Nuggets end jinx in Atlanta

"We needed this game," said Anthony, who was four-years old the last time the Nuggets won in Atlanta in 1988.

Denver, which trailed by 15 in the third quarter, also got 16 points and 11 boards from Kenyon Martin and 16 points from DerMarr Johnson.

Antoine Walker scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Atlanta, which has lost 13 of its last 16 games. Tony Delk contributed 19 points in a losing effort.

With the Hawks up one late, Camby gave Denver a 96-95 lead with a pair of free throws with 2:28 left in the fourth quarter. Atlanta’s Obinna Ekezie hit 1- of-2 to tie the game just seconds later. The game remained tied and Walker had a chance to give Atlanta the lead but missed everything with 6.8 seconds left.

"I had a shot and kinda slipped," said Walker. "That was tough. We were playing so well all game."

After a timeout, Anthony buried a tough fall-away jumper to give the Nuggets the lead. The Hawks had .09 seconds left after a timeout, but Boris Diaw- Riffiod threw the ball away trying to make an inbounds pass and Earl Boykins made two free throws to seal the win.

The Hawks were ahead, 68-51, after a field goal by Ekezie with 8:27 left in the third quarter.

Denver still trailed by seven after three quarters and were down, 81-74, early in the final frame before two free throws by Boykins sparked a seven-point run. Camby capped the spurt with two from the charity stripe with 9:40 remaining to tie the game.

The Hawks, however, scored six of the game’s next seven to take an 87-82 edge. A three-pointer by Delk had the Hawks up, 93-88, with 4 1/2 minutes remaining, but Denver rallied with eight of the game’s next 10 points.

Atlanta shot 51 percent (22-of-43) from the field in the opening half to take a 59-47 lead at the break.

Johnson was 3-of-4 from three-point range in the first half to keep the Nuggets in the game.

"I thought we were awful in the first half and gutsy at the end," said Nuggets coach George Karl. "I didn’t even know who that team was in the first half with all the layups we gave up and missed assignments," Karl added.

The Nuggets had not won in Atlanta since December 10, 1988, and Tuesday snapped a 14-game road losing streak in the series.