Anthony, Nuggets pound Cavaliers


January 29, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Carmelo Anthony scored 33 points, Arron Afflalo added 23 and the Denver Nuggets avoided any embarrassment by beating Cleveland 117-103 on Friday night, handing the pathetic Cavaliers their team record-tying 19th straight loss.

Still winless in 2011, the Cavs have also dropped 29 of 30 and are now just five losses away from breaking the NBA record of 23 consecutive defeats in one season, an inglorious mark shared by the expansion Vancouver Grizzlies (1995-96) and Nuggets (1997-98).

Melo and the Nuggets showed little compassion for the Cavs, who rallied within six in the fourth but couldn’t get any closer.

J.J. Hickson had 24 points and 14 rebounds for Cleveland, which lost its final 19 games in 1981-82.

The Cavs’ slide has continued through the incessant Anthony trade rumors, which have quieted in recent weeks but are certain to pick up as the Feb. 24 deadline approaches. Who knows, maybe the Cavs (8-38) will have won their ninth game by then.

But although they’ve tasted victory just once since Nov. 27, the Cavs never stopped fighting. Down by 22 midway through the third quarter, they reeled off 10 straight points and closed the period with a 12-3 spurt to pull within 93-83.

The burst kept Cleveland’s crowd from bolting early, and when Hickson scored with 6:13 left, the Cavs were within 101-95 and Quicken Loans Arena sounded like it did when LeBron James was still around.

But Anthony came back and restored order. After resting to start the quarter, he returned and hit a quick jumper before Ty Lawson blazed down the lane for an easy layup to put the Nuggets ahead 108-99 with 4:22 to go.

The Cavs missed at the other end and Chauncey Billups drained a long 3-pointer to make it 111-99 and kill Cleveland’s comeback.

Anthony made 15 free throws — equaling the Cavs’ total — and Lawson added 15 points as the Nuggets won their fourth in a row.

Antawn Jamison had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Cleveland, which plays at Orlando on Sunday and in Miami on Monday.