Nuggets F Anthony ties NBA record with 33 points in third

Dec 11, 2008 - 4:08 AM DENVER (Ticker) - Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony tied an all-time NBA record and set a new franchise mark with 33 points in the third quarter of Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Anthony had nine points at the half but exploded on the Timberwolves to tie San Antonio star George Gervin's league record and break the Nuggets previous mark of 32 points held by David Thompson.

Gervin provided his scoring outburst in the second quarter at New Orleans on April 9, 1978.

Anthony had it all working, scoring on drives to the hoop and 3-pointers and scoring all but seven of Denver's 40 third-quarter points.

Just to put Anthony's quarter in perspective, consider that Kobe Bryant's biggest quarter was 28 when he scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors.

The Nuggets had scored just 44 in the entire first half and were down 12 at the break but led 84-78 entering the fourth.