Box Score

 

ATLANTA (74)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
A Harrington        36  5-12  8-12   1-6   2   2   18
J Smith             33   4-7   1-2   1-4   1   3    9
O Ekezie            21   4-7   4-4   2-4   0   4   12
J Childress         42   2-8   4-4   1-6   0   1    8
T Lue               31   2-7   4-5   0-1   6   3    9
B Diaw              24   2-8   2-2   1-2   1   2    6
T Gugliotta         30   2-7   0-0   4-7   2   2    4
P Drobnak           12   1-5   2-2   2-3   0   2    4
R Ivey               5   0-1   0-0   0-0   0   1    0
J Collier            6   2-3   0-0   2-2   1   0    4
M Stewart          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 24-65 25-31 14-35  13  20   74
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.369, FT-.806. 3-Point Goals:
1-6, .167 (A Harrington 0-1, T Lue 1-3, B 
Diaw 0-2). Team Rebounds: 6. Blocked Shots:6 
(J Childress 3, T Gugliotta, J Smith, O 
Ekezie). Turnovers:23 (J Smith 5, T Gugliotta
4, A Harrington 4, T Lue 4, J Childress 2, B 
Diaw 2, O Ekezie, R Ivey). Steals: 8 (B Diaw 
4, J Childress 2, J Smith 2).


DENVER (97)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
K Martin             8   0-2   0-0   1-1   0   0    0
C Anthony           31  9-16   5-5   3-7   1   2   23
M Camby             35  5-10   1-4  2-13   2   2   11
D Johnson           22   5-7   0-0   1-1   3   0   10
A Miller            30   6-9   2-2   1-2  10   3   14
F Elson             17   2-4   0-0   2-4   1   3    4
G Buckner           22   1-4   0-0   1-5   6   3    2
B Russell           16   2-5   0-0   1-1   0   2    5
E Boykins           25  4-11   5-6   2-2   2   1   14
E Najera            25   4-8   3-4   2-5   3   5   11
M Pope               5   0-0   0-0   0-1   0   0    0
L Flores             4   1-2   0-0   1-1   0   0    3
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 39-78 16-21 17-43  28  21   97
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.500, FT-.762. 3-Point Goals:
3-9, .333 (C Anthony 0-1, D Johnson 0-2, G 
Buckner 0-2, B Russell 1-1, E Boykins 1-1, E 
Najera 0-1, L Flores 1-1). Team Rebounds: 7. 
Blocked Shots:5 (M Camby 3, E Boykins, M 
Pope). Turnovers:22 (C Anthony 6, M Camby 5, 
E Boykins 4, A Miller 3, D Johnson 2, B 
Russell, G Buckner). Steals: 16 (G Buckner 4,
B Russell 2, E Boykins 2, D Johnson 2, E 
Najera 2, A Miller 2, K Martin, C Anthony).

-------------------------------------------
ATLANTA               18  16  16  24  -   74
DENVER                13  20  32  32  -   97
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Atlanta - 3 (Defensive 
Three, 3:06 2nd; Defensive Three, 8:46 2nd; 
COACH Woodson, 5:50 4th). Denver - 1 
(Defensive Three, 11:19 4th).
Flagrant fouls:  Atlanta 1 (T Lue (Ejected), 
5:50 4th).  A: 15,341. T: 2:16. Officials: 
Bill Kennedy, Bob Delaney, Jason Phillips.

Extended Box

 

ATLANTA (74) AT DENVER (97)

ATLANTA

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
A HARRINGTON      F    36    5-12     8-12     1   5   6    2   2   0   4   18
J SMITH           F    33    4-7      1-2      1   3   4    1   3   2   5    9
O EKEZIE          C    21    4-7      4-4      2   2   4    0   4   0   1   12
J CHILDRESS       G    42    2-8      4-4      1   5   6    0   1   2   2    8
T LUE             G    31    2-7      4-5      0   1   1    6   3   0   4    9
B DIAW                 24    2-8      2-2      1   1   2    1   2   4   2    6
T GUGLIOTTA            30    2-7      0-0      4   3   7    2   2   0   4    4
P DROBNAK              12    1-5      2-2      2   1   3    0   2   0   0    4
R IVEY                  5    0-1      0-0      0   0   0    0   1   0   1    0
J COLLIER               6    2-3      0-0      2   0   2    1   0   0   0    4
M STEWART             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   24-65    25-31    14  21  35   13  20   8  23   74
                            (.369)  (.806)  TEAM REBS:  6 TOTAL TO: 24 (25 PTS)    

