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Smith, Anthony too much for shorthanded Warriors

Feb 13, 2007 - 6:25 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony came up big for the streaking Denver Nuggets.

Smith and Anthony each scored 28 points to lead the Nuggets to their fourth straight win, a 123-111 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Denver led, 65-59, at the half and pulled away in the third quarter by outscoring Golden State, 40-28. Smith scored Denver's final seven points of the quarter, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

He came out and opened the fourth with a pair of 3-pointers to make it 111-87.

"I'm just trying to do different things, trying to get the team more involved," Smith said. "Coach is always telling guys not to be selfish, so I'm just trying to do my part."

"He caught fire tonight," Anthony said of Smith. "He hit some threes, he's one of the guys we're going to need down the stretch to have some confidence."

Nene scored 24 points and Marcus Camby had eight and seven rebounds for Denver. Camby was making his return after missing four games due to a pulled groin and the flu.

Despite the strong offensive performance by his team, Denver coach George Karl was more concerned with the team's defense.

"Defensively, I thought this was one of our weakest performances in a while," Karl said. "We have a short period of time to come together and to believe in each other and to build trust that can win playoff basketball games. When we play as a basketball team we're good. When we defend and pass the basketball we are good. It's not too much more complicated than that."

Al Harrington scored 24 points and Kelenna Azubuike added 23 for Golden State, which dropped to 6-20 on the road with the loss.

"We got a little fatigued but you know, it's the NBA, you have to find a way," Harrington said. "It just seemed like we couldn't get over that hump, so back to the drawing board and try to get this last one before the All-Star break and then come back with a vengeance."

Already without Mickael Pietrus and Jason Richardson, the Warriors were also missing Baron Davis, who will undergo arthroscopic surgery Tuesday on his left knee.

Golden State played the first half without guard Stephen Jackson, who arrived late after testifying at a trial in Indianapolis of a man who hit him with a car during a fight outside a strip club last fall. The man was convicted Monday.

"I'm just glad I got here," Jackson said. "I wanted to get here and play so bad that my body was already loose, I just didn't get here in enough time to be a factor.

"I've got to do it, I had to go take care of that business and I'm glad that part of it is out of the way. I'll be happy when everything is over."