Nowitzki outdoes Carter late

Without Anthony, Denver drops fifth straight on road

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Monday, January 28, 2008

Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press

Nuggets guard Anthony Carter dives over Mavericks guard Devin Harris on Sunday in Dallas.

Nene

When ESPN scheduled Sunday's game at the American Airlines Center, network executives undoubtedly thought it could come down to a fourth- quarter shootout between Dirk Nowitzki and Carmelo Anthony.

But Anthony, a Nuggets star forward, missed the game because of a sprained left ankle.

No doubt, though, executives also thought the game could feature a late duel between Nowitzki and Allen Iverson.

But Iverson, a Nuggets star guard, shot only 0-for-1 from the floor in the fourth quarter.

So ESPN viewers were left with a shootout between Nowitzki, a Dallas star forward who was the MVP last season, and . . . Anthony Carter.

"I didn't think that," said Carter, a journeyman guard who has found a home in Denver. "Maybe a Dirk shootout."

Nevertheless, it turned out to be good theater. Nowitzki outscored Carter 16-14 in the fourth quarter as the Mavericks won 90- 85.

For a while, Nowitzki and Car- ter were trading baskets. Nowitzki scored 14 of his team's last 16 points and Carter had one late stretch in which he scored 11 straight points for his team, including making three of his four three-pointers of the fourth quarter.

"Carter really stepped up," said Nowitzki, who finished with a game-high 32 points while Carter scored 20. "He got hot and our lead melted away (from 13 in the third quarter). . . . It definitely was a good time (for Nowitzki) to make some threes."

After Carter made a three- pointer with 3:52 left to cut the deficit to 74-70, Nowitzki followed with a three-pointer 23 seconds later to make it 77-70. After Carter drilled another three, Nowitzki made one with 2:47 left to give the Mavericks an 80-73 lead.

But Carter wasn't done. His three-pointer with 18.1 seconds left cut the deficit to 86-83. But Nowitzki sealed matters with two free throws with 17.2 seconds left.

"I just started knocking down shots," said Carter, who shot 4- for-6 from three-point range, setting career highs for treys made and attempted in a game. "I'd been struggling the last couple games."

Until this season, Carter had been struggling from three-point range his entire life. He entered this season shooting 16-for-127 in his NBA career (12.6 percent) but now is a solid 13-for-38 (34.2 percent) this season.

Unfortunately for the Nuggets (26-17), who lost their fifth straight road game, they didn't get much offense from anyone else. Iverson scored 23 points, but was just 7-for-17 from the floor and was keyed on during the fourth quarter, when he gave up the ball and got six of nine assists.

"I'm off my rhythm right now," said Iverson, who is 21-for-59 (35.6 percent) the past three games while being bothered by a sore left wrist. "I think I got to go back to (his native) Virginia again and try to find my game."

Iverson's game should be helped when Anthony returns. Nuggets coach George Karl is hopeful Anthony, who tested his ankle before the game Sunday but couldn't go, will return tonight at New Orleans after missing three straight.

"Knowing Melo, I think he's ready to go," Karl said. "I can't guarantee that until (today)."

Anthony wouldn't make any guarantees. But he said his ankle is "getting better."

"I want to play, but I'm not going to force it," Anthony said.

Without Anthony, the Nuggets shot 38.2 percent, but they were able to stay in the game because of defense. The Mavericks were 1-for-13 from beyond the arc until Nowitzki hit his final two, and Dallas finished 3-for-15.

"We got an 'A' for defense," said Karl, who said his team made "positive steps. Offense was probably the reason we lost."

Overall, Nowitzki said the game "wasn't pretty." But perhaps ESPN executives weren't displeased.

They got a fourth-quarter shootout.

ETC.: With All-Star reserve votes due by coaches today, Nuggets center Marcus Camby got 12 rebounds but was wondering about his chances. "That's what I've been told," Camby said of Anthony and Iverson being starters, perhaps hurting his All-Star chances. "But there are a lot of big guys in the West playing well: (Tyson) Chandler, (Chris) Kaman, (Amare) Stoudemire." Karl said he'll cast a vote for Nowitzki. . . . While being fouled by Jason Terry in the third quarter, Iverson hit a fadeaway 21-footer that resembled a soccer throw-in. "I don't know how that went in," said Iverson, who said after the game he "don't care too much for moral victories." . . . Dallas guard Devin Harris was lost early in the fourth quarter because of a sprained left ankle and left with a walking boot and on crutches. . . . Denver's Eduardo Najera, whom Karl considered giving a night off, played with a hyperextended right elbow and didn't aggravate it.

Mavericks 90, Nuggets 85

FG FT Reb

DENVER Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts

Martin 35:48 4-11 0-0 2-2 0 3 8

Kleiza 39:38 2-8 5-8 4-9 1 5 10

Camby 39:48 2-11 4-4 1-12 0 2 8

Carter 35:38 8-14 0-0 0-5 2 1 20

Iverson 43:44 7-17 9-13 0-3 9 2 23

Smith 21:12 5-12 0-0 2-2 1 3 12

Diawara 4:16 0-1 1-2 0-1 1 0 1

Najera 19:56 1-2 0-0 1-6 3 1 3

Totals 240 29-76 19-27 10-40 17 17 85

Percentages - FG .382, FT .704. Three-point goals - 8-18, .444 (Carter 4-6, Smith 2-7, Najera 1-1, Kleiza 1-2, Camby 0-1, Iverson 0-1). Team rebounds - 9. Team turnovers - 16 (15 pts.). Blocked shots - 6 (Camby 3, Martin 2, Carter). Turnovers - 16 (Iverson 5, Carter 4, Kleiza 3, Martin 2, Smith 2). Steals - 11 (Iverson 3, Kleiza 3, Carter 2, Najera 2, Smith). Technicals - Defensive three second, 11:42 second.