DENVER

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
K MARTIN          F     8    0-2      0-0      1   0   1    0   0   1   0    0
C ANTHONY         F    31    9-16     5-5      3   4   7    1   2   1   6   23
M CAMBY           C    35    5-10     1-4      2  11  13    2   2   0   5   11
D JOHNSON         G    22    5-7      0-0      1   0   1    3   0   2   2   10
A MILLER          G    30    6-9      2-2      1   1   2   10   3   2   3   14
F ELSON                17    2-4      0-0      2   2   4    1   3   0   0    4
G BUCKNER              22    1-4      0-0      1   4   5    6   3   4   1    2
B RUSSELL              16    2-5      0-0      1   0   1    0   2   2   1    5
E BOYKINS              25    4-11     5-6      2   0   2    2   1   2   4   14
E NAJERA               25    4-8      3-4      2   3   5    3   5   2   0   11
M POPE                  5    0-0      0-0      0   1   1    0   0   0   0    0
L FLORES                4    1-2      0-0      1   0   1    0   0   0   0    3
  
TOTALS                240   39-78    16-21    17  26  43   28  21  16  22   97
                            (.500)  (.762)  TEAM REBS:  7 TOTAL TO: 22 (11 PTS)    
  
   ATLANTA            18   16   16   24   -   74
   DENVER             13   20   32   32   -   97
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: ATLANTA - J CHILDRESS 3, T GUGLIOTTA, J SMITH, O EKEZIE.
DENVER - M CAMBY 3, E BOYKINS, M POPE.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: ATLANTA 1-6 (.167), A HARRINGTON 0-1, T LUE 1-3,
B DIAW 0-2. DENVER 3-9 (.333), C ANTHONY 0-1, D JOHNSON 0-2, G BUCKNER 0-
2, B RUSSELL 1-1, E BOYKINS 1-1, E NAJERA 0-1, L FLORES 1-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: ATLANTA - DEFENSIVE THREE 2, COACH WOODSON. DENVER - 
DEFENSIVE THREE.
FLAGRANT FOULS:  ATLANTA 1 (T LUE (EJECTED), 5:50 4TH). 
OFFICIALS: BILL KENNEDY, BOB DELANEY, JASON PHILLIPS.
A - 15,341. T - 2:16.

Game Story

DENVER (Ticker) -- Behind the efforts of Carmelo Anthony and 
Earl Boykins, the Denver Nuggets bounced back after the break
the way they have responded in the second half of the season.

Anthony scored 13 points and Boykins added 12 after intermission
as the Nuggets rebounded from a miserable first half to post a
97-74 victory over the hapless Atlanta Hawks.

Denver matched a season high with its fourth straight win and
improved to 11-4 under George Karl, who was named NBA Coach of
the Month earlier Tuesday.  The Nuggets (28-29) are just one
game back of the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth and final
playoff spot in the Western Conference.

"The team has done a great job," Karl said.  "They have
persevered and given me a special spirit.  Hopefully we can keep
it going."

"We're right there," said Anthony, who scored 23 points.  "We
just have to worry about ourselves, keep on winning games and
see how it plays out."

Things started poorly in this one as Denver shot just 35 percent
(13-of-37) and committed 16 turnovers in the first two periods.
But the Hawks played nearly as poorly, shooting 38 percent
(12-of-32) and committing with 16 turnovers, and led just 34-33
at the break.

"It was an ugly game in the first half," Atlanta coach Mike
Woodson said.

"The problem in the first half was that we had too many
turnovers," Boykins said.  "We can't score when we have that
many turnovers.  The second half we cut down on our turnovers
and we were able to execute."

The Nuggets trailed, 42-41, early in the third quarter before
Anthony triggered an 11-0 burst with a jumper.  He added a
three-point play before capped the spurt with a dunk at the 5:26
mark that opened a 52-42 advantage.

Denver, which swept the season series against Atlanta for the
first time in 14 years, connected on 14 of its 21 shots en route
to 32 points in the period.

"In the second half we picked it up and turned our defense up,"
Anthony said.  "We got into our game plan, which was to run up
and down the court."

"In the third quarter we created turnovers and finally converted
some offensive plays," Karl said.  "Once we got the lead, I
felt that Atlanta looked they were a little fatigued and tired
faster than we did."

Losers of 20 consecutive road games, the Hawks got it as close
as 71-62 in the fourth quarter, but Anthony responded a jumper
and Boykins - who finished with 14 points - connected on a pair
of free throws, and Denver pulled away thereafter.

"It's frustrating," said Hawks forward Al Harrington, who scored
18 points.  "We are coming together as a team.  We have to find
ways to get over the hump."

Losers of nine consecutive games overall, Atlanta waived guard
Gary Payton prior to the game.  Payton, who never suited up for
the Hawks, was acquired in a trade last Thursday that sent
leading scorer Antoine Walker back to the Boston Celtics.

"The chemistry is going to be a little off when you trade
somebody that contributes so many minutes to the team," rookie
forward Josh Smith said of Walker.

Not everything was positive for the Nuggets as forward Kenyon
Martin did not return after the end of the first quarter because
tendinitis in his left knee.  He is listed as day-to-day.