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Martin picks up slack for Nuggets

23 points make up for off games by Iverson, Anthony

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published March 12, 2008 at 9:28 p.m.

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Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony goes for a layup as Grizzlies center Kwame Brown tries to block his shot during Denver's win Wednesday night at the Pepsi Center.

Photo by Brian Lehmann / Special To The Rocky

Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony goes for a layup as Grizzlies center Kwame Brown tries to block his shot during Denver's win Wednesday night at the Pepsi Center.

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On offense, Melo was MIA and A.I. was AWOL.

In fact, the 22 points Nuggets players Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony combined to score Wednesday night didn't add up to either one's average.

But that's much less of a problem when the opponent is hapless Memphis.

The Nuggets walloped the Grizzlies 108-86 at the Pepsi Center. But, with Golden State beating Toronto, they remained 21/2 games behind the Warriors for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

"That's what it was, a team game," said Iverson, who scored only eight points while Anthony managed 14. "There's a lot of focus on myself and Melo, and other guys took advantage of it."

Forward Kenyon Martin sure did. Just ask Memphis players who got out of the way of many of Martin's dunks for fear of having "Spalding" imprinted on their foreheads.

Martin shot 9-of-11 and scored a game-high 23 points. He has averaged 19.5 points in two games since suffering a mild concussion Saturday at Utah.

"It happens in this league," Martin said of other players stepping up. "That's why it's a team sport. That's why it's not tennis."

Anthony, who played only three minutes in the fourth quarter, shot 7-of-14 and didn't get to the free-throw line for only the third time this season. But he did grab 13 rebounds.

The Nuggets got 19 points from forward Linas Kleiza in a game in which they led by as many as 32 points. Fortunately for the banged-up Iverson, he was able to take off the entire fourth quarter.

Iverson played his second game since being diagnosed with a nondisplaced fracture in his right ring finger, which he said remains "sore." Making his game even more frustrating, he banged his right knee in the first half.

"Just because I was just dealing with my finger being broken and then to go down hard," Iverson said of his frustration level. "It's just something I have to deal with. It's a place I've been before in my career. I'm used to it."

Iverson shot only 2-of-12 and didn't reach double figures for the first time since scoring nine Feb. 20, 2007, at San Antonio.

Nuggets coach George Karl said Iverson's finger is "obviously bothering him." What can the Nuggets do to get him better?

"Just treat him and rehab him and hope Superman heals quick," Karl said.

Looking like Supermen at the start were the Grizzlies. They took leads of 10-0 and 14-2.

But Memphis (15-49) soon collapsed. After making their first four shots, the Grizzlies shot 7-of-39 (17.9 percent) the rest of the half, and the rout was on.

"It's now or never," Martin said of the Nuggets (38-26) needing to make a playoff push. "We don't have a choice. It's win now or be watching come April. I don't think anybody around here wants to watch. We got too much talent and guys have too much pride. We got to approach every game like it's our last."

The Nuggets are hopeful of sweeping this three-game homestand, which concludes with games Friday against Toronto and Sunday against Seattle.

Karl, who said the next "nine or 10 games are probably going to tell us a lot about who we are," said the Nuggets then are looking to win four of five on a trip that starts Tuesday at Detroit.

Having guard Chucky Atkins back should help. Playing in his fourth game since returning from Jan. 11 sports hernia surgery, Atkins totaled nine points and seven assists in 21 minutes.

"I'm not (in) 100 percent shape," he said. "It seems like I am a step behind, but give me about five more games and I'll be fine."

Against Memphis, Atkins looked a step ahead. The Grizzlies lost their 16th straight road game.

"These are tough times for us," Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni said.

It was tough on offense for Iverson and Anthony. But it hardly mattered against the Grizzlies.

ETC.: Nuggets forward Nene did his first basketball work on the court since he left the team Jan. 11 because of testicular cancer. He worked on the court with Nuggets assistants Tim Grgurich and Jamahl Mosley. Nene sat on the bench in street clothes for the second straight home game. . . . Nuggets forward Eduardo Najera suffered a left shin contusion, but it's not considered serious. . . . Juan Carlos Navarro led the Grizzlies, who shot only 35.6 percent, with 16 points. . . . Memphis center Darko Milicic sat out the second half with a sore foot.

NO REST FOR CAMBY

Nuggets center Marcus Camby, above, has played in 17 straight games, 11 short of his career best set as a Toronto rookie in 1996-97. Camby started Wednesday despite suffering a right hip contusion Monday at San Antonio.

"I was going to sit out," Camby said of Monday's second half. "But we got (Allen Iverson) playing with a broken finger. . . . I'm fine. No excuses."

Camby hasn't made many this season. He has missed three games and is on pace to play in 78, which would eclipse his career high of 72.

ADJUSTING WITH ATKINS

Nuggets coach George Karl is working back into the rotation point guard Chucky Atkins, who has played four games since returning from Jan. 11 sports hernia surgery.

"I've told (starter Anthony Carter) that, for the next five to 10 games, he might not totally understand his minutes because there's a number I'd like to get Chucky," Karl said.

Karl wants Atkins, who logged 21 minutes Wednesday, playing more than 15 a game.

