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Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - STAPLES Center
Thursday, April 10, 2008 @ 7:30 pm (PT) - STAPLES Center TV: TNT / RADIO: 710 ESPN For tickets to the final home game of the season vs. the Lakers call (888) 895-8662 or click here to purchase online.
LOS ANGELES, April 8 (AP) -- Carmelo Anthony can't miss these days. His hot streak couldn't have come at a better time for the Denver Nuggets. Anthony scored 36 points to give him 121 in the last three games, and the Nuggets routed the injury-plagued Los Angeles Clippers 117-99 Tuesday night to remain tied with Golden State for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth. They meet Thursday night in Oakland. "Two good teams who deserve to go to the playoffs are going to battle on Thursday night,'' Nuggets coach George Karl said. "When this thing all started evolving six or eight weeks ago, I remember circling the game with Golden State. We could get in (to the playoffs) if we don't win. It could give us a big leg up if we do win.'' Anthony, the NBA's fourth-leading scorer, shot 13-of-17 from the field and 9-of-12 from the foul line in 33 minutes, He left with 5:14 remaining and the Nuggets comfortably ahead. "He's on a hot roll,'' Karl said. "Tonight his power and presence in the paint was presented early. When (Clippers coach Mike) Dunleavy went small to begin the game, it hurt them a little bit.'' Anthony has shot 49-of-72 while averaging just over 40 points in the last three games. "It's got to be like that Thursday,'' the 6-foot-8 forward said. "I've got confidence it will be like that Thursday. It's a big game for us. Do I believe we have to win? No. But it's a must-win for us.'' Allen Iverson added 21 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, Linas Kleiza scored 15 points, and Marcus Camby had 13 points and 18 rebounds for the Nuggets (47-31), who snapped a two-game losing streak to teams already out of postseason contention. "Our backs were against the wall,'' Anthony said. "We had to get this one.'' The Nuggets, who took command in the second quarter, shot 51 percent and outrebounded the Clippers 53-40. They led 63-47 at halftime and the Clippers weren't closer than 14 points in the second half. "We played a good quarter and a half, but then we did not have a good answer for Carmelo,'' Dunleavy said. "He really had it going tonight with his mid-range face-up game, which made it hard to double-team him. Unfortunately, in the second quarter, we turned the ball over and gave them too many points off turnovers, the second-chance points. That's how they were able to built the lead up on us.'' Cuttino Mobley led the Clippers (23-54) with 25 points. Elton Brand, playing his fourth game after missing the season's first 74 while recovering from surgery on his torn left Achilles' tendon, added 17 and Quinton Ross scored 10. "Once we get healthy, it won't be like this again,'' Brand said. "We have the talent, we just have to get it on the court.'' The Clippers, who have lost 22 of their last 26 games, played without starters Chris Kaman (sprained right ankle) and Corey Maggette (strained right hamstring). Tim Thomas returned after missing five games with a sore Achilles' tendon and had seven points and five rebounds. Denver's Nene missed his second straight game due to a strained right groin. Two baskets by Anthony and a three-point play by Iverson gave the Nuggets a 79-55 lead midway through the third quarter. The Clippers scored the last seven points of the period to trim Denver's lead to 91-74, but never threatened in the final period. Iverson scored nine points during a 16-5 run that gave the Nuggets a 44-36 lead, and they were on top the rest of the way. The Clippers drew within three before Denver used a 17-4 spurt to finish the second quarter for its 16-point halftime lead. Anthony needed only 10 minutes to reach double figures, making it a franchise-record 203 straight games that he's accomplished that feat. Anthony scored 13 points in the first quarter, which ended with the teams tied 23-all. He shot 6-of-8 in the period while his teammates went 4-of-15. Copyright 2007 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Postgame Quotes
On tonight’s game... “We played a good quarter and a half but then we did not have a good answer for Carmelo (Anthony) tonight. He really had it going tonight with his mid-range face-up game which made it hard to double-team him. Unfortunately in the second quarter we turned the ball over and gave them too many points off of turnovers, and second chance points. That was how they were able to build the lead up on us.”
On the play of Allen Iverson...
On th playing the role of a spoiler...
On giving back to the fans... “It’s been a tough year and they’ve always been supporting us so I didn’t want us or them to give up. We’re just going to have to get it together. We have the talent, we just have to get it on the court. Once we get healthy then we can play and it won’t be like this again.”
On being in a Clipper uniform next year...
On the Nuggets' play... “They really wanted to win and they showed it. Our second quarter really killed us and they made a lot of shots, got out into the open court and forced some turnovers. They were playing like a team that was desperate to get a win tonight.”
On this Thursday’s game against Golden State... “I remember at least two or three times, circling the Golden State game next week, thinking ‘We have got to win that game.’ It’s going to be an incredible, intense game. Two good teams who deserve to go to the playoffs are going to battle on Thursday night.”
On Denver’s win over the Clippers...
On the play of Carmelo Anthony...
On the playoff push this season... “It’s something that is just crazy right now. The only thing we can do is keep winning and hopefully everything will play out in our favor. Being 16 games over .500, I never thought we would still be fighting for a playoff spot.” Postgame Notes
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