Recap: Boston vs. Denver
Sports Network | November 14, 2008
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Carmelo Anthony finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, as the Denver Nuggets wrapped up a three-game road trip with a 94-85 win over Boston, ending the Celtics' six-game win streak.
Chauncey Billups also had 18 points and added seven assists for the Nuggets, who went 2-1 on the trip. Denver has won four of five overall. Kenyon Martin had 16 points in the win, as six Nuggets players finished in double digits.
Ray Allen led all scorers with 26 points -- 18 of which came in the first quarter -- for Boston, which was dealt its first home loss of the season. The Celtics had won their first five at TD Banknorth Garden.
Paul Pierce added 19 points, while Kevin Garnett ended with 16 points and nine boards for Boston, which hadn't lost since November 1 at Indiana.
Boston held a 70-67 lead after Eddie House drained a three-pointer with just over 10 minutes left in the game. But Denver answered with an 11-0 run to take control of the contest.
Linas Kleiza had five points in the stretch, and J.R. Smith bookended the surge with three-pointers, the latter of which put the Nuggets ahead 78-70 with 7:33 left.
Boston chipped away at its deficit and eventually tied the game, 82-82, on an Allen three with a little under five minutes remaining.
After the teams traded baskets, Martin's short jumper with 2:50 on the clock ignited a 10-point, game-clinching run for the Nuggets. Billups had five points, including a couple free throws with 1:22 left that boosted Denver's lead to 94-84, and the Nuggets held on from there.
A pair of Allen threes and a bucket from Kendrick Perkins closed out the first quarter to give Boston a 29-23 lead. But the Celtics were held to just 13 points in the second quarter as Denver pulled ahead.
The Nuggets used a 10-0 run to take the lead in the second frame. A Renaldo Balkman jumper closed out the stretch to put Denver ahead 39-34 just past the midway point of the stanza.
Denver built up a double-digit lead and were ahead by 12 after Anthony made back-to-back baskets with about three minutes left. But Boston closed out the half with six straight points to get within 48-42 at the break.
The Nuggets opened the third quarter with another run, and led 59-44 after Billups' jumper with 8 1/2 minutes left. But Boston embarked on its own major run, 10-0, to draw within 61-60 on a Garnett bucket with 2:16 showing.
The teams traded baskets, and Boston actually held a 65-64 edge going into the fourth after a House three-pointer with half a minute left in the third.
Kleiza and Smith had 10 points each for Denver, while Nene ended with 14...House had 13 points for the Celtics...Denver center Steven Hunter underwent arthroscopic surgery on Friday at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic on his inflamed right knee. He is expected to miss at least 12 weeks.