"I still feel like I'm a step slow, but it's a process," Atkins said.

HE SAID IT

"If he gives us five minutes in five games, just seeing him run up and down the court feeling good about his career and his basketball would be a celebration. . . . He doesn't have to be impressive in any form. Just getting him on the court will lift us up and I think it will lift him up, too."

Karl, on Nene, who is expected to practice this week as he recovers from testicular cancer and who Karl hopes will play again this season.

Nuggets 108, Grizzlies 86

FG FT Reb

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

Gay 18:28 3-8 3-4 1-4 0 0 9

Warrick 30:56 5-11 2-2 1-5 3 4 12

Milicic 9:06 0-2 0-2 2-4 0 0 0

Conley 26:48 2-13 0-0 0-2 3 1 4

Miller 30:14 3-12 5-5 0-9 4 2 12

Cardinal 17:04 5-11 1-3 1-3 1 4 12

Lowry 23:25 3-5 0-2 0-2 5 2 6

Navarro 21:48 5-13 2-2 3-7 1 1 16

Collins 19:39 0-1 0-0 0-3 0 4 0

KBrown 15:12 2-3 0-0 2-6 2 3 4

Crittenton 15:20 4-9 3-3 1-2 1 0 11

Jacobsen 12:00 0-2 0-0 0-1 0 1 0

Totals 240 32-90 16-23 11-48 20 22 86

Percentages - FG .356, FT .696. Three-point goals - 6-30, .200 (Navarro 4-9, Cardinal 1-6, Miller 1-7, Conley 0-1, Crittenton 0-1, Lowry 0-1, Jacobsen 0-2, Gay 0-3). Team rebounds - 9. Team turnovers - 13 (14 pts.). Blocked shots - 4 (Collins, Gay, Lowry, Milicic). Turnovers - 13 (Conley 4, Miller 3, Lowry 2, Cardinal, Collins, Crittenton, Jacobsen). Steals - 2 (Crittenton, Warrick). Technicals - Collins, 3:49 third.

FG FT Reb

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

Anthony 29:52 7-14 0-0 4-13 2 4 14

Martin 27:46 9-11 5-9 2-7 3 2 23

Camby 28:28 3-4 1-2 1-10 3 1 8

Carter 23:22 3-7 1-2 1-3 2 3 8

Iverson 31:07 2-12 4-6 0-0 8 1 8

Kleiza 26:02 7-13 4-5 1-6 1 3 19

Najera 18:10 3-6 0-0 0-4 0 0 7

Smith 14:23 2-7 0-0 0-1 2 2 6

Atkins 20:40 3-4 1-2 1-6 7 1 9

Diawara 8:58 1-4 2-2 1-1 0 1 4

Hunter 6:57 0-0 2-2 1-2 0 2 2

Green 4:15 0-3 0-0 0-1 1 1 0

Totals 240 40-85 20-30 12-54 29 21 108

Percentages - FG .471, FT .667. Three-point goals - 8-19, .421 (Atkins 2-3, Smith 2-4, Camby 1-1, Carter 1-2, Najera 1-2, Kleiza 1-4, Green 0-1, Iverson 0-2). Team rebounds - 9. Team turnovers - 13 (16 pts.). Blocked shots - 7 (Camby 6, Smith). Turnovers - 13 (Carter 3, Anthony 2, Hunter 2, Smith 2, Atkins, Iverson, Kleiza, Martin). Steals - 5 (Camby 2, Anthony, Carter, Martin). Technicals - Martin, 3:49 third.

Memphis 22 14 22 28 - 86

Denver 23 23 38 24 - 108

A - 17,318 (19,155). T - 2:13. Officials - Ken Mauer, Scott Wall, Mark Ayotte.

Comments

  • March 13, 2008

    12:50 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    GreeleyNugz writes:

    As long as were at home were fine... As soon as we take a road trip its disaster!!!!!

  • March 13, 2008

    3:05 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    BirdonaWire writes:

    This season is over. What a disaster the franchise has become. They have the wrong players locked up for TONS of money and no cohesive unit. The coach is a slug that badmouths players. Give Adrian Dantley the reins now! OH yeah, thanks alot Kiki. Hopefully you can wreck the Nets now.

  • March 13, 2008

    4:49 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Spider writes:

    I've had GK's back all year. But now that he is sucking up to colon cowhair I have no more use for him.

  • March 14, 2008

    1:06 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Zack_Diener writes:

    Hey Bird Boy,

    Obviously you don't remember the days before Kiki took over the franchise. Maybe your too young to remember that the Nuggets were the laughing stock of the league. There was no pride in the front office before Kiki. I remember the commercials and billboards around town featuring other team's stars, just begging for someone, anyone to buy a ticket. Sure, some of his decisions have not panned out yet and this team is not yet a serious contender but at least it's interesting! At least we can expect to win games, compete for free agents, get into the playoffs every year and have a chance at the title. There was a time not long ago that these things were just pipe dreams. Thank you Kiki for bringing our Nuggets back to respectability!

    p.s. I am so sick and tired of hearing people bitch and moan about GK. Save it for the off season.

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