Anthony leads Nuggets past Charlotte

J.R. Smith also had 17 points and Marcus Camby had 12 points and 11 boards for the Nuggets, who have won two in a row after dropping three straight to begin the year.

"I’m just happy we’re winning right now," said Anthony. "Our chemistry is starting to come around. It took us three games to get it down pat. I think we’re headed somewhere right now."

Emeka Okafor had 22 points, 15 boards and three blocks for the Bobcats, who have lost three in a row and five of six to start the season.

"We’ll fix it," said Okafor. "The Bobcats have never been known to hang their heads. So if we keep fighting, we’ll figure it out soon enough."

Brevin Knight added 21 points, seven assists and six boards and Gerald Wallace had 20 points and seven rebounds for Charlotte, which found itself in a double-digit hole in the third quarter that it could never recover from.

After scoring four straight points early in the second half to extended to a 61-52 lead, Denver methodically began to pull away. By the midway point of the third quarter, the Nuggets held a 10-point edge, 69-59, and after a Reggie Evans bucket with just over five minutes left the cushion increased to 12 points, 75-63.

Later, Miller hit 1-of-2 free throws to give Denver its largest lead to that point, 79-65, and the Nuggets cruised into the fourth with an 82-73 edge.

Charlotte never threatened over the final 12 minutes, drawing only within 104- 97 with 30 seconds left.

Raymond Felton returned from a one-game absence due to an injury and had 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Bobcats.

The Nuggets scored eight of the final 10 points in the first quarter to take a 24-22 lead going into the second.

Wallace briefly gave Charlotte a 26-25 lead early in the second, but Denver scored the next eight points to take the lead for good. Joe Smith scored the final six points of the surge and Denver eventually took a 55-47 lead into halftime.

Joe Smith ended with eight points and four boards for the Nuggets, who shot 42.9 percent from the field for the game.

Game Notes

Anthony shot 13-of-22 from the field, recording his third game of 30 or more points this season...Charlotte fell to 1-3 at home...Denver is 2-1 on the road...Charlotte shot 47.6 percent from the floor for the game...Adam Morrison, Charlotte’s rookie, ended with just two points on 1-of-8 shooting.