CDMSports.com

Anthony returns from suspension, guides Nuggets over Blazers

NBA Headlines
03.07 Spurs pound Wizards
03.07 Williams and Jazz slip past Nuggets
03.06 Pierce, Celtics stymie Cavs in battle for Eastern supremacy
03.06 Wade's World: Dwyane goes for 42 as Heat down Raptors
03.06 Turkoglu helps Magic slip past Nets
03.06 Bobcats win fifth straight, top Hawks convincingly
03.06 Report: Barkley's jail sentence reduced
03.06 Hall of Fame coach Daly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
03.06 Pacers' Dunleavy out for season
03.06 Wizards' Stevenson has successful surgery

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Carmelo Anthony went wild to the tune of 38 points in his return from a one-game suspension, as Denver rolled to a 106-90 victory over Portland.

Anthony drained 16-of-26 shots after serving the one-game, team-issued suspension for failing to come out of the club's loss to Indiana last Sunday.

J.R. Smith added 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Nene had 16 points with six boards and Linas Kleiza donated 15 points and six rebounds. Chauncey Billups filled up the stat sheet with 10 points, nine assists and six boards for the Nuggets, who snapped a two-game skid and put a 1 1/2 games of breathing room between second-place Portland in the Northwest Division race.

Brandon Roy led the Trail Blazers with 22 points, LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 and Travis Outlaw collected 15 points and six boards off the bench. Portland saw its three-game winning streak come to an end.

Denver ended the first period with a flurry to take a comfortable cushion into the second stanza. After Roy's reverse layup cut Portland's deficit to 24-18, the Nuggets scored the final eight points. Chris Anderson's slam and free throw followed by Kleiza's free throw put the margin at 32-18.

Portland slowly worked its way back into the contest, cutting the deficit to 48-42 on Outlaw's short jumper. Smith's three beat the first-half buzzer for a 53-44 edge.

The Trail Blazers got back within 55-53, the final two points on a slam by Nicolas Batum with 8:47 left in the third quarter. However, Denver regained its composure and scored eight straight, capped by Anthony's traditional three-point play for a 70-60 lead. Kleiza stepped out into uncharted territory in the final seconds of the third, draining a three-pointer for an 81-70 advantage.

A 15-point deficit was trimmed to 10 at 87-77 on Blake's three almost three minutes in, but that was as close as Portland got the rest of the way. Six straight from Anthony put the Nuggets comfortably in front, 100-83, with 4:48 to play.

Game Notes

Batum scored seven points in a starting role...Rudy Fernandez added 11 off the bench in defeat...Denver has won two of three meetings this season...The Nuggets improved to 23-7 at the Pepsi Center.

| | | | |