on occasion, just don't pass a lot. For the season, Denver entered Tuesday with 22.5 assists per game, sixth in the NBA behind the Mavericks, Suns, Lakers, Celtics and Jazz, an encouraging quintet. But in the Nuggets' six losses, they averaged just 16.3, which is New Jersey territory; moreover, four of the six losses came to teams with losing records.

Now, the Bobcats aren't that bad. Seriously. The perennial losers are now 8-3 at home this season, and if the season ended today, they would actually be in the playoffs. And consider that the Bobcats entered Tuesday allowing an NBA-stingiest 90.4 points per game. But the Nuggets, winners of four straight on the road, were the NBA's leading scorers. Against Charlotte, only three players scored in double figures.

Yes, Anthony bounced back from his 14-point Monday with a game-high 34 on Tuesday, but "we didn't let the other guys get involved or get going," said Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace, a stingy defender who scored 25 points with 16 rebounds. "We were able to limit them to contested shots."

Anthony's offensive numbers sparkled 12-for-22 from the field, 10-for-11 from the line but he didn't take over the game as the numbers suggested.

And with Denver down four with 2:17 left, Anthony didn't attempt another shot all night. He did pick up two personal fouls in that time span, as well as a technical foul for arguing a call with 52.6 seconds left. With Denver down nine with 35.8 left, Billups also was called for a technical foul, and the Time Warner Cable Arena rocked as the raucous crowd realized their Bobcats had sealed a win against one of the NBA's best teams (that is, when that team passes).

Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Billups, Nuggets spoil Iverson's return to Philadelphia

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:50:00 -0800

Billups, Nuggets spoil Iverson's return to Philadelphia

By Andy Jasner, for NBA.com

PHILADELPHIA (NBA.com exclusive) -- This was clearly the sign of a mature team.

On the road in front of the first sellout crowd in Philadelphia all season, the Denver Nuggets overcame the emotional return of Allen Iverson. The Nuggets also overcame some poor shooting and easily Carmelo Anthony's least impressive game.

Yet the Nuggets dug deep and found a way to still win, 93-83, over the 76ers before a packed house of 20,664 at the Wachovia Center. Iverson's second debut was successful as he finished with 11 points, six assists and five rebounds in nearly 38 minutes.

It wasn't nearly enough to help stop a losing streak, which now stands at 10 games for the reeling 5-16 Sixers.

The Nuggets (16-5) will continue to gain confidence with road wins like this one.

Anthony was 5-for-21 from the field and scored a season-low 14 points. But Chauncey Billups sure made up for it with a scintillating performance. The veteran guard scored 31 points and added eight assists and eight rebounds while hitting all 11 of his free throws. Billups made and attempted more free throws than the entire Sixers team -- 8-for-9.

"Defense led to offense for us," Billups said. "Defense is what wins games. On this particular night, I had to pick it up offensively. On this team, it's a team effort every night. I just happened to be the one scoring in this game. As long as we get Ws, I don't care who scores. Believe me, 'Melo isn't going to be held to 14 too often."

Ty Lawson provided a huge spark off the bench with 12 points, six rebounds and four assists while J.R. Smith scored 11 points and Arron Afflalo had nine points on three of his patented 3-pointers from the corner.

This collective effort has vaulted the Nuggets to their best 21-game start in franchise history. After advancing to the Western Conference Finals last season, this year's version is off and running.

"I think in training camp, we got together and talked about our goals," Afflalo said. "We want to stay hungry. We can't let up. Getting road wins is big. We're a confident team, but gaining even more confidence never hurts."

Buoyed by Iverson's return, the Sixers built a 65-60 lead with 1:34 remaining in the third quarter.

How did the Nuggets respond? Try a 17-0 run to take a commanding 77-65 lead with 8:27 left.

How else did the Nuggets respond? Try 10-for-11 shooting to open the fourth quarter. They connected on their first four 3-pointers and drained 11-for-18 overall.

"The three-ball was very good to us," Denver coach George Karl said.

The fans were thrilled to see the 34-year-old Iverson back in a Sixers uniform. He was 4-for-11 from the field and seemed tired at times, which makes sense considering he hasn't played in more than a month.

"It is just going to take time and I have to get into a rhythm," Iverson said. "It was frustrating not being able to do what I am accustomed to doing because I was so weak."

Added Sixers coach Eddie Jordan: "I thought (Iverson) got going later in the game. I thought he got a little better. At the beginning of the game, he did not seem to have a lot of lift or explosiveness in his legs. Later in the game, he got to the line. He was one of only two guys to get to the line."

The other A.I. -- Andre Iguodala -- paced the Sixers with 31 points, while Thaddeus Young scored 21 points and center Samuel Dalembert was terrific with eight points, 15 rebounds and six blocked shots. Elton Brand added a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds.

In the fourth quarter, the Sixers defense wasn't as effective as it was in the first half. That was a big turning point in this game.

"It seemed like we just ran out of steam the start of the fourth quarter," Jordan said. "We lost some energy, lost some continuity. They went on a serious run."

The Nuggets appear to be on a serious run once again in the Western Conference. They have won four straight, and when you can do that without playing your best, well, it means this is a dangerous team which is maturing on a daily basis.

"I've been so impressed by how poised this team has been all season," Lawson said. "Coming in as a rookie has been a fairly easy transition because of the veteran leadership. If one guy has a down night, someone else steps it up."

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Anthony Named Player of the Month

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:40:00 -0800

Anthony Named Western Conference Player of the Month

DENVER, Dec. 4, 2009 -- Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony was named the Western Conference Player of the Month for October/November, the NBA announced tonight on ESPNs KIA NBA Shootaround.

Anthony helped lead the Nuggets to a 12-5 record for the month, which was tops in the Northwest Division and tied for the third-best 17-game start in team history.

"I am honored to have been recognized for my contribution to the team so far, Anthony said. I'm feeling better than I ever have and I'm excited about what's ahead of us. We've gotten off to a good start, but this is just the beginning for us.

During October/November, Anthony averaged a league-leading 31.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 3.5 apg in 17 games played. He registered 30+ points 11 times and 40+ on three occasions, including a career-high 50 points (17-28 FG, 15-16 FT) to go along with six rebounds and five assists in a 128-125 win over the New York Knicks on Nov. 27 in Denver.

This is the third time in Anthonys career that he has garnered this award, as he was also named Western Conference Player of the Month in March 2006 and April 2007. He is one of only three players in Nuggets history to have been honored as Player of the Month, with Alex English (three) and Fat Lever (once) being the others.

October/November Notables:

Ranked first in the NBA in scoring (31.0).

Scored 20+ points in all 17 games during October/November, setting a new team record for most consecutive 20-point performances to begin a regular season.

Registered 30+ points in 11 games during the month, including two games with 40+ and one with 50+.

Nov. 27 vs. New York: Erupted for a career-high 50 points (17-28 FG, 15-16 FT) to go along with six rebounds and five assists in a season-high 46 minutes. His 50 points are the most points scored by a Nugget since Allen Iverson had 51 vs. L.A. Lakers on 12/5/07. It is the ninth 50-point game in team history, while he becomes the seventh different player to score 50+ points as a Nugget.

Nov. 21 vs. Chicago: Tallied his second double-double of the season with 30 points, a season-high 11 rebounds and a season-high seven assists.

Scored his 11,000th career point at Chicago on 11/10, becoming the third youngest player in NBA history to reach the 11,000-point plateau (behind only LeBron James and Kobe Bryant).

Named Western Conference Player of the Week on 11/2 for games played from 10/27-11/1 after leading Denver to a 3-0 record while averaging 37.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 4.3 apg.

Nov. 1 vs. Memphis: Notched 42 points (15-26 FG, 11-12 FT), seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Oct. 29 @ Portland: Poured in 41 points (11-21 FG, 18-19 FT) to go along with six rebounds and three assists in the Nuggets road win.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Anthony scores 34 points, Nuggets beat Spurs

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:20:00 -0800

Anthony scores 34 points, Nuggets beat Spurs

By PAUL J. WEBER, Associated Press Writer

Preview | Box Score| Highlights

SAN ANTONIO (AP)Carmelo Anthony won another game for the Denver Nuggets, then parked in front of a television in the locker room trying to will the Texas Longhorns to a victory in the Big 12 Championship football game.

These days, the NBAs leading scorer cant lose.

Anthony scored 22 of his 34 points in the second half, and the Nuggets won their third straight with a 106-99 victory over the San Antonio Spurs to continue their best start in franchise history. Denver had trailed virtually the entire game until early in the fourth quarter, then never gave the lead back.

For us to come in and gut this one out, it was a statement win for us, Anthony said.

Chauncey Billups added 18 points as Denver pushed its record to 15-5 and continued the best start in franchise history. The Nuggets will continue their four-game trip Monday night in Philadelphia for a reunion with Allen Iverson , who is expected to make his 76ers return against his former team.

If AI plays, its going to be a mad house, Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin said.

Tony Parker scored 15 of his 27 points in the fourth for the Spurs, who lost their second straight. Tim Duncan had 26 points as the Spurs fell to a division leader for the second time in three nights.

San Antonio had held five of its last seven opponents below 90 points, but the NBAs highest-scoring team presented a tougher challenge. Duncan tried to match Anthony best he could, and shot 10 of 12 from the field.

The Spurs had 19 turnovers and made just 10 field goals in the second half. It was another night of sloppy play for San Antonio, which also committed 19 turnovers on Thursday in on a loss to Boston.

Way too many, Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. We are a 10 or an eight (turnover team). Thats when we are at our best. A team like (Denver), theyll punish you.

Anthony, averaging an NBA-leading 30.4 points per game, remained the NBAs only player to score at least 20 points in every game this season.

If he does it again Monday at Philadelphia, his streak of 21 straight games will be the most sinceguess whoIverson did it at the start of the 2005-06 season. Iverson was traded to Denver a year later, and he spent nearly two seasons with the Nuggets.

Anthony was 4 of 11 from the field at halftime and finished the game 14 of 27. He also had seven rebounds.

I just wanted to take my time, Anthony said. Some of those things should have went my way in the first half, but it didnt. I tried not to get frustrated out there.

Martin had nine points and 13 rebounds and J.R. Smith had 17 points.

Rookie Ty Lawson scored eight of his 11 points in the fourth, when the Nuggets outscored the Spurs 31-23. The Spurs led for virtually the entire game before Smith sank a 3-pointer to open the fourth, giving the Nuggets a 78-76 lead.

Denver gradually found their touch after shooting 37 percent in the first quarter, including a rocky 2-of-7 start for Anthony.

After Philadelphia, the Nuggets will continue their road trip against Charlotte and Detroitall teams with losing records.

The loss ended a monthlong stand in the Lone Star State for the Spurs, who havent left Texas in their last dozen games. San Antonio went 7-5 over that stretch and will go to Utah on Monday for its first road game since Nov. 9.

Ginobili had 14 points for San Antonio, and Richard Jefferson added 10.

NOTES: Spurs F Antonio McDyess has not scored in the last three games. Spurs F Michael Finley sprained his left ankle in the fourth and did not return. If he misses Mondays game at Utah, it will be the first time in 335 games that Finley has missed a game to injury. It last happened in November 2005.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Anthony, Nuggets keep Wade 0-for-Denver

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:40:00 -0800

Anthony, Nuggets keep Wade 0-for-Denver

By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Sports Writer

Preview | Box Score | Highlights

DENVER (AP)The Pepsi Center remains Dwyane Wades personal house of horrors.

The Miami Heat star fell to 0-6 in Denver when Carmelo Anthony and Nene led the Nuggets to a 114-96 rout Thursday night.

Denver is the only city where Wade has never won in his seven seasons in the NBA.

s a great thing, Anthony said. Obviously, we as a team are doing something really, really good out there.

Wade, who snapped an 0-11 skid at Indiana earlier this season, had high hopes for another breakthrough against the Nuggets96-88 losers last month in Miami. But he was stifled by the defense of Aaron Afflalo and J.R. Smith before finally sinking some late jumpers long after the game was out of reach.

Wade is stumped over why he always feels so low in the Mile High City.

I dont know. Theyre better than us in this building, he said. re better than us a majority of the time weve been here. I think theyre 11-3 vs. us. The style of play, especially here, getting out, theyve got a lot of athletic guys around the basket, this is a good ballclub.

Despite Wades 25 points, this one wasnt close. The Nuggets led by 29 before both coaches emptied their benches early in the fourth quarter.

Anthony, the leagues leading scorer, led the Nuggets with 22 points, and five of his teammates reached double figures, too, including Smith, who scored all 16 of his points in the first half.

Anthony, the only player in the NBA to score at least 20 points in every game, was stuck at 17 early in the fourth quarter when Afflalo was seated beneath the scorers desk, ready to check in for him. But Anthony sank two free throws and then hit a 3-pointer before the next dead ball, extending his streak.

I knew I was coming out, said Anthony, who insisted he had no idea of his point total until after his night was done. If I would have known that, I would have told George (Karl), Just leave me in there.

s a cool streak. Hopefully Ill keep it going.

After coming out, Anthony made a dash to the locker room, leading to speculation he was hurt.

I got Kaopectate in my hand, Anthony said, showing reporters the bottle of medicine thats used to treat diarrhea. You guys do the math.

Despite Wades 25 points, his night was epitomized by the 3-pointer he took from the left corner in the third quarter that rang the rim twice and spun out just as it appeared to be falling through the hoop.

Wade also drew a technical foul in the third quarter seconds after his coach was Td up as the Nuggets were expanding their lead past 25.

Wade got off to a rough start, making just one of eight shots in the first quarter.

I would have loved to get more open looks, Wade said. They were doing a good job. It was no secret what they were doing, sending two guys. My teammates got to do a better job of making sure they get me open. Weve got to continue to work the game, know what teams are going to do, dont be surprised when they send two guys, even three.

None of his teammates shots were falling, either, so the Heat couldnt make the Nuggets pay for their focus on Wade.

