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Nuggets report: Win streak sought

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 4, 2008 at 12:45 a.m.

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Nuggets All-Star Carmelo Anthony said he didn't feel limited in his return from a sprained ankle, but coach George Karl said he might play the forward in shorter stints as he works his way back to full strength.

Photo by David Zalubowski / Associated Press

Nuggets All-Star Carmelo Anthony said he didn't feel limited in his return from a sprained ankle, but coach George Karl said he might play the forward in shorter stints as he works his way back to full strength.

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There's plenty of talk in the Nuggets locker room about the team not wanting to lose another game before the All-Star break.

The Nuggets already have won two straight. Six more would give them an eight-game winning streak heading into the Feb. 15-17 All-Star break.

"Our whole mentality right now is to run the table," Nuggets guard Anthony Carter said. "We feel we can do it. We've got (Carmelo Anthony) back. We've just got to get (Marcus Camby) back."

After missing five games because of a sprained left ankle, Anthony returned for a 117-101 win against Charlotte on Saturday. The Nuggets hope to have Camby back tonight at Portland after he sat out Saturday because of a bruised left knee.

"We've been talking about it," Anthony said of trying not to lose another game before All-Star Weekend. "We've got to get some momentum and make a nice run before the All-Star break."

Two big ones

Words being thrown out to describe this week include "huge" and "very big." Anthony says the Nuggets even have a "must- win" situation.

In key Northwest Division battles, the Nuggets (28-18) are at Portland (27-19) tonight and will play host to first-place Utah (30-18) on Wednesday.

"It's a huge week," forward Linas Kleiza said. "Two big division games. We've just got to go get them."

The game tonight has added importance, considering the Nuggets don't want to see Portland, which has a 2-1 lead, win the season series. That could prove pivotal if the teams end up tying for a playoff spot.

"This is a game we must have," Anthony said. "We realize how significant this game is."

Carter called it a "very big" week. Nuggets coach George Karl didn't disagree.

"It's getting to the point where you can start thinking they're very important," Karl said. "Winning both would be a tremendous advantage."

The real Hunter

Steven Hunter's teammates might have to find another nickname.

"They call him 'Take it Easy,' because it took so long for him to come back from his injury," Carter said of the Nuggets center who missed two months early this season because of a knee injury and has played little when healthy. "I think he proved them wrong, so we'll have to give him a new nickname."

With Camby out, Hunter made his first start this season and totaled eight points and six rebounds in 28 minutes against the Bobcats. He entered having played only 30 minutes in six games the entire season.

Throughout the season, Hunter has talked about fans not yet seeing "the real Steven Hunter." He believed they saw the real version Saturday.

"Yeah," Hunter said. "I can definitely bring a lot to the table. I can help this team out. I just need to be able to be on the floor."

Camby, listed as questionable, will test his knee today. He was hurt Jan. 25 against New Jersey when he blocked a shot by Darrell Armstrong and fell and his knee hit the basket support. But he didn't miss any time until Saturday.

Etc.

* Nuggets forward Eduardo Najera, who sat out Saturday because of a right lower rib contusion and muscle strain, is optimistic about returning tonight. "I will try it and see how it feels," said Najera, who said he was hurt late in the game Wednesday at Memphis when he "just twisted it" and wasn't hit. "I couldn't run (Saturday)."

* Anthony said that when he woke up Saturday he was "surprised" his ankle was "still a little sore," but he didn't feel limited in his return. Karl, though, said Anthony might have settled for too many jump shots and that he might play the forward in shorter stints as he works his way back to full strength.

* In addition to playing solid defense, Nuggets guard Yakhouba Diawara has scored nine points in each of the past two games, his most since getting 10 on Nov. 17 against New York. "He can cover anybody from 6 feet to probably 6-8, and do it with a kind of presence," Karl said after Diawara held Charlotte's Jason Richardson to two points in the fourth quarter after he got 36 in the first three quarters.

Numbers game

45 wins, by Houston in 2000-01, were the most for a team that did not make the playoffs since the NBA expanded the playoff field to eight teams in each conference. Portland, ninth in the West, is on pace to go 48-34.

He said it

"I don't think that's the personality of a champion. That's all I can say."

Karl, who wants his team, which often has won games with strong second halves after lackluster first halves, to be more consistent.

Nuggets at Trail Blazers

* When: 8 MST tonight.

* Where: The Rose Garden, Portland, Ore.

* TV/radio: Altitude2; KKFN-AM (950).

* Starting lineups

Denver (28-18) Pos. Ht. Pts.

15 Carmelo Anthony F 6-8 25.5

4 Kenyon Martin F 6-8 10.5

23 Marcus Camby C 6-11 9.3

25 Anthony Carter G 6-2 8.4

3 Allen Iverson G 6-0 27.0

Coach:

George Karl

Portland (27-19) Pos. Ht. Pts.

8 Martell Webster F 6-7 10.3

12 LaMarcus Aldridge F 6-11 17.2

10 Joel Przybilla C 7-1 4.8

7 Brandon Roy G 6-6 19.3

2 Steve Blake G 6-3 7.8

Coach:

Nate McMillan * Injuries: Denver - Camby (bruised left knee) and F Eduardo Najera (right lower rib contusion and muscle strain) are questionable; G Chucky Atkins (sports hernia) and F Nene (testicular cancer surgery) are out. Portland - F Darius Miles (right knee surgery) and C Greg Oden (right knee surgery) are out.

* Notes: The Nuggets hope to have Camby back after he missed a 117-101 win against Charlotte on Saturday. "You see a big difference out there in him changing shots," Carter said. "We miss him big time." . . . Denver fought back from a 12-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Bobcats, getting 25 points from Anthony, 24 from Iverson and 23 off the bench from Linas Kleiza. . . . After winning 13 straight games in December, Portland has gone 9-7. . . . Portland is 19-5 at home. . . . Iverson had 13 assists Saturday, the 20th straight game Denver has won with him getting 10 or more.

Comments

  • February 4, 2008

    11:59 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jbowen43 writes:

    "I don't think that's the personality of a champion. That's all I can say."
    Karl could also say: "My team doesn't cover three point shooters" or "My team doesn't set effective screens" or maybe "My team doesn't make the extra pass". What he should say is "I have asked Doug to teach this team the passing game, and I have asked Scott to show them how to set a screen and I have asked Hanzlik to show them how to defend the post."