Carmelo Anthony got a little help from his teammates to propel Denver to its best start in 24 years.
Anthony scored 25 points and Chauncey Billups added 24 as the Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 111-93 Tuesday night to improve to 4-0. Nene had 16 points and 13 rebounds and reserve Arron Afflalo added points 15 for the Nuggets.
“Everybody stepped up tonight,” said Anthony, who was averaging a league-best 38 points coming into the game. He was 6 for 17 from the field but made up for it by making 11 of 14 free throws.
The Nuggets say they have carried momentum from reaching the Western Conference finals last season.
“We should feel good, we shouldn’t feel no other way,” Anthony said. “It seems like we’re picking up where we left off from last year.”
Former Denver guard Dahntay Jones led the Pacers (0-3) with 20 points. He made perhaps the strongest statements after the loss, Indiana’s third in a row by double digits.
“It’s very tough to take three losses in a row like this,” he said. “We’re sick and tired of losing.”
Indiana’s Danny Granger scored 18 points and Roy Hibbert added 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Pacers forward Troy Murphy bruised his lower back when he fell hard to the floor in the first quarter and did not return. He was second in the league in rebounding and third in three-point percentage last season.
“It’s kind of stiffened up,” he said while sitting in front of his locker. “It’s not the most comfortable thing right now, but hopefully, it will feel better tomorrow and I’ll be able to go.”
Denver made 8 of 15 three-pointers Tuesday while Indiana made only 3 of 22.
“We had a good defensive feel for the game all night long,” Denver coach George Karl said. “Any time you win a game on the road and keep it in double digits, you’re doing a lot of good things.”
Indiana shot 22 percent in the opening period.
“You can’t shoot poorly and dig yourself out of a 20-point hole in the first quarter,” Indiana coach Jim O’Brien said.
PISTONS 85, MAGIC 80: Ben Gordon scored 23 points and Rodney Stuckey added 20 as host Detroit handed Orlando its first loss of the season.
Detroit guard Tayshaun Prince saw his streak of 496 consecutive games played end as he was sidelined with a back injury. Prince last missed a game on April 13, 2003 – during his rookie season – against Memphis.
BULLS 83, BUCKS 81: Luol Deng scored 24 points while grabbing a career-high 20 rebounds as host Chicago rallied from 18 points down.
Brandon Jennings scored 25 points to lead Milwaukee.
CAVALIERS 102, WIZARDS 90: LeBron James scored 27 points, Shaquille O’Neal added a season-high 21 while wearing out Washington’s big men and host Cleveland won its third in a row.
Mo Williams scored 15 and Daniel Gibson 14 for the Cavs.
CELTICS 105, 76ERS 74: Paul Pierce scored 21 points, Rasheed Wallace had 20 and Boston remained unbeaten with a rout in Philadelphia.
Andre Iguodala led the Sixers with 17 points. Philadelphia missed 15 of 16 three-point attempts.
LAKERS 101, THUNDER 98, OT: Kobe Bryant scored 31 points and hit the go-ahead jumper in overtime as Los Angeles got tested in Oklahoma City in the Lakers’ first road game of the season.
SUNS 104, HEAT 96: Steve Nash scored 30 points and added eight assists, and Phoenix surged with a dominant fourth quarter in Miami.
Miami got 23 points from Dwyane Wade and 18 from Quentin Richardson.
MAVERICKS 96, JAZZ 85: Dirk Nowitzki scored a club-record 29 of his 40 points during a frantic fourth-quarter comeback in Dallas.
Dallas was down 72-56 after Utah’s Wes Matthews hit a layup with 9:51 remaining.
HAWKS 97, TRAIL BLAZERS 91: Jamal Crawford scored 27 points off the bench as Atlanta outlasted host Portland.
Al Horford’s dunk with 56.6 seconds remaining made it 95-89 and all but sealed it for the Hawks.