FG FT Reb

DALLAS Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts

JoHoward 41:06 9-23 2-2 2-8 5 0 20

Nowitzki 34:23 12-17 6-6 3-11 4 5 32

Dampier 16:13 0-0 0-0 1-3 0 2 0

Harris 12:38 2-3 2-3 0-0 0 4 6

Jones 28:39 0-3 0-0 0-4 1 5 0

Diop 29:48 2-2 1-2 4-11 1 0 5

Terry 36:39 6-18 6-7 0-2 3 3 19

Hassell 14:39 1-3 0-0 1-2 1 2 2

Bass 18:21 3-4 0-0 0-4 2 0 6

Barea 7:34 0-4 0-0 0-0 1 2 0

Totals 240 35-77 17-20 11-45 18 23 90

Percentages - FG .455, FT .850. Three-point goals - 3-15, .200 (Nowitzki 2-4, Terry 1-4, Barea 0-1, Harris 0-1, Jones 0-1, Jo.Howard 0-4). Team rebounds - 6. Team turnovers - 17 (19 pts.). Blocked shots - 7 (Bass 2, Diop 2, Nowitzki 2, Terry). Turnovers - 16 (Harris 3, Nowitzki 3, Terry 3, Bass 2, Hassell 2, Jo.Howard 2, Barea). Steals - 10 (Terry 4, Jo.Howard 2, Dampier, Diop, Harris, Jones). Technicals - None.

Denver 15 19 20 31 - 85

Dallas 24 21 15 30 - 90

A - 20,437 (20,468). T - 2:28. Officials - Steve Javie, Bill Kennedy, Tony Brown.

tomassonc@RockyMountainNews.com

NENE APOLOGIZES

Nene, who had testicular cancer surgery Jan. 14, expressed remorse for a Jan. 17 message on his Web site that called his tumor benign. While the Nuggets forward has cancer, it's considered highly treatable.

"I would like to apologize for the incorrect information that was disclosed," a statement Nene issued Sunday read in part. "There was no bad faith or intention to fool anyone. . . . It was a miscommunication within our staff and we were all very upset. . . . But the worst part is over, I am very happy with the result of the exams."

Nene called his meeting with the team Thursday "wonderful." He said his "mind is there . . . but my body needs to rest and to recover."

Though Nene didn't speculate when he might return, medical officials have given the Nuggets ranges of two weeks to two months. But no timetable will be set until he does athletic work, which should be in a week or two.

VETERAN POINTS

Memphis point guard Damon Stoudamire is expected to have his contract bought out today, but indications are Denver isn't in the mix for him. He's expected to sign with Boston, Phoenix, Toronto or San Antonio.

Also, representatives for point guard Gary Payton, 39, who once played in Seattle for Denver coach George Karl but hasn't played this season, have contacted the Nuggets. But they have shown little interest in signing him.

HE SAID IT

"Instead of worrying about the scoreboard, all of a sudden maybe entertain the fans by playing five 12-minute quarters or three 20-minute quarters."

Karl, saying score shouldn't be kept in All-Star games.

Chris Tomasson

Nuggets at Hornets

* When: 6 MST tonight.

* Where: New Orleans Arena.

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

* Starting lineups

Denver (26-17) Pos. Ht. Pts.

4 Kenyon Martin F 6-9 10.4

43 Linas Kleiza F 6-8 11.9

23 Marcus Camby C 6-11 9.4

25 Anthony Carter G 6-2 8.0

3 Allen Iverson G 6-0 27.0

Coach:

George Karl

New Orleans (31-12) Pos. Ht. Pts.

16 Peja Stojakovic F 6-10 15.1

30 David West F 6-9 19.7

6 Tyson Chandler C 7-1 12.2

3 Chris Paul G 6-0 20.6

9 Morris Peterson G 6-7 8.6

Coach:

Byron Scott * Injuries: Denver - G Chucky Atkins (sports hernia) and F Nene (testicular tumor) are out; F Carmelo Anthony (sprained left ankle) is questionable. New Orleans - G Bobby Jackson (strained right hamstring) is questionable.

* Notes: The Hornets have won eight straight games. "You'd be crazy not to give New Orleans credit," Karl said of the Hornets, who have the West's best record. "The thing people don't give them credit for is, defensively, they're really good. We have trouble scoring against them." . . . The teams meet for the final time this season, having split the first two games, both at the Pepsi Center. . . . It's the first game in New Orleans for the Nuggets since they beat the Hornets 109-94 on March 18, 2006.

• January 28, 2008

  4:17 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Zeno writes:

  Anthony Carter, great game, but what we really need is Jason Kid. He want out of NJ. He could turn the Nuggets into the most dangerous team in the west. Our defence has come around Kidd could bring toughness to the front court and with his passing ability he would open up the court for AI & Carmello & his old buddy Kenyon...