It has been 24 years since anyone has seen a Nugget score as prolifically as Carmelo Anthony has the past two weeks.
And the Nuggets have needed every point.
With a game-high 34 points, Anthony topped the 30-point plateau for the sixth straight time in Denver’s first home win of the season, 117-109 on Saturday over the Toronto Raptors at the Pepsi Center. He tied the team record set by Alex English during the 1982-83 season. And English just happened to be in town to witness Anthony’s latest 30-point outburst, as an assistant coach with Toronto.
“I think it’s great,” English said of Anthony tying his mark. “And he will break it. I hope he breaks every one of them. That means he’ll have an outstanding career.”
Points are a necessity for these Nuggets, who have found playing solid defense to be a puzzle akin to the highest Sudoku level. The numbers just don’t match up. The Nuggets won, but allowed 100 points for the seventh time this season. Four of the Raptors’ starters scored 13 or more points, led by Chris Bosh’s 31. As a team Toronto had 40 points in the paint and 27 on the fast break.
All of which coach George Karl understands, but doesn’t make it any easier for him to swallow.
“You have a larger window of mistakes at home,” Karl said. “It still isn’t the way to play at home. You should be intimidating at home. The good teams are very intimidating at home. They take hope away from the opponent very quickly.”
The Nuggets did just the opposite with the Raptors, who remain winless (0-5) on the road. Early on, Denver assumed a similar identity to the team that started 0-2 at home for the first time since 2002-03. But timely shooting and heavy contributions from the bench kept Denver afloat.
Yakhouba Diawara and Earl Boykins came off the bench to score 11 points apiece. Reggie Evans had 10 points and 12 rebounds. Joe Smith had seven points and 11 rebounds. As a team, the Nuggets outrebounded the Raptors 58-37.
“The key is to keep yourself ready for when your number is called,” Smith said. “I think everybody tonight knew the importance of this game and the type of team we were going against in the Raptors. Everybody was focused and ready.”
Toronto is one of the few teams Denver will face that pushes the pace at an equal or faster level. That task is made easier for the Raptors by the play of point guard T.J. Ford, who raced through the Nuggets on his way to 26 points and 18 assists.
“They created some problems that way,” Karl said.
Nothing that Anthony couldn’t help erase, in Denver’s fourth win in its past five games.
“As long as we win, that’s all I care about,” Anthony said. “I’m just playing. I’m feeling good about my game right now.”
Included in his point total: 3-of-4 from 3-point range. Karl said as long as Anthony “gets five or six assists per game and five or six rebounds a game, I’ll be happy,” but added that “his offense is incredible.”
Smith agreed.
“He’s been aggressive, he’s been knocking down his shots, he’s been getting everyone else involved,” Smith said. “I’ve watched from afar the last couple of years, and didn’t really know how talented he was. But being here and seeing him every day, he works hard on his game. And that carries over into the game.”
Staff writer Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
