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Anthony, Martin help Nuggets crush Heat

Dec 3, 2007 - 5:39 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- Thanks to Carmelo Anthony, the Miami Heat's tour of the Western Conference didn't start off so good.

Anthony scored 30 points and Kenyon Martin added a season-high 20 and eight rebounds as the Denver Nuggets coasted to a 115-89 victory over the dismal Heat on Sunday.

Allen Iverson poured in 20 points and Marcus Camby grabbed 21 boards to help the Nuggets improve to 8-2 at the Pepsi Center this season.

"We did a great job early on," Iverson said. "I think we passed the ball very well. Everyone tried to find the open man, and we did an excellent job on both ends of the floor. Tonight's win was just a great team game."

Miami hasn't captured a win on the road in this series since the 2001-02 campaign - a span of six consecutive trips.

After enduring his second career microfracture surgery on his knee in the offseason, Martin flashed the explosiveness that made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2000 by New Jersey.

"We're just going out battling and competing every night," Martin said. "I feel good out there. I'm just trying to be aggressive when I get the opportunity and go out and play with my heart."

The Nuggets wasted no time taking control, jumping out to an impressive 37-17 edge after the first period behind Anthony's 12-point effort.

"The last three games we have really been playing together," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "Everyone played at a real high level."

"For us, it was an absolutely abysmal game," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "They were great from the get-go. It is hard for me to explain how bad we were. We weren't in it from the jump ball. We haven't had a whole lot of success against Denver."

The night was clearly Denver's when Iverson nailed a 33-foot buzzer beater that pushed the lead to 28 points entering the final quarter.

Dwyane Wade netted 13 points and Ricky Davis chipped in 11 for the Heat, who hope to bounce back at Utah on Monday in the second leg of their six-game West Coast swing.

"In the game of basketball, you can never get worried," Wade said. "If you are going into the next game worried, you'll never get out of your funk. It is frustrating when you aren't playing the way you can play though."