I want us to capitalize on it, Wade said. I feel its disrespectful to my teammates when they send two or three guys. I want us to capitalize. When we dont capitalize thats when it gets frustrating to me because Im a willing passer, I want other guys to succeed, I want to make the game easy. Weve got to capitalize more often.

Nene scored nine of his 15 points in an 13-0 second-quarter run that broke open a close game, giving the Nuggets a 42-28 lead. The Heat went five minutes without scoring, and Chauncey Billups and Anthony were on the bench for most of that time.

The bottom just fell out, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. We couldnt put together any kind of stops and offensively we werent executing with any kind of pace, energy or passion. Were better than this. Weve shown that.

The Nuggets took a 58-42 halftime lead, and it was more of the same in the second half as the Heat looked nothing like the team that that pounded Portland on Tuesday night to begin their four-game Western swing.

We just felt to be aggressive on Wade was the best way to start, and fortunately we didnt have to change, Karl said. He kind of picked Portland apart but we felt our bigs could get into a double-team a little more. Until the end of the third, when he started making some jump shots, I thought we did as good a job as you can on a great player who has the ball an awful lot of the game.

NOTES: Kenyon Martin scored 12 points before drawing back-to-back technical fouls late in the third quarter and getting ejected by referee Monty McCutchen. Wade, who was sidelined in his first trip to Denver as a rookie, has scored an average of 24.6 points in Denver but lost by an average of 13.6.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Santa Melo is Coming to Town (Again)

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:15:00 -0800

Santa Melo is Coming to Town (Again)

Keeping with his holiday tradition, Carmelo Anthony is getting into the spirit once again, hosting his annual A Very Melo Christmas in the Nuggets home town of Denver.

This year The Carmelo Anthony Foundation welcomes over 120 middle school students from Denver who are working to in their communities and families. As a reward for their commitment to excelling in life, along with being productive young citizens, Melo is treating each student to a special holiday gift, to go along with the events Christmas movie. This years big screen present: starring the hilarious Will Farrell.

Melo once again takes time out between home games to stay closely involved and active in the community. Just weeks after Team Melo handed out Thanksgiving meals and personal products to over 400 families through the Feed the Children Organization, Carmelo is staying committed to his personal mission to reach out, connect and give back. As part of his A Very Melo Christmas and his B-More In Your Community program, his Foundation continually seeks to recognize and honor those in the community who are doing outstanding things to improve the lives of those around them. These and their deeds usually happen away from the spotlight and often go unrewarded. With this in mind, Melo goes above and beyond, donating both money and his time to salute these worth achievers. The far too often unsung local heroes can be children, parents, teachers, doctors, community activists literally anyone who gives back and works hard in selfless ways to .

This 2009 A Very Melo Christmas event will take place Sunday December 13.

A very merry and Melo Christmas to all. and to all a goodnight, season, and new year!

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

All-Star Game 2010 Voting is Open

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:05:00 -0800

All-Star voting for 2010 is officially open!

Now's the time to rally the troops and get the votes in for #15!

Click here to submit your vote and you'll have the chance to win the following:

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Anthony leads Nuggets past Warriors 135-107

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:50:00 -0800

DENVER (AP)Stunned and angered by an embarrassing loss, the Denver Nuggets lit up the scoreboard the next time out and there was next to nothing the short-handed Golden State Warriors could do about it.

Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points, Chauncey Billups had 22 and the Nuggets used their biggest scoring first half of the season to rout the Warriors 135-107 Tuesday night.

Nene (18 points) and Chris Andersen (14) were among seven Denver players scoring in double figures. They helped the Nuggets finish with a season high for points and rebound emphatically from Sundays loss to Minnesota, which had entered with one win on the season. The Timberwolves snapped their 15-game losing streak at Denvers expense while putting an end to the Nuggets 17-game home-winning streak.

I think everybody was mad, Anthony said. When you lose a game like that against Minnesota, the way we lost, negativity comes around. Tonight, we did a good job of keeping that out of the locker room.

Nuggets coach George Karl lambasted his team for what he regarded as a lackluster effort in the Minnesota loss and he was asked after the victory against Golden State if his message had gotten through.

I think lesson put behind us, Karl said. re OK and December is here and lets worry about December and forget about Minnesota.

The Nuggets, who made it to the Western Conference finals last season, had a season-low for points in a quarter (12), blew their biggest lead of the season (17 in the first half) and were held to a season-low for points at home (100) in the loss to Minnesota. Those numbers are in the rear view mirror now.

s whats great about the NBA, Billups said. The next night, the same thing can happen and you can show that you learn from your mistakes. We came out up 14 at the start of the third and we said, s try to put them away this time, not just talk about it. Lets do it, and I was proud of us for that.

It was the 11th win in the Nuggets last 12 games at the Pepsi Center against the injury-depleted Warriors, who used only eight players in the game. Golden State split back-to-back games that began in Oakland with Monday nights 126-107 win over Indiana.

Anthony Morrow had 27 points to lead the Warriors. Vladimir Radmanovic added a season-high 17 for the Warriors, who fell to 2-8 on the road.

We tried hard, Warriors acting head coach Keith Smart said. We played hard for a quarter and a half and then we just couldnt compete. We just didnt have enough tonight.

The Warriors have had to play short-handed for significant stretches of the season because of injuries.

re kind of used to it by now, Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. Our bodies are trying to get adjusted to playing heavy minutes, trying to play hard the whole game. It would be nice to have some healthy bodies but thats what we have to deal with right now. Weve got to go out there and try to be competitive. Thats our goal.

Up by 14 at halftime, the Nuggets extended their lead to 107-84 by the end of the third quarter, closing the period with a flourish on successive dunks by Andersen. The Warriors didnt get close enough to threaten the rest of the way.

Down by eight after Monta Ellis three-point play late in the first quarter, the Nuggets gained control with a second-quarter surge that saw them match a season high for points in a quarter (44) and a season high for points in the first half en route to a 69-55 lead at halftime.

They used a 10-2 spree capped by Anthonys 18-foot jumper to regain the lead 39-33, and later put together a 12-0 run punctuated by Anthonys three-point play to go up 60-42 with 3:10 left in the second quarter.

On the verge of getting blown out in the first half after Billups hit a 3-pointer that put the Nuggets up 67-45 with 1:36 left in the second, the Warriors closed the period by outscoring the Nuggets 10-2, including successive 3-pointers by Ellis and Stephen Curry to narrow the Nuggets lead to 14 at the break.

NOTES: The Nuggets previous game high was 133 points against Memphis on Nov. 1. The previous first-half high for points was 67, also against Memphis. They equaled their third-quarter points production of 44 at New Jersey on Nov. 4. Anthony remains the only NBA player to have scored at least 20 points in every game this season. The Warriors fell to 2-8 against teams with a winning record.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Updated: Melo and LaLa host Denver’s largest food giveaway

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:35:00 -0800

Carmelo, LaLa and friends spent the day on November 17th handing out over 400 meals through the Feed the Children Organization.

Click here to see Denver's ABC Channel 7 coverage.

Click here to see YBF's coverage.

Other media in attendance were:

- Denver Weekly News
- Altitude Sports
- CBS 4
- Jocklife.com

Check out some pics below and more in the galleries!

More pictures located in the galleries.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo scores 32 but Nuggets home win streak comes to an end

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:40:00 -0800

Denver's 17-game home win streak comes to an end

Thrown to the Wolves

By Aaron J. Lopez, Nuggets.com

Chauncey Billups glanced at the box score from Sunday's game, then crumpled it up and threw it in a nearby trash bin.

It was that kind of night for him and the Nuggets.

After winning four games in a row without playing their best basketball, the Nuggets were upended by the Minnesota Timberwolves 106-100 in front of a stunned Pepsi Center crowd. The win snapped two significant streaks: Denver's 17-game home winning streak and Minnesota's 15-game losing streak since a season-opening win against still-winless New Jersey.

We got exactly what we deserved, Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin said. A team ain't going to stop playing because they lost 15 straight. They're a professional basketball team and they've got pride. We got exactly what we deserved. Nothing more, nothing less.

The symptoms of an upset were evident to coach George Karl as he watched his team play inconsistently at both ends of the floor in victories against Chicago, New Jersey, Minnesota and New York. The Nuggets had plenty of defensive lapses in all four games but were able to overcome their deficiencies against inferior teams.

Does it surprise you? a visibly frustrated Karl asked in his post-game press conference. We mess around with the game. My Christmas wish and I pray to the basksetball gods every night if we play hard and pass the ball, I'm excited as hell. I don't need any more coaching other than, 'Play hard with intensity and pride that we can go in that locker room and feel good about it every night.' That's my fault. That's on me.

Following their coach's lead, the Nuggets made no excuses and held themselves accountable after their first regular-season home loss since March 9.

A team that we should beat, weve got to beat 'em, said Billups, who was 2-for-13 from the field and committed four turnovers. That's our fault in this locker room. It's my fault for not stepping up and leading enough at the start of that third quarter. All the leaders on this team, we've got to take accountability for what happened in this game.

We should be embarrassed by it, Martin said. No other words to put to it. Bottom line.

It's not about making excuses, said guard Arron Afflalo. It's about bouncing back and doing the right thing.

Up 17 points in the first quarter and leading 64-50 at the half, the Nuggets looked to be well on their way to another easy home win against an overmatched opponent, but the Timberwolves refused to quit. Minnesota scored the first 14 points of the third quarter and used an 18-3 run to take its first lead since the game's opening minutes. The Nuggets (12-5) committed three turnovers and missed 8-of-9 shots during that stretch, giving the young T-Wolves (2-15) confidence they could stand toe-to-toe with one of the West's top teams.

We didn't respect them enough to come out and try to put them away in the start of the third, Billups said. When you give a team confidence, it's tough to stop 'em no matter what their record is. ... The more you win games when you win them big the farther your hands go down. Our hands went all the way down, and they hit us with a good blow.

Staggered, the Nuggets never regained the lead after Corey Brewer's jump shot with 6:16 left in the game. The defensive intensity was more noticeable when the game got tight, but it wasn't enough to offset an inconsistent effort throughout the second half.

The 'play hard' thing is driving me crazy, Karl said. Tell me my 'play hard' team. Tell me the five guys I put on that court to play hard every possession. Tell me it. I had a 'play hard' team last year. I don't have a 'play hard' team this year. And it's making me very angry.

Sunday's loss should serve as a wake-up call for the Nuggets, who had just four assists after halftime and lost to a sub-.500 team at home for the first time since April 5, 2008.

I would have liked to come out of this with a win, but I think we did need this, Billups said. I think we needed this. I don't like losing, but I think we needed this. So, too, did Minnesota, which has a rookie head coach in Kurt Rambis and seven players with less than four years of NBA experience.

"We came into the locker room and celebrated like we won the championship," rookie point guard Johnny Flynn said.

The good news for the Northwest Division-leading Nuggets: Unlike the rebuilding Timberwolves, they still have legitimate championship aspirations

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

ABC 7 Denver's Sports Extra Goes Behind the Scenes

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:50:00 -0800

Each week ABC 7 Denver's Sports Extra goes behind the scenes with Melo and thisismelo.com.

Want to know what they uncovered this week? Click here to find out!

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo pours in career-high 50 in 128-125 win over Knicks

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:05:00 -0800

Nifty 50 for Anthony

By Aaron J. Lopez, Nuggets.com

Standing at the foul line with 16.7 seconds remaining, Carmelo Anthony took a noticeably deep breath as he prepared to take advantage of the perfect storm.

Two free throws would give him 50 points for the first time in his seven NBA seasons. They would also go a long way toward helping the Nuggets finally put away the New York Knicks.

They might have been the two toughest free throws I've shot in a while, Anthony said. We've got the game on the line and 50. You're right there and you want to get it. If I didn't say I wanted to get it, I'd be lying to you. At the end of the night, they were two big free throws.

As cool as a November night in Colorado, Anthony made both free throws and the Nuggets held on for a 128-125 victory Friday night in front of a sold-out crowd at the Pepsi Center. Chauncey Billups added a season-high 32 points, and J.R. Smith scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.

The only other time the Nuggets had two players go for 50-plus and 30-plus in the same game was nearly 26 years ago. Kiki Vandeweghe scored 51 and Alex English had 47 in a 186-184 triple-overtime loss to the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 23, 1983. That also happened to be the highest-scoring game in NBA history.

With both teams seeming to score at will Friday night, Nuggets coach George Karl felt like he was watching a replay of that Detroit-Denver classic.

My biggest worry is we've gone to trying to outscore people and not defend people, Karl said. That's a very dangerous personality if we continue with it.

Led by Al Harringtons 41 points, six Knicks scored in double-figures, but it wasn't enough to offset Anthony's career night. Melo made 17 of 28 shots from the field and 15 of 16 free throws. His final eight points came from the foul line.

He got dunks and he was scoring every way possible, said Larry Hughes, one of several Knicks players who failed to slow the leagues leading scorer (30.9). I'm not sure if he got a three(-pointer), but he did everything else.

As a matter of fact, Anthonys 12th, 13th and 14th points came when he drained a 3-pointer 36 seconds into the second quarter. He had 24 points by halftime and 39 after the third quarter, setting the stage for a memorable night.

That was a treat, Billups said. That was a phenomenal performance by Melo. That's one you remember for a lifetime.

Anthony flirted with 50 points twice during the 2007-087 season. He scored 49 against Washington on Feb. 8, 2008, but couldn't get that final point because the Wizards started double-teaming him near halfcourt.

I've been there a couple times, and just never got it, Anthony said. I'm glad I got that monkey off my back. It's tough to do 50 in a close game like that.

The Knicks threw two and three defenders at Anthony in the fourth quarter, but he made them pay by finding Chris Andersen cutting to the basket for a three-point play and hitting Smith for an open jumper a few minutes later.

My teammates saw what was happening just like I did, Anthony said. Guys coming every time I touched the ball, double-teaming and triple teaming. They knew there was opportunities for them and they took advantage of it.

