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Martin propels Kings past Nuggets

Mar 9, 2009 - 5:01 AM SACRAMENTO, California (Ticker) -- Kevin Martin scored 26 points, dished out eight assists and grabbed seven rebounds as the Sacramento Kings posted a 114-106 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

Andres Nocioni finished with 23 points and Spencer Hawes added 20 for the Kings, who had lost 11 of their previous 13 contests.

"It was really tough because we know everybody can score on Denver," Nocioni said. "They're a dangerous team. They play well, move the ball. We needed to collapse in the paint maybe more than usual, but I think we did well. They made a run, but it's normal."

"A team like Denver, you really have to try and impose your will before they can get out and run on you," Hawes said. "Like they proved the first time they came to Arco, if we let them do that, it was over pretty quick. Taking care of that was pivotal to us tonight. Everybody contributed (defensively)."

Reserve Francisco Garcia collected 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting for Sacramento (14-49), which still owns the worst record in the Western Conference.

Carmelo Anthony poured in 32 points with seven rebounds for the Nuggets, who have lost four of their last five games.

"When you give a team that's struggling 35 points in the first quarter - I don't think the scouting told anybody they did something we didn't know about," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "Hawes, we knew could make shots. Nocioni, we knew could make shots."

With a win, Denver (40-24) would have grabbed the Northwest Division lead and climbed into a tie for the third best record in the West. Instead, the Nuggets remained in seventh place in the conference.

Chauncey Billups had 22 points and eight assists while J.R. Smith added 19 points for Denver.

"It seemed like every opportunity when we fought back, a three would go in or we'd turn it over," Karl said. "As fast as we played to catch up, to only have 10 turnovers is pretty good. You dig a hole like that and give the other team confidence and energy, and they

haven't won in a while, the fight comes up, the spirit of the game comes up."