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Nuggets tune 9-point win vs. Jazz in opener
Melo nets 30, Lawson adds 17 in crucial 4th-frame push
AP Sports Writer
Photo by DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP
Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony drives against Utah Jazz counterpart Andrei Kirilenko during the teams’ NBA regular-season openers Wednesday night at Pepsi Center in Denver. Anthony scored a game-high 30 points.
DENVER - Carmelo Anthony had a game-high 30 points, and rookie Ty Lawson scored seven of his 17 points in a pivotal fourth-quarter run, lifting the Denver Nuggets to a season-opening 114-105 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
Chauncey Billups finished with 25 points, while Kenyon Martin added 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Deron Williams led Utah with 28 points and 13 assists. Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer each contributed 16 on a night when two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer struggled, finishing 3 of 14 and scoring 12 points - most coming late. He also had 11 rebounds.
Lawson ignited a 9-0 run to open the fourth quarter, scoring on driving layups and quick jumpers to help the Nuggets pull away in what had been a close contest. The North Carolina product also had six assists as he provided a spark off the bench.
Denver took the lead for good with time winding down in the third quarter when Billups was fouled by Williams on a 3-point attempt with four-tenths of a second left. Billups made all three free throws to stake the Nuggets to an 82-80 lead.
Anthony put the exclamation on the win with a slam dunk over Paul Millsap with just more than 6 minutes remaining, giving the Nuggets a double-digit lead.
Anthony was coming off a torrid preseason, leading the league with a 23.6 scoring clip.
Before the opening tip, Anthony grabbed the microphone and thanked the capacity crowd for braving the weather to attend the game. The Mile High City was blanketed with nearly a foot of blowing snow throughout the day.
With the Jazz already in town, though, there was no thought given to canceling the contest.
The Nuggets, who are coming off a trip to the Western Conference finals, unveiled their Northwest Division banner before the game. Denver and Utah have won the last four division crowns, capturing two apiece.
That's why, although early, this was a crucial divisional game for the two squads, at least as far as tiebreakers are concerned.
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