Role players come up big as Nuggets top Bobcats

By Michael Kelly, for NBA.com
Posted Tuesday January 26, 2010 1:36AM

DENVER (NBA.com exclusive) -- Carmelo Anthony was out with a sprained left ankle, J.R. Smith's attitude was in question and then Kenyon Martin gets tossed.

The Bobcats couldn't have asked for a better script to beat the Nuggets on Monday, but there was no Hollywood ending for them. Instead, the undercard for the Nuggets stepped up and helped deliver a 104-93 win, the team's seventh straight.

Arron Afflalo, coming off a strong game Saturday, was 6-for-7 from 3-point range. Joey Graham started for Anthony and had 13 points to go along with a solid defensive effort on Gerald Wallace. Malik Allen, who played a total of 16 minutes in the previous eight games, logged 20 after Martin was ejected late in the first half.

The win had coach George Karl feeling proud.

"It was a game for me where Joey, Arron and Malik had a huge opportunity to help us win a game and play above and beyond," Karl said. "The result is we had an easy win because those guys played pretty well everywhere and every opportunity they were in."

The face of the Nuggets is guys like Anthony, Chauncey Billups and Kenyon Martin, but Karl knows he can only ride those players so far. To be the championship team they aspire to be the Nuggets need role players to play well, and it happened Monday.

"The thing about this team is if somebody gets hurt we have a lot of guys step up and fill their shoes," Graham said.

Afflalo is a soft-spoken player who has a reputation for defense. The past two games, however, he has been an offensive force. He had 19 points including two big 3-pointers in overtime against New Orleans on Saturday. Monday, he had a career-high 24 points and kept punishing the Bobcats with 3-pointers from the corner.

"I was just trying to find a good rhythm in my shooting," Afflalo said.

Smith hasn't been able to find his rhythm since dropping 41 on Atlanta last month. The fifth-year guard has struggled ever since, and Karl has been critical of his focus and shot selection.

Smith's frustration boiled over Saturday when he played a season-low 12 minutes and was sulking on the bench. Karl called Smith's behavior "eclectic" and the team considered suspending him but decided against it.

In 28 minutes against Charlotte, Smith had 12 points on 5-for-14 shooting. He shot well early but finished 2-for-9 from 3-point range.

"I still wish he'd shoot the ball better, but in general he played with a focus and an intensity that I think he knew it had to be a serious game and he gave us a serious game," Karl said.

Smith didn't address the media but he told the team's website that he is looking forward and "I don't worry about that stuff no more."

Nothing seems to be worrying the Nuggets these days. At 30-14, they're second in the Western Conference and are getting strong play from Billups. Earlier Monday he was named the Western Conference Player of the Week and he responded with 27 points and 11 assists.

"When was the last game Chauncey hasn't been huge?" Karl said. "Talk about an All-Star push. Since he's been back from injury, the numbers he's been putting up and the leadership both offensively and defensively, orchestrating the team, has been incredible."

Billups has scored 20 or more points in six straight games and is averaging 25 points in the last nine games.

"Chauncey can drive the ball, he can post up, he can shoot the three and he makes foul shots," Charlotte coach Larry Brown said.

The Bobcats were ready for Billups to step up but they didn't expect the bench players to have such an impact on the game.

"I would rather play a team when they have everybody than when they have someone out," guard Raymond Felton said. "That's when a team really elevates their game. You are getting a guy's best game when they're missing their top players."

The Nuggets don't know if they'll have Anthony back from his sprained left ankle when they play Houston on Wednesday, but they have other concerns, too. Chris Andersen sprained his left ankle 58 seconds into the fourth period and didn't return. His status for Wednesday is unknown.

Based on Monday's performance the Nuggets shouldn't have much to worry about.

• Bobcats: Ajinca, Chandler
• Nuggets: Anthony

• Bobcats: --
• Nuggets: Martin, Martin

• Lead Changes: 4
• Times Tied: 2

• Arena: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
• Officials: #41 Ken Mauer, #60 David Guthrie, #68 Marat Kogut
• Attendance: 16909
• Duration: 2:14