Anthony's hot hand also gave Billups more room to operate. Anyone who wonders whether the 33-year-old has lost a step needs to watch the replay of his baseline drive that put Denver ahead 125-120 with 26.8 seconds to go. Billups blew past Larry Hughes and avoided David Lee by finishing with a reverse layup.

I ain't lost no step, man, he said. I ain't going nowhere, trust me.

The same can be said for the Nuggets, whose 12-4 record matches the second-best start in the team's NBA history. They have won 17 in a row at home, dating to last season, and survived a dangerous post-Thanksgiving game that had Karl worried all week.

As a coach, we have a degree of awareness of holidays, Karl said. We're human beings. We're not robotic. I'm not sure we moved ahead tonight, but we didn't move backwards either. We got one more win in the column.

That win was sealed when the Knicks were unable to get a shot off in the final seconds. Karl thought about fouling intentionally to prevent New York from shooting a potential game-tying 3-pointer, but Hughes lost the ball out of bounds when Billups challenged him near the sideline.

Asked if he fouled Hughes in the act of trying to shoot a 3-pointer, Billups gave the answer you would expect from a 13-year veteran. I'm not going to tell you that I didn't, but I don't think I did. Maybe.

Knicks coach Mike DAntoni lobbied for the foul, but the referees didn't agree after a short video review.

And for that, Anthony was thankful.

"Legs get to be heavy, eating too much food, family's in town. You might not get enough rest," he said. "Feels good to get this one, I'll tell you that."

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets hand Wolves 14th straight loss, 124-111

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:45:00 -0800

Nuggets hand Wolves 14th straight loss, 124-111

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, AP Sports Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)Even in the Minnesota Timberwolves loss-filled existence, they have never been this bad to start a season.

Carmelo Anthony scored 22 points and Nene had 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists as the Denver Nuggets handed the Timberwolves their 14th straight loss with a 124-111 victory on Wednesday night.

The Timberwolves have not won since an opening night victory over New Jersey. Their 1-14 mark is the worst 15-game start in team history.

Corey Brewer had the first double-double of his career with a career-high 22 points and 13 rebounds. Jonny Flynn scored 20 points for the Wolves, who cut the lead to eight points in the fourth before fading to yet another loss.

The Timberwolves record bookespecially the years pre- and post-Kevin Garnett is filled with poor starts, long losing streaks and disappointing performances. But in the first year of the David Kahn-Kurt Rambis regime, this young and rebuilding team is giving all those hapless teams of the past a run for their money.

The 1994-95 team started 1-13, one season before Garnett arrived and turned them into a perennial playoff team. The Wolves eclipsed that dubious mark on Wednesday night and now are challenging the franchise record for consecutive losses, which is 16 in a row first set back in 1992.

The Wolves trailed by 20 to start the third period, but responded with their highest-scoring quarter of the season. They put up 37 points with Brewer scoring 11 and Ryan Hollins pouring in 13 of his 19.

There was just one problemthe Nuggets scored 40.

Anthony, who entered the game leading the NBA in scoring at 30.2 points per game, topped 20 points for the 15th straight game to start the season. That broke the franchise record set by Alex English.

Chauncey Billups finished the third period with a flourish, hitting three 3-pointers and three free throws after being fouled on a fourth from long distance to push the game out of reach. He finished with 19 points and five assists.

Anthony, Billups and most of Denvers regulars did not play in the fourth quarter as the Wolves mounted a comeback. Al Jeffersons layup with 1:10 to go cut the deficit to 119-111.

But Arron Afflalo hit a 3-pointer on the other end to hold them off. Nuggets coach George Karl picked up career victory No. 944. That ties him with Bill Fitch for seventh in league history.

As far as back-to-backs go, the Nuggets had to have one of the cushiest in league history. They defeated winless New Jersey at home on Tuesday, then faced one-win Minnesota on Wednesday. Combined, the Nets and Timberwolves have lost 29 consecutive games.

Notes: Anthony is the only player in the league to score at least 20 in every game this season. Karl nearly pulled out the few hairs he has left on his head when Chris Andersen put the ball in his own basket in the third quarter. Hip hop star Chamillionaire sat underneath the Minnesota basket, prompting a long line of young autograph seekers at halftime. The Timberwolves held a moment of silence for Wizards owner Abe Pollin, who died on Tuesday.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo Ties Nuggets Franchise Record

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:25:00 -0800

Nuggets set to throw weight around against NBA's meek

By Aaron J. Lopez, Nuggets.com

A size-17 sneaker vs. a ladybug.

A grizzly bear vs. a gerbil.

Adam Lambert vs. the boundaries of good taste.

There are natural mismatches in life, and the NBA is no different. To reach their goal of winning another Northwest Division title and earning a trip to the NBA Finals, the Nuggets know they must take advantage of the league's most vulnerable teams.

Overconfidence contributed to a disappointing road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last week, and the Nuggets have a chance to show they learned their lesson Wednesday night when they face a Minnesota Timberwolves team that has lost 13 straight games.

The elite teams and the great teams don't worry about who they're playing, Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups said. We worry about who we are and playing Nugget basketball not really caring what's going on in the other locker room. That's where we're going and where we're headed and where we need to be.

Consider Tuesday night a test run.

Facing the winless New Jersey Nets, the Nuggets built a 23-point lead in the third quarter and finally put the Nets out of their misery when the margin was reduced to 10 in the fourth. In the end, Denver nudged New Jersey a step closer to infamy with a 101-87 win at the Pepsi Center.

Style points certainly won't be awarded after handing New Jersey its 14th straight loss to start the season (the NBA record is 17). The Nuggets were sloppy with the basketball in the second half, committing 15 of their 22 turnovers, but they also had 16 steals and held the Nets to 38.9 percent shooting from the field.

They count as much as the Laker win or a great win on the road, said Nuggets coach George Karl, noting that he probably wouldn't watch the game film. I think we have to come out (against Minnesota) and probably have some better habits than we had tonight.

Maintaining a disciplined focus and finding motivation over the course of an 82-game season can be difficult, particularly on late-November nights against inferior opponents. The Nuggets had a tendency to kick away games a couple years ago, but they went 31-6 against sub-.500 teams last season.

I think we just know what the primary goal is, guard Arron Afflalo said. We understand the amount of wins we might need this year, what it's going to take to be a good team throughout the year and late in the season. We don't want to give away games early, no matter who we're playing.

After Wednesday night's game at Minnesota, the Nuggets (10-4) come home for three straight home games against the New York Knicks (3-10), the Timberwolves (1-13) and the Golden State Warriors (5-8). It's a clear opportunity to fatten up around the holiday season.

We've got to find (motivation) from somewhere, Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony said. Going against these teams, we've got to figure out ourselves rather than worry about them. There's going to be a lot of these games throughout the season.

Anthony scored 27 points before coming out of Tuesday nights game with Denver comfortably ahead 83-68 with 9:24 left in the fourth quarter. By scoring at least 20 points in all 14 games this season, he tied the franchise mark set by Alex English to start the 1984-85 season.

History is always there to break, Anthony said. I'm just trying to keep it going.

Anthony and his teammates were determined to keep New Jerseys pursuit of history going. When the Nets managed to pull within 10 points with 4:32 remaining, the Nuggets scored the next six points to put the game out of reach.

Usually I put my warmups back on and take my sleeve off, Anthony said. As soon as I sat down, they cut the lead down. I had to stay warm for a little bit It was just one of them games, as a team we just wanted to get it over with.

Anthony's return was necessary, allowing him along with Billups, Kenyon Martin and Nene to get some extra rest heading into the second game of a back-to-back set. Nene was a picture of efficiency, compiling 17 points, nine rebounds and five steals in less than 30 minutes.

(Nene) was a guy I put back in the game (in the fourth quarter) because I thought he was a stabilizing force that we needed, Karl said.

With the victory secured, Nene came back to the bench and watched Denvers reserves finish off the Nets. He and the Nuggets would like to make it a fourth-quarter tradition over the next week.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

ABC 7 Denver's Sports Extra Goes Behind the Scenes

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:10:00 -0800

Each week ABC 7 Denver's Sports Extra goes behind the scenes with Melo and thisismelo.com.

Want to know what they uncovered this week? Click here to find out!

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo's ninth 30 point game lift Nuggets over Bulls

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:10:00 -0800

Nuggets defeat Bulls 112-93 behind Carmelo Anthony's ninth 30-point game

By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post if(requestedWidth > 0){ document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.width = requestedWidth + "px"; document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.margin = "0px 0px 10px 10px"; }

Wouldn't you know, the Bulls again! scored a fourth-quarter buzzer-beater against the Nuggets. It was a layup by Jannero Pargo, who cut the Denver lead to 19.

Yes, the Nuggets slapped around the Bulls on Saturday night 112-93, one night after Denver blew a come-back-to-bite-you game at the Clippers.

In the Nuggets' Nov. 10 win at Chicago (6-6), Brad Miller appeared to have hit a game-winning shot, but replays showed the ball was still on his fingertips when the buzzer sounded.

Fast-forward to Saturday and it appeared, if anything, this game would also be close (52-49 Chicago at the half) but then came the second half, when Denver outscored Chicago 63-41.

"As I told the team, I'm excited about what we can become," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "We're 9-4, and I think everybody feels we've played good basketball but we haven't played great basketball. There's room for improvement. And with our personality, we've had a rotation player miss nine out of 12 games."

With 8.4 seconds left in the third quarter, the Nuggets' J.R. Smith had just four points. But he then splashed a 3 and went on a fourth-quarter binge, totaling 19 points on the "explosive" night, as Karl described it.

On one fourth-quarter play, Smith leaped for a dunk so far from the hoop, it seemed he walked on air while he approached the rim for a mammoth slam. Asked if that was his best dunk of the season, Smith smirked, reminding the questioner that there are still 69 games for him to top that dunk.

The Nuggets have won 15 straight regular-season home games dating to last season, the team's third-longest home streak since joining the NBA in 1976. Whether it's the fans, the altitude or some magical intangible, "People know when they come in this building, you're going to have to wear your hard hat you're going to have to beat us," Denver guard Chauncey Billups said. "We have that respect around the league."

Billups didn't score in double figures in any of the previous three games, playing through lingering pain in his knees. Karl persuaded him to shoot the 3-ball with confidence, and Billups made three 3s on Saturday en route to a 21-point performance in just 31 minutes.

The evening provided a clash of old-school and new-school point guards, as Billups went head-to-head with Chicago's Derrick Rose, who scored a team-high 28 points while fearlessly shooting jumpers in the face of power forwards.

But Rose didn't score a game-high that distinction belonged to Denver's Carmelo Anthony, who scored 30 points, his ninth game with 30-plus. Oh, and he tallied 11 rebounds and seven assists, another splendid night for the NBA's leading scorer.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo Scores 37 but the Clippers take the W

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Butler's big game off the bench leads Clippers past Nuggets By Dan Arritt, for NBA.com

LOS ANGELES (NBA.com exclusive) -- Where did that come from?

With a coach that's rumored to be on the hot seat, two of their best players sidelined with injuries and even the team's broadcast crew suspended for a game, the Los Angeles Clippers pushed all the distractions aside Friday night and shocked the Denver Nuggets with a 106-99 victory at Staples Center.

The victory ended a seven-game losing streak against the Nuggets and helped silence an impatient crowd that had filled the arena with boos during the Clippers' three-game home losing streak.

"This was a big win for us," said Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy.

"They're probably the second best team in the West."

Denver (8-4) came into the game having not played since a 130-112 victory Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors and still glowing from its 26-point victory over the defending NBA champion Lakers the Friday before.

The Nuggets looked as though they'd stroll right past the Clippers before flying home to play the Bulls on Saturday night, jumping out to a 26-14 lead late in the first quarter behind 17 points from Carmelo Anthony.

However, a funny thing happened on the way to the blowout. The Clippers suddenly awakened and scored the final seven points of the first quarter. The reserves then took over at the start of the second and extended the run to 19-0.

"We have to somehow realize that we are everybody's big game," said Denver guard Chauncey Billups. "It's not like a few years ago where you play the Clippers or somebody and it is just another game."

The Nuggets managed to trim the lead to 10 at the half, but the second quarter still proved to be the highest-scoring (35 points) and best shooting (70 percent) quarter of the season for the Clippers. A big reason was the play of the Los Angeles bench, which scored 38 of the Clippers' 56 first-half points.

"Tremendous job for us," Dunleavy said of his bench.

After shooting 66.7 percent in the third quarter to extend their lead to as much as 19, the Clippers settled for a 15-point advantage heading into the fourth.

The final period had been rough on the Clippers in their previous two home games, getting outscored by a combined score of 47-25 and blowing leads each time. They appeared headed for another meltdown as the Nuggets scored 17 of the quarter's first 21 points to cut the deficit to two points with 6:09 remaining.

The Clippers bowed their backs, however, and strung together one of the biggest three-possession streaks of the season. Rasual Butler, who finished with a season-high 27 points off the bench, sank a 3-pointer, Marcus Camby blocked Anthony's shot on the other end and Baron Davis hit a another 3-pointer to push the margin back to nine points. The Nuggets never came closer than five the rest of the way.

"It got a little scary down the stretch," Camby said. "You just had that sense that something wasn't right out there, but tonight we were able to weather the storm and come out with a win."

Al Thornton scored 18 points for the Clippers and did as well a job as could be expected guarding Anthony, the league's second-leading scorer who finished with 37 points. Chris Kaman, the Clippers' leading scorer, had a season-low 13 points and Baron Davis contributed 12 points and nine assists.

The biggest breakout performance belonged to Butler, the offseason acquisition who had been a combined 9-for-34 from the field in the last three home games, but shot 8-for-15 against the Nuggets.

"I just tried to put those last few games behind me," said Butler, who was replaced by Ricky Davis in the starting lineup Friday night.

