Syracuse, still loves Melo; A.I. is hurting

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 17, 2008 at 8:49 p.m.

Text size

Photo by Kevin Rivoli / Associated Press

The Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony looks to pass in front of the Suns' Robin Lopez, left, and Boris Diaw during Friday's preseason game at Syracuse, a homecoming for Anthony.

Nuggets quick links

Drew on the NBA

Scores and statistics

More Denver Nuggets

More stories »

Two Nuggets stars had shoes off at the end of the game. One was joyful about it and the other frustrated.

Forward Carmelo Anthony had a glorious return to Syracuse, which he led to the 2003 NCAA title. After Denver's 94-91 preseason win over Phoenix before a raucous crowd of 22,115 at the Carrier Dome, Anthony took off his shoes and threw them into the stands.

"I wish I could have given my jersey, but my equipment manager wasn't having that," Anthony said.

Meanwhile, guard Allen Iverson had his right shoe off because of an injury.

Iverson, who returned after missing two games with a sore left knee, said he now has a sprained right ankle and will miss Sunday's game against Minnesota in Bismarck, N.D.

"I couldn't move out there," Iverson said. "I couldn't drive by nobody. I couldn't do nothing. . . . I just can't move like I usually move."

Anthony joked that Iverson was the "first Georgetown Hoya that ever got cheered" in the Carrier Dome, but Iverson shot just 1-of-6 for four points. However, on this night, nearly everybody in the building was focusing on Anthony, who had 14 points, five assists and nine rebounds in 24 minutes.

"He had a hell of a game," said Nuggets coach George Karl. "But the reason we won was defense, and I thought he was a contributor there."

With Anthony having not played in the fourth quarter, the fans began to chant, "We want Melo." Karl said he would have put Anthony back in had he wanted.

"I wish I could have went back in there, but I had a long summer," said Anthony, who won an Olympic gold medal.

The Nuggets (4-0) did OK without Anthony, storming back from an 82-78 deficit with less than five minutes left. With the Nuggets leading 91-88, Phoenix forward Matt Barnes hit a long jumper with 1.9 seconds left, but it was ruled his foot was on the three-point line, and the Nuggets survived.

Nuggets guard J.R. Smith, who had been misfiring much of the preseason, got untracked by shooting 8-of-10 for 19 points. But it was Anthony's all-around game that wooed the fans.

"It felt good to actually be back here," said Anthony, whose former coach, Jim Boeheim, sat courtside. "It brought back a lot of memories."

Two fans carrying home Anthony's shoes will have more than just memories.

Nuggets 94, Suns 91

PHOENIX (91) - Barnes 5-11 3-3 13, Diaw 1-7 0-0 2, O'Neal 2-5 0-0 4, Bell 5-7 2-2 15, Dragic 2-7 2-2 6, Barbosa 4-7 1-3 10, Hill 5-11 3-3 13, Lopez 3-8 1-2 7, Singletary 1-4 0-0 2, Amundson 3-7 1-3 7, Hite 5-9 1-2 12. Totals 36-83 14-20 91.

DENVER (94) - Anthony 6-14 2-2 14, Howard 3-5 0-0 6, Nene 3-8 2-2 8, Iverson 1-6 2-5 4, Carter 3-12 4-4 10, Kleiza 3-9 4-4 11, Cleaves 0-2 0-0 0, Smith 8-10 2-5 19, Andersen 1-2 4-6 6, Jones 2-4 5-7 9, Patterson 3-5 1-1 7. Totals 33-77 26-36 94.

Phoenix22 21 22 26 - 91

Denver16 25 26 27 - 94

Three-point attempts - Phoenix 5-16 (Bell 3-3, Hite 1-2, Barbosa 1-4, Diaw 0-1, Dragic 0-3, Barnes 0-3), Denver 2-9 (Smith 1-1, Kleiza 1-4, Carter 0-1, Anthony 0-3). Fouled out - Amundson. Rebounds - Phoenix 56 (Diaw 9), Denver 51 (Anthony 9). Assists - Phoenix 29 (Dragic 7), Denver 24 (Anthony, Smith 5). Total fouls - Phoenix 28, Denver 21. Technical - Amundson. A - 22,115 (33,000).

Hurting Hunter

Karl said it will be about 10 days before he can determine what role center Steven Hunter can play early in the season.

"He's having trouble in back-to-back games and back-to- back practices,'' Karl said of Hunter, who missed his third straight preseason game because of a sore right knee. "The pain is probably getting annoying to him."

Hunter visited a doctor in New York on Friday.

"It pretty much was nothing new," said his agent, Mark Bartelstein, who said a treatment plan hasn't been fully decided on but surgery isn't being considered. "He's got some wear and tear."

With the Nuggets having two more games on this trip, Bartelstein expects Hunter instead to get treatment in Denver.

Among those also out Friday were forwards Renaldo Balkman, who said he has a hip pointer that isn't serious, and Kenyon Martin. Karl said Martin got a "veteran's day off."

Iverson returns

It's been a preseason to forget for Iverson.

While having an injured left knee for about two weeks, Iverson believes he hurt his right ankle by putting too much pressure on that leg.

"I think that's how I did it," he said. "I've just got to get it right. I just can't move."

Iverson said his ankle was hurting throughout the game. Iverson, who left for good with 9:10 remaining, said it "stiffened up on me when I came out."

Iverson said he definitely will sit out Sunday. He didn't rule out missing additional preseason time, with the goal to be ready for the Oct. 29 regular-season opener.

The Nuggets got two other players back from injury. Nene (bruised right elbow) and Chris Andersen (bruised left calf) returned after each missed one game.

Etc.

* With some big men ailing, forward Juwan Howard looks to have a reasonable shot to make the Nuggets opening-night roster. "He's definitely a positive addition, but the final evaluations will be done in the boardroom," Karl said of Howard, who started and totaled six points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes.

* After two seasons of seeking to find his niche with slower-paced Utah and Philadelphia, forward Louis Amundson believes he's found a home with the up-tempo Suns. "I play to this style," said Amundson, a Monarch High School graduate who signed a guaranteed deal last summer and scored seven points and had seven rebounds Friday.

* Anthony and Boeheim will join forces Aug. 29-Sept. 1 for Melo's Pro Experience Adult Basketball Academy in Verona, N.Y., 40 minutes from Syracuse. For more information, visit carmelo cares.org. Boeheim also wants Anthony in Syracuse in late September for the opening of the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center, to which he donated $3 million.

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News