Milwaukee – The running revenge tally reads George Karl 3, Milwaukee 0.
Karl, who started his Nuggets career with a win against his old employers nearly a year ago here and won last season’s rematch in Denver, saw his injury-depleted team play one of its better defensive games Saturday in a 100-93 victory over the Bucks.
“Your greatest revenge is your own success,” said Karl, who had 50 tickets reserved for friends in the sold-out Bradley Center crowd.
Denver (19-19) held perimeter players Michael Redd, T.J. Ford, Bobby Simmons and Mo Williams to 22-for-63 shooting.
“Their double teams and traps bothered us, took us out of our rhythm, and when we had plays we didn’t finish them,” said Milwaukee coach Terry Stotts, a former Karl assistant.
The Nuggets also got key stops late with the help of forward Kenyon Martin, who had nine rebounds.
Martin twisted his right ankle in the first two minutes on a collision with teammate Andre Miller. Martin quickly returned, but added it to his laundry list of injuries on the year. He said he still hurt after the game but hopes to play Monday in Chicago if things didn’t get worse.
“I’ve played with an ankle before, broke ankles,” he said. “I’m just trying the mind over matter. I’m tired of missing games.”
By smacking the Bucks around early on the way to a 19-point lead, the Nuggets fattened up enough to sustain the hosts’ nearly inevitable comeback without ever trailing.
“You don’t go on the road and lead by 15. My theory is you don’t get nervous until it gets to four. I don’t think it ever got to four,” Karl said of his team’s third road win in four tries.
Carmelo Anthony turned in an increasingly standard dominant inside-outside offensive performance, finishing with a game- high 38 points. The Bucks’ use of single coverage pleasantly surprised him. Karl theorized Simmons’ early foul trouble also helped get him going close to the basket.
“I don’t think I had to force anything today,” Anthony said, standing by the six ice bags in front of his locker. He said his still-recovering bruised ribs felt a bit better Saturday and will benefit from a day off.
Simmons said of Anthony’s night, “He’s getting calls, and if you’re getting calls and you’re making layups. Then of course you’re going to have a good night.”
Redd led the Bucks (19-16) with 25 points, but his 10 fourth-quarter points were not enough. Denver’s Earl Boykins matched with 10 of his 21 in the final period. He helped subdue Milwaukee with a reverse layup and 3-pointer on consecutive possessions in the last minute of the third quarter.
The Bucks lost a fair share of their size advantage when rookie center Andrew Bogut fouled out with 6:48 left.
Karl has seen the Nuggets lose their share of close games and blow their share of leads.
“Now we’re maybe getting a little luckier and maybe a little tougher,” he said.
At least when the Bucks are involved, his luck has been consistent.
Staff writer Adam Thompson can be reached at 303-820-5447 or athompson@denverpost.com.