"I was thinking a lot, I was being a little indecisive, but my teammates and coaches have the ultimate confidence in my ability."

Nene had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Nuggets, Kenyon Martin added 14 points and Ty Lawson contributed 12 points off the bench.

J.R. Smith, who came in averaging 18 points a game, was limited to nine on 4-for-13 shooting.

"It's a very tough loss, but the good thing about the NBA is we get another game tomorrow," Billups said. "We have to forget about this game and focus on tomorrow night."

Check out highlights from the 1st half:

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo lifts Nuggets over Raptors 130-112

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:20:00 -0800

Melo leads Nuggets past Turkoglu-less Raptors

By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Sports Writer

DENVER (AP)Melo overcame his migraine and the Toronto Raptors.

Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points in 30 minutes despite suffering from a severe headache and reserve J.R. Smith had 29, leading the Denver Nuggets past the Raptors 130-112 on Tuesday night.

Anthony awoke with his first migraine in a couple of years but never once thought of sitting this one out.

My legs could work, he said. As long as I could run up and down that court, I was good.

The Nuggets didnt shake off the Raptors until well into the third quarter, and coach George Karl suggested it took that long for Anthony to shake off the cobwebs, too.

s funny, man, I still have one, Anthony said after the game. I had the aftereffects. You know if youve ever had one, they dont just go away like that. It will still be lingering around. There were some points at the beginning of the game where I felt it and then some points when I didnt.

And then I got hit in the head twice and that brought it all the way back.

Anthony used to get migraines all the time but hadnt had one in a while.

s why it was weird to all of a sudden wake up with one, he said. Today I felt lethargic. All I can do is sleep. Youve just got to sleep it away. Im all right, though. I played. We won. I cant complain.

And even with the throbbing headache, Melo was Melo.

Carmelo did a good job of creating shots for other guys, Raptors forward Antoine Wright said. s just matured as a basketball player. Hes not only looking for his shot but hes looking how to make players better and I think thats what beat us tonight.

After withstanding Smiths seven-game suspension and a six-game trip consisting of three back-to-backs, the Nuggets weathered a determined Raptors team that was without forward Hedo Turkoglu but didnt trail until midway through the third quarter.

Chris Bosh led Toronto with 13 points and 14 rebounds and DeMar DeRozan scored 17. Nene had 20 points and 10 boards for Denver, which shot 62 percent.

Turkoglu missed the game with a sore left hip and was replaced in the starting lineup by Wright, whos dealing with a sore left ankle and finished with five points in 17 minutes. All the other starters reached double figures, as did reserves Marco Belinelli and Sonny Weems, who scored a career-high 12 against his former team.

Denver didnt grab its first lead until Anthony fed Kenyon Martin for a dunk that made it 70-68 early in the third.

Jose Calderon sank a 3-pointer at the other end and it was back and forth until Denver took control with a quick 7-0 spurt that made it 81-74. Nene hit two free throws and Chauncey Billups sank a technical foul shot before Anthony swished a fadeaway followed by a turnaround jumper.

Denver went on a 16-4 run to start the fourth, building a 20-point lead on the way to its 14th straight regular-season home win. Thats its longest streak since 1989, when it won 19 straight home games.

The Raptors put together an 11-point lead in the second quarter, but they settled for a 64-64 halftime tie. Nene scored eight points and Melo seven during Denvers 17-6 run to end the first half, which ended with Anthonys breakaway basket at the buzzer.

We got together at halftime and told each other we didnt want to play like that, Anthony said. s their game.

So, they cranked up the defense to take control, then coasted.

Denver coach George Karl said this was the best passing game his team has had so far, and it showed in the paint, where the Nuggets outscored the Raptors 68-36.

We had no answer for them inside, Toronto coach Jay Triano said. They posted us up with 3s, and once you try to help on Carmelo, when hes making shots, you try to help, he picks you apart by hitting bigs diving to the basket. That second half got away from us.

NOTES: Toronto claimed F Pops Mensah-Bonsu off waivers from Houston. Anthony has topped 30 points seven times in 11 games so far.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets Rout Lakers 105-79

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:25:00 -0800

Mission Statement
By Aaron J. Lopez, Nuggets.com

Can the Nuggets do it again?

Can they remain among the Western Conference elite?

Can they play enough defense and show enough discipline to rise above the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers?

In some form or another, Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony has heard the questions for as long as he can remember. His response? Keep 'em coming.

"We come into the season the same way every year," Anthony said. "It's always, 'Can?' 'Can Denver do this? Can Denver do that?' We like it like that. We don't want it to be, 'Denver Nuggets is...' We want to earn that. ... Yes we can. That's our new slogan: Yes we can, in spite of what anybody else says."

What better platform to launch a campaign than on national television against the Lakers. Even the most pessimistic observers had to admit the Nuggets are for real after watching them hold the defending champs to a team-record-tying eight points in the third quarter of a 105-79 rout Friday night at the Pepsi Center.

Yes, it's only one game in an 82-game season, but it showed the Nuggets remain a viable threat to unseat the Lakers next spring.

"They're at the top of the mountain and we have to figure out how to get ready for the opportunity - hopefully in May or June - to try to knock them off the top of the mountain," Denver coach George Karl said.

"I think there's the seed of a rivalry here. I'm not sure we like them and I'm pretty sure they don't like us. And that's OK. They're a great team. It's very easy to see what we have to overcome to win the West. There's a high likelihood they're the town we're going to have to go through."

On Friday night, the Nuggets looked like the new sheriff in town, building a 29-point lead and holding perennial MVP candidate Kobe Bryant scoreless in the second half after he broke loose for 19 points in the game's first 24 minutes.

Give much of the credit to Arron Afflalo, a key offseason acquisition brought in to replace defensive stopper Dahntay Jones. Bryant went 0-for-4 after halftime and was 2-for-10 overall while being guarded by Afflalo.

"We just made him fight a little bit more for his attempts," Afflalo said. "That first half, he just made some tough shots. I was contesting him. He's a good player. He's going to knock down those shots sometimes. He's been doing it for years."

With Bryant getting booed and the crowd whipping towels in a frenzy, there was a playoff atmosphere reminiscent of six months earlier when the Nuggets and Lakers met in the Western Conference finals. The Lakers eliminated Denver with a 27-point drubbing in Game 6 at the Pepsi Center, and the Nuggets were only too happy to return the favor.

"When you are an elite team, you always want to play the best," Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups said. "The way that we played them the last game here in our building (last spring) was just embarrassing. We wanted to come out and keep that rivalry alive."

Nuggets rookie Ty Lawson got his first taste of the rivalry, and he literally rose to the occasion. He scored 13 points, added six assists and punctuated the victory with an eye-popping dunk over 7-foot center D.J. Mbenga and 6-9 forward Josh Powell. Within 45 minutes after the game, he had nearly 100 text messages waiting on his phone.

"Ty Lawson's dunk was pretty special," Karl said. "The little kid (5-10) is a guy you fall in love with the more you watch him play."

The same might hold true for the Nuggets, who emerged from a tough early season schedule (seven road games, four sets of back-to-backs) with a 7-3 record. Anthony, Kenyon Martin and Billups are providing the veteran leadership and swagger, while the bench brigade of Lawson, Chris Andersen and J.R. Smith is starting to gain traction.

"They just beat us," Bryant said. "They beat us straight up and down."

The last time Bryant went scoreless in a half was on April 11, 2004. It's a fact that is sure to stick with him until the Lakers and Nuggets meet again in February. Then again, maybe he and the Lakers will just shrug it off as just another game with little significance beyond November.

"I don't think it's a rivalry at all," Lakers center Andrew Bynum said. "They (the Nuggets) might feel that way, but we don't. We are just trying to get back to that championship level."

Can the Nuggets do the same? Based on Friday night's peformance, Anthony might be onto something.

Yes they can.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets Fall in Milwaukee

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:35:00 -0800

Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points against the Bucks in a 108-102 loss at Milwaukee. (Darren Hauck, The Associated Press)

MILWAUKEE - From the mountains to the prairies to the ocean to the beer capital (white with foam), the Nuggets' road trip zigzagged America, ending in Milwaukee, where Chauncey Billups digested Wednesday's 108-102 loss like a bratwurst with way too much sauerkraut.

Asked about Denver's 3-3 record on the six-game trip, the point guard said: "That's probably really good for a decent team or a team always trying to get in the playoffs, but for us, I don't think it's good enough, to be honest with you. You take it because you don't have any choice, but I was hoping for 4-2 at the worst, maybe 5-1."

The Nuggets (6-3) yearn to win the Western Conference, and they head into Friday's game against the defending conference champs with a couple of question marks, be it their rebounding (Bucks had 46 boards to the Nuggets' 37) or overall offense (39.8 percent shooting Wednesday).

Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony entered the game third in the league in scoring (30 points per game), and he tallied a hard 32, while often punished with hard defense and fouls. At one point in the third quarter, he got into a shouting match with Bucks center Andrew Bogut, with each player earning a technical foul.

Anthony also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds and made all 14 free-throw attempts.

"Getting to the line is huge for me - that's my game, attacking the basket," said Anthony, who also had a game-high seven turnovers. "I got 14 free throws, but that's only getting fouled seven times, and I'm probably pretty sure I got fouled double that. But I can't (cry) over spilled milk - we've got to get ready for the Lakers on Friday."

Denver's long road trip is really just a snippet of the long road that is the season. As for Anthony, he will get to the paint early and often, and his coach said Anthony will need to evaluate the most effective way to get to the line - but also stay in-line.

"I think Melo is very frustrated with what's a foul and what isn't a foul," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "I think now we have a day to look at film, send things to the league office, maybe get some interpretations and get him a better feel for what he needs to do to not feel that he's being hammered and not getting calls."

A night after Denver faced Chicago point guard Derrick Rose, the reigning rookie of the year, the Nuggets saw firsthand why Milwaukee point guard Brandon Jennings could win the award this year.

The kid finished with 32 points, including a fearless 3-point dagger in the face of Billups with 3:03 left to give the Bucks a seven-point lead. Jennings made all six free throws in the final minutes to seal the win against the stingy Nuggets.

"His confidence," Billups said, "was top-notch."

Denver's J.R. Smith played pretty well considering it was just his second game of the season. Smith scored 18 points, including a beautiful 3-pointer off an inbounds with 22.5 left, cutting Milwaukee's lead to 102-100. He airballed a 3-pointer on the next possession.

"We don't want to put too much pressure on him, but he's one of our major play-makers and we depend on him," Billups said. "I thought today he made some strides."

NUGGETS RECAP

What you might have missed

All night, numerous foul calls - or noncalls - irritated the game's participants, notably the animated Carmelo Anthony, Andrew Bogut and Nene, whose blocking call with 4:40 left in the fourth left him speechless, his wide- eyes doing all the necessary talking.

Final thought

The Nuggets made a run of it late, but the team struggled in the low post against Bogut, the fresh Milwaukee post (23 points, 10 rebounds).

Up next

Friday against Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m.

Win a few, lose a few

The Nuggets finished an exhausting 10-day road trip 3-3. Highlights and lowlights:

Nov. 3 at Indiana: W, 111-93. A 30-13 first-quarter lead helped Nuggets set the tone. Denver dominated the boards, 56-44.

Nov. 4 at New Jersey: W, 122-94. Kenyon Martin scored 18 points with 10 rebounds as Denver avenged a road loss from last season.

Nov. 6 at Miami: L, 96-88. Score made it look closer than it was. Martin got injured;only two starters scored in double figures.

Nov. 7 at Atlanta: L, 125-100. Shorthanded Nuggets got 43 points from everyone not named Carmelo or Chauncey.

Nov. 10 at Chicago: W, 90-89. Turns out Brad Miller's buzzer- beater didn't beat the buzzer.

Nov. 11 at Milwaukee: L, 108-102.Third loss in three seasons at this venue. Sluggish team shot just 39.8 percent.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets dodge bullet, beat Bulls in final seconds

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:20:00 -0800

Nuggets dodge bullet, beat Bulls in final seconds
Kent McDill, for NBA.com

CHICAGO (NBA.com exclusive) -- The Denver Nuggets needed every ounce of their veteran skills to get a road win against the Chicago Bulls.

Chauncey Billups hit the game-winning free throw with 0.6 seconds remaining, and the Nuggets edged the Bulls 90-89 to end their two-game losing streak. The Bulls suffered their first home loss.

The Bulls thought they won the game when Brad Miller made a jumper at the buzzer, but since the Bulls had only 0.3 left on the clock on the inbounds, his catch-and-shoot attempt was eventually ruled late.

"Fortunately, (the officials) made the right call, but it scared the hell out of us,'' Denver coach George Karl said.

Denver's Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points, 11 below his average, and made only eight of 22 shots, most of them taken against Bulls forward Luol Deng. Billups finished with 17 points and Kenyon Martin had 15 (to go with 10 rebounds) in his return to action after missing a game due to a left fibula contusion. Nene had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds

Bulls guard Derrick Rose had a season-high 22 points, including the game-tying free throws to create the 89-89 draw with 10.4 seconds left, while Joakim Noah had another career high in rebounds with 21 to go with 12 points. Deng finished with 21 points.

The Nuggets held the lead for most of the game, but it never got larger than 10 points, and in the final quarter, the Bulls staged a comeback. They trailed by as much as seven points with six minutes left but Rose and John Salmons made several long jumpers to get the Bulls back into the game.

The outcome was determined when Billups dribbled down the lane against Kirk Hinrich, who was called for a reach-in foul with 0.6 seconds left.

The challenge for the Bulls was to figure out how to defend Carmelo Anthony, Billups and Kenyon Martin. The Bulls did the job well, holding the Nuggets to 41.7 percent shooting, but they couldn't stop enough shots in the second half to turn the game in their favor.

Billups was especially problematic for Rose and Hinrich, and scored seven of his 17 points at the free throw line. He would have had another but missed the last one intentionally to give the Bulls less time for a final shot.

