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Nuggets hold off Raptors
Second-half surge gives Denver lead in 130-112 victory
AP Sports Writer
Photo by DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP
Denver forward Carmelo Anthony, center, pulls down a rebound between Toronto guard Jose Calderon, left, and forward Antoine Wright in the first quarter Tuesday in Denver.
Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points in 30 minutes despite suffering from a severe headache, and reserve J.R. Smith had 29, leading the Denver Nuggets past the Raptors 130-112 on Tuesday night.
Anthony awoke with his first migraine in a couple of years but never once thought of sitting this one out.
"My legs could work," he said. "As long as I could run up and down that court, I was good."
The Nuggets didn't shake off the Raptors until well into the third quarter, and coach George Karl suggested it took that long for Anthony to shake off the cobwebs, too.
"It's funny, man, I still have one," Anthony said after the game. "I had the aftereffects. You know if you've ever had one, they don't just go away like that. It will still be lingering around. There were some points at the beginning of the game where I felt it and then some points when I didn't.
"And then I got hit in the head twice, and that brought it all the way back."
Anthony used to get migraines all the time but hadn't had one in a while.
"That's why it was weird to all of a sudden wake up with one," he said. "(Tuesday) I felt lethargic. All I can do is sleep. You've just got to sleep it away. I'm all right, though. I played. We won. I can't complain."
And even with the throbbing headache, 'Melo was 'Melo.
"Carmelo did a good job of creating shots for other guys," Raptors forward Antoine Wright said. "He's just matured as a basketball player. He's not only looking for his shot, but he's looking how to make players better, and I think that's what beat us (Tuesday night)."
After withstanding Smith's seven-game suspension and a six-game trip consisting of three back-to-backs, the Nuggets weathered a determined Raptors team that was without forward Hedo Turkoglu but didn't trail until midway through the third quarter.
Chris Bosh led Toronto with 13 points and 14 rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan scored 17. Nenê had 20 points and 10 boards for Denver, which shot 62 percent.
Turkoglu missed the game with a sore left hip and was replaced in the starting lineup by Wright, who's dealing with a sore left ankle and finished with five points in 17 minutes. All the other starters reached double figures, as did reserves Marco Belinelli and Sonny Weems, who scored a career-high 12 against his former team.
Denver didn't grab its first lead until Anthony fed Kenyon Martin for a dunk that made it 70-68 early in the third. Jose Calderon sank a 3-pointer at the other end, and it was back and forth until Denver took control with a quick 7-0 spurt that made it 81-74. Nenê hit two free throws, and Chauncey Billups sank a technical foul shot before Anthony swished a fadeaway followed by a turnaround jumper.
Denver went on a 16-4 run to start the fourth, building a 20-point lead on the way to its 14th consecutive regular-season home win. That's its longest streak since 1989, when it won 19.
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