NBA Scoreboard - February 9, 2004
BOS
CLE
89
97
FinalDAL
ATL
96
102
FinalMEM
DEN
83
86
FinalSA
HOU
85
82
Final
Memphis (50-32)
Denver (43-39)
83
86
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |||||
| Memphis | 23 | 26 | 19 | 15 | 83 | ||||
| Denver | 25 | 24 | 21 | 16 | 86 |
Final
Miller, Anthony combine to seal it
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DENVER (AP) -- This felt like playoff basketball -- fitting for two teams that are fighting for a spot in the postseason."It was Wrestlemania," Denver Nuggets rookie Carmelo Anthony said. "It was tough out there with a lot of holding, grabbing, pushing and shoving."Andre Miller hit a 16-foot jumper with 36 seconds left and Anthony added two free throws in the final second to lift the Nuggets to an 86-83 win over Memphis on Monday night, snapping the Grizzlies' four-game winning streak.Two of the NBA's most improved teams, Memphis and Denver remained in seventh and eighth place, respectively, in the Western Conference."When two teams are desperately trying to win as many games as possible, it's not going to be artistic," Denver coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "We're tired, we're short-handed, we're banged up, but we fought through it."Miller and Anthony each scored 20 points, and Anthony pulled down 11 rebounds. Anthony, 19, became the third-youngest player in NBA history to score 1,000 points.Nene had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets.Shane Battier led Memphis with 13 points and Pau Gasol had 12.The Grizzlies lost for the 13th straight time in Denver.Denver was outshot 45 percent to 39 percent, but made 15 of 20 free throws compared to Memphis' 6-for-10.Memphis coach Hubie Brown was upset with his team's 19 turnovers -- including 12 in the second half -- and with the officiating."We are not happy with the turnovers," Brown said. "It was extremely difficult for us to run our offense in the second half, especially down the stretch, when guys are holding you and knocking guys to the floor and there are no calls being made. It isn't like a blind man couldn't have seen what went on here."Battier's three-point play triggered a 7-0 run that gave the Grizzlies a 75-72 lead early in the fourth quarter. Denver scored the next six points, including Anthony's rebound layup, and Memphis' Jason Williams hit a 3-pointer to tie it 78-all.Miller's layup put Denver ahead. After Battier made a free throw, Gasol hit a baseline jumper for an 81-80 lead with 2:26 remaining.Rodney White's jumper gave the Nuggets an 82-81 lead, and Miller beat the shot clock with his jumper for an 84-81 lead.Battier drove the baseline for a slam dunk with 33 seconds left. After Miller missed, Gasol lost the ball in the lane to Anthony and fouled him. Anthony hit both free throws with 0.8 seconds left. Memphis' Earl Watson then missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.The Nuggets were without starting center Marcus Camby, sidelined by a strained left hamstring he sustained Sunday night in Sacramento.Neither team led by more than four points in a first quarter that saw Denver shoot 52 percent and Memphis 50.Lorenzen Wright hit back-to-back baskets during Memphis' 7-2 run that produced a 19-16 lead. But the Nuggets outscored the Grizzlies 9-4 the rest of the period, including a 3-pointer by White, for a 25-23 lead.Battier scored six points as the Grizzlies used a 10-2 flurry to open the second quarter. Gasol's basket on a goaltending call against Denver's Francisco Elson gave the Grizzlies their biggest lead, 37-29.But Anthony hit a 3-pointer and a fast-break slam dunk, and Nene's layup on a pass from Anthony helped produce a 44-44 tie with 2:43 left. The half ended 49-49.Nene had eight points in the quarter to help Denver overcome 33 percent shooting.Gasol scored three baskets early in the third quarter as Memphis took a five-point lead. Denver countered with an 8-0 run, including Chris Andersen's three-point play and Earl Boykins' 3-pointer, and the Nuggets led 70-68 entering the final period.
Game notes
Memphis reserve guard Bonzi Wells injured his right knee
late in the first quarter and did not return. ... Denver guard Jon
Barry strained his right rotator cuff in the third quarter and did
not return. He was scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday. ... Memphis
starting guard Mike Miller played only three minutes of the second
half after apparently experiencing back spasms. ... Anthony has
scored 20 or more points in six straight games.
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