"I planned on missing it on purpose,'' Billups said. "My thinking was that if they have only three-tenths of a second then they have to hit a miraculous shot. Then they did hit a miraculous shot."

The Nuggets, in fact, had the advantage at the free throw line the entire game, and did not get called for a foul until early in the second quarter. They finished with a 15-9 edge at the line for the game.

Deng, who is in a career resurgence after an iffy 2008-2009, played Anthony straight up most of the game, and contested almost every attempt.

"I thought Luol was good on Carmelo,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. "We have to feel good about (the Bulls' defense)."

"We did a good job as a team,'' Deng said. "We tried to take (Anthony) out of his jumper and make him drive. The guys had my back whenever he drove."

The Nuggets were trying to get back on the winning track after road losses at Miami and Atlanta, and took control of the game late in the first quarter. They held the lead the entire second quarter, then fought off the Bulls through the third and fourth quarters.

The Nuggets (6-2) are now 3-2 on the six-game road trip with a stop in Milwaukee set for Wednesday.

After bemoaning the fact that Miller's final shot did not count, the Bulls concentrated their thoughts on Noah, who set a career high in rebounds for a second time this season and posted his fourth double-double.

"Joakim was outstanding again and did a good job on the glass,'' Del Negro said.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets Drop 2nd Straight

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:15:00 -0800

Smith's all-around brilliance leads Hawks past Nuggets
Matt Winkeljohn, for NBA.com

ATLANTA (NBA.com Exclusive) -- Take two teams that played the night before in other cities, and very poorly in both cases, match them up and who are you going to go with?

Take the home team with a renewed sense of purpose, an out-of-his-mind performer like Josh Smith and a guy like Jamal Crawford who can score 25 points off the bench over the squad that lost a starter before the game even began.

The Atlanta Hawks went back to being the team they want to be Saturday night, and skunked the Denver Nuggets in nearly every way en route to a 125-100 win in Philips Arena.

Smith scored 22 points, grabbed nine rebounds, had seven assists, and blocked six shots.

Deciphering this one was nearly as easy as checking the Hawks' box score from one night to the next.

In a miserable 103-83 loss Friday night in Charlotte, the Hawks mustered a mere 10 assists and allowed the NBA's lowest-scoring team to have its way.

That led to considerable grumbling afterward by Hawks coach Mike Woodson and some players, including All-Star guard Joe Johnson.

Saturday night? One big, happy family from start -- Atlanta led 33-25 after one quarter -- to finish. The Hawks registered a whopping 30 assists on 45 baskets. Denver shot just 41 percent, going 2 for 10 on 3-pointers.

"Tonight it was about a team. [Friday] night, it was too much individually on both ends of the court," said Hawks guard Mike Bibby, who actually played a lesser role with 11 points and three assists. "We didn't help each other defensively [at Charlotte]. It was too much one-on-one [offensively] and it showed."

The Nuggets have lost back-to-back games in as many nights after beginning the season 5-0. They learned shortly before the game that forward Kenyon Martin would not play because he couldn't answer the bell after suffering a left fibula contusion in Friday's 96-88 loss at Miami.

Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points for Denver, and Chauncey Billups added 27, but Anthony hit just seven of 21 shots, and the Nuggets were a mess most of the night.

Mix in their bull-headed insistence on taking the ball at Smith, and, well, there wasn't much good to say for Denver coach George Karl.

"We didn't have enough energy," he said. "We never did get a grip."

The Hawks (5-2) matched up better with Denver than they did with the Bobcats a night earlier.

Atlanta led 60-50 at halftime, and already had 15 assists.

"I think the crowd was the biggest factor," said Atlanta center Al Horford, who scored 11 points to go with a game-high 12 rebounds. "I think they really got us going. We were back at home, and we were feeling good about ourselves. And I think it has to do with the style of play. It should be consistent, but with Denver you tend to run more up and down. Charlotte was more of a half-court game."

The Bobcats pushed the Hawks around physically Friday, as Atlanta wrapped up a four-game road trip that included three games out west.

The Nuggets did not push Atlanta much.

There was a fleeting moment where it appeared as though Denver might make a push, as a long pass to Chris Andersen early in the fourth quarter looked like a sure-fire dunk that would have cut Atlanta's lead to 90-80.

But in swooped Smith to swat it. At the other end moments later, Crawford drilled a 3-pointer for a 93-78 lead and that was pretty much the end of that.

"Josh Smith had an incredible game," Karl said of a player who last week became the youngest in NBA history to reach 900 career blocks. "We didn't respect his shot blocking."

Denver has two more road games, Tuesday at Chicago and Wednesday at Milwaukee, before returning home to play the Lakers Friday.

On the plus side, Martin is likely to return to action soon, and guard J.R. Smith will be available after serving a seven-game suspension.

The Hawks, meanwhile, are back to feeling good about themselves.

"You could see the up-beatness in the guys before the game when guys came in and were warming up," said Johnson, who matched Smith's 22 points. "It was a must that we come home tonight and win."

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Heat Hand Nuggets Their First Loss

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:10:00 -0800

Heat snap Nuggets win streak, 96-88
Chris Perkins, for NBA.com

MIAMI (NBA.com exclusive) -- There might be something brewing in Miami. Led by a stingy defense and a diverse offense, the Heat defeated Denver, 96-88, on Friday at AmericanAirlines Arena, handing the Nuggets their first loss.

"We pulled out a great win against an undefeated team," Heat forward Quentin Richardson said. Actually, to say the Heat "pulled out" a win misrepresents what happened. The Heat (5-1) practically crushed Denver. The Nuggets' last lead was at 16-14, and Denver (5-1) never got within single digits in the second half. And it might have lost forward Kenyon Martin for an extended stretch with what is now being called a bruised left leg. He's scheduled to have a MRI on Friday. He won't play in Denver's game at Atlanta. The Nuggets will also be without swingman J.R. Smith, who will serve the final game of his seven-game suspension.

Defense was the key for the Heat. It entered the game second in opponents' field goal percentage at .407, and through three quarters that's what Denver was shooting, .407. It's a small wonder the Nuggets trailed, 78-56, entering the final period.

"Defensively, for most of the game I thought we were very active, even disruptive," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Miami was led by guard Dwyane Wade's low-key 22 points. He was one of five Heat players to score in double digits along with Richardson (13 points, nine rebounds), center Jermaine O'Neal (18 points, seven rebounds), guard Mario Chalmers (16 points) and forward Udonis Haslem, who registered his fourth double-double, all in a reserve role, with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Forward Michael Beasley, who only played two minutes in the fourth quarter, finished with seven points (on 3-for-8 shooting) and three rebounds in 31 minutes.

Denver forward Carmelo Anthony, the league's leading scorer at 32 points per game, finished with 30 points, but he couldn't get the big buckets the Nuggets needed. And many of Denver's season-high 19 turnovers surfaced at inopportune times. Here's a snapshot from the middle of the game: Miami ended the first half on a 17-5 run and took a 50-38 lead into the locker room. That bulge quickly extended to 57-38 early in the third quarter.

At one point in the period, with the Heat holding a 58-42 lead, center Nene (11 points, eight rebounds) missed a two-foot shot. Anthony followed with a missed a layup in traffic, and then he failed to convert the tip-in. Chalmers made Denver pay with a sweet reverse layup for a 60-42 Miami lead before Anthony drove the lane and lost the ball out of bounds. Chalmers then hit a 3-pointer for a 63-42 lead before guard Chauncey Billups (six points, five turnovers) stopped the Nuggets' bleeding with a layup.

"Chalmers had a pretty classy game," Denver coach George Karl said. "He made the shots when they needed him to make the shot." But after Billup's bucket, Beasley hit a three-pointer for a 66-44 Miami lead. Then O'Neal blocked Anthony's attempted dunk. Denver guard Anthony Carter got the rebound but missed a 3-pointer. O'Neal then converted a layup on the other end for a 68-44 Heat lead. It was that kind of night for both teams.

Want more? On Denver's next possession forward Renaldo Balkman shot an airball. Nene grabbed the rebound but had the ball stripped by Richardson. O'Neal then hit a pair of free throws for a 69-44 lead.

You get the idea.

"Everybody made shots, from Jermaine O'Neal to D-Wade to Haslem," Anthony said. "Beasley hit a deep three. Chalmers hit a deep three. They just kept rolling."

Miami has only started 5-1 two other times _ the 1996-97 season and 1999-2000 season. It hopes to keep Friday's performance going. Denver hopes to leave its poor performance in South Florida.

"I think we all have to be disappointed on how we showed up, and I think we need to shake it off and go back (Friday at Atlanta)," Karl said.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo Represents His Baltimore Roots

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:15:00 -0800

Click the image below to see the great feature on jumpman23.com about Melo in the 21229.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

The Third Season of “Become Legendary”

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:35:00 -0800

BEAVERTON, OR - Jordan Brand, a division of NIKE, Inc., unveiled its latest chapter of the "Become Legendary" a national brand campaign, entitled "SLAP." This campaign shows today's youth how important team-work is in the game of an athlete's life.

"SLAP" headlines a national television ad campaign that is supported by an integrated marketing campaign starring Team Jordan athletes Carmelo Anthony, Derek Jeter, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Paul. The ad takes viewers through a series of quick visual cuts and invigorating audio on the players' journey to team building and success, from the pain and frustration pushing each other to the limit, to the elation and satisfaction that comes with making it out on the other side.

"We chose the SLAP' ad to kick off the third season of the Become Legendary' campaign which embodies what our Brand represents," said Sean Tresvant, Marketing Director of Jordan Brand. "The concept references Michael Jordan's legacy of team leadership and features a roster of Team Jordan athletes carrying on his gift in the game today."

"SLAP" will air on major networks including ESPN, TNT, FOX, and cinemas across the US beginning Sunday, October 25. Subsequent spots meant to connect with consumers on what it takes to Become Legendary' will air during seasonal sporting events including All-Star Weekend.

The integrated campaign is fully complemented with digital presence on www.Jumpman23.com, in-store retail marketing, and community, consumer and celebrity events throughout 2010.

About Jordan Brand

A division of NIKE, Inc., Jordan Brand is a premium brand of footwear, apparel and accessories inspired by the dynamic legacy, vision and direct involvement of Michael Jordan. The Jordan Brand made its debut in 1997 and has grown into a complete collection of performance and lifestyle products. The Jordan Brand remains active in the community by donating a portion of its proceeds to Jordan Fundamentals, an education grants program for teachers.

Check out the ad below:

For more information on Jordan Brand, visit www.Jumpman23.com.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Billups, Anthony keep the Denver Nuggets unbeaten

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0800

Billups, Anthony keep the Denver Nuggets unbeaten

By TOM CANAVAN, AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)-Down by a point after sub-par first-half performances by Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony, the Denver Nuggets become the latest team to take advantage of the New Jersey Nets' woes in the third quarter.

Billups and Anthony woke up the Nuggets by leading a 44-point third-quarter assault that carried unbeaten Denver to its fifth straight win, a 122-94 decision over the victory over the winless Nets on Wednesday night.

"The first half, we couldn't it going at all," said Billups, who scored all 12 of his points in the third quarter. "There are not many times when Melo and I are off at the same time. But the bench came in and did a great job. Sometimes, the shots don't go, but we just had to regroup at halftime and get the job done."

The 5-0 start is Denver's best since winning six straight in 1985-86. It also handed the Nets their fifth straight loss, tying the worst start in franchise history, set in 1996-97.

"We knew going into halftime that obviously Carmelo and Chauncey were going to lead the charge and that's exactly what they did," said Nets coach Lawrence Frank, whose team scored seven points in the third quarter in a loss to Charlotte on Monday night. "They dominated the paint and the perimeter in the third quarter and we never recovered."

Denver hit 17 of 25 shots and outscored the Nets 44-26 in the third quarter in turning a 51-50 deficit into a 94-77 lead.

"The equalizer in NBA basketball is that the game is long and the better team usually comes out after a while," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "Our two best players weren't shooting well, but I felt pretty good about the way they came out in the third quarter."

Billups scored the first seven points to give Denver the lead for good. Anthony, who was 1 of 11 in the first half, scored 11 of his 22 points in the quarter, which was five points shy of the Nets all-time worst third quarter.

"I wasn't happy with the way things were going in the first half, so in the second half, I think we all wanted to pick it up in a hurry," said Anthony, who was 7 of 13 in the second half.

Chris Douglas-Roberts had 19 points to lead the Nets, who were without All-Star guard Devin Harris and four other injured players. Eduardo Najera(notes) had 14 points for New Jersey in his first start of the season.

"Every game, including the preseason, we struggle in the third quarter," Najera said. "I don't know what it is but we have to figure it out. We can't come out every third quarter and basically let the other team do whatever they want. We have to learn and stay patient. It's not going to happen overnight."

Former Net Kenyon Martin added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets. Rookie Ty Lawson added a season-high 23 points on 9 of 10 shooting. Nene had 16 and nine rebounds, while Aaron Afflalo had 15.

Billups, who was in foul trouble in the first half and didn't score, hit two free throws, a drive and a 3-pointer in the opening 1:11 to give the Nuggets a 57-51 lead. Nene added two free throw and a big jam and Anthony had an alley-oop, a reverse layup and a drive to cap the 21-6 spurt that put Denver ahead 71-57.

New Jersey never got close after that.

NOTES: The Nets dressed 10 players with Tony Battie, Keyon Dooling, Jarvis Hayes and Yi Jianlian out with injuries. ... Denver's Joey Graham missed the game with sprained right big toe. ... The 22 points were Anthony's lowest output of the season. He came in averaging a league-high 34.5 points. ... Denver has scored at least 110 points in 11 of its last 14 regular-season games dating to last season. ... Billups had scored at least 20 points in each of the Nuggets first four games.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo and 7 Sports take you behind the scenes.

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:30:00 -0800

Melo and 7 Sports take you behind the scenes.

