• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Anthony, Nuggets hold off Nets

Mar 21, 2007 - 4:11 AM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Looking to match their season high in consecutive victories, the Denver Nuggets turned to All-Star Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony scored 30 points and Allen Iverson added 20 as the Nuggets posted a 94-90 victory over the New Jersey Nets.

Marcus Camby and Steve Blake each added 10 points for Denver, which matched its season high with five straight wins.

"Obviously it feels a lot better winning five games in a row," Iverson said. "We're just playing better together as a team.

"I think our chemistry has been improved since we've had some practices and a chance to play games with our whole team. I am just happy where we are at now and can see positive strides."

The Nuggets (34-31) moved percentage points ahead of the idle Los Angeles Lakers (35-32) for sixth place in the Western Conference playoff race.

Anthony, who scored 20 points in the second half, shot 10-of-20 from the field for Denver, which had dropped nine of 10 to New Jersey, including six straight here.

"At halftime I told my team I owed them a half because I was sitting down almost the whole first half," Anthony said. "I tried to come back and be a little bit aggressive. At the same time I had to be cautious because I had some early fouls, too."

"I wasn't here all those losses (vs. the Nets)," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "But yeah, I think their matchups bother us a little bit. I think Nets coach Lawrence Frank does a good job of mixing up their defenses which slows our offense down at times."

Vince Carter scored 29 points and Richard Jefferson added 18 for New Jersey (31-37), which fell into an eighth-place tie with Orlando (31-37) and New York (30-36) in the Eastern Conference.

"Defensively we did a good enough job on the Nuggets," Frank said. "However, offensively our shots just weren't falling."