Blazers Send Nuggets to 2nd Loss in Row

[December 17, 2007]  DENVER (AP) -- Brandon Roy had 26 points and 11 assists and Channing Frye scored 20 points as the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets 116-105 on Sunday night. Allen Iverson had 38 points for Denver, which has lost two straight after a three-game winning streak.

Carmelo Anthony struggled from the field again and finished with 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting, and Kenyon Martin had 14 for the Nuggets.

Travis Outlaw had 17 points for the Blazers, who got their first win in Denver since Feb. 26, 2003, to snap the Nuggets nine-game home winning streak against Portland. Denver had won 15 of the last 17 meetings at home dating back to the 1999-2000 season.

The Blazers, who shot 54.5 from the field, took control early in the second half and led by double digits the rest of the way.

Portland made 58 percent of its shots in the first half and stayed hot from the field at the start of the third quarter. The Blazers went on an 11-0 run early in the second half -- capped by a 3-pointer from Steve Blake -- to extend their lead to 72-52 with 8:22 left.

The advantage reached 21 before the Nuggets found a little offense. Iverson and Anthony hit 3s to pull to 82-70 with 2:57 left in the period, but the Blazers finished the quarter strong to take a 92-73 lead into the fourth.

Denver got within 12 twice in the fourth quarter thanks to Iverson's offense. The 6-foot guard scored 16 points in the period to help the Nuggets stay in it.

Iverson scored four straight points to tie the game at 35, but the Blazers went on a 16-4 run to take a 51-39 lead with 2:27 left in the first half.

Martin had dunks on three consecutive possessions to try to keep Denver within reach at halftime, but the Blazers' torrid shooting gave them a 61-49 lead at the break.

Frye gave the Blazers the lead in the first quarter with hot shooting. The forward scored 14 points on 7-for-8 shooting, and he also pulled down five rebounds for Portland, which took a 30-25 lead heading into the second quarter.

Notes: The Nuggets had to move to the visitors' locker room because of a fire in their locker room early Sunday morning. Karl said a dryer "blew up" in the home locker room around 2 a.m., and the fire department came in to put out a small fire. Karl said it could take up to two weeks for the water damage from the hoses to be repaired. In the meantime, road teams will use the NHL's visiting locker room. ... Blazers F. LaMarcus Aldridge missed his fourth straight game (plantar fasciitis).

[Associated Press; By EDDIE PELLS]

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