Check it out by clicking here!

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets Off to Best Start in 24 Years

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:50:00 -0800

Nuggets rout Pacers to remain unbeaten

By CLIFF BRUNT, AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)-Carmelo Anthony(notes) got a little help from his teammates to lift Denver to its best start in 24 years.

Anthony scored 25 points and Chauncey Billups(notes) added 24 as the Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 111-93 on Tuesday night to improve to 4-0. Nene had 16 points and 13 rebounds and reserve Arron Afflalo(notes) added points 15 for the Nuggets.

"Everybody stepped up tonight," said Anthony, who was averaging a league-best 38 points coming into the game. He was just 6-for-17 from the field, but made up for it by making 11 of 14 free throws.

The Nuggets say they have carried momentum from reaching the Western Conference finals last season.

"We should feel good, we shouldn't feel no other way," Anthony said. "It seems like we're picking up where we left off from last year."

Former Denver guard Dahntay Jones(notes) led the Pacers (0-3) with 20 points. He made perhaps the strongest statements after the loss, Indiana's third straight by double digits.

"It's very tough to take three losses in a row like this," he said. "We're sick and tired of losing."

Danny Granger(notes) scored points 18 on 6 of 16 shooting and Roy Hibbert(notes) added 14 points and 12 rebounds for Indiana.

Pacers forward Troy Murphy(notes) bruised his lower back when he fell hard to the floor in the first quarter and did not return. He was second in the league in rebounding and third in 3-point percentage last season.

"It's kind of stiffened up," he said while sitting in front of his locker. "It's not the most comfortable thing right now, but hopefully, it will feel better tomorrow and I'll be able to go."

Denver made 8 of 15 3-pointers on Tuesday while Indiana made just 3 of 22.

"We had a good defensive feel for the game all night long," Denver coach George Karl said. "Any time you win a game on the road and keep it in double digits, you're doing a lot of good things."

Denver's players said it was important to get a win at the beginning of their six-game road trip, and they felt getting off to a good start would be the key. The Nuggets led 30-13 at the end of the first quarter, even though Anthony shot 1-for-7.

Indiana shot 22 percent in the opening period.

"The first quarter, we didn't make shots that we've made the past couple of years," Indiana coach Jim O'Brien said. "You can't shoot poorly and dig yourself out of a 20-point hole in the first quarter."

The Nuggets led 55-39 at halftime, but Indiana cut Denver's lead to 59-50 on a layup by Jones.

Billups responded with a 3-pointer. Later in the quarter, when the Pacers again started building momentum, Billups hit another three. Anthony followed that with a breakaway dunk to make it 71-55. Anthony and Billups combined for 23 points in the quarter, and Denver led 83-71 at the end of the period.

Denver pulled away in the fourth quarter and led by as many as 25 points. Indiana's only lead was 6-5 in the first quarter.

The Pacers are starting to feel the pressure.

"It's a combination of everything, a little combination of the injuries, the new guys, everything like that," Murphy said. "We've got to figure it out quick or we're going to be in a deep hole, too deep a hole for us to dig ourselves out."

Denver already feels comfortable and has maintained the camaraderie it built last season.

That closeness included Jones, who signed with the Pacers as a free agent in the offseason. Some Denver players joked with him from the bench in the fourth quarter as he shot free throws, yelling out "he's with us" and "he wants to be wearing blue."

"We have a real good aura, a real good feel about what we can be as a team this year," Billups said.

Notes: The Pacers will raise a banner celebrating Mel Simon before Friday's game against Washington. The team's co-owner died in September. ... The Pacers and Nuggets played two preseason games in Asia this year. ... Indiana shot 24 percent in the first quarter against Miami on Friday, then 22 percent in the opening quarter on Tuesday. ... Indiana's Mike Dunleavy (knee), Tyler Hansbrough(notes) (shin) and Jeff Foster(notes) (ankle), all sat out.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo in November's Cigar Aficionado

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:40:00 -0800

Check out the November issue of Cigar Aficionado magazine, featuring a 5-page story on Carmelo Anthony titled "Shooting Star".

Full article below.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo in October issue of Urban Look Magazine

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:35:00 -0800

We know Melo's basketball skills are known world-wide. In this interveiw, China's Urban Look magazine uncovers more of his many talents.

Here is the interview translated to English:

WHAT'S THE REAL MELO?

It is no surprise that Carmelo Anthony will be back in China this October, which he warmly refers to as "his second home" after spending a lot of time in the country in previous years. He has fond memories of China, especially last summer when he and his USA Basketball teammates proudly won the Gold Medal. What makes this pre-season game in October especially unique and exciting, though, is that it is not the Olympics, or the World Basketball Championships, but it's his own team, the Denver Nuggets, playing in front of a new audience to win over new fans on this side of the Pacific Ocean.

He is ready to get back on the court and continue where the Nuggets left off last season. There is a lot of excitement and expectation of what the upcoming season has in store for them, having finished very strong last year, yet leaving the fans hungry for much more. He has spent the summer getting into perfect game shape with his trainer Idan Ravin. Even though it was his first summer off' ever since joining the NBA (no national team
obligations this summer), he still kept busy "hosting three basketball camps, one in Spain, one in my hometown of Baltimore, and one in Denver. Plus, running my Krossover Productions company and releasing a documentary film about boxer Mike Tyson and getting production started on a biopic about baseball legend Roberto Clemente and also finishing up the design of my Jordan M6 sneaker." On top of all that, he found time to do what he values the most at the end of every season, "Relax, chill out and catch up with friends and family."

Carmelo also takes moments to enjoy music. As any true music lover would admit about the artists he listens to, "I like a lot of them, I like all of them. I don't like to narrow it down to just one. I like everybody." Carmelo listens to genres that may not come as expected from an NBA athlete, but as he puts it, "You learn a lot about the world and where different people are coming from, when you take the time to explore their music." With a sincere love of music, it was just a matter of time before Carmelo went even deeper into the music world as the owner of Krossover Entertainment, "A record label with an artist roster of hip-hop artists Cassidy and Diego Cash as well as female pop/R&B artist Midian." But he is firm as to where he draws the line with his involvement, "No, no, no, no, no, no," he says when asked if would ever be an artist himself and release his own album. He is happy to be behind the scenes making decisions, doing artist development, and looks forward to supporting their upcoming album releases. With Krossover Productions, his film production company, Carmelo says he is also content to be involved behind the scenes, but he is not so adamant about staying there, admitting that he would be open to options in front of the camera "if it was the right fit for me".

When Carmelo isn't playing basketball, or running his businesses, or managing his brand partnerships with companies like Jordan (Nike, Inc.), TAG (Procter & Gamble) or Powerade (Coca-Cola), he pursues one of his favorite hobbies, deep-sea fishing. He also is a collector of cars, sneakers, and wine. And being recognized as one of the best-dressed players in the league, he has taken on a heightened interest in fashion, where he follows designers from all over globe from streetwear to couture. "I like Tom Ford, Dolce & Gabana, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bally, John Varvatos, Paul Smith......I like anything that catches my eye, anything that is fresh. But really, it doesn't even have to be a brand name. If I like it, I like it." However, he still takes advantage of any opportunity to get casual when he's off the court or not attending an event. "Just dressing down, wearing a T-shirt, jeans and Jordans." Soon, he may be a bit of a designer himself, or at least a very active participant because he says an apparel line with Jordan brand is also in the works.

It was practice and dedication that propelled Carmelo to the pinnacle of college basketball when he and his Syracuse Orangemen won the National Championship in just his freshman year of college. After being drafted to Denver, it was Nike's Jordan brand that soon came calling, adding him to their team of Jordan athletes where he releases a signature shoe every year. The latest - the Jordan M6 - will be arriving this Fall. It's no secret that Carmelo is a shoe fan and has amassed a healthy collection over the years. When asked about his favorite shoe ever in the Jordan collection, he quickly names, "The Jordan IX is my favorite. But I also really like the III's and the II's."

All of Carmelo's extra-curricular activities are merely side notes, as his real focus remains on the court with his Denver Nuggets. After accomplishing the best season of his career, and the best in decades for the Nuggets which culminated in a Western Conference Finals appearance, Carmelo is aiming even higher for this season. "The goal is always to win a championship. That will always be my goal. I have an NCAA Championship
ring, I have an Olympics Gold Medal. I need that NBA Championship ring," he states without reserve.

With an ever growing fan base and the desire to impact young athletes across the globe, Carmelo has made suggestions that a camp may be coming to China soon. "I'm always looking at ways to expand my brand globally and I look forward to doing more and more in China. I'm working on some stuff right now as we speak." It appears as though it may just be a matter of time before Carmelo shows up to give the Chinese youth some tips on how to be a better basketball player. But in the meantime, he encourages them to "practice harder than everyone else".

When Carmelo sets foot in China again this fall, it will begin another season with the opportunity to become champions of the NBA. Considering the success of last year's team, it is likely that if you get a chance to watch Carmelo and the Nuggets play their pre-season game in Beijing, you may be witnessing the first game of a championship season.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo in China's Size Magazine

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:35:00 -0800

Beijing's Size Magazine sat down for a Q&A with Melo. Here is the article translated to English.

Catching up with NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets is like trying to keep up with a tornado. If you don't take advantage of him at one of his few moments of rest, you'll soon be chasing him through the whirlwind of workouts, meetings with Jordan M6 shoe designers, photo shoots, benefits for his foundation, or even business meetings concerning Krossover Entertainment and Krossover Productions (both of which he owns).

For Carmelo, being an NBA athlete is just one line item on the list of endeavors leading towards his legacy. At just twenty-five years old, and six years into his professional career in the league, ambition and achievement are beginning to be one and the same for him, both on and off the court. Yet his casual demeanor and the time he dedicates to helping the less fortunate would never give a hint of the intensity or standards he holds himself to, in his quest towards collecting a championship ring and creating notable works through his companies.

If he wasn't doing enough already, he's begun to be recognized as one of the best-dressed players in the league - something he claims was simply a natural necessity as he matured, but nonetheless, his fashion sense has become another aspect for pop culture to focus on. Never one to waste words, Carmelo keeps to the point, and if asked, will tell you how it is or how he feels.

STREET CULTURE

1. Could you please first introduce yourself to our readers? I mean, besides the superstar on the court, the readers want to know more. How do you identify yourself in your life?

CARMELO: I set out to be a global icon - to be recognized for what I do on the court, but also what I do off the court. I want to be one of the moguls of my generation who is involved in a lot of different businesses and to be an inspiration for young people.

2. America has the heritage as one of the originators of street culture. Could you please describe the street culture scene around you?

CARMELO: I think right now the culture is primarily hip hop influenced of course, but with the way the fashion world turns around so fast, it gives people the opportunity to create their own style. I think that's the culture we're in right now, it's pretty much a free culture.

3. Were there any changes in street culture while you were growing up?

CARMELO: Street culture is constantly changing. Everything that's new out there represents a change - from the music, to the clothes, to everyday life.

4. What is the most popular style among NBA stars? As I know, hip-hop style occupied a certain percentage, what is going on now? Which style do you like most?

CARMELO: Well, before the dress code came into the league, you could wear whatever you want, you know. But now with the new rules, it makes everybody step their game up from a fashion standpoint. I would describe my style as classic, stuff that's timeless that I can always wear, but still with a young, fashionable and preppy edge to it.

5. What do you think is the most important thing for you when choosing clothes? Design, quality or comfort?

CARMELO: The design is most important, of course, and comfort is second - they are the main two. But quality is important too, you don't want something falling apart.

6.What brands do you like best? Where do you buy clothes? Could you please list two sets of clothes you have been wearing recently in detail?

CARMELO: I buy clothes wherever I'm at - if I'm out and about and whenever I see something, especially at boutiques. That's where I find some underground brands, or stuff that not everybody's wearing. I like Prohibit
in New York. I wear a lot of suits, too, but sometimes I just like to throw on a pair of jeans, some Jordans and a nice T-shirt. I get a lot of my clothes custom-made too, by KWeb Image Inc., and I get my denim from Blue in
Green as well as Jean Shop (in New York).

LIFESTYLE

7. What has the environment you grew up in, brought you? My parents divorced, I know what it is like to be without a father, but I want to know what you have learned from the situation?

CARMELO: Just how to provide for yourself at the end of the day.

8. Who are your best friends in NBA? What do you guys do when you don't have a game?

CARMELO: Probably Lebron, Kobe, D-Wade, CP. We just chill out man, we really just get so tired from all the travel, at the end of the season we just want to chill.

9. What kind of music do you like most? What do you get from it?

CARMELO: Of course hip-hop, that's the main one, I like a lot of R&B. I like old soul music too. There are messages in all the music I listen to, you know, I get a chance to learn a lot about the artists and what they've
seen. I've gotten a good sense of what's going on in the world by listening to all types of music.

10. You started your own business, could you please introduce it to us?

CARMELO: Krossover Productions, my film company, just put out the Mike Tyson documentary (which was released by Sony Pictures Classics), and we're working on a full-length film about the life of Roberto Clemente (Puerto
Rican baseball legend). With Krossover Entertainment, my record label, we're working with two hip-hop artists, Cassidy and Diego Cash, and one R&B/pop artist, her name is Midian.

10. You have the Carmelo Anthony Foundation, what is behind the foundation? Why are you trying to found an organization like this?

CARMELO: Well, it's just a mission to give a hand to underprivileged kids and families. Trying to keep kids off the street. I want to give back. I'm one of the faces of the young generation and I want to carry that torch for
a long time.

11. What do you think is most important in your success today?

CARMELO: Being focused, staying focused. It's too easy to get off target.

ON THE COURT

12. Could you describe a typical day of MELO to the readers? I guess you must spend a lot of time practicing?

CARMELO: Wake up, head to the gym to work out, first and foremost. Then if I'm not playing or practicing, then I'm just chillin at the house, playing with my son.

