Nuggets, Timberwolves clash at Target Center

Denver had won five in a row before stumbling at home to the Memphis on Tuesday. Hakim Warrick netted a team-high 25 points and Chucky Atkins added 22 as the Grizzlies came through with a 108-96 victory at the Pepsi Center.

Carmelo Anthony contributed a season-high 37 points along with nine rebounds and seven assists for the Nuggets, who were looking to win six straight games for the first time since reeling off seven consecutive wins from January 14-25 of last season.

Anthony is averaging a career-best 31.5 points per game so far this season, which trails only Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson for tops among NBA players.

Marcus Camby had a double-double, donating 14 points and 10 rebounds in a losing effort. Yakhouba Diawara and Eduardo Najera each finished with 13 points for Denver.

The Nuggets haven’t lost consecutive contests since dropping three in a row to begin this season. Denver has won eight of 10 following that slide are 4-2 on the road.

One of those early defeats came at the hands of the Timberwolves, who posted a 112-109 victory at the Pepsi Center on November 3.

Minnesota returns home after losing a pair of road outings to Dallas and Houston. On Tuesday, Shane Battier scored 17 points and hit a pair of momentum-changing three-pointers in the fourth quarter to lift the Rockets to an 82-75 decision.

Kevin Garnett scored 25 points and had 11 rebounds for Minnesota, which trailed by 11 early in the fourth quarter before embarking on a 17-6 run to draw even. Randy Foye was the only other T-Wolve in double figures, as the rookie recorded 11 points.

Minnesota has won four of six at the Target Center in the early going.

On the injury front, Nuggets forward Nene could return to his team’s lineup tonight. The native Brazilian has sat out Denver’s last nine games with a right knee contusion.

Denver took three of the four meetings between the clubs last season and has emerged victorious in two of its last three trips to Minneapolis.