Anthony needs some first aides

Forward could not do it all in opener, seeks 'shooters out there'

Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News

Published April 24, 2006 at midnight

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Los Angeles Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy vowed to throw the "kitchen sink" at Carmelo Anthony.

He did. He also tossed the dining room table, the living room sofa and the bookcases in the den at the Denver Nuggets forward.

Anthony saw double- and triple- teams all game during the Nuggets' 89-87 loss Saturday against the Clippers in Game 1 of a first-round, best-of-seven playoff series.

He made only 9 of 26 shots, including 0 of 8 in the fourth quarter.

When the game is on the line, Anthony usually delivers.

But not Saturday, missing three potential tying shots in the final minute. Evidently, Anthony can't do it all by himself.

"We need shooters out there," Anthony said Sunday before a practice at Crossroads School in preparation for Game 2 tonight at the Staples Center.

"We need somebody to knock down an outside shot. It was kind of hard for me. I don't have no shooters out there with me."

Finding offense has been a struggle at times this season for the Nuggets. It particularly was in Game 1.

Point guard Andre Miller came through with 25 points, matching Anthony for the most on the team, but nobody else scored in double figures.

"I would say probably yes," Nuggets coach George Karl said of Anthony needing more help. "That would be nice. But I thought we gave Marcus (Camby) and Earl (Boykins) a lot of opportunities, and they just didn't make shots. . . . I don't think Melo shooting the ball 26 times is incredibly bad. I think getting better shots is what I'd like to see because I think the better shots we get off of Melo, away from Melo, will make his shots a better shot."

Camby, the Nuggets center, made only 4 of 12 shots and Boykins, a point guard, was 2 of 8. Forward Kenyon Martin made 4 of 11 shots and guard Greg Buckner was 2 of 7.

Perhaps the Staples Center rims need a fresh coat of paint after the Nuggets shot 35 of 91 (.385).

"We got good looks, some uncontested," Martin said. "I don't think guys took bad shots. We just didn't make them."

Anthony didn't get uncontested shots. The Clippers let it be known before the series they would throw all sorts of bodies at Anthony, and that's exactly what Dunleavy did.

"The important thing is to not let (Anthony) shoot the shots he wants and to have him shoot the ones -we're willing to give up," Dunleavy said.

Quinton Ross got the start on Anthony and got plenty of help. It was Ross who bothered Anthony on April 4 at the Staples Center, a game in which Anthony was ejected late in the fourth quarter for throwing the ball into the stands.

Anthony is keeping his temper under control. But that doesn't mean he's not frustrated.

"I knew they were going to double- team, triple-team me," Anthony said. "I was missing shots that I would never miss. Shots that I have to take. Shots around the basket. . . . That was their game plan. They want somebody else to beat them."

Wayward marksmanship has happened before in the playoffs for Anthony. He's a career .448 shooter during the regular season and is only .372 in 11 postseason games.

So others must step up for the Nuggets. Miller offered help Saturday, and others hope to during Game 2.

Camby and Martin are optimistic about doing better. So is Boykins, rusty in his first game back after suffering a broken left hand March 15.

"(Anthony) can't do it all by himself each and every night," said guard Ruben Patterson, who didn't play in the second half and said he can provide some offense.

But the Nuggets did make a charge at the end when Anthony was doing little.

The Nuggets, who trailed by as many as 16 points in the third quarter, went on a 10-0 run to tie the score 87-87 before Clippers forward Vladimir Radmanovic made two free throws with 59.8 seconds to play.

The Nuggets are hoping that momentum will carry over. Martin says it better.

"We don't want to go back home down 0-2," he said. "We got to get a win. This is a must win."

Anthony believes the Nuggets are up for the challenge.

"The fun is just beginning," he said. "The war has just begun."

Anthony just hopes it won't be too lonely in his foxhole.

LATE SATURDAY

		FG	FT	Reb
DENVER	Min	M-A	M-A	O-T	A	PF	Pts
Anthony	43:33	9-26	7-9	4-7	3	3	25
Elson	15:06	0-0	0-0	0-3	0	2	0
Camby	39:40	4-12	1-3	4-10	2	2	9
Buckner	20:23	2-7	0-0	0-1	0	3	5
Miller	36:03	11-21	3-3	1-3	6	0	25
Martin	27:44	4-11	1-2	5-8	1	4	9
Patterson	12:41	2-4	0-1	0-0	0	2	4
Boykins	31:20	2-8	2-2	1-2	4	2	6
Evans	13:30	1-2	2-2	4-8	0	3	4
Totals	240	35-91	16-22	19-42	16	21	87

Percentages - FG .385, FT .727. Three-point goals - 1-6, .167 (Buckner 1-4, Anthony 0-1, Boykins 0-1). Team rebounds - 15. Team turnovers - 7 (8 pts.). Blocked shots - 5 (Camby 3, Martin 2). Turnovers - 7 (Anthony 2, Martin 2, Boykins, Camby, Elson). Steals - 9 (Martin 4, Boykins 2, Buckner, Camby, Patterson). Technicals - Defensive three second, 6:29 first.

		FG	FT	Reb
LAC	Min	M-A	M-A	O-T	A	PF	Pts
Ross	24:38	0-2	0-0	0-0	1	2	0
Brand	41:18	8-16	5-8	4-8	5	4	21
Kaman	43:08	5-12	5-5	3-13	1	4	15
Mobley	37:43	6-10	2-2	0-6	3	0	17
Cassell	33:35	6-11	6-7	1-1	7	2	19
Radmnovic	13:14	1-3	2-2	2-5	1	3	5
Maggette	14:39	2-8	3-4	2-7	1	2	8
Rebraca	11:34	1-2	0-0	0-2	0	3	2
Livingston	20:11	1-4	0-2	0-1	3	2	2
Totals	240	30-68	23-30	12-43	22	22	89

Percentages - FG .441, FT .767. Three-point goals - 6-12, .500 (Mobley 3-4, Maggette 1-2, Radmanovic 1-2, Cassell 1-4). Team rebounds - 7. Team turnovers - 15 (14 pts.). Blocked shots - 4 (Brand 4). Turnovers - 15 (Brand 4, Radmanovic 3, Rebraca 2, Ross 2, Kaman, Livingston, Maggette, Mobley). Steals - 3 (Maggette, Mobley, Radmanovic). Technicals - Defensive three second, 6:01 first.