Before the Nuggets’ Saturday preseason game against Partizan Belgrade, coach George Karl told his guys if they played hard — unlike the previous preseason game — they would have Sunday off.
But for a few minutes, it was as if they didn’t want to watch Broncos and Rockies and, you know, not practice.
Denver started out sloppy, but not as sloppy as Partizan Belgrade. By the second quarter, the Nuggets found their groove, and cruised to a 102-70 victory at Pepsi Center.
The Nuggets committed seven turnovers in the first quarter (last season, they averaged 15.3 per game), but Carmelo Anthony played like Carmelo Anthony, scoring 12 first-quarter points and carrying the Nuggets all night, scoring 17 points in 20 minutes, on 5-for-7 shooting.
Denver center Nene started off shaky — three first quarter fouls — but he, too found his groove and scored 12 points in 19 minutes, along with a team-high six rebounds.
Partizan Belgrade shot just 30.9 percent from the field, compared to the Nuggets’ 51.5 percent.
Point guard Chauncey Billups rested an injured big toe on Saturday and did not play. Neither did reserve post Chris Andersen, who has an injured knee.
The Nuggets leave Monday for a weeklong trip to Asia where they will play two exhibition games against Indiana.
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
