DENVER – Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points and reserve J.R. Smith had 29, leading the Denver Nuggets past the Toronto Raptors 130-112 on Tuesday night.
Anthony is the only player in the NBA to score at least 20 points in every game he’s played. He’s topped 30 points seven times and 40 points twice. He sat out the final quarter of this one after putting in 30 efficient minutes.
After withstanding Smith’s seven-game suspension and a six-game trip consisting of three back-to-back series, the Nuggets weathered a very determined Raptors team that was without forward Hedo Turkoglu but didn’t 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 per cent.
Turkoglu missed the game with a sore left hip and was replaced in the starting lineup by Antoine Wright, who’s 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 (16) and Sonny Weems (12).
Denver didn’t 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 three-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 ‘Melo swished a fadeaway followed by a turnaround jumper.
Denver went on a 16-4 run to start the fourth, building a 20-point lead. The Nuggets have won 14 straight regular-season games at home, their longest streak since 1989, when they 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 Denver’s 17-6 run to end the first half, which ended with Anthony’s breakaway basket at the buzzer.
NOTES: Toronto claimed F Pops Mensah-Bonsu off waivers from Houston. He averaged 5.1 points, 5.4 boards and 13.8 minutes in 19 games with the Raptors last season before signing a free-agent deal with Houston, which waived him Friday. … Denver has won eight of its last nine home games against Toronto.
