It wasn’t a typical 30-point Melo night, and fans surely didn’t see a 30-point Melo quarter (like against these Timberwolves last season). But Carmelo Anthony’s return was important in Denver’s 105-94 win Monday night against Minnesota (8-39). The probable all-star starter scored 24 points on 9-for-17 shooting in 34 minutes, his first action since injuring his right knee Dec. 28.
Kenyon Martin was a field goal from putting seven Nuggets in double figures, as the home team got revenge on the Wolves, who had shocked the Nuggets (24-14) with one of Denver’s three Pepsi Center losses this season.
Point guard Chauncey Billups posted a double-double (18 points, 10 assists), exploding in the third quarter, as he had the two previous games. Denver tallied 30 assists, one of coach George Karl’s favorite thresholds, and five came from Arron Afflalo, who also scored 15 points with five rebounds.
With Anthony out, Martin had been scoring with Melo zest, totaling 17, 27, 19 and 20 points in the past four games. Before the game, Karl talked to Martin, saying: “How do we sustain it? Just because Melo is back doesn’t mean we don’t want his involvement in the middle of the floor.”
Well, Martin still got his touches Monday, but he couldn’t get much to fall, started out 2-for-12, finishing 4-for-14. But he did have a team-high 15 rebounds.
And then there was J.R. Smith. His passing was nifty, indeed, but he was 2-for-8 from 3-point range. On Dec. 23, he had an amazing evening, shooting 10-for-17 from 3-point range. In the nine games since, Smith has made just 11-of-50 3-point tries.