13. What do you think is the best thing about being an NBA star? What is the biggest change that the NBA has brought you?

CARMELO: Everything that comes with being in the NBA is great - all the people you get to meet, the places you get to travel, all the opportunities. The biggest change for me was just knowing and realizing the situation that I was in at such a young age, and just having to develop a really good sense of myself and a better understanding of my decisions, not just in basketball - but in life.

14. Talk about your new Jordan M6 sneaker.

CARMELO: Every year I release a new Jordan signature sneaker. With the new Jordan M6, I designed it from beginning to end. Mainly, my influence was to
create something that could perform at the highest level on the court, but could also be worn off the court in everyday use.

15. Let's focus on the pre-season game in China for a moment, it's not the first time you have come to China, what is China like in your eyes? Got any remarkable memories here?

CARMELO: At first, it was really different because I had never been to China, so I didn't know what to expect. But once I got there and spent more time there, and learned about the culture, it's pretty much become my second
home. I have been to China the past four summers and I have always had a good time. Going to the Great Wall was a good memory for me, and also just walking around and seeing what's going on.

16. The fans are crazy, especially when you are out of America. Different cultures bring surprising experiences. Could you please share with us the craziest story between you and the fans?

CARMELO: Let's just say I get followed around a lot by fans, everywhere I go, every time I'm in China.

17. It's a pre-season game, but its already the new season, what is your goal in the new season?

CARMELO: To win a championship, that's the one and only.

18. Got anything else to share with our readers?

CARMELO: No. I just can't wait to get to China. I can't wait to play there again!

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Anthony follows up 41 with a 42-point performance

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:55:00 -0800

Melo joins 40-40 club
By Aaron J. Lopez, Nuggets.com

With high-scoring sixth man J.R. Smith unavailable for the first seven games of the season, it was natural to wonder who would supply the missing points for the Nuggets.

Look no further than Denver's own natural wonder, Carmelo Anthony.

As a multiple threat in the paint, on the perimeter, in transition and at the foul line, Anthony has been a model of scoring efficiency while leading the Nuggets to their first 3-0 start in 24 years.

Coming off a 41-point performance last week against Portland, Anthony made it look easy again Sunday night, scoring 42 points in a 133-123 win over the feisty Memphis Grizzlies.

"Ain't nothing easy about scoring in this league," teammate Kenyon Martin said. "It's a testament to how much he's evolved as a basketball player."

Anthony's production is evolving with each game. After scoring a modest 30 in the season-opener, he has raised his league-leading average to 37.7 points with the first back-to-back 40-point games of his career.

"He's the best scorer that I've ever played with," said point guard Chauncey Billups, who's in his 13th NBA season. "I've played with a lot of good players, but he's just got a knack. His skill set for his body type is tremendous. It's a mismatch no matter who you throw on him."

Like the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers before them, the Grizzlies had no answer for Anthony. Rudy Gay drew the initial defensive assignment, but ran into early foul trouble. Rookies DeMarre Carroll and Sam Young also were no match for an established All-Star who is quickly developing into an MVP candidate.

"If I do what I've got to do - if my team wins - then all them accolades will come," Anthony said. "I'm not coming out saying I'm going to get MVP. It's too early for that. We're winning. We're playing great. We'll see what happens after that."

While Anthony's scoring has been off the charts, he has been anything but one-dimensional, averaging 7.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals in the season's early stages.

"I think Melo's awareness to how he's being covered is the best it's been," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "His efficiency is pretty incredible right now, to post-ups to jump shots to penetrations to good passing decisions. We've needed it. We have a little bit of a hole with J.R. not playing."

Though Anthony was the headliner again Sunday, he had plenty of support. Billups had 22 points and 12 assists; Nene added 18 points and nine rebounds; and Martin finished with 16 points and three steals.

The balance is a byproduct of Anthony's ability to draw defenders like metal shavings to a magnet.

"Guys `ball watch' when you've got a guy scoring like Melo's scoring," Martin said. "They try to take the ball out of his hands and it makes lanes and avenues for other guys to make plays, and I think we're doing an excellent job of doing that."

With a six-game road trip on the horizon, the Nuggets looked lethargic early against Memphis. The Grizzlies made 11 of their first 12 shots and built an 11-point lead before Denver started to show some resistance.

The more experienced Nuggets took their first lead early in the second quarter and never trailed after halftime. Anthony asserted himself in the third quarter, scoring 14 points to help Denver stretch the lead to as many as 13.

"It was kind of dead on both sides," Anthony said. "There came a point where somebody had to stop and do something. It just so happened it was me in that third quarter."

Late in the fourth quarter, Anthony became the first Denver player since Michael Adams in 1991 with consecutive 40-point games, and he heard light chants of M-V-P as he stepped to the free-throw line for points 41 and 42. The crowds won't be so hospitable on the road, but that only figures to give Melo motivation as he tries to continue his torrid start.

"Don't jinx me, man," he said. "I'm just trying to get wins. It just so happens, I'm playing the way I'm playing. That's all."

That's like saying Mount Everest is a nice little hill or the Grand Canyon is a nice little valley.

There's a reason they're considered natural wonders.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo Named Player of the Week

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:30:00 -0800

With a scoring average of 37.7 ppg, Melo led Denver to a perfect 3-0 start Anthony Named Western Conference Player of the Week

NEW YORK, Nov. 2, 2009 -- Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Tuesday, Oct. 27 through Sunday, Nov. 1, the NBA announced today.

Anthony, who leads the NBA in scoring at 37.7 ppg, has led Denver to its first 3-0 start since the 1985-86 season and only the fourth 3-0 start in team history.

For the week, Anthony averaged 37.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 4.3 apg in three games while driving Denver to home wins over Utah (10/28) and Memphis (11/1) and a road win at Portland (10/29). He posted his 11th and 12th career 40-point efforts in consecutive games with 41 at Portland and 42 against Memphis. With 30 points vs. Utah in the season opener as well, Anthony joins Alex English as the only players in team history to score 30 or more points in each of the first three games of a regular season.

Anthony has now garnered nine Player of the Week honors in his six-plus seasons in the NBA - building on his team record. Anthony received the award twice during his rookie season (weeks ending on Mar. 14 and Apr. 11), once during the 2005-06 season for the week ending on Mar. 19, three times during the 2006-07 campaign (weeks ending on Nov. 26, Dec. 3 and Feb. 11) and twice during the 2007-08 season (weeks ending Dec. 23 and Mar. 30).

Anthony is the first Nuggets player to be named Player of the Week since Chauncey Billups was selected on Nov. 17, 2008 last season.

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Anthony dominates as Nuggets hold off Blazers

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:20:00 -0700

Anthony dominates as Nuggets hold off Blazers

Kerry Eggers, for NBA.com

PORTLAND (NBA.com exclusive) Two Northwest Division heavyweights went toe-to-toe Thursday night at the Rose Garden.

When it was over, Carmelo Anthony was the difference.

Denver's superstar forward scored 41 points -- including a pair of free throws with 1.9 seconds left -- to lift the Nuggets to a 97-94 win over the Trail Blazers.

"He's pretty good, isn't he?" Denver coach George Karl said with a chuckle.

"The guy showed tonight what he's all about," Portland coach Nate McMillan said. The Nuggets "basically gave him the ball and rode him."

A night earlier, Anthony had scored 30 points in a 114-105 home-opening victory over Utah.

The Nuggets put together victories over their two division rivals on back-to-back nights.

"We came in here and stole one," said Anthony, who was 11 of 21 from the field and 18 of 19 from the free-throw line.

Portland used Martell Webster to defend Anthony much of the night, but switched Brandon Roy onto him for the game's final six minutes. Anthony scored 16 of his points the rest of the way against the Blazers' two-time All-Star.

"He's a load down there on the block," said Roy, who had a big game of his own, leading Portland (1-1) with 30 points. "It's tough to guard him down there if you can't be physical. He did a good job making his shots and knocking down his free throws."

Chauncey Billups scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half and made some tough shots when Anthony left the game in the third quarter.

"Both of them are very good players," McMillan said. "They do a good job of playing off of each other and taking turns. When Carmelo didn't have it tonight, Billups did."

Portland blew a golden opportunity to win in the closing seconds when Greg Oden was fouled and sent to the line with 4.6 seconds left and the Blazers trailing 95-94.

He missed both free throws, though, and Anthony rebounded the second miss, was fouled and calmly sank a pair of gift shots with 1.9 seconds left.

After a timeout, Roy missed with a wild 3-pointer and the game was Denver's.

"I stepped up there with confidence, thinking I was going to hit (them), but it didn't go that way," said Oden, who had six points and nine rebounds in 22 foul-plagued minutes. "I put this loss on me. I need to step up and make those. All of us have to step up, and I didn't do it tonight with those free throws."

It was a physical game, but the referees didn't let the players play.

There were 60 personal fouls and 90 free throws attempted-- 49 by Denver. The Nuggets made 38.

"Forty-nine free throws is a ton," McMillan said. "We knew this was a team that would attack the paint and get to the line. We need to do a better job of keeping them off the line. You shoot that many, you're going to win."

But the Blazers had 41 attempts at the line. They were 33 of 39 until the final 4.6 seconds.

For Denver, which tied with Portland for the division crown a year ago, it meant a great start to the season.

"These first two games, they weren't just important-- they were battles," said Anthony, if anything, an early candidate for Most Valuable Player. "They were two fights, and division games, which makes it even more important. There's a rivalry between us and Portland. For us to come in on their home court and get this game early in the season, that's important for us."

Portland shot .346 from the field. The Blazers had 20 more attempts than the Nuggets and still lost.

The Nuggets "tried to take away the inside, and we didn't shoot the ball," McMillan said. "We had some open looks we need to knock down. We settled early (in the possession) a lot of times."

Even Roy was only 6 of 16 from the field, though he sank 16 of 18 at the line.

The biggest bright spot for the Blazers was Rudy Fernandez, who came off the bench for 22 points-- 16 in the second half-- in just 23 minutes. In one stretch in the fourth quarter, he scored 14 of Portland's 16 points.

"Rudy had a rhythm," McMillan said. "He was able to knock down some shots and keep us in the game."

In the end, though, Fernandez said it didn't matter much.

"We still lost," the second-year shooting guard from Spain said. "There's no satisfaction in that."

From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Nuggets beat Jazz 114-105

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:50:00 -0700

Anthony scores 30 as Nuggets beat Jazz, 114-105

By PAT GRAHAM (AP) 23 minutes ago

DENVER Carmelo Anthony had a game-high 30 points and rookie Ty Lawson scored seven of his 17 points in a pivotal fourth-quarter run, lifting the Denver Nuggets to a season-opening 114-105 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
Chauncey Billups finished with 25 while Kenyon Martin added 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Deron Williams led Utah with 28 points and 13 assists. Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer each contributed 16 on a night when two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer struggled, finishing 3 of 14 and scoring 12 points most coming late. He also had 11 rebounds.
Lawson ignited a 9-0 run to open the fourth quarter, scoring on driving layups and quick jumpers to help the Nuggets pull away in what had been a close contest.
The North Carolina product also had six assists as he provided a spark off the bench.
Denver took the lead for good with time winding down in the third quarter when Billups was fouled by Williams on a 3-point attempt with four-tenths of a second left. Billups made all three free throws to stake the Nuggets to an 82-80 lead.
Anthony put the exclamation on the win with a slam dunk over Paul Millsap with just over 6 minutes remaining, giving the Nuggets a double-digit lead.
Anthony was coming off a torrid preseason, leading the league with a 23.6 scoring clip.
Before the opening tip, Anthony grabbed the microphone and thanked the capacity crowd for braving the weather to attend the game. The Mile High City was blanketed with nearly a foot of blowing snow throughout the day.
With the Jazz already in town, though, there was no thought given to canceling the contest.
The Nuggets, who are coming off a trip to the Western Conference finals, unveiled their Northwest Division banner before the game. Denver and Utah have won the last four division crowns, capturing two apiece.
That's why, although early, this was a crucial divisional game for the two squads, at least as far as tiebreakers are concerned. Nuggets coach George Karl said the schedule makers did them no favors by having this contest so early.
Denver plays in Portland on Thursday night, another top contender in the division.
The Nuggets were missing the long-range touch of J.R. Smith as he served the first of a league-mandated seven-game suspension for pleading guilty to reckless driving over the summer.
Veteran Anthony Carter got the start and finished with two points. But it was Lawson who fueled the Nuggets late, blazing past Jazz defenders.
The Jazz were short-handed as well, playing without Matt Harpring (ankle, knee), C.J. Miles (left thumb) and Kyle Korver (left knee). Korver had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in New York on Wednesday. He will return to Salt Lake City for rehab and will be re-evaluated on Nov. 9.
Utah received a scare 24 seconds into the game when center Mehmet Okur hobbled to the locker room after trying to draw a charge on Nene.
But he returned late in the first quarter wearing a flexible brace on his left knee.
Okur had 13 points and six rebounds.
The Jazz led by as many as nine points in the second quarter, but the Nuggets cut the lead to 55-54 at halftime on a driving layup by Anthony in the closing seconds.
NOTES: This is just the second time the Nuggets have hosted the Jazz in the season opener. Denver beat Utah, 139-125, on Oct. 28, 1983, at the defunct McNichols Sports Arena. ... Nuggets mascot Rocky descended from the Pepsi Center ceiling as part of a balloon-boy spoof, drawing only a smattering of applause when he got out of the aluminum balloon shaped like the one that made national headlines after it floated away from a Colorado family's home. ... Official Leroy Richardson was briefly examined by the Nuggets training staff after tumbling coming up the court in the fourth quarter.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Only 1 Day Until Opening Night!

