Anthony solid amid trade talks

By The Associated Press

Arron Afflalo scored a career-high 31 points and Carmelo Anthony followed up one of his worst shooting performances with a 28-point effort, helping the Denver Nuggets snap a three-game skid with a 132-98 rout of the visiting Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.

Anthony, the subject of trade talks all season, was greeted early by the crowd with a smattering of boos but quickly reversed the mood with his hustle and hanging jumpers. He also grabbed 10 rebounds.

That was a sharp contrast to Sunday night, when Anthony scored just eight points and drew jeers like he'd never heard before at Pepsi Center.

Ty Lawson scored 16 points and J.R. Smith added 15 to help the Nuggets avoid their first four-game losing streak in nearly four years. They're the only NBA team in that time that hasn't dropped four in a row.

Steve Nash hit his first four shots, but didn't make another and spent the fourth quarter on the bench. He finished with 15 points.

Denver native Chauncey Billups, who finished with seven assists, has been dragged into the most recent trade speculation, a proposed three-team deal involving Detroit and New Jersey and at least 13 players.

For that, Anthony said he felt remorseful since he knows how beloved Billups is in the Mile High City. The deal has picked up steam in recent days, but the chatter was quiet Tuesday.

Pacers 111, 76ers 103: Danny Granger scored 27 points, Darren Collison added 21 points and 13 assists, and Indiana snapped a nine-game road losing streak with a victory at Philadelphia.

Spurs 107, Timberwolves 96: At Minneapolis, Manu Ginobili had 19 points, including five technical free throws in a 10-second span of the third quarter, and San Antonio beat Minnesota.

Lakers 112, Cavaliers 57: Pau Gasol had 13 points and 14 rebounds, leading host Los Angeles past Cleveland.

Wizards 136, Kings 133, OT: Nick Young scored a career-high 43 points, and Kirk Hinrich had six in overtime as host Washington survived a last-minute regulation meltdown to beat Sacramento.

Knicks 100, Trail Blazers 86: Amare Stoudemire had 23 points and eight rebounds, Raymond Felton added 17 points and 14 assists, and New York won at Portland.

Milwaukee at Atlanta, ppd., snow: With much of Atlanta snowed in two days after a harsh winter storm slammed the South, the Hawks-Bucks game was postponed.

The Hawks and Bucks will make up their game March 15.