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 The Nuggets snapped a three-game losing streak, shooting 67.0
-- the best in franchise history. The previous best was nearly 30 years ago, when the Nuggets shot 66.7 percent against New Jersey early in the 1978 season. Denver also bettered the 66.2 percent shooting of the Lakers earlier this season, the previous best in the league.
The highest scoring game before Wednesday night came against Denver, when the Suns scored 137.
Playing a tired Seattle team certainly helped the Nuggets. The Sonics were finishing off a back-to-back, having played at Golden State a night earlier and offered little resistance at the defensive end.
With Denver trying to chase down a playoff spot in the competitive Western Conference, games against teams like lowly Seattle are now must-wins. The Nuggets are a half game behind Golden State for eighth in the West.
Kenyon Martin made 11 of 14 shots and scored 23 points, including a trio of dunks in the third quarter alone. Carmelo Anthony added 16 points and played just 30 minutes. Iverson made 13 of 18 shots and was done early enough in the fourth quarter to take off his shoes and give them to a child in the stands.
Mickael Gelabale continued his strong play for Seattle, scoring 16 points. Rookie Kevin Durant continued to struggle with his shot, making just 4 of 17 attempts and scored 16 points.
Denver jumped out quickly, using a 15-4 run midway through the first quarter to take a 27-13 lead on Martin's powerful dunk over Seattle's Nick Collison.
That run was the first of three major first-half spurts for the Nuggets, who shot 62 percent in the half and led 64-45 at halftime.
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Iverson capped an 8-0 run early in the second quarter, by crossing over between his legs four times on Collison, then darting into a lane for a soft floater. Linas Kleiza added 12 points in just 14 minutes in the first half and J.R. Smith capped the half with a falling down 3-pointer with less than a second left in the half. Both Smith and Kleiza finished with 15.
The Nuggets lead only grew in the third quarter. Anthony went to the bench for good late in the quarter and Iverson capped his night with a fastbreak, no-look drop pass to a trailing Martin for an easy layup and a 100-75 Denver lead after three quarters.
Denver coach George Karl was back on the bench after missing Monday night's loss to Detroit with the flu. He now has 862 wins, two shy of Jack Ramsay for 10th on the NBA's all-time coaching wins list.
Notes:@ Seattle G Earl Watson out again with an illness. Coach P.J. Carlesimo was unsure if Watson would be available to play Friday night when Seattle hosts Miami. ... Denver was without F Eduardo Najera, who remained in Denver for personal reasons. ... Seattle G Luke Ridnour didn't play in the second half after experiencing tightness in his right hamstring.
[Associated Press; By TIM BOOTH]
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