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:50:00 -0700

Nuggets face the Utah Jazz at home on opening night. Tune into ESPNat 8:30pm central time.
Let's hear your predictions in the comments below.
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo's 28 not enough for Nuggets

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:55:00 -0700

Carmelo Anthony led all players in scoring on Thursday, but the Nuggets fell to the defending champs in LA by a score of 107-89. Melo had 28 points (10-for-18 FG, 7-for-7 FT), with six boards, three assists and a steal in 32 minutes.
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo in the October issue of YOHO Magazine

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:25:00 -0700

Check out Carmelo in the October issue of YOHO Magazine a leading publication in China that covers street fashion/lifestyle/culture amongst the leading young generation of trendsetters in Asia.

The English translation of the story is below:

=====

INTERVIEW WITH SUPERSTAR CARMELO ANTHONY

After an eventful summer break, NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony is ready to get back on the basketball court and continue where he and his team left off last season. On October 11th, he will return to Beijing for the first time
since winning the Gold Medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics. But on this trip, he is excited to show the fans his own team, the Denver Nuggets, as they begin their quest for an NBA championship.
With on and off-court accomplishments, Carmelo quickly elevated his status and profile this past year. Throughout the Olympics, and all the way to the Western Conference Finals, he excelled on the court. When not busy with
basketball, he loves to spend a lot of time with his family. He also loves the entertainment business and started two companies, Krossover Entertainment and Krossover Productions, to develop new projects in music
and film, respectively. His involvement as executive producer of the Mike Tyson documentary in particular received recognition at the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals. In addition to all that, he will be introducing
another signature sneaker with the Jordan brand this fall, called the Jordan Melo M6.

Although Carmelo keeps busy with business ventures and brand partnerships, he creates the time to give back to the community. All throughout the summer even though it was considered his first summer in years
because of no national team commitments he still took the time to mentor and motivate young kids. He went to Spain to host a basketball camp and did another camp in Denver immediately upon his return. He also went back to Baltimore, his hometown, to host a weekend of events for the local community, and was recognized by the city's Mayor for all of his efforts to give back. In Syracuse, where Carmelo won an NCAA Championship, he helped refurbish basketball courts under a Courts 4 Kids program with his Syracuse University coach Jim Boeheim.

For fun, Carmelo is a big fan of deep-sea fishing, having been to places like Cabo San Lucas, the Bahamas and St. Lucia. You can also find him following fashion in a big way, supporting both independent and big-name
designers.

After so many new endeavors in the past year, he looks forward to coming back to China and starting off the new season in a place that has treated him so well.

1. Did you visit any interesting places or places that impressed you on your last visit during the Olympics?
I thought the Great Wall was really impressive. Its one of those places that you really have to see in person.

2. Do you like Chinese food, and whats your favorite food at the moment?
I grew up eating Chinese food, there was a place on every corner. At the moment, Im a seafood guy. When I eat out, I like places like Mr. Chows (in Beverly Hills or New York) or theres a place in Denver called Jing that
specializes in contemporary Asian cuisine.

3. How do you feel about the upcoming NBA preseason game in China? What is you and your team's goal for this coming season?
Well, its gonna be real different this time coming back to China. Because its not the Olympics or a World Championship game. This is gonna be my own team, the Denver Nuggets, going out there to play in front of a new crowd. I get to play in China with my own respective team. Im looking forward to it. And my goal for this season, as always, is to win a championship, thats my main goal.

4. Did you dream to be a basketball player when you were a child? What would you do if you're not a NBA star?
Never. Never once. I thought it was too far-fetched!! If I wasnt playing basketball, Id probably be doing something with music, maybe a producer, or artist development. Something involving the music scene.

5. Do you like movies? Ever seen any Chinese movies? Would you want to act in a film if there's a opportunity?
Of course, I like movies. Thats the only thing I do besides play basketball is watch movies. Fish, play basketball, and watch movies (laughs). I grew up watching karate flicks every Saturday. My favorite one
was Five Fingers of Death Yeah, if there was the right opportunity for me to be in a film, I would do it.

6. Which hair style that youve had before do you like the best?
I like both of them. I accomplished a lot with the braids when I first got started in the NBA. And Im pretty sure Ill accomplish a lot more with the new one.

7. Did you get involved in the design of your "Melo" sneaker? You want to have a collaboration with some luxury fashion brands like Kanye West?
Im involved with my sneaker design from day one. From the weight of them, to the texture, to the fabric, to the performance, just everything. I would love to do some fashion collaborations too. Im trying to do some right
now.

8. How many cars do you have? Which one is your all time favorite?
I think I have six cars. Some of them are vintage like a 1970 Chevelle, a 1964 Lincoln, a 1976 Cadillac. I also have a party van which I like to drive on weekends. I have two Dodge Challengers one that I made into a
convertible. But my favorite is the Maybach.

9. What's your dress style at daily life? Who do you think is the most stylish in NBA?
I just throw some jeans on if Im going outside. You know, jeans and a T-shirt. If Im going to a benefit or an event, Ill dress it up a bit. I get a lot of my clothes custom made, but I like to shop at boutiques, too. I
like to stay fresh and stylish. You know, I have to live up to my reputation as being one of the dressed guys in the NBA!
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo stops by the Fantasy Factory

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:50:00 -0700

Tune-in this Thursday 10/22 at 9pm EST to watch Melo and Ludacris make a guest appearance on pro skater Rob Dyrdek's MTV show, "Fantasy Factory" - to promote their respective charities.

This is the show's season finale so be sure to watch it!
Check out a sneak preview of the show by clicking here.
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo Drops 24 on Timerwolves

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:35:00 -0700

Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points helping lead the Nuggets to a 129-100 preseason win over the Timberwolves on Tuesday. Melo was 8-of-13 from the floor with four rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes.
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo on ESPN's E:60

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:45:00 -0700

If you missed Melo on ESPN's primetime newsmagazine E:60 this past week, don't worry. The piece runs again on Monday at 9pm on ESPN2.
Anthony'soff the court life often receives more attention than his playing.Incidents ranging from fights to drugs to his involvement in a Stop Snitchin' DVD have kept the public's attention off of his skills and on what he calls "knucklehead" behavior.But Anthony says he has moved beyond his mistakes and is now ready to lead the Denver Nuggets to an NBA Championship.He opened up about hispast in a candid interview with E:60's Lisa Salters andtells his side of the controversies that have followed him, from defending his fianc's honor to the disappointing 2004 Olympics and his explanation forthe 2006brawl between the Nuggets and the Knicks.E:60interviewed Anthony's coaches, his mother and his friend, LeBron James, about whoAnthony is and how he's perceived by the public as he tries to put his past behind him.
Here's a little preview:
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

M6: Interactive Website

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:55:00 -0700

Team Jordan created an interactive website for Melo's newest shoe, the M6. The online features dive deeper into the design and production of Carmelo Anthonys sixth signature shoe.
The website features brief video interviews Melo and the shoes designers, as well as some feedback from a performance tester.
You can take a closer look at the M6 and its nine colorways by clicking here.
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

The M6: Melo's Newest Signature Shoe

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:35:00 -0700

The Jordan Melo M6 takes a different approach than past MELO models, placing emphasis on lightweight construction, ventilation, and superb ankle support. The M6 also features an exaggerated tongue and a toe that is similar to the Air Jordan II. A full-grain leather upper that is perforated for breathability and a zoom-air heel for comfort
You can get yours here!
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo LIVE from Nuggets Media Day

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:20:00 -0700

Hit the refresh/play button on the lower left hand corner to start watching the broadcast from Nuggets Media Day!
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Carmelo Anthony and Rob Dyrdek Battle It Out on the Shelves With the Launch of the TAG(TM) Signature Series Charity Challenge

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:05:00 -0700

Melo Fans! Check out this article posted on prnewswire.com. Melo needs your help to beat out Luda and Rob Dyrdek to raise money for The Carmelo Anthony Foundation. Raise money for a good cause and smell fresh!
Celebrities to Campaign Against Each Other For Supremacy with Proceeds Going to Charity
CINCINNATI, Sept. 24, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- Procter & Gamble's TAG(TM) brand is proud to announce the "Signature Series," a collaboration with hip-hop legend Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, basketball superstar Carmelo Anthony and professional skateboarder and MTV personality Rob Dyrdek. The Signature Series includes three cologne quality scents featuring images of each celebrity on the packaging. The scents are Get Yours from Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Stay Up from Carmelo Anthony, and Make Moves from Rob Dyrdek. To kick off this new partnership, each celebrity will participate in the "TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge", a national election-style battle between Ludacris, Carmelo and Rob to raise money for their individual charitable foundations by encouraging consumers to purchase their TAG Signature Series scents. Each celebrity's charitable foundation will receive ten percent of the net realized sales of their product during the Charity Challenge promotion period. The celebrity with the highest net realized sales during the Charity Challenge period will receive an additional $25,000 donation for their foundation.
"The TAG Signature Series is all about helping the consumer to smell the good life and we have partnered with three unique celebrities that truly embody urban style and attitude to make that happen," said Athena Kasvikis, assistant brand manager at P&G. "The TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge provides a unique fundraising opportunity to increase awareness for each celebrity foundation and to make a difference in the community."
Ludacris will campaign on behalf of The Ludacris Foundation, an Atlanta-based organization that empowers children to take control of their own destiny; Carmelo will represent The Carmelo Anthony Foundation, a national organization dedicated to providing opportunities for underprivileged kids; and Rob will compete on behalf of The Skate Plaza Foundation, an organization that builds skate parks in developing communities.
The TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge kicks-off September 21, 2009 and will conclude on November 2, 2009. Consumers can participate in the Charity Challenge by purchasing their favorite TAG Signature Series scent at retailers nationwide. The celebrity winner of the Signature Series Charity Challenge will be announced during a live press conference in mid November. Consumers can learn more about the TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge by visitingwww.Facebook.com/TAG. Consumers visiting the TAG Facebook page will also be provided with details on how to be entered for a chance to win a one-on-one moment with one of the TAG celebrities.
Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Award Winning Rapper and Actor
"As someone who often wears multiple hats -- hip-hop entertainer, entrepreneur, actor and philanthropist -- I am excited about working with TAG on my new scent Get Yours. It's the smell of confidence which is what everybody needs to get yours in this world," says Chris "Ludacris" Bridges. "The TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge is a great opportunity to help The Ludacris Foundation, so I'm excited to unite everyone in the ludaverse to take down Melo and Rob."
Carmelo Anthony, NBA All-Star, Olympic Gold Medalist and Philanthropist
"My new TAG scent Stay Up is all about me being fresh whether I'm on the court or hanging out with my friends," says Carmelo Anthony. "Winning the TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge would help The Carmelo Anthony Foundation expand the resources we have to invest in programs that empower kids and help build a positive community."
Rob Dyrdek, Reality-TV Star, Filmmaker, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
"I'm always on-the-go, so my new TAG scent Make Moves is all about how I live my life, free and unstoppable," says Rob Dyrdek. "There's no question that I'm going to win the TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge. Luda and Melo might be stars, but they don't have a TV show like I have to mobilize my fans to pick up Make Moves and help The Skate Plaza Foundation."
About Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG)
Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers(R), Tide(R), Ariel(R), Always(R), Whisper(R), Pantene(R), Mach3(R), Bounty(R), Dawn(R), Gain(R), Pringles(R), Charmin(R), Downy(R), Lenor(R), Iams(R), Crest(R), Oral-B(R), Actonel(R), Duracell(R), Olay(R), Head & Shoulders(R), Wella(R), Gillette(R), Braun(R) and Fusion(R). The P&G community includes approximately 138,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visithttp://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

SOURCE Procter & Gamble
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo on ESPN First Take

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:45:00 -0700

Melo stops by ESPN's First Take to talk Jordan, Syracuse and more with Jay Crawford.
Check out the interview:
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo's Offical Chinese Site

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:55:00 -0700

Interest in basketball continues to grow in China at a feverish rate. Therefore its only fitting that Melo launches an official site for his Chinese fans as well.
Check it out by clicking here!
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Melo vs. Mario

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:30:00 -0700

Source: Mario vs. Melo: Pepsi Music Exclusive on Yahoo Music!

R&B star Mario decided to pose a pair of challenges to NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony, a fellow Baltimore native. Naturally, these contests would have to involve something more neutral than music or basketball.
You might have thought Mario would challenge Melo to, say, a dance-off, given the singer's run last year on Dancing With the Stars. But no. He decided he could beat this champion of the hoops at... other sports.
D'oh! "I'm not a sore loser, man," Mario good-naturedly told the cameras trailing him for this exclusive Pepsi Music video feature. And it's a good thing, because he was a two-time victim during the course of this "Carmelo-versus-Mario weekend"first at bowling, then softball.
You can see Mario starting to sense how these contests are going to go, midway through their matchup at the bowling alley. Carmelo, he has a little advantage," Mario explains, "because hes so tall, so his reach down the lane is much further than everybody else
The guy who is tied for the all-time NBA record for most points scored in a single quarter turns out to have good aim at other things? Who'da thunk?
Not that the weekend represented any kind of all-around washout for Mario. As the footage shows, he at least graduated from gutter balls to a strike in the bowling competition. (Also, the thing I like about bowling is that its unisex, Mario says. Say no more, you sly dog.) And the singers softball team did have a solid lead on the sportsmans, for a while despite the fact that Carmelo is so tall that his reach extends pretty much all the way across the field, right?
But nobody was really a loser hereas they saybecause it was all for their respective Baltimore-based charities. More than anything, says Mario, this weekend has created awareness of what Im doing with the Do Right Foundation and what hes doing with the Carmelo Youth Center.
Well, truth be told, more than anything, this weekend created awareness of the fact that it may not be a wise idea to challenge one of the greatest basketball players in our generation to anything else involving a ball of any kind. Next time, Mario, maybe a poetry slam?
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net

Hot Topic: Plaxico Burress sentenced

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:30:00 -0700

Hot Topic Talkback: Plaxico Burress sentenced to two years in prison Tuesday for violating New York's stringent gun laws and was immediately taken into custody following his hearing.
What do you think his chances are of returning to the NFL?
Source: NY Post
From thisismelo.groundctrl.net