The Nuggets are so hot, they can even beat the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Nuggets entered Sunday having lost eight of their past nine meetings against a Clippers team that ousted them in the first round of last season’s playoffs. But Denver finally got the better of its Western Conference nemeses with a 103-88 victory at the Pepsi Center on Sunday night. The Nuggets (8-4) have won eight of their past nine games after starting the season 0-3, and have won five in succession.
“There is a little anger in our team,” Nuggets coach George Karl said of the Clippers. “I know that I said a couple times in the huddle that we owe this team.”
Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, the NBA’s leading scorer, stayed hot by scoring 33 points. He also had six assists, five rebounds and four steals. Anthony has scored at least 29 points in 10 consecutive games. Denver guard J.R. Smith added 23 points, and reserve forward Joe Smith added a season-high 15 points.
“They’ve beaten us (eight of nine previous times),” Anthony said of the Clippers. “That’s a lot for one team to beat you. I know we had that in the back of our minds.”
Said Clippers guard Sam Cassell, who left the game with an injured left ankle in the first quarter: “There is definitely a rivalry here. And it’s going to get even better.”
The Clippers (6-6) have dropped four straight games, and the 15-point loss accounted for the largest margin of victory for Denver this season. The Nuggets entered the game scoring an NBA-best 111.2 points per game while allowing a league-worst 108.3. But Denver limited Los Angeles to an opponents’ low in points and field-goal percentage (.364). The Clippers also shot a season-low field-goal percentage.
“Tonight was one of our better defensive nights,” Karl said. “We can be a good defensive team. We could be a good running team. But we have to have some good fundamental characteristics of defending in certain situations.”
Anthony’s only sub-28-point game this season came in the season opener at the Clippers on Nov. 2. He scored 15 points and was sent to the locker room early in the third quarter after receiving his second technical for tossing down his head band following his fourth foul.
After hanging on the rim after a dunk, Anthony got hit with a technical with Denver leading 34-21 and 10:15 remaining in the second quarter Sunday.
After leading by as many as 15 points, the Nuggets took a 52-49 halftime advantage. Anthony scored 16 points in the first half. Clippers swingman Corey Maggette scored 13 of his team-high 22.
The Nuggets opened the third quarter with a 17-7 run finalized by a J.R. Smith two-hand dunk on the Clippers’ James Singleton to take a 69-56 lead at the 6:17 mark. Anthony and Smith combined for 27 points in the third quarter to give Denver an 87-70 lead.
“It’s a statement game,” Anthony said of the nationally televised contest. “We want to let people know that we’re still here, regardless of what happened the first couple of games of the season. We’re going to be all right.”
Staff writer Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-954-1098 or mspears@denverpost.com.
